NAFA Auction?

I have 46 coyotes in the next sale for NAFA. As a 3rd year trapper, I have never watched the auction that close. What should I be watching before and during to see how my coyotes do?

If you hear crickets on the first page of Western heavies, permission to panic.

Funny Sniperbbb.

Teacher - Have your lot numbers printed out ahead of time and track them as they go through the sales process. You'll see what they sell for. It's a great time especially when the prices are decent. Good luck, that's a great year.

You should be able to listen to the auction live. Log info is on their web site. It is fun to know you have one or more coyotes in the lot they are selling.

The results will be posted to your account as the auction progresses.

If you see the words Bought Back, means the lot did not sell. It still might sell after the live auction is over. Checks are issued 3 weeks after the last day of the sale - so about June 25.

Good Luck.

A "lotting letter" showing grades and lot numbers should be posted to your account this weekend or early next week. It helps to study the grades and review them in relation to where the lot numbers appear in the NAFA catalog. Then login on day of sale to listen to the live broadcast and pencil in the sale prices (or high bids for brought back [unsold] lots). That could help you estimate values for future sales. If you have not done so, I suggest on the wild fur "resources" page at NAFA you look at the fur grading manuals to learn more about fur values.

When is the first date of inspection? Anyone know if there well be a paper printout of acct sales. On prompt date ? Or is it paperless from here on out ? Last time, I was able research on ph, after figgure out how do it an spend time on matter

May 25 is first day of inspection

I doubt they have lot letters up that soon

Here is what my coyotes graded at. Honestly I have no clue it means. Then number at the end is the number of coyotes in that grade.

How is it looking


Grade/Size/Offer
I-II 3XL-XXL -- 11
I-II XL-LGE -- 1
II 3XL-XL -- 17
II XL-LGE -- 4
SDA 3XL-XL -- 1
SDB 3XL-XL -- 1
DG2 3XL-XXL -- 5
DG3 3XL-XL -- 2
DG3 XL-LGE --1
III-DGD 3XL-XL--1

SUPER SELECT Top quality. Free of imperfections. Reserved for NAFA Top Lots.
SELECT: Best possible quality. These are full-bodied, fully prime skins with dense underfur and good coverage. Leather is clear, fur and leather are free of imperfections.
I FIRST: Very good quality. These are fully prime, fully covered skins except for very slight weakness on the flanks (guard hair weakness). Pelts have full. dense under-wool and a full belly. Leather may have minor imperfections and have a slightly blueish tint to the leather.
I-II: Slightly over-prime, or slightly under-prime. Slightly open showing weakness. Has a visible lack of guard hair coverage on the flank and back, or lacking density of under- wool.
II: Over-prime or under-prime pelts with very weak, open coverage on flanks and back, or very loose under-wool. Pelt has a rough, ragged, and dull appearance. May have blue leather. Minor slight damage accepted.
SLIGHT DAMAGE A: Select or I quality skins with up to 10% of the leather or fur damaged by way of holes, scars, tears, mats or patches of missing fur.
SLIGHT DAMAGE B: I-II and II quality skins with up to 10% of the leather or fur damaged by way of holes, scars, tears, mats or patches of missing fur.
DAMAGE 1: SELECT or I quality skins that are up to 25% damaged.
DAMAGE 2: SELECT or I quality skins that are up to 50% damaged or I-II and II quality skins that are up to 25% damaged.
DAMAGE 3: I-II quality skins that are up to 50% damaged or II quality skins that are up to 25% damaged.
III-DAMAGE: III quality skins that are up to 25% damaged or better-quality skins that are more than 50% damaged.
IV FOURTH: Summer skins, badly damaged pieces. Very limited commercial value.
V FIFTH: Summer skins, badly damaged pieces. No commercial value.

Doesn't look to good I guess. I have a big number of SDA-DG3. My fur was caught from December 1 through Feb 12. I hope it is more the fur and not how I put them up.

To really know anything about your furs you need to look at the lot numbers. a Western Heavy "SDA" might be worth more than an Eastern I-II. Generally the lower the lot number the more valuable the furs is with Western Heavy being the best & Easterns seem to do better than Western Seim on the last sale. Also, in northern Maine where I trap late Oct coyotes and November coyotes are better quality than later caught coyotes.

As far north as you are in WI, you MIGHT get less damage if your starting and ending dates were a month earlier.

wisconsinteacher You did good on catching those coyotes. Looks like you will do OK on the first bunch of 30+ you have to remember these are WI coyotes.
Looks like you took those coyotes were caught In CRs right? Our best furred dogs are caught around the first part of Nov then they start to go down hill. But that's not an exact science since you will catch some later that are still ok. But for the most part by Dec they are a bit over the hill.
You did good now you just have to catch them earlier.

I’d say pretty good for Wisconsin coyotes the first 11 will probably do between $75-100

Thanks for the help guys. I know that catching them in CR's later in the year is not helping with fur quality. There is no way I could catch as many without having a CR season. I hope it all goes well Friday, at this point it is out of my control. My goal for the season was met by just being able to catch some coyotes to help the deer herd.

What section are your coyotes in?

Eastern I believe?

I know this doesn't help you, but I'm impressed you caught 46 coyotes in just your third season. Good work!

Thanks trapdog. I had 49 total. 2 were really bad and 1 I'm getting tanned for a land owner. It was an amazing season.

Sold 44 for $53 average. I can't complain.

That's great.