Skunk prices at FH

Any one that shipped skunks to FH for this sale should be VERY happy.

Top lot was $25.00. Several other lots were over $20.00. Looks like 100% clearance.

There must be a shortage of skunks because the quantity offered was significantly less than previous sales.

Size large to 3XL damaged did well. Valuation 30 cents. Sold for $12.50. A lot of trappers just throw them away. That is like throwing money away.

Jerry will be sporting a new pickup!

How are your seeing auction results?

you need a buyer number

I’m a registered buyer. I can watch the catalog as each lot closes. I can also see pictures of many of the lots.

The one thing I’m not able to do this sale is buy what I need to buy!!! LOL

Anybody remember when Monopoly used to have a Chance card about inheriting your uncles skunk farm, collect $___?

Yep a lot of trappers are ejits,I remember back in the day trappers throwing away weasels that would sell for 7-8 bucks at the auction and would trap and skin muskrats that sold for 3,lol.

no got to be before 1946. ( beaverpeelers) question

Boy wissmiss wasn't kidding on the price of skunks. I had a shock this morning when I checked my account. I had 15 up there and averaged $20 each. By far the highest I have ever gotten. Makes me wish I hadn't sold my best 5 privately for $10 each cash. It is funny that Lot #180007 went for $26 and the top Lot #180001 only went for $25. It worked out well for me as I only had 1 in the first lot but had 4 in the 180007 lot. I was also very happy with my badger prices. For fall badgers to average $22.75 for 4 badgers is crazy. I am typically around to 10 to 12 dollar averages. They must also must be selling some PT because I have one lot of mink that shows sold now that wasn't yesterday.

I hope everyone else had a good sale even with all the bought back furs.

Schmattz

If you remember that LawDog had a fire and his skunks that were prepared burnt unfortunately. Well at least his insurance adjusted has a base price to go by now.

American Sable rules the rouse again

My insurance paid me $12 straight for mine all sizes I kept enough to get the price discount at Moyles to reduce the tanning cost I was happy with that for a mixed size lot. We have a huge skunk when the stripes are good (dry years) a higher percentage are sellable then the biggest ones bring a good price . The wettest years see a larger percentage of yellow/orange looking stripes with no value to the pelts.

I developed my own markets over the years so mine are often sold before they are caught I don’t scrape the ones I sell to my customers even, they prefer them that way. A few hand picked selects bring me well over the $25 mark a 14-16 pound jumbo fetches $75 but they are rare to get the right size, color and a perfect looking pelt.

My freezers are in another building and I shipped out 4 orders before the shed burnt so I was lucky there. The thing with skunks is it’s just a fact not everyone can do it for a verity of reasons. Just like trapping it’s a million little things that make it workable or unworkable to folks advantage vs disadvantage comes into play big time no middle ground really. Like hog farming just embrace the fact that you will stink at time just reduce that time as much as you can is all you can do.

If not for all the info sharing I do I could write a book since I’ve been doing skunks for so long but there is a lot more to it then a guy thinks really.

^like^

Law Dog. You should write the book. Sets, dispatch,pelt handling,essence removal and shipping.

Titled "Pro Skunk Trapping and Handling"

Are crafters that picky in regards to yellow/orange stripes having no value?

Yes I also would like to learn more about the value of yellow orange stripes

In my experience the craft trade wants skunks with total white stripes that go the full length of the back. Wide aIs better than narrow.. the more contrast the better.

I have been told that there is something about the yellow/orange stripes that cannot be fixed in the dressing process. Whether that is true or not, I don’t know.

Interestingly, back in the 30s and 40s (I think I have the right era), the skunks that brought premium prices were the pelts with almost no white, just a little white spot on the head/neck. They were called “star skunks” and were highly prized. Now that type of skunk is worth very little.

The yellow/orange stains are a deal killer the Classic or unusual stripes are always the better money.

In the 50's we caught blacks, then diamond backs, then narrow stripe ones. All black while being not common brought $10 then, maybe two or three a year, summer or winter skunks too......jk

I remember my grandpa talking about there being a lot of civet cats when he lived in the country back in the day. He said they were more stinky that a regular skunk.
I have never caught or even seen a civet cat around where I live. They must be pretty rare?

Not rare in our country. They're the predominant skunk in the coniferous forests of the coast range and cascades.

If you look closely you can see some of these have slightly yellowish faces, a common issue.

We have them in places but habitat loss will be their end unfortunately.

Remember to always keep the feet on the hide. Most know but maybe a few might not think of it.

Feet are helpful, especially on animals like coyote, fox and badger. I’m not sure they are that important on skunk, nice but not essential for top dollar, in my opinion.

so then skin the feet out down to the nail? Like Taxidermy or just cut it off at the leg bone or what?

Leaving the feet on exactly how like get rid of the cartilage and all of the bone down to the nail or just cut the leg off at the elbow or how?

For the beaded bags I make from skunk, I prefer the claws and pads on.

I also want the smallest inspection window I can get.

I’ve always been told that so this year I left feet on a couple and they brought $2 less then my average. I was told they were done right. I was hoping mid $20’s for them I think they sold for $14

Yes, exactly like for taxidermy. Leaving the foot and leg bones won’t work.

Feet on any animal all depends on the project it is intended for. K snow uses skunk for small bags, so feet are very good. If some one is making a vest or a pair of gauntlets, feet aren’t needed.

One thing to consider is the amount of time it takes you to prep 4 feet. Will that amount of time add that much value to the pelt.

One more thing about leaving feet on a pelt - remember badger have 4 feet!!! The back feet aren’t nearly as impressive as the front feet, but they are still important for some projects!!!

In the west at fur sales I have been to skunk will bring more with the feet on versus not. We have a lot of craft buyers here. You have to separate lots with feet on versus not. Skin it like down to leave the nails and pads (taxidermy).

Do crafters like them dried fur side out or leather out?

Its amazing.Were on the second page of a post concerning trapping and fur handling of skunks.

Fur side out so you can see the hair. Skunk is something that a lot of trappers overlook until they go to a fur sale and or see the prices they sell for. Go thru the results of fur sales this season especially out west and take a look. At fur sales I have seen a lot of trappers be amazed at the price they bring. Remember not every skunk has a higher value or is even worth skinning.

A nice skunk is paying better then the average coyote here and is a lot easier to skin and scrape.

I leave the feet on it widens my markets they are a must for taxidermist and not a bad thing on a wall hanger the crafters can just cut them off then.

When you put yours up, how much of a curve up (window) is there on the belly side? I am always looking for ones that have as little curve as possible. I look for feet, then curve, then stripe pattern.

I leave everything but the bung on mine to cover all possible markets, most I sell are froze in the grease so the buyer can do what they want with them. If I trim them I lose the taxi option then. Some taxi guys want the skulls in place along with the legs to the first joint so they can skin it that way.

I didn't have very good skunk's this year, damaged and blue.
But local buyer give me 10.00 to 12.50 for them and I was very happy with it.

The insurance adjuster said he came up with between $17 to $47 bucks as a price I got a quote from my fur buyer he said $12 so I told him that no clue where the $47 amount came from, my guess it was a finished pelt.

Go skunks wow

Wish your adjuster was buying fur!

I agree!

I would buy that book.

I’ll start making notes and see what I can put together, if I can get to it this summer but this summer could it be hectic with all that’s going on now.

One year I put up civets fur out for our association sale. I had been getting about $13 each year, but the fur out year I got $9 so I never put them up that way again. Since our buyers weren't used to seeing them put up that way I wondered if they thought I was trying to hide leather problems. (Something we trappers are prone to do from time to time LOL).

I had on go for $26 up there

I'd buy every civet I could get if some one wanted to work for them, they would be happy with my price as well, maybe some one would be interested ?

One buyer told me he would pay double w/feet on the hide.

It looks like I may be wrong about craft buyers wanting feet on skunks. Apparently feet are important on skunks and increase the price.

My experience is that stripes are more important, feet are secondary. Not true .

I wonder how many skunks FH will get next season? Enough to flood the market??

Most folks just can’t do it Nancy their lifestyles won’t allow it often because of the possibility of getting sprayed or stinking in their daily activities.

When my Dad was a lad he caught a skunk and his Mother skinned it for him...talk about spoiled!

That goes to show you never know about the fur market. It seemed like several years ago possum was going for 8-10 dollars.

When I was a kid and caught a skunk, my mother would pay me $10 just not to bring it home. So me being a typical kid took a cheap cooler and stashed it out in the woods. Every time I would catch one I would dispatch it, put it in the cooler and kept it in a cool spot. Then when the local fur buyer would come to town I would haul in my catch where he would also give me $10. Back then I was like hitting the loto at $20 per skunk and I didn't even have to skin them!