Black beaver

Every so often I hear of someone trapping a black beaver. Is black beaver fur worth more?

In my experience, every time I sold one they brought a premium. Matter of fact, the only top lot beaver I sold was a 3xl heavy sel black. Should have kept it. 4 of the 6 in that colony were black, and made a nice paycheck. I remember I sold 12 or 13 from that 2 days of trapping and made over $500 from just the hides.

A friend of mine is looking to buy some black fured beaver he wants them for a blanket project they are working on.
Allan

As a general rule, black beaver bring more money. Almost always they go to the craft/tourist trade rather than the fur market.

There is a difference between black beaver and really dark beaver. Black beaver are BLACK.

Try to find someone in northern lower Michigan. I have heard from a reliable source they can be quite common there.

I think they are pretty rare around here

Black beavers brings good price. Last spring I sold a black fall beaver at FHA for $66. I have two black XL beavers at this upcoming FHA sale. They aren't lofted in the catalog so I think they are sold already

Or FHA could be saving their black beaver collection to be offered at their May sale.

Black beaver almost always sell to the craft/tourist market and those buyers don't travel to Helsinki. But they will be in North Bay.

Just an educated assumption on my part.

I have caught 2 so far this season. Just salted one today for tanning. A local taxidermist here buys them for good money. His wife gets them tanned and makes things with them. He's always looking for more.

This is true and n my area. I don't trap beaver very hard but about one in 10 are black and most are dark. My best priced beaver past year was a tiny black one.

Strike,
The fella I know trapped "your" area. His average was 1 in 10 over the years.

I did ADC work on two properties north of me last summer and both produced 50% black, sucked having to dispose those animals. But both properties are very hard to access so until prices rise considerably I won't ask to trap those properties during fur season just very hard to get to.

I've not spoke to David but I'm sure he is still looking for some black beaver pelts if any are available please feel free to send a pm.
Allan

Not a lot of black ones up here. Maybe 1 in 100 if you average it over the years if you are lucky. Caught 3 one year, then didn't catch one for years after that. I've been getting them tanned .

Interesting. I wonder how hard it is to find unique ways to sell them like that.

It isn't hard to find unique ways to sell fur other than the fur market. Lots and lots and lots of options.

Do some research on google and eBay and you will have lots of ideas to work with.

One problem is that it is a limited market. Sort of a niche market. And those that are well established in their niche market might be reluctant to provide information.

I've sold several over the years to Taxidermist for much more than I would have been able to get sell it at a fur buyer. $50 to $75

I haven't got a black 1 yet. Maybe this year, but I'm fine with whatever color they are.

It’s my understanding that most black beavers come from close to the western Great Lakes. 70’s and early 80’s I trapped Douglas County WI and had close to 10% , most coming from the same drainage. Back then I got $ 1 extra for black ones. Wasn’t smart enough to work the markets better.

Got 4 black ones yesterday and 2 more today! That's more black ones than I have caught in the last three years combined. (Doing adc work)

I used to have a real good market for beaver (fall beaver, not black). Sold 28 total with 12 bringing between $100 to $120. Word got out and never been the same.

I use to have one of those niche markets. This lady made small baby sized beaver blankets for all her soon to be mothers with new borns. $40.00 a hide and It didn't make any difference how prime they were. Then she got old and all her friends got old and no more babies.LOL

Beav, the tough part was frost scraping them for the big money.

You didn't LOL
Boco Jr.

I have to admit in that market it probably did help to buff and shine them. I have been complimented a time or two on my put ups. I might be a little more anal than I have to be, but I am not super anal.

My one and only............

Very cool!

Nice

I still haven't gotten a black one. I read something about person trapping a white 1. White must be REALLY rare.

Caught 5 at a spot earlier, 1 was black as can be the rest were all Brown. I had no idea they were something special. My first beaver put up was the black one and it turned out bad, terrible job. Now the little one turned out much better and the other 3 will be doing this weekend.
Black and Brown's from the same family?

Just got this one put up.