Note: This is not the latest fur market update from Trapping Today. Click here for the NAFA July 2017 fur auction results and market recap.
Some bright spots, some disappointments, but no great surprises. That’s the upshot of NAFA’s May 2017 Wild Fur Auction. Fur continues to move, but prices resemble a fairly depressed market compared to recent years. Folks looking to pay some bills with their fur check should already know better – some major changes need to take place in the global economy for fur prices to tick back up. Anyway, here are the results:
Coyote pelts continue to sell well, driven by a strong fashion trade that’s decided they’re what’s hot. The top quality Western coyotes averaged $93, while semi and eastern goods sold for around $50, and even low quality furs brought around $19.
Red fox prices were disappointing, averaging $14-19. Before now, foxes were selling consistently around $20-30 for a very long time.
Raccoon pelts finally found their way back into the fur market, with a 100% clearance of fresh goods for the first time in years. Prices averaged $7 – $15, with values tied directly to size and quality.
Beaver prices continue to be in the basement. There wasn’t even much variation in price among section (which is unusual), indicating that the southern hatter market is almost as strong as the rest of the beaver trade. That such a large, durable, high quality pelt can be worth so little is sad. Beaver averaged around $11.
Demand for Muskrat pelts wasn’t high enough to attract prices that NAFA was hoping for, and the ‘rat pelts were mostly withdrawn. We’ll have to see what happens in the next auction to determine what will happen with muskrat prices. I fear we’ll see a bunch of pelts being dumped in July for $2-3.
Wild mink sold well, at similar prices they’ve sold for the past decade or so, $12 average.
Otter averaged around $37, which is lower than past years, but an improvement this season.
Bobcat prices remain pretty strong, mainly supported by demand in the fashion trade for the high quality Western cats with large white spotted bellies. Those Western cats averaged around $385, with Eastern bobcats selling around $70.
Lynx sold for around $77, a relatively poor price for our friends in Canada and Alaska who rely on lynx to help pay the bills when their population levels are high.
Marten sold well, averaging $64 overall, with semi’s bringing $55 and heavy’s at $84.
Fisher were disappointing, averaging $49 overall. Female fisher prices were down, but demand remained for large males.
Here are some other averages:
Badger – $26
Skunk – $5
Weasel – $1.61
Opossum – $1.74
Cross Fox – $18
Wolf – $180
Wolverine – $240
Grey Fox – unsold
Those are the NAFA results. What do they mean for the fur market? It seems as though we’ve entered the new normal for fur prices for the foreseeable future, but things can change fast. FHA’s May Auction starts this week. Stay tuned for more.
Been selling coyote fur for 40 years in NW CO. Never been a member, always just sold to the local guys. Had always heard how you could make more money by shipping to an auction. Knew the market was going to be up. Not a fur expert by any means but our coyotes in this part of the world can be really nice. Don’t even skin the rags. VERY disappointed in the price I received !!! I could have sold the dogs I sent to a local guy, un skinned, for more than I got sending them to your auction. Live and Learn.
Hello. My name is Paul and I’m from Pennsylvania and I’m thinking of hunting coyotes this year.Could you please tell me why the price is so much better for a Western animal.I would really appreciate your input. Thank you!
I live in Idaho, and grew up in Pennsylvania. The coyotes get bigger in the eastern states, it makes no sense that they would go for more in the west.
Paul and Todd – Eastern and Western coyotes differ greatly in the quality of their fur from a market standpoint. The western coyote is a smaller animal, but the pelt has very thick underfur and the consistency of the fur overall makes it ideal for trim on winter coats. Western ‘yotes are also typically a consistent, pale color which the market desires.
As coyotes migrated east to fill the gap left by the vanishing eastern wolves, there was a level of inbreeding between the two species, and eastern coyotes have a percentage of wolf genes. Because of this, they have extensive guard hairs and poorer quality underfur, and colors can vary across the board. The pelt of an eastern coyote can often resemble that of a German shepherd, and it’s less desirable in the fur trade. Hope this helps!
Jeremiah
They lost a couple boxes of fur that I had sent them, when I sent the receipt they said they had found the fur and payed bttm dollar on all the fur.
Sorry, thought I was on the NAFA site.
I like your emails and updates. Thanks.
No problem Steve. Glad you enjoy the updates and hope you get better prices next time.
Does anyone know what the hell is going on with red fox? Do you see any increases coming in the 2017 season? Also, seeing all grey fox going unsold. Thought this was a new hot item in South Korea. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Live and trap in central region. Thanks for any input.