The fur market is not what it used to be, and it probably never will be what it was in the boom days. That said, fur still has value and particular items are selling quite well even in the scaled down modern fur industry. After a number of state fur auctions and the Fur Harvesters March sale, we have a really good idea of what fur is worth, and what to expect moving forward.
In short, the utility fur items, which trappers harvest in the greatest numbers nationwide, have very little demand and prices are poor. That’s because most of the global fur trade is on its knees, with economic and demographic woes in many of the fur consuming regions of the world. The specialty fur items – species that are less commonly caught and always available in smaller numbers – are doing very well. There is still demand for these items, and it’s more difficult to flood these niche markets with oversupply.
Let’s get into the details.
Beaver prices have been elevated for the past several years due to the hot fashion trend favoring cowboy hats, whose felt is made from beaver fur. That market is starting to exhaust itself. Demand is waning, particularly with the end of the hit TV show “Yellowstone”, which had every American adult wanting to be a cowboy. In addition, felt makers bought a lot of beaver pelts during the boom and many realized they overpaid for lower quality. In some auctions, particularly in 2023, the lower quality beaver pelts sold for almost the same price as the best. Today, the better beaver pelts are averaging $20-25. While size has always been an important driver of price, fur quality has become critical to the value received for a beaver pelt. Lower quality pelts are likely to bring $10-15 moving forward, with a deep discount for smaller sizes.
Demand for otter is steady, with the lower beaver harvest meaning fewer otters are being taken incidental to beaver trapping activities. Averages are in the $20-30 range.
Muskrats are almost unsellable right now. Better muskrats are going for around $2, if you can find somebody who wants them.
The market for coyote pelts has been – in a more extreme case than beaver – the victim of a changing fashion trend. Nobody wants fur lined hooded parkas anymore, which is where most of the coyote pelts were being used. Better western coyotes, are averaging $20-30, with Easterns and Southerns around $10-15 tops.
Better raccoon pelts are sellable, but at very low levels. Some of the best quality pelts have commanded $10-15 regionally, but the bulk of the harvest is selling for $5 apiece on average.
Red fox prices have been slowly creeping up from their decades-long slump. The low harvest has helped keep prices reasonable, with $10 for the lower quality sections and $20-25 for the better quality pelts. Fur Harvesters offered less than 5,000 red fox pelts at their March 2025 auction, which is kind of mind blowing compared to what the harvest once was.
Bobcats continue to sell well, and top quality spotted Western cats seem to have returned to their glory days from a few years back. These have been consistently averaging more than $500 at western state auctions, and the collection of Westerns at Fur Harvesters sold for almost $800! Most of the other sections of bobcats are in the $100-200 range, which is really encouraging. Bobcat harvest is usually lower when coyote prices are low, which is undoubtedly helping elevate the price. The super wealthy aren’t having the economic troubles we see in the middle class worldwide, and they are the ones who buy the high end bobcat coats.
Wild mink prices have been good as well, likely due to the low supply of ranch mink that had flooded the market for much of the recent decade, most of which have finally made their way through the pipeline. Most mink collections have been averaging better than $10, with the better collections inching close to $20! This is nothing compared to the mink prices of the old days, but better than we’ve seen in a long time.
Skunk prices are incredibly high. This is an item that is really booming in the otherwise poor fur market. The recent Fur Harvesters collection averaged almost $30!
Weasels are selling well, with an average of about $7.50 overall.
Marten are another niche fur item that is doing very well in this market. Almost 30,000 marten pelts sold at Fur Harvesters for an overall average of $70. The top quality marten pelts from northern latitudes dropped a little in price, but the lower end of the quality spectrum improved dramatically.
Canada lynx are averaging in excess of $100.
Fisher are also doing well, with an overall average of $55.
Grey fox are commanding averages of around $20.
We’re truly in a bifurcated fur market these days, with the traditional bread and butter species that make up the bulk of the North American catch seeing poor demand and low prices, but the specialty species in lower supply booming in price. So what does this mean? For the market overall, it isn’t good news – suppliers, lure makers, dealers, and other trapping industry participants rely on the bread and butter to keep the industry moving. But for trappers in northern areas who can harvest species not common in most places, the market is pretty good. And for their sake, I hope it holds up a little longer.
make the muskrats 1 zillion dollars
I remember the days when some men who trapped made a nice living in the northern states! I myself, was a trapper and in the 1950’s did well harvesting, skinning and selling wild caught fur. I ran a trap line of about fifty traps along Michigan streams. I loved getting up early and running my trap line before going to school. Muskrats sold for about …$5 – 10 dollars and Mink sold for about $1 per inch.
wow , i trapped in alleghany and westmoreland area when i was young early 80s , rats were 8 bucks, xlg coons 55: red fox 125, that was the happiest times of my life. my dad had a piece of oak turned down and weighted ( thanks to us steel) was a christmas presentwith a dozen of 1 1/2 and dozen of 110 s ..and mom would take me to finnlyviille fur post to sell my pelts and get more lure.hard to believe what times grew into. these days i would of been hunted down..thanks to the person who started this conversation,,parents are gone and its been long time since i thought of this..needed it
just to ad to this, trapping bought my first car in 1983 a 1967 mustang coupe 289 ,w/ pony package. was rough as hell but i loved it..
Wow ! I like hearing strories like that. Stories from “ old timers “ now trapping before school or ANY TIME is unheard of .
When i was a kid back in the earley 80s. I made enough money trapping to buy my first car at 16. This was in Coshocton co. Ohio. Muskrats were 7 or $8.oo a piece. Jumbo coon was $40.00 small $20.00. Opossum was $5.00. Red Fox was $70.00 Grey $60.00 Mink was $35.00. I loved the sport of Trapping and also keeping the animals in check. But to get up at dark to run your line in freezing weather. Getting soaking wet. Its nice to get some worth while money out of it! Those were the good ole days. With the way people are these days. Where everyone is offended by every little thing. Anti fur Boys think they are girls and vice versa. We will never see prices like those days again. This country was raised and built on the fur trade.
Definitely exciting days for me as well. Nothing like walking down the river in the dark with waders on to check traps. It takes a special person to do that. The best days of my life in Iowa.
No kidding. 5am before school walking though the marsh in the Maumee river in Toledo Ohio. Trapping was easy till it started to freeze. Then we had to break ice with the boat to get to island sets.
I think the sport taught responsibility. You had to check your sets everyday. I was 15.
In 1978-1979 I took a two week vacation to go trapping and I made $6500 those 2weeks coyote were worth 50-65$ for coyote fox were about $45 and road killed possum were 8$ all were skinned and fleshed stretched and dried
I did the same but prices are not worth the trouble , miss those days
Absolutely
Its so disappointing that it’s not even worth the time anymore and rabies runs rampant due to fur haters 😔
Those were the days there I was in high school then and fur prices were great then not any more it’s sad that this happens it’s just not worth trapping any more . These baits and lures cost more to buy then you get off one animal your trapping . It’s just sad .
YOU NAILED IT!! I TRAPPED WHEN I WAS 14 TO 17 IN THE LATE 70′ & EARLY 80’S. I REMEMBER GETTING $75 FOR RED FOX PELTS & PRETTY WHICH WAS A TON OF MONEY FOR A TEENAGER & MUCH OF THE SAME PRICES YOU MENTIONED. GOOD TIMES BACK THEN AND GREAT MEMORIES!! WOULD LOVE TO START UP AGAIN SINCE I’VE RETIRED BUT SEEMS TODAY YOU MIGHT BREAK EVEN UNLESS YOU HAD A 1000 ACRES & LARGE TRAPLINE.
Them where the good old days
I remember those days. Similar story here, Saving trapping money for my 1st car and 1st nice guitar. Started trapping when I was 12 and almost 60 now. Live in Pa. and still near a water trappers heaven. I used to catch around 100 rats, 10-20 mink, 40-50 coon and several fox and few beaver in a normal season. What great times but yes, Hard work. Used to sell to this old timer and his wife. The evening I would take all my fur to him, Him ,His wife and I would sit and talk for a couple hrs after he graded and payed me for my fur. He had an awesome fur shop. They used to call me the Rat man and always ask if I wanted my money in a brown paper bag lol. That’s what he did for a living after Pullman Steel closed down. He was the last guy to finally throw in the towel as a local buyer in the area. Awesome good memory’s that I have my past away now dad to thank. The day he handed me an old wore out #1 victor long spring, I was hooked !
Yea those were the good ol days boys.
But they’re long gone. The young boys coming up now will never know the feeling of laying awake the night of opening day with anticipation of the next days catch. The excitement of running your line set by set. And the payoff for a young fellow who worked hard all season through cold and wet winter weather.. to proudly bundle up his seasons catch and get them to the buyers. Those are some of my fondest memories as I’m sure they are of a lot of you. And it’s a damn shame
Total truth. I still do a little trapping with our boys not for money so the skill set and American heritage passed down
trapping in the 80s was the best of times… early morning, younger brother in tow, round the bend to see your first beaver ever… satisfaction, self reliance, field craft and a fist full of dollars
I teapped in 70s and 80s and made ecsalent money when we had 50 dollar coon. It was fun to have that easy money. Now is different but I still love to trap and my younger great neffew is having great fun doing it.. my personal best was 4 coon his is 9 I bel eive. Its just fun catching things. Its a skill I enjoy. Now is the time to get area cause when the price goes up you want to be there.]
I am 74 now, trapped from about 1965 to 1980. Mostly was after muskrats. My best one season was 333, over that total period I caught over 1000. I don’t ever remember getting more about four dollars per muskrat. Caught a few raccoon and a few fox but did not go after them too hard. I’ve went on and got a bachelors degree from Penn State and a masters degree from Mount St. Mary’s in Emmetsburg, Maryland. I became an accountant, a purchasing director at a mining operation for Bethlehem steel and eventually a materials Director at a hospital. But like all these other people are saying, my best time was on the trap line. Now there are no muskrats in my area. The ringneck pheasant is gone other than stocked birds probably the largest wildlife disaster for South Central Pennsylvania. Really enjoyed reading the comments, brings back great memories.
I remember my first red fox. It was like I hit the lottery. I was so excited!
So many great memories out on the trap line.
Get up at 4:00 AM. Run a couple trap lines before work.
It seemed like a dream.
Thanks for the market update I am curious as to why skunk is booking. The market has always interested me, even though I haven’t trapped in years.
growing up in south Mississippi and Louisiana trapping in the 80’s was amazing! we didn’t have the thick northern fur but still we got 30 for large coons and sold the meat also as well as beaver. .miss those days… miss the trapline.
These prices on beaver , fox red and grey , mink ,otter , are REDICULOUS it’s just not worth trapping anymore. I love to trap 20 bucks on beaver 20 to 25 on red grey fox , otter 20 bucks wow I remember when beaver was 65 70 bucks a skin fox 85 a skin mink 25 a skin sad sad days in the trapping world .
Yep fellas,I was just watching a red fox out here in the field from my living room window.made me get on here and check what the market is these days. Makes me want to dust off the rifles and hit the fields till season closes. I too have fond memories of the fur harvesting days of the 80’s prices were worthwhile. Not so much anymore.
In Maine which I understood was a federal law that trapping Canadian Linx are endangered and you cannot trap lynx we have to use a lynx exclusion trap box the entrance can only be 4”x4” !!! Highly regulated
There was always a special place in my heart for trapping and there still is nowadays I’m an old man I do wildlife and damage control but I still like to run a good Bobcat line like Christmas every day I wish more kids would get into it kids that hunt fish and trap don’t get in trouble with the law
Wow, this brings back memories as well. When I was 14, which is now more than half a century ago ha ha, I used to run a trap line to make money just like all the other people who posted here. I remember getting up before the crack of dawn, walking through a cornfield that sometimes hadn’t been picked yet in the freezing cold air and freaking out at every little noise I heard. Must’ve watched too many scary movies. But that all disappeared when I got to my first set and saw raccoon, or opossum. Of course, most of the time it was an opossum but hey, in those days, things were cheaper and fur trapping money went further than it would today. And when I got my first raccoon I thought I hit the mother load. Weren’t as many fox in northeastern Ohio where I trapped, or at least that’s what I told myself. But then again they were tricky little buggers and it was probably me not being seasoned enough to trap them. And muskrats were my go to fur. Didn’t trap any beaver because the large Conibear traps scared the hell out of me. Kids these days spend too much time on the couch playing games instead of getting outside where the real world is. Kind of scary that if we ever got into some sort of conflict, that’s who we’d have to rely on to defend our country. Thanks for the memories!
Just wanted to comment. I’m 37 and didn’t grow up hunting or trapping at all, but I’ve become real interested in it and plan on taking it up soon- as far as trapping I’d just be looking to gather furs to have them made into something for me or friends and family. Anyway, I just ended up here cause I’m researching and learning about hunting and trapping and wanted to thank everybody for sharing their stories. It was a nice little history lesson in the comment sections that gave me a window into the more recent history of trapping- all I really knew was the history of trapping when the country was settled so I took a lot from it. Sucks there’s no money in it anymore. As someone who would much rather be outdoors if there were money in it I’d be strongly considering learning and doing it as secondary income that my family sure could use.
Just retired, finally have time to enjoy getting out n stringing steel. Though the eighties fur check were great, the satisfaction of outsmarting Bob or old red was rewarding.we simply have to pass this tradition down to the Z generation before it’s lost forever .
READING THESE STORIES ,IT SEEMS MOST HAVE EXPERIENCE THE SAME ENJOYMENT OF OUR PAST ,, GREAT MEMORIES , I WISH WE COULD ALL GET TOGETHER AND PUSH THE MARKET FOR GOOD HIDES AND THE LOVE OF THE HUNT BACK TO THE HUNT WHERE IT TRULY SHOULD BE. THESE ANIMALS RIGHTS UNEDUCATED CLOWNS , SHOULDN’T BE ALLOWED TO TELL US HOW TO LIVE OUR LIVES , WE NEED TO BAN TOGETHER AND ADVERTISE FUR USE FOR THE FUTURE ,
Just got done reading some posts from you fellas and I can relate spot on . They were and still are my fondest memories of growing up here in the coal region. Spent more on the sardines than what I collected for my first possum . But was the proudest kid on the planet as I walked through the shopping center of my small town with pack basket on back and old grinner by the tail.