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All is quiet. That’s the story thus far in the 2015-2016 market for wild fur. Folks are looking everywhere for answers to how much money they can expect to get for fur this season, but the answers aren’t coming easy. In short, based on all information available to date, I think we can expect fur prices to be extremely low over the next few months, and possibly over the next couple of years.
That’s right – low, low fur prices. Bottom of the barrel. In most cases, fur will sell for far less than what you’ll spend to trap it. For most people who trap as a lifestyle, hobby, for wildlife population management, or other non-monetary reasons, that may not be a big deal. The folks who trap for income will hurt this year.
Why are fur prices going to be so low? Two words. China and Russia. Those two countries basically control the modern world market for wild fur because their citizens purchase the vast majority of the garments produced with the fur we trap. Russia’s economy relies heavily on the production of crude oil, and the recent crash in oil prices has sent the country in an economic free-fall. The Chinese economy has, in many ways, been growing at an un-sustainably high rate, and it’s beginning to experience some serious growing pains. So the folks who buy most of North America’s wild fur don’t have money to spend. No buyers means no market.
The first major fur auctions that serve as a barometer for the wild fur market are still at least a month away, but early indicators of a poor market were the terrible results of the September ranch mink sales, which declined 50% or more from previous levels. Another indicator is the huge backlog of fur on inventory at North American Fur Auctions. Due to poor prices at last spring’s fur sales, NAFA held back a large quantity of fur, hoping to hold out for better prices. Unfortunately, market fundamentals have only gotten worse since those sales. This backlog must be cleared out in order to sell much of the fur caught and shipped this fall.
Here are a few details.
Raccoon and beaver will be very difficult to sell this year, and prices will be very low. However, demand for beaver castor remains high, and a lower beaver catch should continue to push castor prices upward. Lower quality coons will not be saleable, while top coons may bring $5-15.
Wild mink and muskrat will both be hurt by the low ranch mink prices. Word of Italy advertising wild mink as a humane alternative to pen-raised mink to younger consumers may provide a surprise boost in the mink market, but I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for it. Expect $5-10. Muskrats have been averaging $3 a piece at local auctions, but the price is expected to decline over the next few months.
Coyote is mainly used for trim, and this market is not affected as much by Russia and China, so coyote prices should remain decent. As with coyote, bobcat and fisher (especially female fisher) prices shouldn’t decline too much from last year’s levels, and may even hold steady to last year. Marten is a specialty item and should hold value as well.
Other furs should trade at lower levels due to the depressed market, but remember – there is much uncertainty in the market and a lot can change between now and next spring, when most of the fur will be moved.
Things are looking down in the fur market right now. But we’ve seen tough times before and we will again. The fur market has been around for hundreds of years. Fur is a high quality product that continues to be in demand, and there will always be a market for that. Here’s to hoping it gets better soon.
Thanks for the update, you have made a big decision for me today. I was thinking of pulling my traps because of rumors of low fur prices again and after reading your article, I am leaving out this morning to bring all my traps back home. Thank you very much for your honest observation and evaluation of the coming market conditions. Later on, MIKE
Thanks for the up-date and in on honesty just confirming my worst fears… My quota is done so pressure is off so will concentrate on long fur after the Christmas break… So, a very Merry Christmas and hopefully Happier New Year to you all and of course your loved ones too!!! Good Luck, Be Safe, Happy Trails!!!
Thank you for the update. No trapping this season.
I would forcast at least a 25 percent drop in marten prices based on a weak Russian sable auction in dec 2015
hoping for a better 2016 in fur pricing. Look into nuicense trapping for a little extra cash.
Fur,hunting,fishing and the outdoors are the love of my life.A living doing it,”my greatest dream.”seems there are numerous factors controlling these repeated poor market years.we can change it!Half the trouble is US here in the USA!
When I say us,I mean our mind set.It’s the way we do business!We are missing out on a lot of market possibilities.First,why if it involves work,do we send everything out of the country.what makes an exotic fur exotic,is the fact that we don’t have it here,like tigers.So our furs are just as beautiful and in demand as all others,just some where else.Speaking of which,we are the wealthiest country with a strong market place if we will just develope it.These furs should be processed and sold from here.$350.00 for our whitetail buckskins sold to China for $10.00 when we want it back.White tails come almost exclusively from the continental U.S.Almost like a tiger,huh?Unique!There is a much bigger market world wide that we are completely missing.”The common folks”.At 50yrs.old,I have never personally observer’s a woman in a full Fox,mink or coon coat!Who could afford them!We need to be making lots of smaller and less expensive beautiful items for several $100.00 verse $1000.00 of dollars for millions of our and the world’s beautiful gals to where.Instead of catering to a handful of the wealthy world wide.We need to breath New life into a deflated market place.And the USA should be leading the way.
Wouldn’t it be more profitable to make something and sell to individuals like me. I’m interested in natural fur clothing and purses to use. Not all the fancy coats and purses
Could be. I discuss making and selling fur garments in a new fur pricing/selling guide I’m currently writing: https://www.trappingtoday.com/trapping-today-fur-guide-its-in-the-works/
It all depends on the cost of tanning and making fur garments, and finding the right buyer. The domestic fur market is relatively small and easily saturated, but there are some opportunities.
Thanks for the comment.
Last bout on the soap box!There is another mind set that hampers all of our hopes and efforts as members of the fur and leather trade here in the USA.And it’s not just ours,it is on a world stage this time.And I submit to you, that the only cure will be education!And it must be done with taste,tack and respect!People need to know that 2/3 of the wild life offspring in 2016 Will not make it to the spring of 2017,even if not a trap were set or a round were fired.They will simply go to waste through a more mournful death from nature’s system of eliminazation.These gifts were given to us so we might prosper and increase to the number of sands in the sea.We should never waste anything that beautiful!There is no more harm or wrong in harvesting wild life than grapes from the vineyard or a lamb from the field.Powerful men and women can sway the masses with a whisper,I repeat,taste,tack and respect,and facts help too!
Very powerful comments and good information Wayne. Thanks for adding this.
I think we should develop our own market people just don’t realize the beauty of fur instead of using fax fur for trim which could have health issues. I love wool, furs these things are renewable. There are so many chemicals in everything our clothes, food and homes causing illness in children, and others.
I agree and they just don’t feel the same. The reason why I came to y’all is because I watched a show and so how much y’all depend on the money for your family’s. So I thought why not go straight to the source. I’m not rich south Texas has been hit hard by the oilfield going under
this man has his head on and knows what hes talking about as i know there are more of us out there keep talking Wayne .
I’ve been trapping in northern for over 50 years. Seen the highs and lows trapped right thru them all but it’s time for trappers to put there traps on shelves for a year or two. With the prices today it seem a shame to me to harvest tons of fur. I have trapped with the same partner all my life. We have caught oat loads of fur in our time. Now it’s time to wait on the world market. But also a good time to teach a youngster the business. He or she won’t get rich but can learn a lot without fighting for trapping ground. At 65 I guess my time of long line trapping is over. One to many accidents in my life has done that for me. I will miss it very much. But fellas put the traps away prices will come back. Let the critters flourish till the market rebounds
The go kick some butt.
THIS COULD BE MY LAST YEAR-AFTER 66 YEARS I CAN’T SEE TAKING A PIECE OF NICE FUR FOR A COUPLE OF BUCKS-RUSSIA AND CHINA HAVE NO MONEY THE MARKET IS DEAD ITS NOT COMING BACK THIS YEAR AND MAY BE NEXT YEAR. I WAS HOPING TO GET ONE MORE YEAR BUT I’AM NOT KILLING FOR THE FUN OF IT .I STILL HAVE FUR IN MY SHED FROM LAST YEAR THAT I COULD NOT GET RID OF .IF MAYBE NOBODY TURNS ANY FUR THIS SEASON THE MARKET MIGHT COME AROUND A LITTLE.–GOOD LUCK COYDOG
Would you be interested in making me a coat or something. A mixture of furs or furs for my walls. Sorry by no means am I’m trying to to take advantage of you. But I would rather buy from you than a outlet that does not pay y’all fairly then Jack’s the price up 300%
Well if anyone is interested in selling or making I’m greatly interested I’m not rich but I know talks time and heart and soul is in it. Also interested in hand made antler knives. Thank you. Hope things get better it’s bad in south Texas also
This 2015-2016 year was the first year that my son and I have began trapping. My son was taught a few years back by me that the killing of wild animals serves no purpose if we get no use out of it in any way. He now has that mind set if we’re not going to eat it or be able to make money from the fur, then we just leave it alone. This trapping season we spent a lot of time and money purchasing,setting traps and cleaning the furs to find out there is no money in it. He decided after we filled our freezer with furs and we haven’t been able to sell the raccoons or beavers for the cost of gas it took to go check them daily, that maybe we should stop trapping this season for no reason. I agreed it’s not worth the low costs of sales, and he’s only 13. I just hope this hasn’t ruined him wanting to ever trap again. Thank you Howard
Hi Howard,
Thanks for commenting and glad to see you helping the next generation get into trapping. Low fur prices can be discouraging. I put together a new Fur Guide eBook: https://www.trappingtoday.com/trapping-todays-fur-guide-ebook-is-here/ to help people find alternative ways to sell their fur, and other valuable parts of furbearers.
Now to be honest, there is no perfect strategy to make a profit in the fur market right now. But there are a lot of ways to get creative selling fur, which I discuss in the book. One option is to send your fur out to get tanned and sell the tanned fur. Another option is to make garments like hats and gloves from the tanned fur. This could be a fun and exciting project to teach your son, showing him how to make valuable clothing items that can be very useful in cold weather. If you don’t sell the items, you can also give them away as gifts to friends and family members.
It is a tough time in the fur industry. The people who are still trapping right now are not doing it for profit. But good times will come again and fur prices will rise. I think it’s a good opportunity to teach your son that there are going to be tough times in every market, and if you can weather those storms, you’ll be one of the smart, experienced and dedicated trappers who emerges successful when prices rise again.
Also remember that by harvesting furbearers you are playing an important role in wildlife management by keeping populations at a healthy level.
Hope this helps, Howard, and I hope you and your son continue to trap in the coming years.
Jeremiah
How much are bobcats?
Hi Drew. Depends where you’re at. Southern and eastern cats are always lower ($50-60 average), but high quality western cats should still bring around $200-250 this year if the market holds up.
I allready pulled over 100 bobcat traps in early january,due to the low fur market prices.I was having my best year yet with 13 cats in december!!I cant see killing those creatures for hardly nothing?
Is it possible to wrap my furs and store in the freezer for another year are would it degrade them to bad
Yes, that should work if done properly. Here’s a post I wrote about long term fur storage: https://www.trappingtoday.com/long-term-fur-storage/
will hit it as hard as ever i will never stop or slow down someday i might not be able to trap do to age or health so i enjoy every season as if my last i have gotten a lot more ground now thanks to the lack of trapping so all good hope those who trap have tight chains!
We need to market fur in countries more affluent than Russia and China. And expose animal rights for who they really are! It would be such ashame to not see future generations carry on a tradition that open the doors to our great country. And to teach them life skills followed with survival skills while living a natural way instead of electronics and video games.