Fur prices/auction results

[GRIZ]

http://www.furharvesters.com/results/2012/jan12.pdf

I thought this was a very good sale with prices on most goods showing an increase. There seems to be some renewed interest in beaver again finally.

Rats an mink seemed to do well but the ave they have listed for mink isn't an overall ave just section I so that may be scewed.

Otter jumped a good bit also but the biggest surprise to me was red fox. I think I will have to go get some here shortly.

Coon although prices are not what I'd hoped for isn't bad. Then I looked at the clearances an am less than impressed. Would be nice to see a breakdown of which grades didn't sale. If they held the line on the top end we be good if the other way around maybe not. I'm thinking the buyers are going to wait another month an see how many of the good coon are coming in before filling their orders with lesser grade goods.

Coyotes are about what I expected. The westerns did good while our easterns are struggling yet. The price on our easterns looks really good until you look at the percent sold which is 13%. In other words only the top few lots sold and the rest was basically of no interest.

There is some that can still sale yet so these figures may not be entirely acurrate or may be updated.

[GRIZ]

Either way one lookes at this sale I think it's a positive note for fur prices. January isn't normally the best sale of the yr although some yrs it has been.

I'm looking forward to the february/march sales. Those sales normally seem to do better most yrs. Mostly in part as my stuff is going to the one in the feb NAFA sale. Those days are pretty much sat here just watching stuff sell on their livecast for me. Not all my stuff will be there as I had to sell some stuff earlier.

[GRIZ]

NAFA is haveing a sale as well

Well, the NAFA January Private Treaty sale is officially underway. Buyers have been given a copy of the PT catalog with prices listed. Buyers have until noon (Eastern time) on Monday to submit bids. When the sale closes at noon, NAFA will decide which bids to accept and then those goods will be sold.

It is not an auction where you are bidding against other buyers and then can raise your bid if some one out bids you. You get one shot to submit your best offer. A little bit different than the past 2 years - so will see how it works.

They are offering 4 species - beaver, rats, raccoon and coyotes. On the muskrats - it looks like a nice variety of sizes and grades and sections. everything from 3XL Selects to small slight damages.

The other species being offered are a bit more limited -

coyotes mostly western heavies with a very few easterns thrown in. Nothing lower than a L/XL II.

beaver - nothing smaller than a large and only better goods

raccoon - nothing smaller than an XXL. Only better grades and section.

For those of you that like to look at numbers - here is what is being offered and what NAFA thinks they are worth.

Raccoon - 14,090 skins. Value $351,022.00. That is a 24.91 average

Beaver - 5,413 skins. Value $223,851.00. That is a $41.35 average

Coyote - 2,706 skins. Value $204,010.00. That is a $75.39 average

Muskrat - 89,726 skins. Value $834,678.25 That is a $9.30 average

Now - before some of you guys get excited about the prices - keep in mind that except for the muskrats - they are only offering limited quantities of the very best of the other species (coon, beaver, coyotes).