marketing your fur

[bearb8er]

'Nother question. How do you market your fur. Back when dad and I were trapping dad marketed the fur thru ****ker fur actions in Edmonton. I believe that this is no longer an option. Who do you use?

Thanks
bear

[Bushmaster]

There's two major fur houses in Canada....Fur Harvestors and NAFA. Please local buyers...

[bearb8er]

Not sure what the 'please local buyers' means but how do you go about using fur harvestors or NAFA. Pros and cons of either? Don't minds selling to a local buyer if I sell in the round but if I go to the work of fleshing and boarding I'd like to make all I can.

[Bushmaster]

Local buyers.... a guy who buy in the round, etc. from guys who don't want to prepare their hides or wait for their money. So, they usually pay reduced prices, planning on making a profit on your fur.

I've only sold thru NAFA...just sent or took them the furs with your trapping licence and they open an account for you. You pay 11%...I think and a drumming charge...usually $1 per hide...

I have always found them to be fair and I believe you get what your furs are worth.

[H380]

Originally Posted by Bushmaster

There's two major fur houses in Canada....Fur Harvestors and NAFA. Please local buyers...

Which do most guys prefer? Does ones prices usually beat the other or are they quite comparable ?

[Bushmaster]

I think the prices go back and forth a bit...but I have only sold at NAFA. I think they are the bigger auction house and for that reason I went with them and stuck with them.

[huntinfool]

I have always shipped to nafa and if you become a member that 11% goes down to 9% depending on how much fur you ship it's certainly worth it.

[KegRiver]

There are the traveling buyers like Brian Findlison (spelling) with HBC
And I think young Belcourt is still making the rounds.

The advertise times and places in the want adds sections of small local newspapers and with posters at places they stop.

I believe that Halfords may also buy raw fur. Stretched and dried of course.



To sell via the Auction houses, you would need the address.
Then packadge and ship your fur to them. They sell it at the next auction and then mail you a cheque.

NAFA is online, you can find the address there as well as auction dates, and you can check past auctions to see what different furs are selling for.

The Alberta Trappers Assosiation acts as a shipping agent for NAFA I believe. Fur can be shipped to them or dropped off.
I have not selt with them so this is second hand information, it may not be correct.

[H380]

I have sold to the traveling buyers as well as the auctions and know the travelers are considereably lower than the auctions. I am going to send some to both auctions ..

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by H380

I have sold to the traveling buyers as well as the auctions and know the travelers are considereably lower than the auctions. I am going to send some to both auctions ..

LOL Yeah the traveling buyers offer considerably less then the auction houses, because those buyers sell to those houses.

They will do their best to persuade you that shipping to NAFA or Thunder Bay is gonna cost you, leaving you with less in the end then they offer.

Not true of course. Sure it will cost you, the same as it will cost them.
Ultimately you almost always come out way ahead of what the traveling guys, or even the local buyers like Slu-tkers (had to add the hyphen) offer, because, they all sell to the Auction houses.

That is what Sam Belcourt told us and I believe him. He would know, he bought and sold more fur then all the others combined.

[H380]

Thanx Keg , just like the small time independant stores I know they can't compete .. However I did test a buyer once with 2 identical beaver hides .. It was back in the 80's when fur was great .. SOLD 1 XXL beaver to the fur buyer , and sent the other to NAFA also an XXL .Got $ 35 from the buyer , who also wanted to know if I had anymore ..answer was NO .. The other at auction brought $ 96, the most I ever got .. guess who never got any more of my hides .. lol .

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by H380

Thanx Keg , just like the small time independant stores I know they can't compete .. However I did test a buyer once with 2 identical beaver hides .. It was back in the 80's when fur was great .. SOLD 1 XXL beaver to the fur buyer , and sent the other to NAFA also an XXL .Got $ 35 from the buyer , who also wanted to know if I had anymore ..answer was NO .. The other at auction brought $ 96, the most I ever got .. guess who never got any more of my hides .. lol .

Yeah, I did pretty much the same thing, a time or two.
Belcourt used to treat us good and he paid better then the others, but some were outright crooks.
Eventually everyone I know quit dealing with local buyers entirely, especially the traveling ones.

But if you knew the tricks of the trade, you could do alright selling to them.

Thing is, they would always pay close to the Auction house value, the first time. But never ever sell them your best hides, you will always loose too much.

Sell them average hides early in the season, then sell the rest to the Auction houses.

[braggadoe]

i wish i had a penny for every time this conversation took place in the last 350 years(fur buyers are crooks i mean)........ it's great because now we can do it over the computer!

[H380]

Originally Posted by braggadoe

i wish i had a penny for every time this conversation took place in the last 350 years(fur buyers are crooks i mean)........ it's great because now we can do it over the computer!

So true .. now it's not even personal .. lol.

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by braggadoe

i wish i had a penny for every time this conversation took place in the last 350 years(fur buyers are crooks i mean)........ it's great because now we can do it over the computer!

You are 350 years old! WOW!!!

So what exactly do you mean ?

Are you implying that all fur buyers are honest, fare dealing pillars of our communities ?

If so, you clearly haven't sold any fur. May I point out that NAFA act as agents to fur buyers and are therefor in effect, fur buyers. Yet they have a well earned reputation for fare dealings.

Sam Belcourt likewise had a well earned reputation for fare and honest dealing.

As with any profession, some are good, some are not. As members of this fraternity I believe we have a moral obligation to point out those who may not give a person the best price.

I can't imagine any reason any outdoorsman would object to that, as you clearly do.

Would you care to explain why ?

And by the way, would you care to tell us just how many times this has been discussed on these forums.
I did a search and found four posts where there was mention of fur buyer honesty. And that was in only two threads.

Perhaps if this site had kept posts from 350 years ago I would have found more, but they didn't so I wonder if you would be so kind as to inform us just how many times it has been discussed here.

[Brian Bildson]

Hey Keg in in the late 70's I met Belcourt in a hotel in High Level and showed him a bunch of marten. He low balled me and then got mad when I wouldn't sell. Told me he'd turn me in for bringing NWT marten to High level without an export permit. nice guy eh! Actually he did laugh when I told him to go ahead as I'd be home by the time he got off his butt. i remember him as a huge guy.

The reality is independent fur buyers don't have a crystal ball and can't predict prices, sometimes they screw up. I know of cases where trappers got more from a buyer then I got from the auction house but i agree shipping direct is usually better.

[braggadoe]

after reading the post's above, i had a picture in my mind of two french guys sitting around bashing the fur buyer 350 years ago.........that's all. not much has changed. i don't object.....carry on.

didn't mean to upset you keg

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by braggadoe

after reading the post's above, i had a picture in my mind of two french guys sitting around bashing the fur buyer 350 years ago.........that's all. not much has changed. i don't object.....carry on.

didn't mean to upset you keg

350 years ago the French guys were buyers, but I do understand the thought.

I didn't see anyone bashing fur buyers, just a couple suggesting where to get the best prices. And warning against trusting some of the local buyers.

You read too much into things I think. See I'm not upset but I will challenge statements that appear to try to stifle debate or advice. As yours appeared to do. I realize that you may not have intended it so, thus I challenged you to back up your statements.

Since you were only making light of our comments, no problem.
It is always good to see the funny side of things. Carry on.

[bearb8er]

Like I said earlier dad always sold at the Slu tker Auctions. Except for the last batch of fur we sold in the mid to late 80's. The market was crashing and so we sold to a buyer that passed thru town - Three Hills. We didn't do well but I think that he friggin lost his shirt at the following sale. Kinda always felt bad about that but were grateful for the cash just before Christmas.

Dad, my bro and I are getting pretty serious about getting our Res. trapping lic. next year. A friend shot a fox and asked dad to take care of it for him. This kinda re-lit the flame for us. Beside the fact we saw piles of yotes while deer hunting this fall. Definitly not looking to get rich - just enjoyed the 'therapy' it brings.

Gonna have to do the course or the test but leaning towards the course just to familiarize with whats allowed these days. We did everything with legholds back then but understand some things have definitly changed.

Was reading on NAFA's website and if I'm not mistaken if you are a member you pay a smaller commission as well as no shipping if you take your furs to a depot?

I'm sure I'll have more ?'s as we go along but have really appreciated all the help so far!

Bear

[fnet]

Hello...I have a zebra skin for sale if anyone is interested in purchasing..

[wrenchmonkey]

how much on average do you pay to ship to the auction houses? Depends on how much you ship of course ,just wondering about a ballpark figure.

[DUKE-1]

where do you pick up the fur bags for shipping txs

[Bushmaster]

I used to get mine at Westlock....where is your closest NAFA agent ? You don't need an account with them, they will open an account for you with your first shipment. Here's the Sk. depots....

http://www.nafa.ca/wp-content/upload...ots-2012-A.pdf