How do you know when coyote furs are in their prime?
- Thread starter LeviSS
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rockinbbar
New member
Skin one & look at the underside....'Bout the only way to know for sure, unless it's been cold for a month or more....really cold.
callemclose
New member
I can usually tell when my name looks just right in the snow /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Up here they will start to prime around Oct 15th and be fully prime in Nov. Right now the nites are getting cooler, temp in the 40's, so it won't be too long...
If you have a hunters handbook with the seasons look at the season openner for fox and coon. Coyote willbe pretty close to them...
If you have a hunters handbook with the seasons look at the season openner for fox and coon. Coyote willbe pretty close to them...
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sharkathmi
New member
Quote:
This is the first year that I'm gonna save the pelts. How do you guys know when they get in their prime? Date? Temperature? Shoot one and see? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif
If you're saving hides you must have a fur buyer lined up?
I'd ask them when to start saving. The guy I sell my stuff to takes about 3 seconds to see if they are prime and grade them. He spotted the ones I shot early in about a second. Some were "No value". Here in western colorado he doesn't want me to start shooting until around the first of November.
Good hunting.
M
This is the first year that I'm gonna save the pelts. How do you guys know when they get in their prime? Date? Temperature? Shoot one and see? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif
If you're saving hides you must have a fur buyer lined up?
I'd ask them when to start saving. The guy I sell my stuff to takes about 3 seconds to see if they are prime and grade them. He spotted the ones I shot early in about a second. Some were "No value". Here in western colorado he doesn't want me to start shooting until around the first of November.
Good hunting.
M
ksboy2
New member
i don't think there is a clear cut answer...
farther north you are.... faster they'll prime up due to weather patterns... coyotes are one of the first furbearers to get "prime" i have shot them in early october and they had wonderful fur... i have shot them in december and they still had blue bellies.... kill first sort second...haha
the longer you wait, the more your neighbor will get
farther north you are.... faster they'll prime up due to weather patterns... coyotes are one of the first furbearers to get "prime" i have shot them in early october and they had wonderful fur... i have shot them in december and they still had blue bellies.... kill first sort second...haha
the longer you wait, the more your neighbor will get
sharkathmi
New member
Quote:
the longer you wait, the more your neighbor will get
Ya gotta good point there!!
M
the longer you wait, the more your neighbor will get
Ya gotta good point there!!
M
Utahdogger
New member
I've shot em in December that still had "Green Belly" wish folks around here would wait till cold weather to hunt them so I may have a chance at getting some furs this year !
CoyoteDoctor
New member
I've been told that length of day or "photo period" has more to do with coyotes priming up than just the weather turning cold. Does anyone know if this is true?
Here in South Dakota, coyote pelts are usually ready around mid-November.
Here in South Dakota, coyote pelts are usually ready around mid-November.
The length of the day is what controls fur growth for the most part. As the days grow shorter the amount of light that enters the furbearers eyes is reduced and this lack of light triggers blood flow through the hide. There are small bulbs of blood in veins at the base of the fur which feed the fur to make it grow. This increased blood flow also increases the thickness of the hide. As the fur reaches it's length, the bulbs dry-up. Early fur looks blue because of the presence of blood in the hide. Actually, the best fur is before it reaches prime, because after that it starts to go the other direction.
Randy
Randy
LeviSS
New member
So the fur buyer will still buy them when they aren't in prime, but won't pay quite as much?
I don't have a fur buyer lined up, but there are two around that I know of. I guess I'll have to talk to one. I figured it would probably be in mid-November around fox season. I'm just trying to get an idea of what I need to be doing early in the season, so I know what to do when it rolls around.
Thanks.
I don't have a fur buyer lined up, but there are two around that I know of. I guess I'll have to talk to one. I figured it would probably be in mid-November around fox season. I'm just trying to get an idea of what I need to be doing early in the season, so I know what to do when it rolls around.
Thanks.
Quote:
So the fur buyer will still buy them when they aren't in prime, but won't pay quite as much?
In my area, the coyotes are prime around mid December. After that they begin to break down because the fur is no longer being fed by blood. Most of this breakdown is due to the environment and other coyotes.
The coyotes in my area have good fur starting around the middle of November. It is this period from mid November until mid December I am talking about. Prior to this period, the hides aren't as thick and contain less fur. The fur is able to be sold, but at a reduced price. This period begins around the end of October.
Hope this helps.
Randy
So the fur buyer will still buy them when they aren't in prime, but won't pay quite as much?
In my area, the coyotes are prime around mid December. After that they begin to break down because the fur is no longer being fed by blood. Most of this breakdown is due to the environment and other coyotes.
The coyotes in my area have good fur starting around the middle of November. It is this period from mid November until mid December I am talking about. Prior to this period, the hides aren't as thick and contain less fur. The fur is able to be sold, but at a reduced price. This period begins around the end of October.
Hope this helps.
Randy
Quote:
The length of the day is what controls fur growth for the most part.
Randy
Randy is absolutely correct. The process is known as photoperiodism. As hours of daylight decreases, more melatonin is produced. The increase in melatonin stimulates fur growth. Melatonin is also responsible for the repro cycle of coyotes also. It is the hormone that is responsible for the 'timing' in the life cycle of most animals. Just a FWIW
Maintain
The length of the day is what controls fur growth for the most part.
Randy
Randy is absolutely correct. The process is known as photoperiodism. As hours of daylight decreases, more melatonin is produced. The increase in melatonin stimulates fur growth. Melatonin is also responsible for the repro cycle of coyotes also. It is the hormone that is responsible for the 'timing' in the life cycle of most animals. Just a FWIW
Maintain
sharkathmi
New member
Quote:
So the fur buyer will still buy them when they aren't in prime, but won't pay quite as much?
Thats the way it works for me Levi.
He spots the ones I whack early and I get from "no value" to $7-$10 for them. I was getting $25 to $40 for the late season ones.
M
So the fur buyer will still buy them when they aren't in prime, but won't pay quite as much?
Thats the way it works for me Levi.
He spots the ones I whack early and I get from "no value" to $7-$10 for them. I was getting $25 to $40 for the late season ones.
M
Around here fur is at it's best late Oct/early Nov on yotes. I don't worry about it. I let the fur grader at the auction worry about that. Thing is leather maybe prime, but the rubs or wore spots or wrong color will knock the value also. If nothing else the early ones can be good practice if you haven't worked up fur before.