how can you tell if your furs are ready to sell

joehopwood2014

New member
I've just recently started trapping again after returning from my time with the marine corp. it was something my dad and I used to do a lot now im just trying to refresh my memory banks how long do you let furs hang and how do you know when there ready?
 
do they crackle when you handle them? I leave mine on the stretchers for several days, but they dry fast here. So as long as they are dry and have that tissue paper crackle to them they are ready to be hung and stored until shipping or selling.

It also depends on the fur you are talking about. I am also not sure who or where you would be selling them this time of year, since most of the sales have already come and gone, and it appears that sales were down at the end of the season and not all furs were sold. This means that the first sale of the year, in the fall might not be very good since they have an inventory that has to be cleared first.

My best suggestion is to go talk to the buyer you are planning to deal with, bring them one, and ask for an evaluation, swallow some pride and ask what you can do better next time. Then go home and implement that. Making your customer happy, and doing the steps correctly will result in more money for your time.
 
ive sold mine green this year because I was unsure how long to dry them but I was looking figure out for this fall and thank you so much for your input greatly appreciated!
 
I sold 10 2 years ago green, I took a bath on the deal.. I got $10 vs the $32 average I got for the ones that i put up.. Putting them up only takes an hour or less for me.
It was a painful lesson.. I was skinning them wrong and was skinning down and around the genitals, big opps.. It's funny now, but i was mad because it was what i saw on TV.. (i know, stupid)


But once i talked to the buyer, and asked what to do better and how, i took notes and now get the most possible for the pelts i skin.. They just are not as good as a pale Montana pelt, but It's been fun to learn.

I didn't sell all of the pelts this year, as the price was a lot less and I was going to get less than $20 each, so i am sending a dozen in to be tanned and going to try and make a blanket to sell, hopefully i get more than $20 per pelt and recoupe the cost of my time and money for the pelt tanning.

 
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You can leave them on a stretcher for a week. When they are dryed there will be no soft spots on the skin side and ears will be hard. High humidty areas take more time.
 
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