PTA District Sales

I did not think that the district 4 fur sale was until April 6th.

I beg to differ trpperrick about you claiming the District 11 sale had the best overall prices. Comparing District 7 and District 11 there were 10 common species sold. District 7 had a higher average for coon, muskrats, female mink, gray fox, beaver and skunks. District 11 had a higher average for male mink, red fox, coyote and possums.

I got $16.20 for each muskrat at the District 7 sale, how much did NAFA pay for Central PA muskrats? I would have done a little better for my coon at NAFA and I think the mink would have been very close but maybe just a tad better at NAFA, My 4% commission went to support the PTA and I had the pleasure of talking to other trappers while attending the sale.

I went to District 7 sale and was very happy with what I got for the few furs I had.

Trapperrick

Thanks for the clarification on the April sale, I would have felt like a real idiot taking my furs in there when they are only buying beavers.

YodelDog827 said:

Trapperrick

Thanks for the clarification on the April sale, I would have felt like a real idiot taking my furs in there when they are only buying beavers.

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They do buy other furs at that sale. Just there tends to be more beaver there than anything else, that's why I've heard they call it the beaver sale.

Nittany Lion- Now that look at the difference between the district 7 and 11 sales, I guess district 7 was better. District 11 had higher averages on Red Fox and coyote but that was about it. You would have to ask who sent muskrat to NAFA how they did. Muskrats are extinct in my area. The few that are here hang around the local lakes. It's easier to trap fisher then muskrat because there is a lot more of them. I only caught one muskrat this century.

I often thought about becoming a fur buyer who just buys animals in the round and not finished products. For one because very few do that anymore and the other because I could do the skinning and fleshing myself, but, I would make alot of trappers mad because I would only give out a quarter to a third of what that pelt was worth. Fur handling is alot of work!

Although I only sent a few rats to NAFA, my avg was about 5 dollars less than the D7 sale.... before commission.

I'm shipping to NAFA's may sale. Hopefully prices will hold or increase. Last year they dropped, and I recieved considerably less.
It's a craps shoot, so many price influencing factors... I'm not a gambler; but I would invest my money at a black jack table before I would purchase raw furs to resell! "Local-middle man, country buyers" are trying to make pennies on the dollar in the long run. I appreciate their effort and risk, I personally would not chance my saving like them. Kudos for their effort!

This was a good season to be a country buyer who bought at the country levels and sent to NAFA. I am certain there were many celebrations as the gavel dropped this past sale.

There were cheers from here!

Well seasoned buyers Know the skin game and pay accordingly, not often losing. More inexpierenced buyers often get stung for paying to much for skins. Buyers will often be buying for a brooker who has set the base prices they will pay for skins. Basicly prohibiting them from losing provided they stay within ranges. These brookers keep alot of fur buyers in biz year after year when fur is not shining so brightly. Some will lose there brookers this year due to shipping to NAFA to cash in on the banner year.
A brooker who has carried a buyer for years will abandon a buyer who jumps ship on them. Seen it happen.