how does different problems affect the value of fur? for example a rubbed spot on the neck of a coon or a missing tail on a fox, or other common problems. Thanks for any info.

A rub on the neck is not as serious as you think. The rule of thumb is, as long as you have at least 80% of your fur intact , you will have a pretty good fur. Now as far as the damage on a pelt is concerned. Big holes will cause big problems. You are allowed 3 scattered pellet holes thruout the pelt and still be a no 1 pelt. If you have a rub down in the body of a pelt it is going to cause more of a discount than a neck rub.
When coon start rubbing in the neck area, it is not long untill they start to bite and fight. Bite marks gets to be real serious damage on a pelt.
Also , the old saying that belly holes don't hurt a thing is baloney. The only belly holes that don't hurt much is belly holes that fall inside of the front leg area. Anything outside of this area causes damage to the pelt.
Missing tails don't bother me to much as long as I don't see it happening on a regular basis. One thing that does bother me is the tail bone being left in the pelt when selling your fur just skinned out.

Ditto what Don said and a GREAT BIG AMEN on the tail bone comment. There is nothing more agravating than "being in the groove" and running into the old "vice grips and tail puller" scenario. 99.9 % of the time I catch it when grading, and when I do I charge you a dollar to do what you should have done to begin with (on a coon) and I won't even take a coyote that is done that way. You can leave the bone in on your rats and grinners though, no charge!

how about big holes in coyotes that have been sewed up? on finished coyote?

and that mange patch that only affects the crotch area?

LOL! coyote STDs......

lol Ok, ok.

Coyote crotch crikets?

Hope it is ok to piggyback on this one.

I ripped the belly on a cuple of reds and a grey while turning. Pretty significant ones. About how much (percentage wise) does this affect the price paid?


Thanks,
Bill

If you rip them when turning them, they most usually are bad damaged. You can't win in that typ of situation.
Hudsons Bay Co. used to call them pieces.
as far as sewing a hole on a yote is concerned, I allow a 3 in hole to be sewn up as long as it is not all bunched up or crappy looking. Yotes can get by with a little damage as long as you fix it .

I'm so glad to read this post. I had a coon I just fleshed out a couple days ago that I had skinned a while back. Only had 2 so put them in the freezer to wait until I had more to flesh...well I didn't get any more. I had about a 1 1/2" x 1/2" hole in the belly of one of them. I thought the "belly hole won't hurt" line and then you said that is bunk so I got worried. Then you said unless it is between the legs and that is exactly where the hole is, right next to the right leg.

Thanks for the info!

I've ripped a couple of tails this year (only have half a tail...at least not nothing) and had heard most buyers don't sweat that too much.

Its great to have guys like you on here that can give you some advice!