OTC fur sale

This weekend in Prineville, Oregon. They will be setting up this evening. Sale is tomorrow - Saturday March 2.

I know beaverpeeler will be there - any one else going??

beaverpeeler did a post about this sale.

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John - how many cats do you have on the sale. Bet they are good looking with nice bellies.

Here's a couple pics

I met beaverpeeler while I was there too !

Looking good

Some beautiful cats there. Any idea of volumes (all species)? Is this all / mainly Oregon fur?

Fur was still coming in when I left , I did see some Idaho plates in the parking lot . I'll Prolly go back down there in awhile

Looked like a lot more cats than yotes

nice looking sale thanks for the pictures

Wow, some very nice looking cats. Beaverpeelers giant pile of beavers looking good too.
I see Kortum made it with his shorty jean shorts lol
Thanks for posting pics, excited to hear how the sale goes.

The Idaho plates were most likely from a buyer. It was good to meet antigov was going to get a pic of the two of us but he up and disappeared.

There were a few buyer demos for what they’re looking for. He grabbed one of my otters for a prop. Lol

I brought 150 beaver but Donny Nichols brought 175 real nice ones. A lot better than mine. He also brought 60 lbs of castor kind of dwarfing my measily 25 lbs.

Donny’s beaver piles:

My 25 lbs of castor.

My load of beaver. Filled up the short-bed pretty good.

Those are exceptional looking beaver. And 60lb of castor!? That's nuts...

There’s not many coyotes on the sale so it makes it look like there’s not much fur. I’m guessing maybe 2-250 cats?
We who are not buyers were shooshed out of there so I couldn’t look around as much as I wanted.

Some of that was last years castor.

One of the buyers is weighing beaver.

Here is the quantities for this sale.
Prices won’t be available until tonight.

Check out these beaver from an old timer who traps the lower Columbia. Stretched round, beautifully scraped and nail holes 1/4” apart. This guy takes a lot of pride in his work.

A note of explanation about bobcats at OTC sales. Cause people get confused easily!!!

The State of Oregon has 2 different trapping areas for cats. Eastern Oregon and western Oregon. The divider is the cascade mountains. East of the Cascades there is a 5 cat limit. West of the cascades, unlimited cat tags. There is a significant difference in fur quality between eastern Oregon and western Oregon. And the tags are different.

Cats are divided into 3 categories to give a better idea of value. Here is the breakdown -

Bobcat - these are pelts from every state except Oregon. You will have Idaho cats and New York cats and Texas cats, etc. All lumped together so the average doesn’t mean anything.

Bobcat - eastern. These are cats from eastern Oregon. They are NOT cats from the eastern US. These eastern Oregon cats are better quality and bring more money. Any cat that has an eastern Oregon tag on it goes in this group.

Bobcat - western. These are cats from western Oregon. They are NOT cats from the western US. These western Oregon cats are lesser quality and bring less money. They tend to be browner/redder than eastern Oregon cats. Ant cat that has a western Oregon tag goes in this group.

So when you see “bobcats - eastern” averaging $300.00 or more dollars don’t get excited!!

Dang that old boys beaver put up is flawless. Those edges are perfect.
Thanks for the cat explanation wissmiss, was wondering about that.

But to further the cause of chaos and confusion, Oregon now sells two distinct cat cards. Western Oregon with 15 allowed per card (unlimited card sales) and “All- state” which is the five spot card eastern Oregon trappers have to buy. One card only per trapper. BUT! You can trap cats from any section of Oregon with the all- state card. So my four western Oregon cats on this sale have the green eastern Oregon tags!

Well that will put a divot in the averages.

Very sad. In 2013, I had 815 ‘rats at this sale. Ray Driscoll was high bidder at $10.87 per rat. Ahh, the good old days.

Interesting that you would comment on this put up. When I trapped beaver, which I do not anymore that was the way I put them up. Guess I am old also.

Proof positive Slick. Don’t worry, happens to the best of us.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch we’re all hanging around waiting for results. Have had nice conversations with various Trapperman members including “Beavercager”, “Bflobo”, “Supercub” and probably others. Antigov this morning.

Got a Top Lot award for my attempt at a feet- on otter. ( Thanks mud)!

Hey Nancy, saw Sky who now has kids running around and has grey in his beard! Lol

Sky - what can I say. Probably shouldn’t post it on the forum. But on a scale from 1 to 10…………..wow.!!!

Any idea when they will be posting results. Trying to plan when I might expect a phone call.

Just got a call from Don Nichols. Sale is wrapping up - nice and early. I’m sure peeler and other old timers remember being there at 2 in the morning. LOL

Putting those all-state tags on my cats has paid off! $172 avg for ugly western Oregon cats. See pic. ( top cat $288 one on the left)

Sometimes that's all it takes. Know of people that sent Mississippi coyotes, beaver, otter and cats with someone up north who then shipped them to NAFA and they graded the same as the northern critters, lol. Seems sometimes they don't bother looking at the fur at all, just the mailing address.

The chinese are buying most of the crappy cats. They don't have a lot of taste. Anyone that eats crab shell gotta tell ya something.

You can imagine I was thrilled when a craft buyer gave me $100 each on these two otters.

Hope you did well on all your goods BP
The craft market has been a real saving grace when it comes to a suffering fur market.
I skinned all of my coyotes complete and It brought me about a $ 15 over the average Wyoming coyote price at the WY sale.

lol see, even a broken clock is right twice a day! That bodes well for what I’ve sent to Idaho. I’ll have 9 like that there next weekend in Glenn’s Ferry.

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Got a Top Lot award for my attempt at a feet- on otter. ( Thanks mud)![/quote]

BP, too bad you aren’t doing it that way no more. Lol

Don't wreck going on home trying to count all your money, lol. VERY nice put up fur!

Any pics of the Top Cat ? Did bflobo win the fur handler award ?

Man it is finishing early.

What was the average on rats?

BP, too bad you aren’t doing it that way no more. Lol[/quote]

Funny thing is those two otters in the pic each fetched an identical price. $100 But the feet on otter I spent an additional half hour on the put up!

Other kind of funny thing was the main otter buyer gave a demo on what not to do with otter put-ups. One of my otters was used in the demo where he was showing that they want a wide tail and no indentation from the hind feet (like mine have). SO I need to pull the fur over to the belly side. But then he got outbid those otters. It will be interesting to see what sale avg was on otter. Didn't get a chance to see numbers. The buyer on my otters was new there....never heard of him.

$61 average on otter

I didn't get a chance to see any sale averages this go-around. I got $2 on my lone medium winter rat.

Fox pretty rare out there I take it, or people just don't target them?

Red fox have disappeared off the landscape in western Oregon. Haven't seen one in 15 years. Far eastern Oregon and Idaho have some though.

Thanks,
I noticed the small number of them and was curious.

No averages yet?

wws

Thanks for posting that Darn Coon.

But man oh man do we have greys! Can't keep 'em out of your bobcat sets.

Possum worth nearly as much as coon, crazy!

Funny how that works J. If they would have skinned out the tails and left those on the pelts those possums they would have fetched over $10. Then sold the raw skull for another $3-$4 bucks.

On our western sales you need to cater to the oddities/crafters market.

We had a demo yesterday by a young trapper that is boiling down his skulls then staining them or burning little spots on them and selling them on-line or at flea sales for $20-$30 each!

Nancy: Karen and I both got our 5 limit. Bellies were a little off this year but still averaged $400. Sky managed to get three with his busy life.
Antigov: I don't know what you look like other than your size. Have looked for you at past sales but never connected yet.
Yamacat: handling awards were one award per species. I did not receive it but the guy that did was mentored over the years. So all is good and even better.
Was a.good sale. Well done by all. From the sale, people that put it on and the ones that helped, to food provided. Didn't see any sad faces at the end.
Most all fur was well handled with few exceptions.
George really came through again. Could not happen without all the interest other buyers. Good sale from trappers point of view.

I don't think I have been to a Prineville sale for 4-5 years so it was especially nice to see familiar faces like bfflobo's!

By the looks of those averages, ya should be hunting the Greys! Easy to call in.

If there was two of me I certainly would Hippie. Gotta work them water critters though before season's over.

I hear ya!

Easy put up compared to beaver.

Just planting the seed!

I had mentioned that they were put up oval to Don, He had pointed out the amount of nails in them. I should have taken a closer look but was too curious about the cats.
I guess I got my price since I didn't hear anything yesterday.
Thanks to BeaverPeeler or I would have missed this sale.
Maybe I should have sent over my castor as well. Starting to see the benefit of not having to try to find and market my own stuff.

As always, GOOD JOB to Don and the crew!! This looks to be a great sale given the state of the international market today. Kudo's to Beaverpeeler and the guys that do an exceptional job on preparing fur!

The main castor buyer at this sale was a different one than the January ITA sale. All the decent castor was at $40 in Idaho and the buyer for all the castor yesterday was at $41. LOL

Wasn't it OR that had it so you could not export Eastern bobcats but could the westerns around 1981?

Looking at the number of pelts offered makes me think back to the “old days” when Prineville was 3 full days. That was a lot of fur!!

Do any of the old timers remember the year the sale was held at the Grange Hall in Powell Butte!! I’ve never seen so much fur stacked in such a small room!! I’m sure peeler wasn’t there. What about you bfflobo??? If so, I bet Sky was just a little tyke!!

I was there at the grange hall. Just getting started at that time. Sky would of just been a gleam in my eye.

I been at the grange hall and yes there was 3 full days of fur. Nice eastern cats always on this sale and good otters. Castor was put up well and the price reflects it.

I remember three day sales on the coast of mostly water critters!

You mean the Albany sale?

I used to hit all four sales in the late 80's and early 90's just to sell enough to keep being able to buy gas and groceries and keep going. In those days we stayed until sometimes 1-2 am but walked out of there with a check in hand.

For those of us that produce otters the main otter buyer for western sales points out that if your tails look like these he discounts that pelt about 15-20 dollars for not having stretched the base of those tails all the way to the edge of the board. He wants them wide and as long as you can get them. And PLEASE no pleating!

I remember the Powell butte grange , about 35-40 yrs ago , somebody had key somehow , it was a late Friday or Saturday night , some keggs appeared , most of us were under 21

$35.16 ÷ 1.8lbs = $19.53/lb

Wow - several Oregon old timers on here. That’s great. 3 day sales - a couple of times 4 days - were not uncommon. Any number of those buyers are no longer with us.

Ray Driscoll
Jim Bond
Tucker Bates
Jerry Campbell (Goldberg)
Ford Petersen

an older fellow out of eastern oregon some place. He was already old when he was buying back in the 80s and 90s. Any one remember his name?

That makes any ol' blanket beaver worth $50 plus castor, skull and tail,

Personally I don't know why he discounts them. When you tan the. You are going to get the ssme amount of fur. At leat o do when I tan something. I've got one going now I didn't stretch and you couldn't tell it when I took it out of the picked. Discount it and I'm Taking them home and tan them. I'll probably be selling tanned furs soon. You get more money anyway.

Nancy, thanks for the flattering compliment.

I was pretty young back in the days of the 3 day sales, but I remember Art reading bids till midnight. I was going through some old stuff last fall and found one of the pink and yellow carbon copy bid sheets OTC use to use for a lot of 3 mink I sold in either 89 or 90. They were the first furs I actually put up myself. Brought $7 and change a piece.

hippie, our grey fox season closed on the 29th. Water is open till March 15.

wws

George Sovie too. He was always a good beaver buyer.

Did he mention going to Glenn’s ferry next week BP?

2012ni averaged over 50 dollars on my blanket beaver at NAFA February sale.

My money has lost 40 percent of its value since then. To keep it in perspective

I said the same thing and he disagrees! He's tanned a lot more stuff than I have so I let him win the argument.

mud, nope he said he's saving gas money so he can go to K. Falls and buy my otters there.




............Just kidding! I suspect he'll be there. Even if he didn't go; there will be others. The lone otter I sold in January there was bought by somebody that outbid him.

unny how that works J. If they would have skinned out the tails and left those on the pelts those possums they would have fetched over $10. Then sold the raw skull for another $3-$4 bucks.

On our western sales you need to cater to the oddities/crafters market.

Last possums i sold fetched me a whopping .10, lol. Swore id never put another one up and not planning to anytime soon, lol. Want to rent a u haul your welcome to come down here and get a couple thousand for the 'crafters' out there, lol.

I was working down on the Gulf last week so that would be a GREAT place for you to start! Joker's wore me out all week clogging up my cage traps.

[/quote]

George Sovie too. He was always a good beaver buyer.
[/quote]

Thanks Carl. Been trying to remember that name for two days. He bought a lot of coyotes at times too.

otter tails are not not put up correctly and sloppy. They also looked like they may be overdried or dried to fast . You got to take your time with otter. The buyer is correct about the put up.

I’ve had four different buyers tell me four different ways to put up otter. Never affected the price!

I’m not sure what all the fuss is out the put up on otter tails. Each buyer has their own preference. Doesn’t make on way any better than the other. Remember about 15 years ago when pleated otter tails were all the rage. Guess that “fad” is no longer around. It was a bad idea to begin with.

The graders at FHA called that the Gibb tail
They didnt want to see that pleated tail and all said natural stretch on the tail,not pulled in or out or up or down-pinned where it lays naturally,and strait across at the skirt.

Remember about 15 years ago when pleated otter tails were all the rage. Guess that “fad” is no longer around. It was a bad idea to begin with.

That was NAFA! Last fur i put up i had to pleat those tails as well as all my coons. Was a pain!

I've always pinned the back feet on same side with tail. Make for a nice inspection window. NAFA said so....

That’s how I always done mine also , does it matter which side they go on now ?

The other reason for pulling the back feet to the tail side for fur in species was to pack as much fur as possible into the inspection area, which required some pleating as well. I tried but never liked doing them that way.

Our big western buyer does NOT want a big inspection window either. The pelt loses valuable fur.

The way trapped4ever does his is how Dennis wants to see them.

beaverpeeler,
That's why I posted those pictures. I knew what "style" of otter prep you were referring to.
That is how one of my bigger otter buyers wants them too. With our larger coastal otters, you don't have a lot of choice, since the tail pretty much takes up the full width on even an 8" or 9" wide board. I've caught quite a few that will exceed 60" nose to base of tail, and over 7 feet, from tip to tip. The main point here being, I tend to prep my otter in the way the highest paying buyer wants them!!!

trapped4ever,
That is the best looking otter put up I've seen!

Is your buyer from Oregon? Just curious if it's the same guy I'm thinking of. He's usually the biggest otter buyer at all of our western sales.

And like you said, put up your otter however your customer wants them right? That was my point here.

Sidenote: Up at Goldberg's I got a chance to see the Alaska otter bin. I think I almost fell on my can when I saw the size of those coastal Alaskans!

If you are selling to the carpetbaggers put them up however that one guy wants them.
\If you want to have buyers bid on your fur at auction for top prices put them up to the industry standard like ranch fur everything is identical.
Makes it much easier for graders to properly evaluate and intersort your fur where it belongs without guesswork.If graders have to make a judgement call the trapper wont be the beneficiary.

Trapped4ever, your otter are absolutely phenomenal!
Are they on 72" boards? They look massive.

When the international auctions find otter markets that are $60+ I'll put them up however they want, until then if the main guys at our small association sales wants them a certain way, well that's how I"ll do it. I've noticed that the most of the crafters seem to pay extra for that wide tail. I got $100 apiece on the two in the pic I posted earlier.

If you care to learn how to put up your otter this is the correct way: Trapped4ever or Boco on the tail.I am not sure about the inspection window but Boco's looks a little large.

I used to do an inspection window just like Boco's, but since this guy says "no, don't want that" I'm fine with it.

I dont cut an inspection window,it forms that way from the initial cut and the method of pinning.

Otter leg skins on same side of board as tail = automatic perfect inspection window.

Beaverpeeler,
No, I haven't been sending any South for quite a few years now. Are you talking about American H&F in Burns??
I have a buyer up here that will take 100 raw otter at $100 every season. I tan some too, for local sales, send some to Fur Rondy, etc.... much better options up here than shipping to FHA, so like you, I could care less how they want them
The tanned fur seems to really be the best returns for me, with multiple avenues of sales, and once they are tanned, no pressure to have to sell them as quickly.
I used to sell some fur to Goldberg, years ago. They used to fly through and buy fur in my neck of the woods in the 60's, 70's, and 80's. Around the 90's they stopped being very competitive for prices paid though. They did used to be a decent outlet for my bigger coastal otters.

Here are a few from today, with some in the roughly 35-42lb. range......

Musty,
No, I have to use oversized boards. Most of my boards are between 7-8 feet long, and 8 - 9.5" wide. These big coastal otters can exceed 40lbs, so I need much larger boards than standard. If I only use a standard sized board, the tails would sometimes have to be wrapped around the bottom.......

This is an average sized adult coastal otter......

That's a great boatload of otter trapped4ever. Thanks for sharing those pics. Most of us have no idea a river otter can ever be that big. I'm sure part is genetics but also that rich estuary diet of crab and other nutrient dense food has got to play a part. Kind of like otters that make a living near the fish hatcheries.

No, the buyer I was referring to has been buying probably most of the otter at our sales the last 5-10 years and he's based out of Toledo, Oregon. He's tanning them and I believe moving them at muzzleloader events, etc, etc. He used to be in the $80-$90 range but sadly is now down around $60 since he figured out he didn't have much competition with low otter prices nation wide.

That's a load of otter! Thanks for posting, enjoy info from other regions/trappers.

Wow! Those make our Wisconsin otter look like the size of mink!

beaverpeeler,
Yes, these coastal otters consume a LOT of crabs, especially the shallower dwelling Dungeness, but also some Tanner and King crab are consumed. Removing a large volume of otters definitely has a positive influence on the commercial fishery production numbers, in a given region. It has been suggested a few times to have the Dungeness crabbing fleet offer a bounty, to increase otter harvests, but hasn't ever actually happened.

Now THAT is a nice putup!! Boco may be the only other guy on T-man that does as nice a job!

trapped4ever, do you have much competition out there? Any idea of how many otter get harvested in SE Alaska?

beaverpeeler,
Nope, no competition anywhere around here. Back when fur prices were better, like in the 80's fur boom, there were a few more people out trapping. Way earlier, before my time, trapping was pretty commonly the ONLY option for Winter income, so quite a few people did at least some limited trapping. The otter and mink numbers through most of the Southern half of coastal Alaska are unreal, with virtually zero pressure targeting them over 99% of the coast. That is speaking of the total length of beach, including the circumference of every island, small or large, plus the mainland beaches, every bay, cove, Inlet, fjord, etc...... just almost unfathomable populations. However, lack of access and the horrible weather tend to be very limiting and intimidating factors, along with hard work, huge tides, rough seas, high fuel prices, extreme remoteness, etc. Very low human population over most of the region also contributes to the lack of effort. Otter harvest numbers, like most furs, varies pretty drastically, due to the fur markets. Higher prices warrant more effort, and low prices no effort