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[Cole]

Depending on the condition between 50.00 and 150.00.

[Jims Wildlife Studio]

I bought a 20 short haired not to long ago already tanned by Wildlife in MI for $140.00 and was in excellent shape. I would have to say $65.00 to $90.00 if in excellent condition. Hope this helped.

[mr.T aka mr. friendly]

Depending on who's selling it, in our State, you can not sell game or parts of game unless you are a licensed taxidermist, or licensed fur buyer. The local fur buyer will give the public a pair of leather work gloves in trade of a deer hide. The only critters that can be sold are fur bearers with a trapping license. I get guys calling and wanting to know what they can get for their cape, and I trade a antler plaque for the cape, as they cant sell their capes, it's against the law.

[Bill Dishman]

Geez, do you guys really pay that much for a raw cape?  I buy around 30 extra WT capes every hunting season and never pay more than 25.00 for a big one, 20.00 for average large.

[Old Fart]

The value of the cape is dependant on the state of completion that it's in and the condition. On the head(unskinned) a cape that size is worth $20. You've already added value to the cape in the time you spent skinning(assuming it was done properly). Now it's worth $45-75 depending on how bad a person needs a cape that size. If you want to know what you should pay for the cape, you should have asked that!  If you're selling it, you have to add your time. I usually pay an average of $20 for capes in the fall and they better be good ones!

[Doug Bridges]

25 or so for a green cape from the Joe off the street.

[Old Fart]

If you want a "rule of thumb", try this.  $20 for a 20" cape, measured on the meat after skinning at the head/neck junction, not the swell.  Go up $5 for each inch larger and down for each inch smaller. Remember to buy only the best capes, no junk, or at least deduct for things that will have to be fixed.

[Cole]

Old Fart, I'll give you 40.00 for every 24" cape you get and sell em for 200.00

[Old Fart]

Cole, with luck and a very good year I'll see ONE cape that size and it will more than likely be cut a foot past the brisket.  But I'll get a lot of 18"-21" and that's what I pay for them.  I will sell them for a lot more too. And I'll get more than $200 for the 24" cape too.

[Todd K]

   JBest, I just bought one Sunday for $20, 71/2 x 20. I have one butcher that charges me and one that just gives them to me. I need a Texas cape and someone said around $100 (I think) If Texas has so many deer why are they so expensive? Anyone ?

[Old Fart]

Is anyone familiar with the term "supply and demand"? The supply of larger capes(what's "large" will depend on what part of the country you're in) is obviously far smaller than the availability of the small and average capes. The value of the raw unskinned cape at the butcher shop or in the back of the hunter's truck is FAR, different than the skinned, measured, tagged and properly packaged cape that you will buy from ME. Or any other taxidermist that has any idea of that he's doing.

If I pay $20 for a raw cape, I add that for profit and overhead.  The price is now $40, to that I add my skinning and misc. time.  What part of that equation is it that's so hard to figure out. A couple years ago I put up a few extra capes and offered them for sale here.  I was told that my price was too high, so off to Ebay they went.  They all sold for at least TWICE what I was asking here. Imagine that, there is actually a demand for good capes!