Question regarding Ringtail cat pelts, I wanted to know what they are going for on the fur market right now {or taxidermy trade} because last year around this same time, I was getting them whole frozen {no damage} for 15 to 20.00 a piece, and know of many others getting them for that price last year. What gives? I see them this year for 75.00 each and up frozen. That's quite a jump if you ask me, just my opinion and wanted to know if there was a reason why the price has jumped so high. Thanks in advance.
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What will the market bear?
Lifesize animals are always pricier because the trapper has to ensure a perfect face, perfect feet, and intact genitals. Plus they usually have to get carcass measurements, pictures, and the first born child of the buyer before the buyer will commit, and STILL buyers don't pay up.
Capitalism, capitalism.
that with quite a few critters, especially on this site...i know fur prices are up this year but some are getting ridiculous...ive seen bobcats trying to sell for 200.00 foxes (grey and red) for upwards of 80.00 and i also noticed the jump in ring tails....even seen some coyotes (people selling that is) asking upwards of 100.00...of course alot of time you get what you pay for, for the most part, however if you dont need anything immediately you can usually shop around for decent prices
i sell critters here on this sight , my prices are higher than the weekend seller that gets a critter or two and post for sale ,sometimes for example , i get usually $135 for a large bobcat , you can buy them here for $60 if you shop ,hmmmmm, was it handled right? skinned right? does it have color? damage? is it from northern or southern climate ? flat fur or fluffy ? thick? thin? did bubba chunk it in the freezer after he rode it around on the truck? , let me ask? have you dealt with a reputable seller ? one that guarantees your satisfaction? that selects from a large pool of available specimens? one that pays for shipping and dry ice to ship them across country to have the best speciman? one that follows up on their customers to ensure they are happy? one that can get you the special items that you request(odd sizes, spot patterns, freak colors etc.)? one that pays more for the specimen to make sure it is a total quality skin for the customer? one that has nearly every customer he deals with return for more business? one that,,,,,, well you get the picture ,,do you value real service and quality ,,to feel totally safe purchasing something over priced, unseen, (and in many cases that hasnt eben been harvested yet) from someone you dont know is a rare thing,,i see it everyday!,,,,,,, some folks look for a deal,, are there any out there? sure there are ! after you buy four of them , look up the guys that sell critter after critter ,,then buy another from him next time you need one ,,,, YOU CANT MAKE IT IN THIS PLACE IF YOU ASK ONE DOLLAR TOO MUCH ,IF IT ISNT WORTH IT !,,,and in case anyone does need one of those $200 bobcats , i have one ,,,,it has about 1000 black! spots all over it from its toes to its back, the size of your finger nail...WOW! boy was i rambling ,,,gotta get back to packing the fourth cat that MR. Chandler has bought from me ,,,,, see ya
I am not against any one trying to make that extra buck for their care time/labor they put into the pelt/animal. What the point is don't go overwelmingly high over the price set in the fur market. Yes taxidermy skinned animals versus the fur skinned animal has a price difference due to the care and time spent on skinning and prepping.
But to sell whole frozen ones for high prices is crazy. We taxidermists have set prices for our areas we live in, sure we can raise them alittle from what out price lists say due to supply and demand at the time, but it does still hurt our profits. I don't care how many spots a bobcat has, I think 200 for an unskinned cat is crazy {but you have the right to ask that but others have the right to pass it up} when we have to do all the work. Do the figures: someone who does not do self tanning has that expense, labor time in skinning/prepping, mounting supplies, mounting time, base/habitat costs = How much profit? All I am saying is people are having a hard time right now money wise and to pass up regular customers because we would have to raise our prices 100.00 per piece to keep a small handful wealthy customers that can afford it is not making sense to chase away the 100 of reg customers that can afford your current prices.
thats how i got started selling specimens, i had no place to purchase a quality speciman without taking a chance on buying 4 to get one nice one . i pay above fur market prices for evey critter i buy .when i buy bobcats from my supplier i might pic 5 cats out of 50,select cats ,not all that i can get but only those high grade cats,most cats you see posted in the forum will not make my second grade cat,thus my customer gets the best specimen he can get and doesnt have to wonder what they will get . i sell foxes for $35 whole frozen , thats fair, but ALL my cats are skinned and i offer no damaged cat for sale ,there is no price on piece of mind, i take extrordinary pride in having such a high rate of return customers. extrordinary color phases and spot patterns are worthy of higher pricing . i pay more for them and there for have to get more , but let me give you an example here, i pay the same price for a fair spot grade as i do for a very good spot grade cat , yet i sell the fair for $25-$35 less , i dont sell nearly as many , folks want quality and that is what i try to provide here , a safe place for you to spend that hard earner money , without you guessing what you are going to get. so i guess my point is , you get what you pay for here , i cant speak for anywhere else,,,, you speak of profit and cost, what is the price you pay if you get a trashy skin for your customer ? what does it cost you ? ask your customer if he wants the $135 skin or the $85 skin , explain to them the difference in the two, that is if you undersand it yourself ,the way i see it , how can you afford not to buy the quality product? do you use the cheapest form you can find? or the cheapest eyes in your dear heads? do you wrap bodies for your bobcats mounts to save money ?i hope not the quality isnt there ,,,, its all about quality ! look in ebay at the quality of the mounts there and when you see that truly fine piece look at the price it brings , bobcats are sold everyday there for $250 and less,,,, watch an auction when a wayne miller mount hits the auction block, lets see i think his last bobcat went for $1125, look at that skin , i dont think he bargain shops.it is not about any price anyone would or could or doesnt want to pay . its about what you have that everyone else wants. you wouldnt pay $200 for my ultra spotted cat but there are 25 in line waiting for me to say ill sell it .i payed exactly what i would pay for two excellently spotted cats , i would have never bought it if i was worried about profits,,,MONEY IS NOT EVERYTHING DEAR, a good reputation and a recommendation or two or twenty is just fine for me !
And it's one that I tend to agree with. I used to sell furbearers myself for a number of years. I was forced to give up that avenue when I relocated to a larger studio in response to business demands, and just no longer had the time to devote to it.
After a number of years in the fur trade, I've determined a couple of things. Most trappers (note I said most,and not all), will run their goods past traditional outlets first, fur buyers and auctions, before seeking out alternative markets. If they don't actually physically do it, their process of selection will accomplish the same ends, as they select the nicest of the nice, to pelt out and sell to the fur market. The second best grades are what is usually offered to the taxidermy trade. The reason being is simple. They know that anything being sold to the fur market is going to go through a hard grading process, by experienced professional fur buyers. Guys who make their living doing exactly that. However the taxidermy trade is much more forgiving. Most taxidermists are not experienced fur graders. In fact, many have no concept of how many grades exist, or characteristics of fur that may place it into a certain grade. Usually a quick check for paw and head damage is all it takes, and if the fur looks "nice", it's a taxidermy grade specimen. So it makes perfect sense for them to do things this way in order to optimize their return from both markets.
Now while Ed makes a good case to justify his prices, he's selling the same dead critters that the trappers sell to him. Don't get me wrong, it takes time and money to operate as a middleman, as a few here are doing. It takes time to deal with the various trappers that bring in stuff to sell, visiting auctions, etc. and it takes money too. These guys aren't selling items on commission, they have to pay the trappers up front. Throw in the cost of operating freezers, time spent in skinning and processing some furbearers, advertising costs, and it all adds up. Though it seems that most that ply their wares here, have opted for this free advertising form in place of traditional paid advertising, such as Breakthrough & Taxidermy Today.
While I think that some of these responses above may lean a little towards advertising hype, it is a free market, and Ed is certainly entititled to his opinion, and to sell his goods for what he feels they're worth. I do however disagree with the mild implication that an expensive skin is going to make the difference in the first rate mount, and the third rate one. While the quality of the fur does have an overall influence on the finished piece, as does the quality of materials and the procedures that the taxidermist uses, nothing is as important to the end result as the skills of the taxidermist themself.
So, what's my point? When you're buying fur, let the buyer beware. Know ahead of time what the current market value is,and ask a few questions... What part of the country? and What time of the year was the animal collected? These are the two most important elements. A pristine extra large bobcat caught in December from Montana or Wyoming may well be worth $200, but from anywhere else in the country? Well, that's up to you. Damage? That's up to you too, but most damage can be repaired, while a low grade skin, is a low grade skin, regardless of the price tag. And finally, you need to determine what the animal is worth to you. Let the fur market, and not the asking price be your guide, and realize that you're not getting the best of the best in most cases. I know what I can buy things for, as do most taxidermists that have been at this for more than a couple of years, and I also know that if I need something in a hurry for a fussy, well to do customer, then I'm going to pay more. But when the prices on average goods are running 5, 6 or 10 times what the market value is? Well count me out, I'm with Cathy.
im not arguing a point here! im just suggesting that all who sell here dont pick it up off the road and run in the house and post it. you do need to know what you are buying , and that it takes $$$ to get the skin the customer wants to them, ! all my hides go to my choice before any are taken to fur market. i post and volunteer all informmation that a customer should be asking even if they dont know to ask ,,a vast percentage would take a lesser quality hide at the same price and not know the diff. if you want fur market prices , go to the fur market.im sure they will be more than happy to see you coming!