SELLING TO THE TAXIDERMY TRADE

[rascal (Joe Duncan)]

For a few years now, I have sold hundreds of furs each season to the taxidermy trade and of those items I sold to the taxidermists, I have always gotten DOUBLE or more for the animals I sold them than what the fur market would bring.  You can also!!  Just remember:  Taxidermists are like furbuyers in that they can be very picky when it comes to selling to them.

It seems as though there is always a demand for good quality pelts that taxidermist can use for mounts.  Keep in mind that you should never try to peddle them your junk!  You lose not only one good customer but many more since they will tell their taxidermists friends what kind of furs they got from you.  


While it may take a while to build up a clientele, it is definitely worth it.  I have taxidermists who buy several pelts from me each year and always wanting more.  They know that I will only sell them quality furs and what I say they will get-- they get.  NEVER, NEVER misrepresent what a fur is!  

For my experience, there are certain species that sell well to the taxidermists and those that are not worth the extra trouble and that do not do well in the taxidermy trade.  I am listing a few below that seem to do well and some that do not.  Bear in mind, that there are always exceptions to the rule.  

COYOTE:   A very good seller to the taxidermy trade.
FOX:   Also an excellent seller
BOBCAT:  Same thing as above - especially those spotted kitties
SKUNK:  Believe it or not,  skunks are excellent items to sell to taxidermist
MINK:   Just mediocre.  Sometimes they do well but most of the time, they
            are not a particularly good item for the taxidermy trade.
RACCOON:   Not real good-- to easily obtained and that holds the price
                    down
OPPOSSUM:  Forget it-- not worth the time to prep.

This is just a sample.  One exception to this is that any "melanistic" oddball
pelt is usually grabbed up by taxidermists quickly.  For example:  White
skunk-- white possum -- black coyote-- true cinnamon raccoon. etc.

If you have any questions-  post them here, and I will try my best to answer.

I will get into this in more depth and detail in the coming days and weeks.
If your fur check was $600 this past season, it is possible you could have gotten $1,000 or more.

[RdFx]

Now if Newt had been listening all these yrs he would have that pink truck all by  himself  :roll:  ( i think)  
     Did you know that WD-40 will take rusty marks off furs fm improperly prepared conibears and wont hurt fur?    :wink:

[Wackyquacker]

You sayin that if I sold furs to a guy last season, oh lets say Badgers and Kit fox, that I blew it and shouldn't go that way next year?  


Rdfx, Newt and Asa pay attention to this response  Watch the ole rascal wriggel out of this one hehehehe! :-D

[rascal (Joe Duncan)]

Hey Doc;
  No wriggling about it.   :twisted:  If you are willing to do what I did with them, you should definitely not sell them to me  :shock:  If you don't want to flesh them, turn the ears, split the lips, salt them, and stretch them, then you need to go ahead and sell them to some old skull doc. or fur buyer. :wink:

[RdFx]

Didnt you forget the pepper    ?

[Dan Mich Trapper]

I was thinking that I would start home tanning alot of my furs to sell . I got ahold of some good tanning stuff . Works good on yote and skunks so far . Did a beaver and an otter but they are so thick skinned , they stay really stiff . Thats ok if you wanna hoop a beaver but otherwise Im sending them out . The thin skins come out soft (not garment soft ) but good wall hangers .

[rascal (Joe Duncan)]

Dan;
  Tanning the pelts for yourself is great for wall hangers, hooped beaver, etc.  but a taxidermist will not even buy a pelt that has already been tanned.  
  The tanning process used by most taxidermists is different than what most of us would do.  Well, at least the method of progression in getting the pelt ready to put on the mannikin is different.   The pelt has to be "wet" to put on the mannikin and moulded and shaped to the specs of the mannikin.  (That is not all of it but it gets pretty involved to put it in this post).  Also, most taxidermists have a certain type tan or certain steps that they use and don't want to buy tanned pelts that they are not sure what has been done.

[Wackyquacker]

I'll add this too, I tanned 300 to 400 skins a year for a while; even have a 7 foot diameter tumbler.  Unless you have a specific market and or the fur prices are really depressed the return after chemicals and depreciation is very small.  Now add in labor and marketing, well you get my drift.  I have my own small buisness, it was fun learning and I just liked working the fur.  However, the tumblers, breaker and sander sit idle and the fleshing machines I use in season.

[Dan Mich Trapper]

I was only thinking to sell to individuals . My cousin is a taxadermist . He gave me some of the solution but your right , it is expensive. Its about $20 a pint but I probably onle used a baby food jar full for the skunk . He made a tumbler and let me use it , what a difference that makes . I still plan on selling to a buyer , but the lowers I may try to tan and sell at yard sales and flea markets . Just a thought .

[rascal (Joe Duncan)]

Dan;
  While I agree that tanning the low grades may make them bring more money-- does it mean they are more profitable?  If you are looking at the profit end, then you might want to check closely.  If doing it just for fun and to market them differently, that is something different.  Here is an expample.

I can buy soft tanned muskrat from Groenewold for as cheap as $3.50 for small with slight damage.  

Groenewold will sell you soft tanned XL bobcat with slight damage for $25.00  

They will also sell you low grade grey fox for $15--same for badger.  

And the list goes on!  I have been selling these as craft grade and wall hangers for some years.    

It is not really worth the extra time and effort to either tan it yourself, "break" the leather, spend money on chemicals, and market--- if you are looking for profit.    Some of the members of this forum can tell you that I have another business.  They have received checks from WISTER ANTIQUE AND AUCTION.  I have had an auction house and flea market as well as an antique shop.  If you are intending to sell for profit, then it is cheaper to buy the pelts already soft "garment" tanned for those purposes.  

No BULL!  Just go online and see what Groenewold will sell them to you for.  

Now:  I have never advertized on this forum.  That is not allowed!  However, to illustrate a point, I invite everyone to look at the below website.  BEAR IN MIND, that it has not been updated since last summer.  I have just had to much going to update it and try not to advertize it at all now since I am wanting to switch directions.   But it might give you some ideas!  

www.mountaincreektrading.com  

OK!!  Some of you guys are going to gripe me out :twisted: because now you know another of my little secrets :wink:

[Wackyquacker]

Ya know, all that time in the fur shed and skull factory hasn't done a dang thing to improve the ole buzzards disposition...cranky as ever.  Oh well guess we just have to live with him.  Like my grandmother always said look at the shape of his head and forgive him.

[rascal (Joe Duncan)]

HEY YOU WACKYQUACKER!!!!!!!!

That is not nice.  My head is just a little pointed.  Some might call me a little strange but I am no stranger than I have always been.  Mess with me and I'll put on a "UGLIEST TRAPPER" contest and you will come up the winner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  And I am not cranky, you old scat sniffer :bye: