Arizona fur prices? $500 for a bobcat last year?

GC

GC

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A fellow on another site says he saw Arizona bobcats selling for $500 last year on the fur market. I'm skeptical, especially since he's touting 70 - 90 yard shotgun kills with #2 Hevi-Shot. Ya'll know what I think of that... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif I haven't seen bobcat pelts anywhere near that price range since the 70's. I can't remember heavy Midwest pelts going for that much even during the boom market back then. Can anyone give me an idea what prime bobcat hides were going for in Arizona last year?
 
Some of the prime northern furs may bring that price (Nevada,Colorado,Wyoming). But that is not the average going rate.

Edit in bold.
 
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I was getting $385 last year for a real good fur on a bob. It must have been something real special to break that. I bet prime northern fur might make that, but odds are Arizonia fur will not. My average price on the few bob cats I have got, seem to be right in the $280 range.
 
He would be correct that many bobcats topped out well over $500 last year at NAFA and some local and state auctions.
Nevada cats went even higher, with some in the $7-800 range.
AVERAGES though, were around $270. Tops are all well and good to get, but it is the overll average price that tells the tale. Nevada averages were, I believe, around $320 or so.
The best cats are not always your big toms of big females. It is the 2 year olds that will usually bring the most money as long as they have lots of good spots and LONG belly fur and a decent back. Red back cats tend to bring much less that the the good grey backs, or blue backs.
FWIW
Steve
 
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A good friend of mine sold a cat pelt ( a large cat that I think he skinned well for taxidermy purposes) for $700. He traps mostly SE Utah and always does well with his cats.
 
Is it necessary to skin out the feet on a cat to sell the pelt or can you skin it out like a coyote? Does it make a difference in the value? I gave a bobcat away last year because I didn't have the skills to skin out the feet? Probably should have asked berore I killed one.
Jerry
 
Red Dot, It depended on what you want done with it. The feet are important to the taxidermist, but to the fur guy are not an issue. The belly fur is the big thing. My prices are all on the round, meaning the fur was on the cat. The final cats probable pulled a 100 or so more than what I sold em for.
 
In my experance they can be sold either way. A large or well spotted cat that is correctly skinned for taxidermy will command a higher price due to the time it takes to do the feet and head.
It's not hard to do the feet once you get the hang of it. Go slow if you need to and although taxidermists hate to sew holes, as long as everything is there its usually OK.
I suggest practicing on coyote, they're pretty much the same till you get to the toe. A cat claw sits next to the last bone and once you know how it is easy cut free and left with the pelt. A coyote toenail is attached to the last bone like our figernails so the entire last bone is usually left in.
 
Cut the feet off unless you are wanting it for taxidermy! The fur buyers will nock the price down if you dont. They throw the cats in tumblers and the claws tear up the other cats. Justin
 
In the September NAFA the average price for cats was $260.00, the high paid was $425.00. Since a lot of this was leftover from the winter, I can assume there was some $500.00 cats back in Jan - Feb. But from the desert? Don't really think so. He may be just quoting prices paid.

P
 
Thanks for the input gentlemen. I guess it was possible then, seemed mighty high dollar to me. I'm going to have to make more cat stands this year... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 


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