This is topic soft kitty, warm kitty, $400 bucks of fur in forum Cat forum at The New Huntmastersbbs!.
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Posted by DanS (Member # 316) on November 28, 2015, 06:46 PM:
Well my brother and I just got back from AZ. Went and saw some friends while there.
Got my biggest bobcat so far. Weighed slightly over 26 lbs on the bathroom scale. Had to run it over to Vic's and show off a little.
We managed to tip over some coyotes while out there. Heck even my brother got an honest double.
We left yesterday morning and when we got on the east side of Albuquerque NM, the snow started then the ice. Good god that sucked. WTF is with OKIE-land? Seems it always has ice, Amarillo TX too.
[ November 28, 2015, 06:53 PM: Message edited by: DanS ]
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on November 29, 2015, 04:45 AM:
Way to go, thanks for sharing. Damn, I haven't killed a cat in two seasons? I think I'm due! Must be setting up wrong, or something? Either that, or they just won't bother coming in on a ten minute stand?
But seriously. THAT cat is $400? I might have to start stretching my stands out to twelve minutes or so?
(just kidding) Hey, sounds like a good trip.
Good hunting. El Bee
Posted by DanS (Member # 316) on November 29, 2015, 05:58 AM:
I don't trap. Last year the prices were mucho better than this year I have been told. I guessed at the $400 number.
This Tom came in around the 5 minute mark.
[ November 29, 2015, 05:59 AM: Message edited by: DanS ]
Posted by Az-Hunter (Member # 17) on November 29, 2015, 10:44 AM:
That was a big pretty tom Dan, whatever you decide to do with it, bet it turns out nice! I'd be a happy camper if I could shoot a half dozen like him each winter.
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on November 29, 2015, 11:24 AM:
Yes, but brings up smoldering anger that I have been politically excluded from harvesting much nicer cats in northern Nevada! Residents, ONLY!
Females up there average 26, I got one that went 30, but most mature males are over 30, with the biggest I ever saw was 38.
(I didn't kill it)
So, yeah, If I could kill the damned cats that come in up there, I'd probably make more trips. Maybe. It's getting to be a long drive! Just got back from Bay Area which is a little over 400 and the traffic is insane! Lovelock is more like 600.
Anyway, hope you get top dollar, whatever it is?
Good hunting. El Bee
edit: I am prone to exaggeration. Don't go there!
[ November 29, 2015, 11:29 AM: Message edited by: Leonard ]
Posted by Lone Howl (Member # 29) on November 29, 2015, 01:56 PM:
Nice cat! Got me a couple this season already. The Mossy 930 and steel bbb working perty good.
Man, thats some crappy weather! Looks like OK is getting it bad?
Mark
Posted by Kokopelli (Member # 633) on November 29, 2015, 04:50 PM:
Sweet !!!
I've only called in one cat so far this season.
It was early for fur, so I let it walk.
Posted by 3 Toes (Member # 1327) on November 29, 2015, 06:11 PM:
Its always awesome to get a cat killed, but unfortunately from all I'm hearing you have one extra zero attached to what a casty arizona cat is going to be worth.
Posted by DanS (Member # 316) on November 29, 2015, 07:32 PM:
Cal, you may be right. If gotten in late January, it would bring in a few more dollars. I guess it doesn't really matter. I plan on keeping it and will get it tanned.
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on November 30, 2015, 08:16 AM:
I agree with what Cal thinks.
Not to put anybody down or anything down, it's just that historically, Arizona cats have never impressed fur buyers.
In areas I am familiar with, they are called "Lynx Cats" and don't look like Dan's cat, at all. They are MUCH less spotted, and are leggier, (if that's a word) taller and with a longer body; and frequently command prices at least as good as Canadian Lynx. (which have a black tipped tail; lynx cats have a white tip)
So far as I know, it's not actually a toxicamic clasification, because it's based on appearance. Side by side, they really do look like different species.
But, those were the good old days. <sigh> Maybe things have changed, right? That thirty pound female I mentioned above, I have as a head mount, up in the den. (the taxidermist told me he used a lion skull form on it)
Strolling down memory lane, damn I wish I could find a photo, but what it shows is the biggest bobcat I ever killed and he is laying across a two track from edge to edge, and then some. Just the head and body, (pretty much), not stretching out the front and back legs. He was a big boy! But, I never weighed it.
Good hunting. El Bee
Posted by Az-Hunter (Member # 17) on November 30, 2015, 12:33 PM:
Brent Parker would be the guy to address what an Arizona bobcat has/will bring at auction. He puts up as nice a bobcat pelt as you will see; and he has caught and sold his share of Arizona cat.
I seem to remember $375 being the "average" last several years. Heard of some as high as $600, but most around $350-450?, maybe he will chime in.
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on November 30, 2015, 12:36 PM:
That's damned good! Must be getting 'em high in the "cows"?
Good hunting. El Bee
Posted by DanS (Member # 316) on November 30, 2015, 02:53 PM:
Vic, I thought he said that he averaged about $600 last year, but this year the prices have taken a big dive.
I really am not sure what he said anymore. ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
But I am pretty sure he doesn't put out cages this early.
Posted by 3 Toes (Member # 1327) on November 30, 2015, 04:04 PM:
I just meant this years cats have really taken a tumble. I wish we had the prices of two and three years ago. Arizona cats were in the 4 to 600 range. At the same time I averaged over $1800 one year on around 20 cats. The next year it dropped to $1300 average and last year it was down to $450. We have a spectacular cat here, just not a real high population. This year I'm hearing tops in the $400 range which will drop averages to the $200 range for these northern cats, which sucks because I already have 9 just from coyote sets and snares. Our cats and the northern Nevada cats are similar. And that puts southern cats at a miserable low. So nows the time if you want to tan one or get one mounted. Fur prices suck.
Posted by DAA (Member # 11) on November 30, 2015, 05:21 PM:
Yeah figures too. I just 5 minutes ago finished putting a bunch of coyotes on stretchers.
The guy I was selling green pelts the last few years up and died on me. That was really nice. No put up. He'd take them without ears even so I was getting $50 bounty plus the $20 from him on my Utah coyotes. That was good easy money! Even the $20 on non Utah coyotes was worth it without having to put them up.
Now I'm putting them up again and they aren't worth much.
Oh well. ..
- DAA
Posted by Aaron Rhoades (Member # 4234) on November 30, 2015, 05:38 PM:
Coyotes are allegedly the only thing that is going to sell well this year, last year our coyotes sold real well for our area. We averaged $50 and they are not Montana pales. Matter of fact, last years coyotes were pretty terrible compared to the year before but now this year they are looking pretty good.
Posted by Aaron Rhoades (Member # 4234) on November 30, 2015, 05:41 PM:
I would guess you will be happy with your coyotes Dave, they look nicer than what we get.
Posted by Brent Parker (Member # 4354) on November 30, 2015, 05:47 PM:
I would guess in todays market Dans cat would bring between 150-250 if the market continues on the path its on. A 26 lb. cat is pretty big for this area. The biggest cat I have taken weighed 28 lbs. Guessing by the weight I would guess Dans cat would stretch 42-44".
Cal you would be surprised at how good a S. AZ cat can look.I am at 4100' and that helps but if you want to make money at AZ cats you need to start up north and work south as the season progress. I have two friends that live in N AZ and both have had cats in the top lot at NAFA regularly. Granted those cats come from 8000' or higher and are few and far but AZ does produce some very nice cats. But as a whole no we can't compete with WY.
Coyotes fur may be worth something this year but it just depends on how prime they are. Sounds like buyers are going to be very picky this year. I only plan to trap Jan. this year and spend some time calling and working the dogs. Hopefully our population will keep increasing and we'll have plenty of volunteer for my new little Jagdt pup for next year!!
[ November 30, 2015, 06:06 PM: Message edited by: Brent Parker ]
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on December 01, 2015, 07:02 AM:
Hmm? This has been a very interesting thread, from start to finish, excepting my blather, of course.
Especially the part about prices for AZ cats. Actually, a guy I know, Mercer Lawing runs his cages just about as Brent describes. He starts early season in the Sierras and about now is trapping closer to where he lives, right in the middle of the Mojave Desert, which is high desert. When I was with him one night a couple years ago, we got a damned nice 36 lb. male from the local mountains.
(also stumbled across a dead man. No joke)
$1800 cats! Seriously, I had no idea!
Good hunting. El Bee
Posted by earthwalker (Member # 4177) on December 04, 2015, 05:31 PM:
Right now the cat market is sitting at $300 top. A lot of guys are going to be disappointed big time.
Posted by Cdog911 (Member # 7) on December 15, 2015, 07:34 PM:
We've been selling to Petska the past two years and they don't even want our grey-bellied cats until January. Having said that, I don't pass on any when calling once the season opens. Population is decent and stable and if I don't get them, the next guy will. Funny to see fur "experts" grousing just out of ear shot of the fur buyer about how they're getting ripped on their cats. Petska heard them and two weeks later, showed up with a finished out WY 'cat, complete with deep white belly fur. Half those guys still didn't understand the difference between that light belly and ours. If I average $50 a cat, I'll be tickled.
My gunner, K, was coming in from calling the other day. Saw a cat walking along a treeline and took a Hail Mary. Cat didn't flinch so he figured he missed it. Next morning, he was set up on that same field a half-hour before sunrise. Started calling when he could see and a cat came charging out of the creek in the exact spot he'd seen the cat the night before. He dropped it, went to pick it up and that little voice told him to look around. Damned if he didn't walk to the edge of the trees and there lay the cat he saw the night prior, deader than hell. He keeps recounting that story every time he sees me. Bastard. I got my first unassisted triple on coyotes a few weeks ago. I kinda think the cat story still has me beat. ![[Frown]](frown.gif)
Earthwalker, come get yourself some rain. We had as much as 7 inches in some places, 5 in most, between Saturday and Sunday nights. All the creeks are out of their banks and bottoms are flooded. Weather man said it was our entire winter's worth of normal precip in just one day. As I see it, every frost we get from now to Spring puts us closer to a flood.
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