Marketing Bears
 

I am looking for some advice on selling black bear. Wondering if its better to send to auction or to tan and sell privately? Looking at NAFA's historicals I am thinking I might be better off selling tanned.

Anyone have any experience with this?

Costs lots to tan, costs nothing to ship

Are you good at bear put up? Auction ok.

Are you bad at bear put up? Auction no good.

In fact then tanning no good either.

Big bears at NAFA very good.

All bears must be complete to sell.

Once tanned, bears well done can bring a fair price. They also can NOT, no guarantees. Has to be an awful lot of bear skins getting hucked.

Here's a question for you Marty for bear at the auction is it acceptable to use salt to help with the drying process. Example: paws and ears (space between the cartilage and the hide).

Yes, make them dry, so those hard to dry areas, salt helps save stuff, likely folks buying will buy with confidence when they see partial salting, they see that the skinner saw fit to attempt care of the hard to dry areas.

The people that buy taxi goods at the sale go thru each skin with a fine tooth comb. For some reason they dont want to buy taxidermy goods that have a bunch hair fall off the feet, ears, face, tails, etc. Can you believe these people?

Some of the best taxidermy skin jobs I have seen used no salt.

Thanks Marty, this is very helpful.

By "bears must be complete" do you mean pads attached? I have one that was prepped for a rug and the pads were removed. I am going to assume that one would be pretty much worthless at auction?

not sure about the pads but claws for sure.

I think "complete" is a legal term from govt. I'm assuming it refers to claws only.