At what point is a damaged pelt not worth anything?

[uke hunter]

Hey guys,

While checking the line this past weekend found one of my marten catches had been a meal for a raven or two. Basically, one of it's hind legs was completely gone. Either way, I skinned and boarded what was left. Besides the leg missing and the bottom right corner of the back (about an inch or two up or so) will I still get something for the pelt? I would say 95% of the nice fur is still on the pelt in my opinion. Was wondering if I wasted my time skinning and boarding? How much damage is too much and a waste of time to skin as the fur graders won't do anything with it?

Thanks!

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by uke hunter

Hey guys,

While checking the line this past weekend found one of my marten catches had been a meal for a raven or two. Basically, one of it's hind legs was completely gone. Either way, I skinned and boarded what was left. Besides the leg missing and the bottom right corner of the back (about an inch or two up or so) will I still get something for the pelt? I would say 95% of the nice fur is still on the pelt in my opinion. Was wondering if I wasted my time skinning and boarding? How much damage is too much and a waste of time to skin as the fur graders won't do anything with it?

Thanks!

It happens. Most such pelts I marketed brought around ten dollars. For Marten.

Thing is most buyers are shameless opportunists. They will take any and all opportunities to discount your product as much as they think they can get away with.

The truth is the head, leg, and belly fur is worth little at the best of times.

If the back fur is undamaged the pelt is worth as much to the tanner as a complete pelt of the same quality, but buyers will pay only a fraction for it.

Just enough to keep you bringing in more.

[moose maniac]

Originally Posted by uke hunter

Hey guys,

While checking the line this past weekend found one of my marten catches had been a meal for a raven or two. Basically, one of it's hind legs was completely gone. Either way, I skinned and boarded what was left. Besides the leg missing and the bottom right corner of the back (about an inch or two up or so) will I still get something for the pelt? I would say 95% of the nice fur is still on the pelt in my opinion. Was wondering if I wasted my time skinning and boarding? How much damage is too much and a waste of time to skin as the fur graders won't do anything with it?

Thanks!

The leg part won't matter much, the bottom part is a lot better than the middle, by your description it is definetly worth skinning and sending in

[HunterDave]

Last year I looked over some martin pelts at the ATA and there were some pretty darned bad ones in there.....lol. A few of the pelts were half bald. Yours sounds good in comparison to what I saw. Five or ten bucks is more than nothing I guess.

[Thunder Elk Hunter]

This what squirrels did in two days in 2012 to us. Turn two 200 dollar marten into a 15 and ten dollar one. They both were hanging under a running pole but had curled up like a banana. The squirrels dropped down on them and plucked them like a duck, nice fur coat for their nest. Have started put a weasel box trap under the running poles. Caught a few bait stealing weasels, as well as squirrels that pluck marten and steal bait.

TEH

[Bushmaster]

Only pelt I ever had was a fox that I literally shot the head off. Lady wouldn't even send it in for me....still hangs on my wall today.

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by Thunder Elk Hunter

This what squirrels did in two days in 2012 to us. Turn two 200 dollar marten into a 15 and ten dollar one. They both were hanging under a running pole but had curled up like a banana. The squirrels dropped down on them and plucked them like a duck, nice fur coat for their nest. Have started put a weasel box trap under the running poles. Caught a few bait stealing weasels, as well as squirrels that pluck marten and steal bait.

TEH

Gezz!!!!

I've seen a few like the first but nothing as bad as the second.

Maybe because I targeted squirrel along with anything else legal.

My biggest problem was Shrews. They chew right through to the flesh. Not big holes but they can sometimes make a critter look like it was shot at close range by a 12 gauge load of .22s