Tannery decision time

[bt bowhunter]

Shipping later this week and starting to go through things.. Gonna keep a fox finally lol. Gotta decide on one or two.

 

I wonder sometimes what keeps me going in a terrible market.. I slowed down and didn't push this year but still broke the landmark figure on canines which I'm proud of to have done 4 years in a row now. But the driving force in a crappy market for me is the possibility of what that next animal will be. Still in search of that super select red, which will never happen here in jersey but it's nice to dream, lol

 

My decision is down to one of these 3 for now lol

 

 

And maybe this one.. Nafa will likely grade this one as a cross fox again. Maybe I'll just hold onto it.. I catch plenty of darks but black tipped guard hairs I've only gotten 2 now and the other was from vermont.

 

 

[bt bowhunter]

And a great run on castor.. Over 11 pounds total between Vt, Pa and Nj. What Ron couldn't use is dried and ready to be shipped

 

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Edited March 29, 2016 by bt bowhunter

[rgw]

nice, that is a lot of castor. did you save any for your self to make your own lure. thats what I am doing with mine

[bt bowhunter]

Only a pod or two.  Ive got some preferred commercial ones I like and a guy I trade fox glands with in Indiana makes a nice beaver lure.  

[Kype]

not including the cross fox. 

 

in the first picture, the fox closest to you

 

anyone starting out should examine these pictures for proper fur handling. you do a hell of a job. 

[bt bowhunter]

Kind of you to say Kype..Thank you

 

Keen eye..Think ive eliminated 1 of those three but there is still 2 in play.  The 1 you mention Im leaning toward.

 

I say I'll never get a select in the heavy or semi-heavy sections here..I could be wrong.  This top one is the closest I came and I think it would have gone select if I hadnt hip snared it.  Graded slight damage...deservingly.  I was pissed when I saw how I caught it because i knew immediately how good it was.  It was a February fox too.  The one below was also a February fox and damn good but caught a week or two too late.  Back hairs were just starting to break.  Still graded fantastic but one lot short of the selects.

 

 

But the best ever for me...hip snared.  Epic fail on that one.

 

Edited March 30, 2016 by bt bowhunter

[Newt]

Sorry, I see NO cross fox in these pictures.

[rgw]

I dont think he is saying it is a crossfox. I believe he is pointing out that last time he sent a red fox to nafa that looked like this one, nafa graded it as a cross.

[bt bowhunter]

What he said newt. I know what a cross is supposed to look like.

 

Last one with the black tipped dorsal line graded as a cross fox I-II grade medium color. I don't know why but that's what they call it.

[bt bowhunter]

This is gonna hurt in June. I've sent bigger shipments but never with this many really good ones.. Of all years to put together a nice collection.. Damn

 

[rgw]

now that is a pile of reds. what is final talley

[bt bowhunter]

There's only about 90 in that photo. I didn't get to another batch that will be living in the chest freezer with the beaver, lol. Nobody likes to be alone lol

[BowhunterNJ]

What is the castor used for?

[Kype]

What is the castor used for?

some of the top chefs in the cities use them for cooking ingredients. other then a food ingredient, baits to attract other beavers. theres a lot of uses for castor, but can only remember those two right now. 

[bt bowhunter]

Hit that one out of the park...

 

My receipt for the June auction was amended to show a cross fox, lol