ITA Fur Sale ~ "Over a Half Million Dollars sold in this sale"
FUR IS ALIVE !
Our Fur Sale did well and we had more fur than I have seen in quit a few years.
I can see our Winter Fur Sale growing over the next years.
I know Jake posted the ITA Fur Sale Results on another post but I am posting Rusty Kramers ITA Presidents Report here so everyone can see what it takes to put together a Fur Sale and even any "Event" including Board Meetings, Conventions/ Rendezvous. Rusty and his crew are doing a supper job down there in Idaho and I believe over the next few years he will be the Top State for Fur Sales.
JC
Huge shout out to Annie McWilliams for crunching averages from her motel room back east while on business trip (she jumped on a plane a few hours after leaving fur sale). Annie and Kim Smith spent many many hours entering lots and were working past midnight a couple nights. I know we had a hiccup with the no sale list that cost us a couple hours but I assure you a fix is already being looked at to fix that.
John McWilliams was a rockstar cooking food from Thursday evening clear to Sunday afternoon for the board, volunteers and food buyers. The volunteers and board were great during the entire sale and breaking tables down. Folks just jumped in where needed and every day was a 16-18 hr day. A sale of this magnitude with literally thousands of pieces of fur and parts cannot be completed alone and it really bothers me when folks say "Rusty's sale". I do most of the promoting and pre work, but during the sale most of the work is done by the board and volunteers. All I do is run around putting out fires and providing guidance. I was a little bitey yesterday because we had a lot of fur left over that was no saled and bid on and not picked up. The calls and texts were getting overwhelming after 5 straight days working at the fairgrounds.
I felt averages were great on most items, fox averages were disappointing with some collections of stale fox pulling averages down on them. The top cat was bought by Western Montana for $1,424.32 but the top end of cats was very competitive with Colt Furs, Allan Steele and Western Montana all competing. Rocky Mountain bought a fair amount of higher end cats as well. 21 total cats over a grand. Western Montana bought the most beaver with Wyoming Fur Trader getting some lots. Western Montana bought all of the marten I believe. Hindman Fur Co, American Hide, and Fort Benton split the coyotes, which really seemed to have increased interest. The craft buyers really pushed badger, skunk, nutria, squirrels and skulls.
Over a half million dollars sold in this sale, 222 different trappers selling fur, 34 different buyers buying fur and parts and fur from 23 different states. I'm very proud of our sales but I'm even more proud of the family we have all become. These fur sales are like a mini convention and but a better description is a family reunion. Keys are in vehicles, wallets are laying on tables, work is shared, food is shared, and hugs are given when we leave. Fur is defiantly not dead and don't believe the naysayers that say it is. Again, thank you for all your support from buyers and sellers, the fur can't happen without fur and buyers. Trust me the commission dollars will be put to great use to protect trapping in Idaho and anywhere it is needed.
I'm working feverishly on getting the checks written but waiting on dealer checks to clear before mailing.
Last but not least I can't thank my lovely wife enough for here support. I have been getting calls from 6 AM (some folks back east forget the MTN time zone) and clear to 11 PM some nights. We haven't eaten a meal in a month without a couple phone calls and some days had over 30 calls and dozens of texts. I couldn't do any of this without her support.
Thanks
Rusty Kramer - ITA President
