Are you a coyote hunter and if so, what do you do with your pelts?

Let’s face it, the fur industry is nearly but an urban legend these days, as fur prices continue to fade away. We are a long time past the heydays of the Hudson Bay Company or American Fur Company! As a Midwest coyote hunter, the fur we harvest here in Southern IL just cannot bring near what Northern furs bring. Understanding fur rating is a trained skill and I often hear people complaining about their furs not bringing much. If you have ever spent time talking to fur buyers, you start to really understand what they look for in furs and what items in a pelt drive up the value. Taking proper care of that hide, start to finish, is also a huge contributor to what its value can bring.

What if you aren’t into selling your pelts, do you take the time do any local tanning for your own personal display? Any hunting cabin, or household mancave, can really take on that true rustic hunters feel with some nice cased coyote pelts hanging around. A nice display with some vintage traps can make some of the old-timers stop and stare for a while and reminiscing about their past. Or how about tailoring some gloves or headgear items that always make for a great fashion statement? This brings me right back to the concept of selling your pelts, as about every small-town craft store always have items made from furs, teeth or bones. I often think to myself; I should hunt more and maybe my wife would want to make her own crafts with furs I bring home instead of spending time looking at other people’s work. But maybe that is just me thinking about how I could hunt more, because I know she enjoys shopping and visiting craft stores.

There are so many things you can do, if you just enjoy preserving the pelts you sometimes worked very hard to get. I enjoy doing a lot of coyote calling, but there are many days that I just come home empty handed. So, every coyote taken I try to make the most of it. I coyote hunt because I’m a very active bowhunter, and I want a strong Whitetail herd in my area. I also know the local coyote numbers need to be managed. However, when I do take a coyote, I’m always thinking about what it is I’m going to do with this pelt from the minute I touch it for the first time.