With the recent news about Canada Goose one has to think the end is in sight for the fur industry as we used to know it. Will we see an abrupt end to high coyote prices? Probably but time will tell.. I can only think this is the beginning of a major downturn in the coyote market. The fur industry will not die but it will change drastically and everyone will have to adjust. Most articles other than western coyote over the last several years have been anything but easy to move and the demand is very low compared to how it once was. If you live in western coyote country like me the writing has been on the wall for sometime. Coyote prices have been high for too long. With lesser quality goods flooding the market with higher prices there isn't a shortage of coyotes. Early, under-prime and over-prime skins were marketed at higher prices because the goal was to buy as many coyotes as possible. You cannot sustain that model in a commodity based industry forever. That is why us trappers and hunters need to be more aware of quality skins vs. quantity of skins to help sustain a commodity industry like the fur industry. Price resistance from the manufacturers has been in the chatter for some time. Is CG reacting to the animal activists? I would say most likely.. Does the price of fur have something to do with it?? Maybe.. Is mainstream fashion moving away from fur? Yes they are. But why? Because people like you and I are in the 1% club. Fur isn't even close to mainstream like it was years and years ago. We haven't done enough to educate people on the uses of fur. We should be promoting the usage of fur as much as we promote the art of trapping. More people wearing fur = more of a sustainable market.. While the current trend in fur industry is depressing to talk about it doesn't have to be... Local, state and national trapping associations should change gears in doing more fur promotion vs trapping promotion. Promote, promote, promote your product, because if you don't who else will?? 1st be trappers and then 2nd be a marketer and promoter.. If we don't the fur industry will be dead...
And finally..
Youth are the future of any industry.. State conventions, state rendezvous and such events should include more youth demos and sessions to attract the young. The young people will be the ones carrying the torch moving forward. Get the young people involved!! I hope your fur season was a good one. Until next time...