need some info guys

[nube]

So i am looking at my yotes online and have a few questions on some of the grades and such

For coyotes what does
PR mean?
what does
1-2
1-4
3-4 mean ?

Are grade I-II o.k?
Are Grade II still o.k?

[deanmc]

http://www.nafa.ca/trapper/Resources...009_Coyote.pdf

[mark-edmonton]

This help

[bullgetter]

PR I believe if poor. 1 is a highest clarity and worth more than a 4. I is top grade and better tham a II. If you have any marked SEL than that is select and a top graded fur.

[Red Bullets]

You can probably take a short fur grading course through Trapper Gord's wilderness college. Probably a good investment for understanding your fur quality better and getting the most for your fur.

http://www.trappergord.com/trapper-college-courses.html

[Red Bullets]

This breaks down the grading system a bit more.

http://www.furharvesters.com/pdf/gradingterm.pdf


Here's a long but interesting text worthy of reading on grading fur. I am glad I read it. It was written a while ago in 1968 but really explains each animal and the grading process.

https://archive.org/stream/howtograd...0rutt_djvu.txt

[nube]

Awesome Guys thanks. I was surprised but I got a lot of coyotes marked with Dark fur. I would have thought that they would have been better than that.

[H380]

Originally Posted by nube

Awesome Guys thanks. I was surprised but I got a lot of coyotes marked with Dark fur. I would have thought that they would have been better than that.

Mine are classed the same , I thought they were lighter colored .

[nube]

Hee is my coyotes from the early part of the year. I was excited to get started so I started catching the end of October and we will see what the early ones get priced as.

Also I am still missing 2 coyotes I sent in and not sure what to think about that?

I am kinda disappointed I must say with the results I have here. Not sure if these are that great or not? Still trying to wrap my head around all the numbers and signs on here. Take away my early pelts which I must expect wouldn't do that well I think are the rest considered half decent?

COYOTE
LOT SIZE |GRADE |COLOR |CLR| QTY
366023 XL-LGE I-II DBR 1-2 GD 1
366031 XL-LGE I-II DK 1-2 GD 1
366032 XL-LGE I-II DK 1-2 GD 1
366064 XL-LGE I-II DBR-BR 1-4 ELY 2
366087 XL-LGE II MED 1-4 AVG 1
366088 XL-LGE II MED 1-4 AVG 1
366099 XL-LGE II DK-DBR 1-4 AVG 1
366101 XL-LGE II DK-DBR 1-4 AVG 1
366102 XL-LGE II DK-DBR 1-4 AVG 1
366121 XL-LGE II MED 1-4 ELY 1
366132 XL-LGE II DBR-BR 1-4 ELY 1
366134 XL-LGE II DBR-BR 1-4 ELY 1
366136 XL-LGE II DBR-BR 1-4 ELY 2
366139 XL-LGE II DBR-BR 1-4 ELY 1
366145 XL-LGE II MED-DBR 1-4 XEY 1
366147 XL-LGE II MED-DBR 1-4 XEY 2
366156 XL-LGE II DK-DBR 1-4 PR 1
366172 XL-LGE II DK-DBR 1-4 PR,PR 1
366182 XL-LGE SDG DBR 1-4 GD 1
366190 XL-LGE SDG GC 1-4 AVG 1
366198 XL-LGE SDG MED 1-4 AVG 1
366212 XL-LGE *I DBR 3-4 1
366222 XL-LGE I-II DBR 3-4 GD 1
366234 XL-LGE I-II DK 3-4 GD 1
366236 XL-LGE I-II DK 3-4 GD 1
366237 XL-LGE I-II DK 3-4 GD 1
366239 XL-LGE I-II DK 3-4 GD 1
366245 XL-LGE I-II MED 3-4 AVG 1
366251 XL-LGE I-II DBR 3-4 AVG 1
366252 XL-LGE I-II DBR 3-4 AVG 1
366259 XL-LGE I-II DK 3-4 AVG 1
366260 XL-LGE I-II DK 3-4 AVG 1
366366 XL-LGE I-II DBR 1-4 AVG 1
366371 XL-LGE I-II DBR 1-4 AVG 1
366386 XL-LGE I-II DK 1-4 AVG 1
366762 MED-SML I-II DK-DBR 1-4 GD 1
366804 XL-LGE DG2 1-4 AVG 1
366805 XL-LGE DG2 1-4 AVG 1
366812 XL-LGE DG2 1-4 AVG 1
366833 XL-LGE DG3 1-4 PR 1
COYOTE Total 43

[Red Bullets]

Even with the grades you still have a nice haul of yappers.

For the clearer white belly coyotes you have to go south east of Camrose all the way to the SE border. The prairie wolf is a bit bigger than the bush dawg. Much nicer color too.

[nube]

Thanks for the positive Red. i really don't know what to think. I hope I can at least average , average lol

Can you explain the numbers 1-4 or 1-2 or 3-4 whatever they are on my yotes I don't get that part. I think it means the belly colour but why the 2 numbers?

[northbuck]

I seem to have many of the same questions regarding the grading of yotes as Nube does. Over the last 24 hours, I have gone back and forth between my fur descriptions and the NAFA grading explanations multiple times...trying to make sense of it all. The most confusing is the "clarity" section...I can't figure out what those numbers represent...what is 1-4 as compared to 1-2 or 3-4? I don't which of these are good, average or bad. Could someone clarify...I've given up trying to figure it out through the nafa website.
I really had high hopes when it came to my yotes as I really tried putting up quality fur this year. I should maybe explain first. I sent over 120 yotes to auction in 2012 and 13. Of these, not one was ever identified as a "select" and only 3 were identified as "I". Of those remaining, apprxly 65% were I and I-II...the others were all identified as having slight damage. These " damaged" pelts had me perplexed as I do all my snaring in the months of Dec and Jan. Prior to this year, lack of a decent skinning set-up made it necessary to bring all my coyotes to a "custom skinner" and all the aforementioned yotes went that route. I thought that maybe my northern coyotes were just of an inferior quality...it's no secret that the bigger, paler southern dogs are much more desirable at auction. Or could there be another factor/reason that I can't explain?
This year, I did things differently. I did all the skinning, fleshing, washing, boarding and brushing of my coyotes. I thought they looked very good. I sent 30 to auction and here are the results. Two were "selects", two were "I", and the remaining 26 were split 50/50 between "1-2" and "2". I'm happy that I have more Selects and I's than the past 2 years combined, but disappointed that I didn't have more. I really don't know if I should feel slightly disappointed or be satisfied. Again,all these were snared in Dec and Jan...no early yotes and no late ones. So...do I just have to accept that my northern dogs are generally just "average" when it comes to fur quality?
Also(like Nube), I was surprised how many were colour-categorized as being either Drk or Dbr(these 2 colours made up 70% of my yotes). I thought some of my pelts looked fairly pale or greyish but ...? Is this the most common colour category that these northern dogs fall into?
I am interested in what you know, what you think, and what you think you know(lol) regarding southern yotes vs northerns, clarity classifications and typical colour classifications.
Your thoughts and input are appreciated.

[Red Bullets]

This should give a better idea as to NAFA grading standards.

http://www.nafa.ca/trapper/Resources...009_Coyote.pdf

[Red Bullets]

Originally Posted by northbuck

I seem to have many of the same questions regarding the grading of yotes as Nube does. Over the last 24 hours, I have gone back and forth between my fur descriptions and the NAFA grading explanations multiple times...trying to make sense of it all. The most confusing is the "clarity" section...I can't figure out what those numbers represent...what is 1-4 as compared to 1-2 or 3-4? I don't which of these are good, average or bad. Could someone clarify...I've given up trying to figure it out through the nafa website.
I really had high hopes when it came to my yotes as I really tried putting up quality fur this year. I should maybe explain first. I sent over 120 yotes to auction in 2012 and 13. Of these, not one was ever identified as a "select" and only 3 were identified as "I". Of those remaining, apprxly 65% were I and I-II...the others were all identified as having slight damage. These " damaged" pelts had me perplexed as I do all my snaring in the months of Dec and Jan. Prior to this year, lack of a decent skinning set-up made it necessary to bring all my coyotes to a "custom skinner" and all the aforementioned yotes went that route. I thought that maybe my northern coyotes were just of an inferior quality...it's no secret that the bigger, paler southern dogs are much more desirable at auction. Or could there be another factor/reason that I can't explain?
This year, I did things differently. I did all the skinning, fleshing, washing, boarding and brushing of my coyotes. I thought they looked very good. I sent 30 to auction and here are the results. Two were "selects", two were "I", and the remaining 26 were split 50/50 between "1-2" and "2". I'm happy that I have more Selects and I's than the past 2 years combined, but disappointed that I didn't have more. I really don't know if I should feel slightly disappointed or be satisfied. Again,all these were snared in Dec and Jan...no early yotes and no late ones. So...do I just have to accept that my northern dogs are generally just "average" when it comes to fur quality?
Also(like Nube), I was surprised how many were colour-categorized as being either Drk or Dbr(these 2 colours made up 70% of my yotes). I thought some of my pelts looked fairly pale or greyish but ...? Is this the most common colour category that these northern dogs fall into?
I am interested in what you know, what you think, and what you think you know(lol) regarding southern yotes vs northerns, clarity classifications and typical colour classifications.
Your thoughts and input are appreciated.

You have a question that requires a long answer. A couple of the links I posted above have good explanation of grading. The 1968 how to grade is long but has great descriptions of the grading process.


As far as northern and southern , or bush or prairie coyotes...

There are 3 subspecies of coyote in alberta.

Canis latrans incolatus - northern Alberta

Canis latrans lestes - south western Mountains

Canis latrans latrans - southern and southeast Alberta

I believe the color phases of coyotes are an adaptation to environment.
The bush coyote is darker and a more compact body size is needed to blend in to the surroundings. The prairie coyote is more white to blend in to the prairie environment in winter. The prairie coyote is larger because that strain was more of a buffalo wolf that hunted larger game like bufflalo and elk. The bush coyote was more of a small game dog.

A coyote's fur is fully prime in end of November and the beginning of Dec. and starts to go darker, offcolor, after that time. The clearer, or best, colors on all coyotes will be right when they reach full prime and then they start to go off color a week or two later, so early or late caught will not be at their best color and may lose a grade.

All in all, certain areas will produce darker yappers due to local genetics and subspecies present.

[Red Bullets]

Originally Posted by nube

Thanks for the positive Red. i really don't know what to think. I hope I can at least average , average lol

Can you explain the numbers 1-4 or 1-2 or 3-4 whatever they are on my yotes I don't get that part. I think it means the belly colour but why the 2 numbers?

Why the 2 numbers? ... hard to find an accurate definition anywhere on the NAFA website or anywhere online.

Look like a question to fire off to NAFA. I would guess there are alot of trappers probably wondering the same thing. Give them a call and post the answer.

[northbuck]

Originally Posted by Red Bullets

You have a question that requires a long answer. A couple of the links I posted above have good explanation of grading. The 1968 how to grade is long but has great descriptions of the grading process.


As far as northern and southern , or bush or prairie coyotes...

There are 3 subspecies of coyote in alberta.

Canis latrans incolatus - northern Alberta

Canis latrans lestes - south western Mountains

Canis latrans latrans - southern and southeast Alberta

I believe the color phases of coyotes are an adaptation to environment.
The bush coyote is darker and a more compact body size is needed to blend in to the surroundings. The prairie coyote is more white to blend in to the prairie environment in winter. The prairie coyote is larger because that strain was more of a buffalo wolf that hunted larger game like bufflalo and elk. The bush coyote was more of a small game dog.

A coyote's fur is fully prime in end of November and the beginning of Dec. and starts to go darker, offcolor, after that time. The clearer, or best, colors on all coyotes will be right when they reach full prime and then they start to go off color a week or two later, so early or late caught will not be at their best color and may lose a grade.

All in all, certain areas will produce darker yappers due to local genetics and subspecies present.

Thanks for the info Red Bullets. You confirmed many of the things I suspected regarding southern yotes compared to northerns. What I didn't know was that colour starts to progressively go darker/off colour starting late November...interesting. I tend to concentrate my efforts from Dec. 1st thru January...thinking they would all be decent grades. But from what you have explained...not necessarily the case.
Thanks again.

[moose maniac]

Originally Posted by Red Bullets

Why the 2 numbers? ... hard to find an accurate definition anywhere on the NAFA website or anywhere online.

Look like a question to fire off to NAFA. I would guess there are alot of trappers probably wondering the same thing. Give them a call and post the answer.

The 2 numbers mean it is a coyote with no consistent coloring it may be light on one end of the belly and darker at the other end, it is basically telling buyers they have a mixed bag of coloring in the lot. Your coyotes looked great I think you will do quite well I am however a little surprised at all the dark grading

[Red Bullets]

Originally Posted by northbuck

Thanks for the info Red Bullets. You confirmed many of the things I suspected regarding southern yotes compared to northerns. What I didn't know was that colour starts to progressively go darker/off colour starting late November...interesting. I tend to concentrate my efforts from Dec. 1st thru January...thinking they would all be decent grades. But from what you have explained...not necessarily the case.
Thanks again.

The colours start to go off colour in later december. Not November. Mid November coyotes are coming into their best colour and full prime (in Alberta). Coyotes are still in prime into january as far as skin primeness. Just the fur starts getting tired, or springy for lack of a better word, by late december. Less natural damages to a pelt when there is good snow cover.

I should explain what I meant by off colour too. When a pelt is in full prime and there is no fur damage or blue skin(early).The colours show their best. All guard hairs are intact and pup and belly fur thick and full. By late December a coyotes fur may have been damaged, having some flat spots or guard hair loss, which does effect colour. Diet plays a role in a healthy lustrous pelt with good colour too. Summer and fall yappers are omnivores, winter more carnivorous. Different nutrition from summer to winter. Nutritionally, as the coyote goes through winter depleting fat stores, the guard hairs and pup fur becomes weaker too.

boy, my fingers are long winded. Sorry for being so wordy. I am trying to be accurate in my info.

give this a read when you have a few minutes. I posted it earlier in the thread and am only repeating because it is relates to primeness, colour and grades through the eyes of a fur grader. There are several little tidbits of information relating to early and late fur, for each furbearer including bears.

https://archive.org/stream/howtograd...0rutt_djvu.txt

[gman1978]

Nube, You will likely do okay. I know that over the years most of my coyotes grade 1-2 and med to good. Usually I am above average. The 1-2 darks still do okay but once you get into the 3-4 the price seems to drop but remember its a auction and funny things can happen. I agree with the above post's, if your trapping around the edmonton area most of your dogs will be dark to dark brown.