Beautiful Buffalo skins

[FinsnFur]

I for Prarie DuChien had their annual rendezvous this past weekend.
People camp out in teepee's, dress in loin cloths, all that happy crap. there's usuall tons of authentic western junk for sale, and all kinds of cool thing going.

I found a guy selling tanned buffalo skins, and boy were they nice looking. Now that I took the pic I wish I would have looked to see what he was charging for them.

I didn't waste my time going to this thing for many years because the first one I attended in 1991 the place was full of trailer court trash trying to make a quick buck on tourists by selling dirty, rusty George Foreman grills and junk.
I remember seeing a lot of people selling tanned skins. Coyotes, for $200 bucks and up, coons, for $150. and fox for $175.
These tanned hides were so stiff and stunk so bad I can't believe they werent covered with flies.

Being in the tanning business for 11 plus years I was totally disgusted to even be seen in the same place as this JUNK. At the time, I think I was charging $20 bucks to tan a coyote hide, and when it got shipped back it was as soft as MaMa's favorite socks. I can't believe people at this gathering were selling garbage like they were for those kind of prices.

Anywayyyy, these buffalo skins were like blankets. Very nice stuff.
Wish I woulda took more pics, they had a lot of really cools things going on this year.

click image to enlarge

[pitw]

Buffalo hides make some cool looking blankets but collect dust well.   I do hear you about the shoddy tanning some people do but I guess if they can sell them that's there perogative.  I like good work no matter where I find it.

[cathryn]

Fins, back in '91 when the people were selling junk for atonomical prices, did they have many buyers?

[FinsnFur]

I'm not sure Cathrynn.
The thing is, this rendezvous has always drawn folks in from a dozen surrounding states. Especially since Prarie DuChien used to be the fur trader capitol back in the Indian days.

And with that drawn in crowd comes a lot of yuppies from the cities and they'll buy anything. But I never really stuck around to see.

[Hawks Feather]

Jim,

Did you see any beaver skins around there?

Jerry

[Coon hunter]

I wish I could get 150.00 for some coon skins . i could retire almost LOL .

[FinsnFur]

Yeah there were some of those Jerry.
If your thinking what I'm thinking your thinking, well even if your not. There were both kinds.

[vvarmitr]

We have the Great Trail Festival here. It is a rendezvous type festival w/ the tepees, war reenactments, & other stuff. Then there's the food & drinks! Not the carnie stuff either.  Then all the vendors are related to the theme. None of the junk stuff.   
Anyhoo, Paulete Fur Company is always there & like you Jimbo I can't wait to paw the pelts.    (& just not the beaver pelts either Jerry  ) Of course that's right after I grab a real sassafras tea.   I always end up taking something from there home. In fact I get rabbit pelts there to lay out as decoys.
Back to the buffalo hides. I've often thought it would be great to make a coat outta one. Back when they called 'em Buffalo Robes. Problem is I don't know any furriers nor do I have a squaw like Jeremiah Johnson had. 

[vvarmitr]

Well the Great Trail was this this weekend & last.
Here are some pix I took ...
Buffalo hides on the hoof


The big boy, after playing in the mud.


I fine buffalo hide. Well furred & soft as a ...  ... baby's behind?     BTW Jimbo it was $800 & they sold two this festival. 


What every well dressed mountainman  needs to wear on a night on the town.

[JohnP]

We have a fairly decent herd of buffalo out here.  Once in a lifetime tag and it's on a lottery draw.  I have been putting in for over 20 years and have yet to draw a tag.  My buddy had never applied, I talked him into it and he drew out his first year, killed this guy.  



Hides are, or at least were selling for close to $1000..............

[FinsnFur]

$1000 bucks, wow.
I wonder if I could get a discount on the muddy one, VV