There is a bloke advertising for fox skins in our area in the Wimmera.

3rd June- Ararat- railway car park.
Ring Don on 0428 591 978 or 0269 59 1978. Its advertised in the Wimmera Mail Times.

I have never sold a skin to him; I think (almost positive) the real keen shearer from about 15 miles east of here sells his skins to him and is very happy with the prices. So if you are in Victoria, give him a ring.

A couple of the foxes I have seen (shot) over the last week have pelts that are definitely thickening up and are good.

I am trying to save enough (and have them tanned) to make three rugs. We have a few really nice ones but as you would all know, it takes a lot of skins before you can get enough to sew together to make a rug that has nice color patterns through it.

I wonder what a really nice skin now brings?

Ross

I checked with the complete nut fox hunter from here who also shears occasionally when not interferring with his hunting.

He reckons this bloke is fair.

GBB,
Had dinner with a dairy farmer up the road last night. We were discussing foxes given that their are heaps about at the moment ... seems a few of the locals aren't bothering to skin them, but rather scalping and taking tails. Then into the freezer to await the "re-introduction" of the fox bounty . On a sadder note ... the lack of an autumn break has ended his dairy career ... moving into beef and getting off farm work. I take it it's shaping up to be another tough year out your way too?
Cheers...
Con

This is one time when i am very glad i am not a farmer, Con. One family we are friendly with have just sold up after four generations on the same land. It will be sad but there a few who are living with enormous debt who'II go under this year. Some of the biggest (say over 10,000 acres) have few worries.

Its the smaller concerns that are in trouble....

Ross