Intermountain Fur Harvesters fur auction planned for February 20 in Coeur d'Alene

The Intermountain Fur Harvesters Association (IFHA) will be holding a fur auction on Saturday, February 20, at the Idaho Department of Fish and Game Panhandle Region office, 2885 W. Kathleen Ave., Coeur d'Alene. This event replaces the annual fur sale that was previously held annually in February in Athol, Idaho. Sellers can enter pelts in numbered lots from 8am until noon. To offer furs for sale, sellers will specify a minimum asking price for each lot. IFHA members may offer lots at no charge. Non-members must pay a display fee equal to 2 percent of their minimum asking prices. IFHA memberships will be available at the sale for $15/year for individual memberships, family memberships are $20. Licensed fur buyers will evaluate lots and submit closed bids that will be announced mid-afternoon. If the highest bid for a lot meets or exceeds the minimum asking price, the lot will automatically sell to the highest bidder. If the asking price is not met, the seller will briefly have the option to accept the highest offer or keep the lot. A 3 percent seller premium will be deducted from the sales price of each lot sold. C.I.T.E.S. tags are required for the sale of bobcat pelts and will be available at the sale from 8am until noon. Tags are $2 each, and there is a $1.75 fee per transaction, regardless of the number of bobcats tagged. Payment may only be made by cash or check. No credit or debit cards can be accepted at the sale. Items donated by trapping supply businesses and sporting goods stores will be raffled, and there will also be silent auctions for a few donated items. A cage trap will be awarded to the youngster (16 or under) who does the best fur preparation. There will also be an overall prize for the best fur preparation. Educational videos will be shown at the sale for those interested in learning about trapping and fur handling. Experienced trappers and certified Trapper Education Instructors will be on hand to provide advice and share their years of experience.