2026 Wild Fur Market Forecast

  • The 2025 fur selling season ended as it began with northern species commanding the majority of interest and healthy clearances on the close of the year. We are poised for good news awaiting our year end auditor’s report coming later this fall which adds to our optimism going into this season.

    Our 2026 auction dates have been set for March 19 thru 21, 2026 and June 2nd thru 4th, 2026. The annual convention is being held on January 9th and 10th, 2026 and we look forward to welcoming a big attendance.
  • We will be attending several international fur fairs in 2026 in particular the Hong Kong Fur Fair in February prior to our March Auction. Directly after concluding our March auction we will attend the 51st Kastoria International Fur Fair to solicit buyers to attend our final sale in June.
  • We want to stress to trappers that the species that were in demand last year will be once again this year and we are optimistic in predicting advancing prices again on many of them. The demand for marten (sables) is extremely strong and the demand far outweighs our quantities. This is a very deep market with China, Korea, Italy, Greece and Turkey all fighting to obtain quantity and we want to provide a big increased offering when they converge in North Bay at our March sale.
  • The market for cats is strong with both Lynx and Bobcats being sought after by China and Europe and these are items of limited production and high luxury status which China in particular is now heavily engaging in. In the past two decades China was the monster in the room in taking huge volumes of all commercial grade skins in many species. The past few years we have witnessed China advance heavily in buying luxury species and each year their level of buying increases as has price levels.
    There seems to be an increased spark in fisher interest as well and this again is predominantly coming from China and the focus on luxury fashion which fisher qualifies as and only found in North America in limited quantities.
  • The past couple of years we have seen steady price increases in wild mink on our March auctions and we recommend trappers start targeting this wonderful item again as the demand is firming up.
  • The hatter price run on beaver was short lived as we predicted from the start a few years ago. The price point on the lower end hatter beaver is where it should be now and the returns to the trappers that harvest prime pelts and prepare them properly is far and away higher as it should be. On both our 2025 auctions we sold big quantities of XL/XXL quality shearing beaver for $70.00 USD and up. This is what they are worth if compared to a damaged skin folded in half sold unfleshed and frozen alongside the road. The interest in all grades of beaver for all purposes is alive and well and the buyers have always known that North Bay is the finest place for the world to source them.
  • Otter will be saleable and we expect them to move at last season’s level at least as we intend to hold on last year’s valuations.
  • The red fox market is improving and it will be the heavier sections that will sell the best this season.
  • All other colour phases of wild foxes will be strong as demand far outweighs the availability.
  • The coyote market remains stalled with only the better grades of silky western sections being pursued. Eastern and Central/Southern sections will be DIFFICULT to move and we recommend trappers not take an active interest in targeting them.
    The raccoon market remains flat as well but better grades in the heavy sections may bring some surprises in our March 2026 auction.
  • The global price increase for ranch mink is a major factor in the price levels in our muskrat market. This has been referenced for decades and it seems to remain so as we have struggled to move the top 40% of our collection. The price being offered for the better goods is only slightly higher than the lower end and we have up until now protected our shippers by holding them back. This March may be the turning point as we have been getting inquiries on the better end the past few months and are holding off on selling any until March 2026.
  • Demand is and will remain intense for wolves, wolverine and bears as we continue to sell out completely at historical high price levels.
  • The results of our skunk auction shocked the fur trade and us as well. We are not seeing this as a deep market but we are hearing that skunks should do well on our March auction so we recommend chasing them.
  • Castorium is a commodity that FHA is respected for handling and our customer base is deep and has allowed us to steadily move the product out at good price levels.
  • In closing, we strongly advise trappers to target the species highlighted in the report. Please ship any furs prepared in time for our last receiving dates and pick-up routes to ensure they are included in the March auction. Our auctions will be extremely well attended by a global diverse crowd coming to buy as Fur Harvesters Auction Inc of North Bay is the last standing total wild fur auction house in the world.
  • Thanks to all our trappers and from myself and everyone at FHA we wish you a safe a very productive season.
  • Respectfully
  •  
  • Mark Downey
    Chief Executive Officer
    Fur Harvesters Auction Inc.