What is OTC?

OTC is a corporation formed by trappers from the Northwest to sell raw furs in a manner that assures competitive bidding and fair prices. OTC is trapper owned and trapper operated.

Do I have to be a member to sell at an OTC sale?

No. However, OTC does encourage all fur harvesters to support their state and national trapping organizations. The only requirement is that you MUST contact the OTC fur sale manager at least 5 days prior to the sale with a listing of what you will bring to the sale.

How do I sell at an OTC sale?

You can bring your furs to the sale in person or you can send them to our fur sale manager (name and address on other side).

Do I need a certain amount of fur to participate?

No. You can bring any amount of fur you want to a sale. There are no minimum or maximum amounts.

Are furs the only items OTC sells?

No. We also sell many other items – porky hair, deer and elk antlers, teeth, claws, skulls, tanned furs, used traps and related items.

When does my fur need to be at the sale location?

If you are bringing your furs to the sale in person (or if a friend is bringing them for you), you may bring them the evening before you are scheduled to sell or no later than 11 AM on the day you are selling.

What is an "asking price"?

This is the minimum price you will accept for the furs and other items you offer for sale.

What does OTC charge for their services?

OTC charges a commission based on the price bid on your fur.

  1. If you sell your fur for the price offered, you pay a 6 % commission (8 % if you ship your furs to OTC). If you offer for sale 100 muskrats and you sell them for the high bid of $250.00 – you will pay a commission of $15.00. Commissions are deducted from your check.
  2. If you do not sell your fur for the price offered, you will pay a 2 % ‘withdrawal fee’. If you offer for sale 100 muskrats and the high bid is $150.00 (which is less than your asking price) and you take the rats home, you will pay a commission of $3.00.

Why do I need to make a reservation to sell?

Prospective buyers like to know how much fur will be at the sale. In order to give them an accurate estimate, OTC needs to know at least 5 days prior to the sale what volume of fur will be offered. More buyers = more competition = better prices for your furs!

What is "competitive bidding"?

That means that more than one buyer bids on the item(s) you have for sale. Some OTC sales have more than twenty buyers in attendance.

How am I assured that I get the price I want for my furs?

You set the asking price for each lot you display. Only you and the OTC sales staff know what your asking price is – the buyers do not know your asking price. If your asking price on a lot is met or exceeded, that lot is automatically sold. If your asking price on a lot is not met, you may sell for the high bid, you may take that lot home, or you may negotiate with the high bidder for a better offer.

When will I receive my check?

Checks will be mailed on the first business day after the end of the sale. You should receive your check in 2 - 5 days. It is very important that we have your correct mailing address on file. You should verify this information when you check in your fur.

How will my furs be displayed?

OTC requires that each species be offered separately. Other than that, you may group your pelts in any way you want. For example, some fur harvesters put all of their beaver in one lot, some sort them by size – XL/XXL in one lot, L/LM in another lot and M/S in a third lot. Or a fur harvester may separate out his damaged rats from his good rats. If you are not sure of the best way to display your furs, an OTC sale person will assist you.

In recent years, there has been a tendency for bobcat trappers to display each pelt separately, so that they know what each cat brings. OTC discourages this practice. It is time consuming for both sale personnel and buyers to process each pelt individually. If you have one or two exceptional pelts, these may be offered individually, otherwise please consider lotting your bobcats in larger groups. Some options are by size, color, or females with poor bellies.

What does OTC do with the money they collect in fees/commissions?

After paying sale operating expenses, OTC donates a portion of the revenue to Oregon groups such as the Trappers Defense Fund and the Fur Harvesters Trust Fund. OTC also makes donations to state and national trapping organizations to help fight the anti-trap movement. A dividend is paid to stockholders when it is deemed appropriate based on sale revenues and the financial position of OTC.