Thread: bullet help please

how much was a roo skin worth? what were they used for? cheers

Blisters,
'how much was a roo skin worth? what were they used for?"

The last time I sold roo skins was back in the mid 80's. We used to get paid by size. ranged from about $3.50 for small or skins with holes and tears up to about $8.00 for really big greys and reds. we would salt and fold them and when dry pack them up in boxes on pallets and send them to the skin Buyer (ME Humfress & Co) in Brisbane. Humphress and Co would sell you rifles, brass, projectiles etc at wholesale rates and claim it on your tax etc. The skins went mostly to Europe to be tanned for shoes. Adidas was a large user in their football boots and sandshoes. Other shoe companies also. Kangaroo leather is the toughest leather for its thickness, not stretching too much and very even grain so stains well. It is really nice to work with.

The roo industry changed from skins driven to petfood orientated (meat) and subsequently changed in operations. It is now a shadow of its former self due to the political lobbying of PETA type groups who have shut down the market for roo skins and pet meat from Roos overseas and here. If you get tags now for roos and can sell a carcass you get paid by the kg for a gutted roo minus the head, tail and with arms and legs removed at the elbow / knee joints. A really big roo carcass treated as per this way weighs up to 45kg and was worth 25 - 30c /kg. You have to drop them into the refrigerated boxes (shipping containers) before 6 am in the morning. It's all late afternoon shooting and spotlighting.