“The Fur Trade” in Outdoor Life

Toby Walrath penned a great article on trapping and the fur trade for Outdoor Life Magazine.  He takes the reader through the fur pelt supply chain, all the way from trap to garment, interviewing folks in the fur industry in Montana.  Having lived and trapped in Montana for awhile, it was great to see some of the old faces in the story.

The article provides the best overview of the fur market that I’ve ever read, explaining the industry in simple terms with specific examples.  He talks country fur buyers, state auctions, international markets and fur retail.

Here’s a preview:

After dispatching the coyote, I admire its fur. My job tonight will be to skin the plush pelt, and then I’ll stretch and dry it on a forming board in my garage. I’ll add the coyote’s pelt to the dozen or so other furs I’ve hunted and trapped this season. In a month or so, I’ll sell the whole lot to a buyer who knows a manufacturer with a contract to make garments. My Montana coyote will probably end up as trim around the hood or the collar of a high-end jacket that’s sewn and sold somewhere overseas.

This process of pelt collection, processing, and sale is repeated thousands of times a year in rural towns around the continent by individuals just like me—small-time trappers who enjoy the challenge of trapping and the opportunity to sell a few pelts to buy more traps and pay for a tank or two of gas to fuel our next check of the trap­line. Together, we are the ragtag supply chain for an international retail fur trade that exceeds $14 billion annually.

Click here to read the full article.