Trapping and selling furs is embedded in Alaska culture. Otter pelts lured Russian fur-traders to our shores in the 1800s, and furs remained an integral part of the economy for decades. Fur farms were the coffee shops of the 1920s; there were more of them than there were barbershops. In those days, any extra change would get you a fox, mink, martin, or otter pelt to wear around your neck.
It’s an era gone by, but you can get a taste of it from Louie, a professional trapper whose passion for this lifestyle has manifested itself in his shop, Tall Tale Taxidermy. Find it between Mission and Stedman Streets, but allow yourself at least half an hour to wander through the store to see not only the furs, but an astounding display of taxidermy – felines, canines, birds, rodents, reptiles. If Louie’s there when you stop in, he’s got a cornucopia of trapping stories he can share, and of course, he’ll sell you a fur or a piece of taxidermy as well.
