# Crossed paths with a fur trader **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 3, 2015, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossed-paths-with-a-fur-trader/739350 "2015-12-03T20:22:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ambermoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@ambermoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ambermoon)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossed-paths-with-a-fur-trader/739350/1 "2015-12-03T20:22:52Z")
So it was a chilly December morning and I went on one of my regular hikes along a trail close to where I live - a beautiful trail as the main path weaves over and around several waterfalls - and while I expect to see some wild life out there nothing could have prepared me for this… [http://s19.postimg.org/za49u0j6r/December\_3\_2015\_mp4\_snapshot\_00\_18\_2015\_12\_03.jpg](http://s19.postimg.org/za49u0j6r/December_3_2015_mp4_snapshot_00_18_2015_12_03.jpg) :eek: To quote Austin Powers: “It’s a man, baby”… a man in a fur coat, that is. I kid you not! I first noticed him as I was coming down the path and swiftly got my trusted camera phone and made like I was texting hee hee :p. [http://s19.postimg.org/rdjsls7qb/a\_Fur\_Trader1.jpg](http://s19.postimg.org/rdjsls7qb/a_Fur_Trader1.jpg) As he passed, I ‘complimented’ him on the “nice coat” and then asked if it was real. To say the least, the only thing ‘faux’ about our exchange was my initial compliment. He replied (and was very smug I might add) that yes indeed it was a 100% genuine real coyote & fox fur coat. After which he asked, “Would you like to touch it?” Ugh!!! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![WF\_Tomba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d9b06d/32.png) [@WF\_Tomba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WF_Tomba)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossed-paths-with-a-fur-trader/739350/2 "2015-12-03T20:27:58Z")
It’s Joe Namath! ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossed-paths-with-a-fur-trader/739350/3 "2015-12-03T20:28:46Z")
> [@ambermoon](#): > > After which he asked, "Would you like to touch it? So? Did you? ---
**Author:** ![mistymage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mistymage/32/459_2.png) [@mistymage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mistymage)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossed-paths-with-a-fur-trader/739350/4 "2015-12-03T20:34:28Z")
At least the furs were keeping someone warm. Around here coyotes and probably fox (both native gray and imported reds) would just be shot (coyotes always and foxes if they were raiding hen houses). I had a cute rabbit fur muff when I was a wee child. Someday, if I can ever talk Mistermage into having rabbits… I’ll make one. I wish my sons were hunters because not only tasty venison/squirrel/turkey but I would love to make and decorate my own set of moccasins and maybe a vest. ---
**Author:** ![ambermoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@ambermoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ambermoon)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossed-paths-with-a-fur-trader/739350/5 "2015-12-03T20:41:50Z")
> [@](#): > > So? Did you? HAHA I laughed off the question and said “Nah, that’s alright, I’m good.” He replied “Fair enough” and I said “Stay warm” and then he laughed and said “Oh, I will.” And that was that. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossed-paths-with-a-fur-trader/739350/6 "2015-12-03T20:45:06Z")
Hey, pimpin’ ain’t easy. ---
**Author:** ![ambermoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@ambermoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ambermoon)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossed-paths-with-a-fur-trader/739350/7 "2015-12-03T20:49:24Z")
> [@mistymage](#): > > At least the furs were keeping someone warm. Around here coyotes and probably fox (both native gray and imported reds) would just be shot (coyotes always and foxes if they were raiding hen houses). That’s a good point. I suppose I didn’t think about it like that, especially with the coyotes, as they’re a bit of a nuisance around where I live - they’ve even attacked some of the neighbors’ pets and what not. Even so, it was rather surreal stumbling into Cruella de Vil’s male counterpart at 8/9 in the morning. What to do if I run into him again? I hike this trail a lot. ---
**Author:** ![JcWoman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jcwoman/32/2889_2.png) [@JcWoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JcWoman)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossed-paths-with-a-fur-trader/739350/8 "2015-12-03T20:53:18Z")
I forget what triggered it but last year my boss, who is a cat lover, and I got to talking about furs. I said something about how I prefer the fur on the animal, so she replied (with a smirk) that she had a mink coat. I said really? Yep. Did you know mink coats are made with cat skin? She looked horrified and said really? I let her off the hook and said no, not really. Then we moved on to safer topics. However, I didn’t want to tell her that it [has happened.](http://abcnews.go.com/International/story?id=1533368) ---
**Author:** ![mistymage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mistymage/32/459_2.png) [@mistymage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mistymage)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossed-paths-with-a-fur-trader/739350/9 "2015-12-03T20:58:00Z")
> [@ambermoon](#): > > That’s a good point. I suppose I didn’t think about it like that, especially with the coyotes, as they’re a bit of a nuisance around where I live - they’ve even attacked some of the neighbors’ pets and what not. > > Even so, it was rather surreal stumbling into Cruella de Vil’s male counterpart at 8/9 in the morning. What to do if I run into him again? I hike this trail a lot. Smile and nod? Or, if you are taking a breather, you could become “busy” doing stretches. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossed-paths-with-a-fur-trader/739350/10 "2015-12-03T21:46:33Z")
> [@ambermoon](#): > > HAHA I laughed off the question and said “Nah, that’s alright, I’m good.” Huge missed opportunity. Now you’ll never get to know how silky smooth that fur must have felt. I bet it would have been real nice to stroke it. ---
**Author:** ![Whiskey\_Dickens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9fc348/32.png) [@Whiskey\_Dickens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whiskey_Dickens)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossed-paths-with-a-fur-trader/739350/11 "2015-12-03T21:52:32Z")
Meh, he’s doin’ his thing. You do yours. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ambermoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@ambermoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ambermoon)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossed-paths-with-a-fur-trader/739350/12 "2015-12-03T22:42:53Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > Huge missed opportunity. Now you’ll never get to know how silky smooth that fur must have felt. I bet it would have been real nice to stroke it. Oh yes, you’re absolutely right, 'tis tragic… haha. Seriously, though, I think it was one of those things where you just had to be there because it wasn’t so much the question itself but the way he asked it that just made me cringe like “Eww, no thanks, dude.” And besides, if I want to stroke a dead animal carcass there’s always roadkill, you know? 😉 But maybe - _just maybe_ - if I run into him again and he’s still wrapped up in his furs I’ll take him up on his offer (all while keeping a can of pepper spray hidden somewhere on me… just in case :D). ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossed-paths-with-a-fur-trader/739350/13 "2015-12-03T22:43:03Z")
> [@ambermoon](#): > > What to do if I run into him again? I hike this trail a lot. Uh, say hello? Not sure I understand the problem. ---
**Author:** ![Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58956e/32.png) [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emtar_KronJonDerSohn)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossed-paths-with-a-fur-trader/739350/14 "2015-12-03T22:43:27Z")
Yeah, what a dork! Wearing glasses and look at the way he folds his arms! I’m so glad there I can feel superior to others, it makes me feel so much better than any coat ever could. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossed-paths-with-a-fur-trader/739350/15 "2015-12-03T23:43:50Z")
He looks like a Canadian pimp. Next time you see him, offer him a cane. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2015, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossed-paths-with-a-fur-trader/739350/16 "2015-12-04T00:20:01Z")
“Is that your grandma’s coat?” ---
**Author:** ![wendigo100](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/6a8cbe/32.png) [@wendigo100](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wendigo100)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2015, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossed-paths-with-a-fur-trader/739350/17 "2015-12-04T01:07:51Z")
Grandma Chic, man, haven’t you heard? It’s all the rage with the hipsters these days. Get with it! ---
**Author:** ![G0sp3l](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@G0sp3l](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G0sp3l)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2015, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossed-paths-with-a-fur-trader/739350/18 "2015-12-04T02:36:27Z")
> [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](#): > > Hey, pimpin’ ain’t easy. but somebody gotta do it. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2015, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossed-paths-with-a-fur-trader/739350/19 "2015-12-04T13:19:04Z")
You could remind him that fur is murder. After ensuring that your own wardrobe has no leather. Or wool or plant fibers that displaced wild animal habitat, or synthetic polymers whose creation creates toxic waste. In other words: kelp flatters those who know how to carry it off. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2015, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossed-paths-with-a-fur-trader/739350/20 "2015-12-04T13:22:55Z")
> [@Sattua](#): > > “Is that your grandma’s coat?” But shit, it was 99 cents! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossed-paths-with-a-fur-trader/739350.md?page=2)