One day our daughter said to me "Daddy, these animal pelts are cool!  Can we show them to my class?"  From this question the "ANIMALS ALONG THE OREGON TRAIL" class was born. 

For the past 6 years, my friend and I have taught at the local elementary school as part of their Oregon Trail history module. 

We fill the library with pelts and leather products from the animals the pioneers on the Oregon Trail interacted with and hunted.  The main purpose of the class is to raise awareness & appreciation of the amazing animals so the students will respect and care for our natural resources. 
  As a hands on learning experience the youth handle and feel all the samples as we play games & do activities.  After a Q&A session the students are give crossword puzzles to take home and complete with their family. 

Library set up with samples & toys for interactive games.

Several students got creative and made their own "animal'!

A big thanks to recent donors !  In preparation for the upcoming presentations to the Boy Scouts & Elementary School class "Animals Along the Oregon Trail" several people have donated; 

•   Andy W of Lake Oswego, OR donated tanned deer hides - these were sold and the proceeds used to buy leather working tools. 
• Superior Glove of Canada donated a pair of deerskin gloves.
• Southern Glove of NC donated a pair of pigskin leather gloves and cowhide leather welding gloves.
• Sullivan Gloves of Bend, OR donated a pair of bison leather gloves.
• Beacon Hill Biological Services of Toutle, WA donated a raccoon skull.
• Skull Mountain of Spokane, WA donated a rabbit hide.
• Kiernan's Taxidermy of Woodland, WA donated Spanish Goat hides.
• Jim August Taxidermy of Portland, OR donated Marco Polo sheep, warthog, Dalmatian sheep, African porcupine, Roebuck European deer, European wild boar, Barasingha Asian deer samples.
• Curtis B from Oregon donated holly wood for wooden mallets, to be used in leatherwork.
• Jai from Oregon donated a white tail deer hide, fox tails, elk antlers & mink pelts for the boys to use.
• Natural Stone Designs of Tualatin, OR donated stone samples to be used for leather stamping.