A Willmar fur processor says he's one of the largest suppliers of deer skins to China. Scott Johnson of Johnson Fur, 4 miles south of Willmar on Highway 71, says there's a huge demand for deer skins in China, and he's happy to supply them. Johnson has been in the business for near 50 years, and says he processes about 100,000 deer skins every year. He says he took a trip to China 7 years ago, and the contacts he made really paid off. Johnson says Russia is also a growing market. He says once they get the skins from hunters, bait shops and other sources they prepare the skins for shipment. Johnson says they also deal in other animal skins like fishers, martens, racoon, beaver, and another growing renewable resource, coyotes. Johnson says most of the local coyote skins end up as coats, trim for hoods and hats. He says he has a coyote coat that keeps him toasty warm down to 30 below zero. He says they haven't seen any wolf skins. Minnesota recently conducted it's first wolf hunt, but Johnson says the hunters want to keep their trophies and not sell the pelts. (KWLM)
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