The average person in today's society has little knowledge of the native wildlife living around them.  It is apparent when native Kentucky animal pelts are displayed in public settings that most don't know one species from another.  In an effort to address this situation the ANR agent developed the Kentucky Furbearer Program over 16 years ago.  In this program information is presented on history, biology, ecology, and wildlife management.  Historically, furbearers were instrumental in drawing early European explorers through the Cumberland Gap into Kentucky.  Beaver pelts were particularly in high demand in the 18th century due to the beaver felt hat market in Europe.  Folks like Thomas Walker and Daniel Boone traversed much of the new frontier in search of fur to ship back east.  Over the last year the Kentucky Furbearer Program has been presented at 18 venues in 11 counties with more than 3000 individuals being given basic information Kentucky's native furbearing animals.  Over the years several individuals have actually started hunting and trapping these furbearers due to this program: some for recreation, some for fur, and some for control of nuisance animals.