Going into our 14th year of operation this one of a kind trade company continues to grow while always showing our customers the way that business should be conducted-honest, simple and straight forward.

While having a store front for 14 years the services and involvement in the field have been performed for over 25 years, making the foundation for a business (Old Fashion Trading Company) that is second to none.

Daily practices of buying, selling and trading along with winter Fur buying and Hide tanning are not easily found. It is truly like an old time trading post with a modern day flare.

When most small businesses are winding down their summers (some even closing) Traders of the Bighorn is just gearing up for the fall and winter rush. Hunting season is big while not only catering to hunters in our store but also taking in hides for custom tanning, Guiding Big Game Hunts ourselves, and preparing for the upcoming trapping seasons. This is the real deal.



Once again, the winter warlock caused extreme havoc for professional trappers Dan and Ethan Gates, owners of Traders of the Bighorn. Over 80” of snow and weather that would make a Polar Bear grin made for one of the worst winters in recent memory. Gail force winds and bone chilling temperatures sometimes 30 to 40 degrees below zero made these two trappers think twice about what they were actually doing. December was a great month as far as the catch was concerned but then the Christmas Blizzard hit and from then until the first week of February, things only got worse. January’s catch was awful but things rebounded in February and the pair regained some momentum and finished up with a respectful 281 Coyotes and an additional 150 or so other predators.

Just as the trappers from 200 years ago, the Gates’ find a particular challenge in what they do while working 16 to 18 hours a day in conditions and surroundings that most people would never undertake even though some folks might think they want to sometimes.

While the challenges are different the results are the same and the reasons are quite similar to the frontiersmen of yesteryear.