At the turn of the 17th century, the rise of the Colonial fur trade greatly impacted eastern Native American groups. My research is interested particularly in the effects of this European influence on Cherokee subsistence strategies. By exploring subsistence practices at Coweeta Creek, a Cherokee site located in southwestern North Carolina, I was able to establish continuity in hunting and procurement strategies between the Early and Middle Qualla phases (AD 1300 – AD 1650). This investigation of subsistence strategies was conducted through the analysis of faunal (animal) remains from Coweeta Creek and creates a baseline against which to compare future research looking at subsistence practices during the Late Qualla (AD 1650- 1907) when the Cherokee became fully immersed in the Colonial fur trade. In addition, while the Cherokee were originally indirectly connected to the fur trade through indigenous middlemen, the research lends support to Pavao-Zuckerman’s hypothesis (2000) concerning the resilience of subsistence strategies in the face of European influence.