GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT. 13 



which it is sometimes gathered up by the natives, remains to rot. 

 By the use of sledges and reindeer teams this can all be collected and 

 hauled to the villages, when its use would greatly reduce the amount 

 of coal needed for the islands. 



MINOR FUR-BEARING ANIMALS. 



FIELD FORCE. 



The force available for administration of the laws and regulations 

 affecting the fur-bearing animals of Alaska other than the fur seals 

 consisted of the warden, Mr. Harry J. Christoffers; four deputy 

 w^ardens, Messrs. Fred H. Gray, Lee R. Dice, G. Dallas Hanna, and 

 Claude J. Roach; and, by reciprocal arrangement with the govern- 

 ment of Alaska, five special wardens detailed from the Territorial 

 game department for supplementary sei-vice. Messrs. Christoffers, 

 Dice, and Roach were sent to the interior of Alaska; Mr. Gray was 

 assigned to southeast Alaska with headquarters at Wrangell; and 

 Mr. Hanna was sent to the Bristol Bay region. 



OBSERVANCE OF LAW AND REGULATIONS, 



The wardens report that, as a rule, the fur law and regulations 

 were fairly well observed in most respects. In some localities the 

 trappers were disposed to begm trapping before the open season had 

 begim. In the spring, particularly in the muskrat and w^hite-fox 

 regions, trapping and hunting would be continued after the end of 

 the close season. There was little or no excuse for anticipating the 

 open season; all the investigations made indicate that the dates 

 fixed as the beginning of the open season for the respective species 

 are as early as the condition of the fur justifies. This, however, can 

 not be said regarding the spring dates for muskrats and white foxes. 



It was found, upon investigation and inquiry, that it is very diffi- 

 cult to get muskrats until after the ice has gone out ; and as this does 

 not take place until in May it may be seen that if the open season 

 were to end April 30, as provided in the regulations, the himters 

 would get practically no muskrats unless they violated the regula- 

 tion. The result was that the Indians, who are the only hunters 

 seeking the muskrat to any extent, were quite prone to ignore this 

 regulation. It was found by the wardens that the fur of the muskrat 

 remains prime imtil in June. In view of these facts it has been 

 thought proper to extend the open season for muskrats to June 1, 

 which has been done. 



As to the white fox, it was found that in the northern part of 

 Alaska the fur remains prime quite late in the spring and the severe 

 storms in the middle of -svinter make it impossible for the natives to 

 do much trapping until in February and March. In view of these 



