1911 GAME AND FISHERIES. 45 



years ago only brought from 10c. to 20c. each, are now worth from 70c. to $1 

 each for spring rats. It appears to him that the open season for rats is too long, 

 and sliould be sliortened to, say from the 1st March to the 15th April. This 

 would give the best results, as the skins are at their best then. He can remember 

 the time when the trappers would trap at no other time. He would also recom- 

 mend a license put on all trappers. He has paid a good deal of attention to 

 trapping last fall and winter, and has come to the conclusion that winter trapping 

 for rats should be done away with, or else shorten the time. To evade the law, 

 anfair trappers cut holes in the ice on the runways leading to the houses and set 

 their traps therein. This is beyond the law, and the only way to stop it is to 

 close season the winter months for rats. The fur is not so good in fall or early 

 winter months as it is in the spring. The close season for mink, he thinks, is 

 just about right. Last fall some trappers began their operations in October, and 

 he had six offenders fined $20 each and costs, who claimed they could not catch 

 one mink without getting twenty rats. Their operations were out in the Town- 

 ship of Plamboro, in the creeks and swamps, and extended into the Counties of 

 Wellington and Halton, but he got them and fined them, and stopped their illegal 

 work. It is stated by old trappers that the yearly catch of furs in the County of 

 Wentworth reaches the sum of $10,000 annually. This includes every description 

 of furs, and he has no doubt this is an under estimate, as two years ago, in rats 

 alone in Dundas Marsh and the marshes in the bay, $16,000 worth of rat skins 

 was taken out under his own observation, and the pelts sold for 30c. each. And 

 it is claimed that Halton County is better still. And he can safely say that but 

 for his vigilance and doing his duty well on Dundas Marsh and Burlington Bay 

 last winter, by spring there would have been no rats for the trappers to catch. 



It is further claimed, and he believes it to be true, that Old Ontario is richer 

 in furs than Wew Ontario. Some of tlie trappers in Halton County have stated 

 to him that they give up their usual occupation as trapping season comes round 

 and go trapping, and can easily clean up $600 before tlie season is over. Men 

 like this have asked him to get a license for trappers, so in recommending this he 

 hopes he is taking a broad view in accordance with trapping sentiment. 



The shipping of furs is another matter for serious consideration. The ship- 

 ping of rats, mink and other fur commenced on the 1st December last year, not 

 only by the trappers, but by the fur dealers throughout the Province, which proved 

 that a lot of trapping was going on in clo?e season, and tliey were only waiting 

 for the open season to ship tlieir goods, which was evident by their actions. He 

 seized and confiscated several bags of rat skins on the lat, 2nd^ and 3rd, and up 

 to the 5th December last (on Can. ex. car there). He thinks the shipping of 

 furs, even in open season, should be controlled by the Department, or the shipping 

 be held back until the 15th day of December, all furs shipped before this date to 

 be seized and confiscated. 



Every man that carries a gun or rifle for the purpose of shooting or hunting 

 game, or uses them for that purpoi=e in the Province should be compelled to take 

 out registration papers to do so. He says the Department could dssue registered 

 permits free of charge, or a nominal fee of 25c. could be charged to cover ex- 

 penses. Also no boys should be allowed to carry rifles under the age of 17 years 

 anywhere within the Province. There is too much of this dangerous work going 

 on at the present time. And he might add that no rifle be used for the purpose 

 of killing game, except deer, moose and elk. This would stop the carrying of 

 rifles by boys in the vicinity of small game, such as plover, ducks, etc. 



