FUR MANAGEMENT 



The harvest of wild furs throughout Ontario during 1969-70 

 was comparable to that of the previous season although a 

 decline in prices on most species was experienced. The 

 average price for beaver, based on figures obtained from 

 the sale of 89,000 pelts at the Ontario Trappers' Association 

 Fur Sales Service at North Bay, was down approximately 25 

 per cent from $20.16 in 1968-9 to $15.06 in 1969-70. The 

 average price paid for mink declined from $11.95 in 1968-9 

 to $6.78 in 1969-70. However, the mink harvest increased 

 over the previous year, an indication that this species is re- 

 covering from low population levels of the mid-Sixties. 



Trapping activities were limited to some degree in many 

 areas of the Province due to poor travelling conditions re- 

 sulting from deep snow and slush on lakes and rivers. The 

 Department continues to census beaver populations and 

 direct trappers to those areas where densities are at levels 

 which will provide an equitable return to them. No major 

 disease outbreaks occurred in wild furbearers during the 

 year. 



Beaver continue to cause some problems in rural and cot- 

 tage areas throughout the Province. Trappers are encour- 

 aged to harvest nuisance animals early in the season to alle- 

 viate flooding conditions and prevent property damage in 

 these areas. 



Fur royalties paid on 810,713 pelts, exported from and 

 processed in Ontario up to June 30, 1970, amounted to 

 $251,595. The estimated value of this fur was $3,631,983, a 

 decline of $529,558 from the previous year. The price de- 

 cline experienced in 1969-70 is attributed to the tight money 

 conditions and high Interest rates experienced in Europe 

 during the past season. 



PREDATOR MANAGEMENT 

 AND CONTROL 



The function of the predator control unit is to assess the de- 

 gree of depredation caused by wildlife predators. It also 

 Implements or provides assistance in control programs 

 where it has been determined that their presence is detri- 

 mental to the domestic livestock industry or to maintaining 

 desirable population levels of other wildlife species. 



Department staff investigated 69 instances of predation 

 on domestic and wildlife prey species. A total of 53 control 

 programs were esiablished. Farmers, who experienced losses 

 of domestic stock to wildlife predators, were assisted by 

 Department Officers in establishing control programs. As a 

 result of these programs, 38 timber wolves, 32 coyotes, 19 

 bear and 11 dogs were removed from the problem areas. 



Predator control training courses were conducted in the 

 Forest Districts of Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie, Lindsay, Lake 

 Simcoe and Lake Huron. Twenty-nine Department employ- 

 ees received on-the-job training, and 189 farmers and trap- 

 pers attended extension training workshops. 



During 1969, a total of 1,619 timber wolves, 2,016 coyotes 

 and 77 hybrids were bountied in the Province. The number 

 of timber wolves bountied annually has remained relatively 

 constant for the past number of years. Coyotes have shown 

 a gradual increase in numbers bountied each year since 

 1960. This increase may be related to the low population of 

 foxes as the two species compete to a degree for the same 

 food and space. 



Payment of bounty claims amounted to $69,996 during the 

 fiscal year, compared with $62,025 in the preceding year. 



FUR FARMING 



Declines ranging from 15 to 20 per cent for all types of ranch 

 mink were experienced in the opening sales of the 1969-70 

 mink pelt market. While buyer attendance was good, de- 

 mand was selective, and it was quite obvious that buyers 

 were purchasing goods to meet only immediate needs. The 

 initial sales recorded some 70 per cent clearance as com- 

 pared with 85 to 90 per cent clearances last year. 



There were indications that further declines could be 

 expected in the sales in January, February and March, and 

 buyers were fearful of purchasing quantities of pelts that 

 they might not clear through the manufacturing levels be- 

 fore the next auction sale, when the same quality goods 

 might be purchased at cheaper prices. 



As was anticipated, declines occurred in the sales in 

 February, March, April and May for all types of mink, rang- 

 ing from 15 to 40 per cent as compared to the 1968-9 sales. 

 By the end of May, however, 90 per cent of the Canadian 

 mink crop was sold. 



Despite the fact that 60 to 70 per cent of the crop was 

 sold in the initial sales before the drastic decline in the mar- 

 ket occurred, the grand average selling price for 90 per cent 

 of the ranch mink crop fell to $11.32. According to the 

 Ontario Fur Breeders' Association, this average is about 

 $1.55 below the costs of producing a mink pelt in Ontario. 



Due to the low returns, many mink ranchers in Canada, 

 and particularly in the United States where the bulk of their 

 crop was not offered before the drastic decline in the mar- 

 ket occurred, are being forced to discontinue business. It is 

 estimated that declines in pelt production for the 1970-71 

 season may reach 20 per cent in Canada and as high as 35 

 to 40 per cent in the United States. These may be offset to 



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