10 



DEPARTMENT OF GAME AND FISHERIES 



No. 9 



There can be no question as to the necessity of the present restrictions which 

 are provided by the Game and Fisheries Act as a means of protecting existing fur 

 bearing animals in this Province, and while in some particular instances these 

 regulations may appear to be unnecessary appearances of such a nature are deceptive. 

 As a general rule the more desirable species of fur bearers are diminishing in 

 number, no doubt attributable for the most part to decreased suitable and available 

 habitat as well as to the intensified trapping operations to which these animals 

 have been subjected in past years. In Northern Ontario all the species of fur-bearing 

 animals mentioned in this report are to be found in varying numbers while in 

 Southern Ontario at the present time fur bearing animals would include fox, mink, 

 muskrat, raccoon, skunk and weasel, and, to a lesser extent beaver and otter, the 

 other species herein referred to being practically extinct in this section. 



There is no doubt that the year under review was an extremely difficult one for 

 the trapper, because as will be observed from the following comparative statement 

 not only was there a considerable decrease in the number of pelts actually taken 

 and disposed of but the prices which these pelts commanded on the open market 

 were indeed quite low, and much below what has been recorded as average in more 

 recent years. 



This comparative table shows the numbers of pelts of the various species of 

 fur bearing animals which were exported from or dressed within the Province, during 

 the year under review as well as in the two years immediately preceding: — 



Bear 



Beaver 



Fisher 



Fox (cross) 



Fox (red) 



Fox (silver or black) 



Fox (white) 



Lynx 



Marten 



Mink 



Muskrat 



Otter 



Raccoon 



Skunk 



Weasel 



Wolverine 



Information compiled in the Department shows that these furs were worth 

 to the trappers responsible for taking the same, the sum of $966,552.92, which is 

 but little more than fifty per cent of the amount realized from such sales in the 

 previous year. 



To these figures should be added statistics as they apply to the product 

 of licensed fur farms not subject to the payment of royalty, including silver, black 

 and cross foxes and mink. Furs disposed of during the year by these fur farmers 

 included 33,235 silver fox pelts worth $683,643.95, 26,480 of which were exported 

 and the remaining 6,755 dressed in the Province; 24,864 mink pelts worth 

 $209,852.16, 24,381 of which were exported and the remaining 483 dressed in the 

 Province; and 233 cross fox pelts worth $3,467.04, 192 of which were exported and 

 the remaining 41 dressed in the Province. 



