ANNUAL REPORT, 1937-38 



11 



FUR FARMING 



During the year there were 1,536 licenses issued to authorize fur farming 

 operations. Of this number some 331 were new licenses. As compared with the 

 previous year there was a net increase in the number of licensed fur farms under 

 operation totalling 188. The records show that silver foxes were raised on 986 of 

 these fur farms, cross foxes on 103 fur farms, red foxes on 133 fur farms, mink on 

 614 fur farms, and raccoon on 91 fur farms. There were 859 fur farms on which 

 operations were confined to foxes, 451 fur farms on which only mink were raised, 

 while on 38 fur farms only raccoon were propagated. On the remaining 188 fur 

 farms operations were not limited to any one species. 



The subjoined comparative table shows the total breeding stock retained on 

 these licensed fur farms as on the first day of January in each of the years included 

 therein: — 



SUMMARY OF BREEDING STOCK ON LICENSED FUR FARMS 

 AS AT JANUARY 1ST 



Beaver 



Fisher 



Fox (cross) 



Fox (red) 



Fox (silver or black) 



Fox (blue) 



Lynx 



Mink 



Muskrat 



Raccoon 



Skunk 



Bear 



Marten 



1936 



70 



16 



367 



228 



21,645 



5 



2 



12 332 



375 



524 



3 



21 



4 



1937 



21 



20 



257 



207 



23,869 







2 



15,539 



351 



358 



5 



15 



4 



1938 



25 



16 



235 



140 



24,848 







2 



21,982 



302 



351 



9 



15 



11 



It will be observed that silver fox and mink represent by far the greater 

 proportion of the activities which are carried on by the operators of these licensed 

 fur farms, and though in each instance an increase is indicated, that in the case 

 of mink far exceeded the increase in silver fox. The raising of mink is rapidly 

 becoming an important branch of the fur farming industry. One can realize the 

 truth of this statement when it is noted that the stock of mink maintained on these 

 fur farms increased from 8,605 to 21,982 in a period of only three years. 



CROWN GAME PRESERVES 



One of the first measures taken to preserve the game in the Province of Ontario 

 was the setting aside of large areas of land as Provincial Parks. In these Parks no 

 hunting or trapping is permitted and the wild life is given a chance to increase and 

 develop under natural conditions and without molestation from man. These pro- 

 tective areas proved so successful that the idea was extended and large areas of 

 crown lands in Northern Ontario have been set aside for the same purpose under 

 the Department of Game and Fisheries. These areas are known as Crown Game 

 Preserves. At the present time there are 116 such Crown Game Preserves with an 

 area of approximately 6,068,914 acres. 



While the largest portion of this area is situated in Northern Ontario it has 

 been possible to establish a number of preserve areas in the southern part of the 

 Province with the co-operation of owners of private property. These areas will be 

 primarily useful for the protection and propagation of upland game birds, although 

 all species of desirable game will be protected. 



