12 DEPARTMENT OF GAME AND FISHERIES No. 41 (1948) 



SQUIRRELS: — For the taking of black and grey squirrels in 1945, on November 16th 

 and 17th, with a bag limit of five per day, in that portion of Ontario lying south of the 

 French and Mattawa Rivers and Lake Nipissing. 



FUR-BEARING ANIMALS 



From information which was received in the Department from various sources the 

 following summary has been prepared with reference to conditions respecting such 

 species of fur bearers which are known to exist in the Province. 



BEAVER: — Continued to be quite plentiful throughout a large percentage of the area 

 within the borders of Ontario, though they are undoubtedly extremely scarce in many 

 of the southern counties, due to an entire lack of suitable environment for the develop- 

 ment of this species. Due to the satisfactory conditions which prevailed it was considered 

 necessary and desirable to provide an open season for the trapping of beaver during 

 1945, from December 1st to December 21st, in that portion of Ontario described as 

 follows, viz : — 



Lying north and west of the French and Mattawa Rivers and Lake Nipissing, — 



EXCEPT the District of Rainy River and that portion of the District of 



Kenora lying south of the main line of the Canadian National Railway 



running east from the Manitoba boundary to Superior Junction, and west of 



the line of the Canadian National Railway running southeasterly from 



Superior Junction to a point where it crosses the easterly boundary of the 



District of Kenora in the vicinity of Reba and the easterly boundary of the 



District of Kenora south from Reba to the boundary between the Districts 



of Kenora and Rainy River, 



and in the Districts of Manitoulin and Parry Sound and that portion of the District of 



Nipissing lying south of the Mattawa River, and the Counties of Frontenac, Lanark 



and Renfrew and those portions of the Counties of Hastings and Lennox and Addington 



lying north of Highway No. 7. 



Trappers were each allowed to take hot more than ten beaver during this open 

 season, and from returns submitted by trappers and fur-dealers, information has been 

 compiled from which it is observed that the total catch exceeded by practically 4,500 

 pelts the total of such pelts which accrued from trapping operations during the previous 

 open season, in 1944. 



In addition to this general open season, a special open season for the taking of 

 beaver in 1945 was provided effective in the Townships of Sullivan and Bentinck in 

 Grey County, during the period from November 18th to December 1st. In this particular 

 instance trapping was restricted to trappers and farmers resident in the area. Each 

 individual so trapping was restricted to a catch of not more than ten beaver, and the 

 pelts so taken were required to be delivered to the Department for ultimate disposal 

 on behalf of the persons submitting the same. 



On reference to a subsequent table, it will be noted that some 42,553 beaver were 

 taken in Ontario during the-se periods of open season, and it has been estimated that 

 these pelts were worth $2,160,841.34 to the trappers concerned, which is thirty per cent 

 of the total value of the entire fur catch during the year covered by this report. 



FISHER: — While the total number of such pelts taken during the open season shows an 

 increase of practically thirty per cent as compared with the catch of the previous season, 

 it would be difficult to justify the assumption that such increase was attributable to any 

 extensive improvement in conditions as they apply to this species. Their numbers are 

 still extremely scarce and there are few sections in which they have been observed. 



FOX: — These animals are sufficiently plentiful to be considered as a nuisance in many 

 sections, particularly in southern Ontario. Their abundance is detrimental to the 

 successful raising of domestic poultry, and is also a menace to the efforts of the 

 Department for the establishment in suitable areas and the protection of the more 



