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FUR AMMAL AND PREDATOR RESEARCH AND >IANA(;EMEM 



Fur animals always have been a character- 

 istic part of the Montana scene. They consti- 

 tute a renewable resource worth millions of 

 dollars. It is the moral and legal obligation 

 of the State Fish and Game Department to see 

 that this resource is properly used. According- 

 ly, research activities are aimed at producing 

 factual information as the foundation for sound 

 management. Findings of these studies provide 

 a basis for evaluation of current management, 

 for recommendations for future improvements, 

 and for restoration of depleted areas. New 

 techniques and facts are constantly added to 

 the existing fund of information. 



The various activities conducted during the 

 biennium are briefly summarized as follows: 



Economic Survey 



Fur animals are unique among wildlife re- 

 sources in that they provide a direct cash crop 

 in addition to providing recreation. This crop 

 is harvested with only moderate investment on 

 the part of the trapper. Sea.sonal workers often 

 add to their income at a time of year when 

 other types of employment are .scarce. More 

 than a hundred different occupations are listed 

 by trappers. Obviously, recreation as well as 



22 



remuneration is a motive for trapping by many 

 people. 



Mail surx'eys to determine trapper success 

 and fur dealer surveys to provide average pelt 

 prices for the 1957-58 season were not com- 

 pleted at the time of writing. Instead, the catch 

 for 1956-57 is compared with that of 1955-56. 

 During these two seasons a total of 3.077 trap- 

 per's licenses were issued. Listed on the fol- 

 lowing page are the furs taken by these trap- 

 pers. Income to trappers from sale of these 

 pelts also is shown. 



Furs taken during these two seasons to- 

 taled approximately 140,000 pelts, worth more 

 than one-half million dollars. Four species — 

 beaver, mink, muskrat and marten — produced 

 more than 95 per cent of the pelts and nearly 

 all the income, reflecting current market 

 trends. 



Tlie most important fur prtxlucing areas 

 arc ill the western mountainous portion of the 

 state and in the "high-line" area, north of the 

 Missouri River. Since the three most import- 

 ant fur animals are associated with bodies 

 of water, it is natural that they should be 

 more abutidant in the watershed and glaci- 



