FUR FACTS 27 



places. Do not molest them but make them feel "at home". Trap 

 only in the open season and then take only furs at their best. Let 

 the young ones go to propagate later. 



The man who is in business for himself is ever watchful of any 

 conditions that may affect that business harmfully, in other words, 

 bring loss of capital to himself. Now the professional and amateur 

 trapper alike may well consider that they are in business for them- 

 selves and with the real business man's foresight should take care 

 that no harmful influence be allowed to affect it. 



For selfish reasons, a few individual trappers may wish to con- 

 tinue trapping activity even while the fur-bearing animals are 

 breeding, however he can be made to see that the really selfish and 

 most profitable thing for him to do is not to trap at that time. 



Trapping in the breeding season is like killing the goose that 

 lays the golden egg. It is to the trapper's own interest to see that 

 the fur wealth in his neighborhood on his own trapping domain is 

 being increased rather than diminished, for though a few more pelts 

 may be temporarily added to his catch, the future of his trapping 

 business is becoming more and more endangered. Two pelts taken 

 out of season, especially of the female may mean twenty pelts 

 lost for the next trapping season. 



You are simply stealing from yourself the fur supply on which 

 your own trapping prosperity depends. The trapper should learn 

 the proper seasons for trapping the many different fur-bearing ani- 

 mals, when the quality of the pelt is the highest and when the skins 

 will bring the best price on the open market. The big fur houses 

 which make it a policy to help the trapper in his work and diffi- 

 culties, are always more than willing to give the best information on 

 these subjects. 



Always remember that the fur-bearing animals in your 

 neighborhood represent the wealth on which your trapping business 

 is profitably conducted. 



Inmring the Stability and Growth of the American 



Trapping Industry. 



Trapping is a real industry and has proven itself to be such from 

 the time the few colonial settlers went forth into the wild country 

 of the West and began to establish the first trading relations with 

 the Indians. From the beginning the value of pelts, skins, and furs 

 of all kinds was recognized by the white men; and those engaged in 

 this remunerative work gave all their time to trade and barter with 

 the Indians who trapped and secured the furs for them. 



