24 FUR PACTS 



Canada and Alaska where fur bearers can thrive and multiply to 

 insure the future supply of furs for an increased population. Wher- 

 ever the fur bearers have been protected, and nearly all states now 

 have safe and sane game laws, they have increased. A few years 

 ago a certain section of the country protected beaver. After several 

 years the beaver became a pest and overran the community. A few 

 years ago it was said that the black and silver fox could not be raised 

 in capitivity. Today in Prince Edward Islands and in our North- 

 ern states there are millions of dollars invested in this industry, and 

 the farming and breeding of silver fox has come to stay. A few 

 years ago one author went so far as to say that fur farming could 

 not be done, yet today some people are worrying about its being 

 overdone. There is not much danger of the wild fur supply be- 

 coming less if the boy and the man in the country will do his part by 

 realizing that the fur bearers are his friends and protecting them, 

 feeding them, and helping them in every way possible and only 

 trapping in the Fall and Winter months, and not shooting them in 

 the Spring and Summer, or at any time when he knows that they 

 should not be molested. Nearly every man and boy who lives in 

 the country knows when furs are at their best. This varies in differ- 

 ent sections and a rule that might apply in Minnesota would not 

 apply in Florida, but the man living in these states is familiar with 

 conditions in his locality, or he can easily obtain any information he 

 desires as to the game laws and when furs are protected by writing 

 to the big fur houses. They send out a catalog each fall 

 in which is printed a synopsis of the game laws for all of the states and 

 provinces. The writer has advocated the conservation of the fur 

 bearers for more than twenty years. Wild creatures quickly learn 

 where they are safe from molestation and in such places the fear of 

 man disappears in a surprisingly short time. It would seem ad- 

 visable to set aside a district in every trapping section and protect 

 the fur bearers in that section at all times. In other words it would 

 be a game preserve in which no trapping would be done at any time, 

 and the animals could breed and multiply in this protected area and 

 thus a great many objections on both sides of the question would 

 be overcome. This plan was tried out in Canada. A park was 

 set aside; a great many trappers who were in the habit of hunting 

 and trapping in the region in and about the park which was set 

 aside as a preserve, found it very hard to keep out of the park after 

 it was established as a sanctuary for fur bearing animals; but they 

 finally got together and agreed to stay out and did stay out and later 



