GAME AND WILD-FUR PRODUCTION AND UTILIZATION 11 



of tools, usually weapons that enable their owners to take possession 

 of wild animals which otherwise would be unobtainable. Human 

 beings in this stage often band together to hunt wild mammals and 

 birds; thus wildlife assumes social significance. Game now becomes 

 of major economic importance, for such people depend almost exclu- 

 sively upon wildlife for food, clothing, shelter, and essential parts of 

 tools and weapons. 



In the pastoral stage man has all the skills of the hunting and fishing 

 stage out of which it developed and, in addition, the skills of taming or 

 domesticating animals. To find food for their stock the people of a 

 pastoral society are necessarily nomadic. They begin to appreciate 

 somewhat the esthetic and recreational benefits from wildlife. As 

 these nomads own herds of domestic animals from which they obtain 

 food, clothing, shelter, and profit, they are not so dependent on wildlife 

 as the less socialized groups. 



The agricultural phase of civilization is characterized by the domesti- 

 cation of plants and, provided tillage is advanced beyond merely the 

 use of a hoe, presupposes the domestication of animals. People in a 

 fully developed agricultural stage use wildlife primarily for esthetic 

 and recreational purposes. But wildlife still has some economic value 

 in providing food and clothing in substitution for marketable domestic 

 commodities. 



The agricultural-industrial is that stage of social development 

 wherein a considerable proportion of the population is no longer 

 directly dependent upon the soil for livelihood. Many urban residents 

 are entirely alienated from the soil and rural associations. As wildlife 

 offers an avenue of return to natural things, much time, effort, and 

 money are expended in the perpetuation, care, and pursuit of it. Wild 

 birds and mammals reach their peak of social importance in this stage. 

 Marketable wildlife commodities are of little economic importance, 

 however, compared with other products of soil or of industry, and the 

 people are no longer dependent to any appreciable degree upon wild- 

 life for subsistence. Therefore, it is evident that the recreational, 

 esthetic, social, and cultural importance of wildlife to a people varies 

 directly with, and the economic importance of wildlife varies inversely 

 to> the development of the arts and sciences of a people. 



VALUE OF GAME AND WILD FUR 



The economic importance of game and wild fur is far less than it 

 used to be, but their social importance is far greater. Their value 

 depends upon and is determined by their capacity to gratify one or 

 more human wants or desires and the cost of maintaining a supply. 

 These commodities have several sources of value. For example, 

 game has value as food and wild fur has value as raiment and adorn- 

 ment. These are designated as tangible values. Game and wild fur 

 along with many other forms of wildlife also have value as objects of 

 esthetic and recreational enjoyment. These are designated as in- 

 tangible values. A third and very important value of wildlife is the 

 stimuli and foundation it provides for industries and commerce. This 

 is an indirect value. 



In measuring direct as well as indirect values of game and wild 

 fur and in discussing them, tangible values can be, and usually are 



