The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-04-30


ing civilization and a senseless' tenuda
ton Of forest land are creating Throughout
the length and breadth of great continent
none Is more conspicuous than are those
pertaining to the fauna of this country
The solitudes of the great primeval forests.
that formerly abounded in wild game
beautiful birds and fowls of the air and
valuable fur bearing animals, are now
nearly as deserted as the great western
plains, where the buffalo long since left
nothing but traces of his existence behind
Trappers find il more difficult TO obtain
their furs each season, and along with the
sportsmen they retreat farther into the
cold regions north of us, penetrating into
the wilds of British America, where life in
winter is scarcely endurable
The fur trapper has had his day in the
United States, and as a product of past
conditions he is disappearing as surely as
the game which he has hunted In the
great northern belt of states bordering up
on the Canadian line he is found in dwin
ding numbers, vainly striving 20 make a
living in his precarious calling and be-
moaning the times when IL was an easy
matter to find enough animals in his traps
each day to keep him supplied with money.
1t is now the work of week TO gather the
skins that formerly came TO his traps in a
day.
The popularity of furs has not declined.
In fact, they are more in demand than
ever, and fashion DEGREES that they shall
be worn every winter on garments for men
and for women. Most of them command
higher price than ever in the history OF
civilization, but the trapper does not profit
so much by his change as might be sup
posed. The fur bearing animals are tiisap-
pearing faster than the prices for the furs-
advance Other unsettled regions of the
globe are being explored to help supply the
markets of the world with skins, and sol
ence is doing everything in its power to
utilize the common skins Of the domesti-
csited animals. The fur of the cat, dog,
sheep, lamb nd other animals of our barn
yard and household has already become
valuable commercially, and through the
'iyers art and the curriers' skill the wear
ers of cheap furs are totally deceived.
, IT is not an easy matter to ascertain the
relative value of the important furs. But
those taken from the forests and woods of
this country are much higher than in
former days The silver fox, that abound
ed so plentifully in our northern woods is
now comparatively rare animal and from
800 to 1900 is paid for first class speci.
mems The darker the fur of the silver
fox the more valuable il is, and conse-
quently the farther north the trappers go
the better luck they have Those over the
Canadian border trap more and better sill
yer foxes than can be found anywhere in
the United States, although northern
Maine and the Michigan peninsula have
yielded some excellent silver foxes.
Bearskns generally come next TO the
furs of the silver foxes, and they run all
the way from $40 to SIS apiece for the raw
fur. Dealers grade the skins according TO
their idea of the value, and the trappcr is !
not always sure that he will receive the
highest, quotations even after he has ship.
ped his booty to market The cross fox
fur comes third on the list and is general
ly worth from SIS to $50, according 10
size general beauty and richness of color
The fur of the otter is nearly as valuable,
and Il good specimen will command SIS |
either at the country store or in the city |
markets. The beaver is not worth more
than 81 the wolverine $40, the lynx and
black raccOon S6r and the common wolf
and marten IS. These are the principal
fur bearing animals caught by the trappcrs J
in this country. But long list of cheaper !
ones are brought 10 market, such as the |
mink, skunk, badger, wildcat red and |
gray fox, muskrat and rabbit. The prices |
paid for these vary from a few cents apiece I
TO several dollars The rabbit skins are so |
cheap that the trappers would not take the /
trouble TO express them TO the cities if it |
were not for the fact that they can be |
packed i'm with the Others at no extra cost. |
The skins of the deer, moose, elk and /
antelope must not be COMPOUNDED with !
those of the strictly fur bearing animals /
The former are sold as skins and hides and !
not as furs, bringing so much a pound 1
Deer hides usually bring from 20 TO 80 |
cents per pound. AS most state laws for.
bid trappers killing these animals except |
during very short season, there is not so
much profit in hunting them as the prices |
offered would seem TO warrant.
The trapper is essentially what his name
implies, and not a hunter or sportsman.
The shotgun is not his implement, for this |
tears and Injuries the skins and furs. The
trap and SHINING knife are his chief arti
Giles of trade The traps are usually divid
ed into three classes-snares, deadfalls and
steel traps. The steel traps vary in size,
from the small ones set to capture the lit
tie muskrat TO the large double spring
known as grizzly bear
traps" These latter are mammoth affairs,
sharp teeth spread rs inches apart When
the jaws of such a trap close upon any
creature. they are pretty sure TO break the
leg and hold the captive prisoner until re.
lieyed by some outside perseG- The grizzly
bears have been known to tear the heavy
traps from their moorings and drag them
a mile or more through the forests But
they have never been known TO pull the
leg away from the relentless teeth.
The deadfals are made both for large
and small animals. In the small horse.
shoe Enclosure a tempting bait is fastened
on delicate trigger, which, when
slightly moved, lets down upon the ami
mails back number of heavy logs These
fan squarely upon the back or shoulders OF
the hungry creature, and either break 1t or
crush out the life. The animal caught in
a deadfall rarely lives TO tell the tale The
wary animals, like the fox, can seldom be |
induced 20 enter deadfall, for their In
stincts make them suspicious Shares are
used for catching variety OF small ami |
mails, and they are arranged in a variety |
OF Ways, the most common Of which Is with |
the spring pole.
"a ~ 1N.I lie.