The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1916-07-21
A WISER BOUNTY SYSTEM
MEANS A REAL ECONOMY

Every year the money spent In
bounties ON animals regarded al
harmful runs to a surprisingly large
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS of dollars. JUS
why some of these animals are look
ed upon as pests no n seems tt
know. Nevertheless many people
look upon the bounty system as ar
exceedingly Wise n and a real econ
omy. More often it Is an expensive
folly. In most money spent In
this way works a positive harm, fol
valuable fur animals are destroyed
when the fur is worth little OF
nothing and the depreciation in num-
bers and value of the furs means
terrible waste to the community al
large as the following facts ano
figures will show.
1t is estimated that approximately
ten million dollars worth of furs arg
trapped in North America every veal
and the Pacific coast produces its
share, including skunk, gray fox, rae
coon, wildcat, wolf and other valu'
able animals. The skunk is the most
numerous everywhere and the petit
are worth, when taken in season
from 81 to SO each. according to size
and condition of the fur.
The gray fox and raccon are quite
numeI6us and r worth from u
cent ID So, according to size ant
quality In the high mountains fish
er, martin, red fox, lynx cat, wolf
cross fox, and occasionally a silver
fox are found. The pelt of the fisher
sells for SIS to $40, depending or
the color and condition aof the fur
The Pacific coast martins are usually
pale and small and the skins general
ly sell for So to- Sc. The Pacific
coast red fox is also small and pale
and sells for SO to So.
Lynx cat, which is a heavily-furret
wild cat, is much in demand and sells
for $3.50 to SIS, according to size ano
color. Wolf is eargerly sought fol
European use, as the fur Is a grea1
favorite for military purposes anc
prices are extremely high. The bes'
heavy-furred, silky skins are selling
for 81 to 50 each. Cross fox Is very
much in fashion in America and the
raw pelts are selling for $40 to $50
according to beauty. A few silver
foxes are found in the Sierra Nevadai
and Cascade mountains and the pelt'
sell for $25 to $1,000, the value be-
ling determined blythe beauty.
The above prices r for raw pelts
sold in quantity lots.
A least 10000 men and boys on
the Pacific coast alone, from Alaska
Ito Mexico. devote more or less o.
their time to trapping during the
winter months when the fur is Of
value and large sums OF money arr
given to this $4,000 every year fol
raw furs and trappers in other dis
,itricts get their share.
The wolf and coyote has been, a
all times, more or less of a pest tt
the farmer and there are many
counties giving bounties of 81 tt
$40 on the scalps of these animals
and the state and national govern
ments are also making an EFFORT tt
wipe them out of existence because
they have been known to have rabies
While their efforts are producing
some results, the coyote Is not eVrI
likely to be exterminated, because
these animals are so keen and cum
ming that 1t taxes the ability of thu
most expert trapper to even cater
a few of them. Poison is used to
great extent and this works harm
in more ways than one. Where tht
coyote lives other valuable fur-bear
ing animals are usually found, sucf
as skunk. gray, red, cross n silver
foxes, fisher martin, etc. These ami.
mails are easy to trap and poison ano
they fall victims to the efforts Of
those who are trying to exterm1nate
the coyote.
While the pelts of f~ur-bearing ami
mails are of value only during the
cold weather, or from November tC
the first of March, many are dis
patched during the late spring, sum-
mer and early fall. During these
months the pelts r Of no value
whatever. Now it comes to the point
where it should be considered
whether the coyotes are doing
enough damage to justify an effort
the year round to try to exterm1nate
them, for while n coyote is dis
patched about 20 other valuable FUR
bearing animals are taken, and II
killed out of season their pelts are
of no value at all. 1t would be very
logical to pay a bounty on coyote
when the fur is prime, but by giving
a bounty when the fur is of no value
serious damage is done in many
ways. The coyote pelt can be sold
for more money than the bounty paid
liz the animals is dispatched in sea-
son. If a bounty is paid when the
fur is of no value you must remem-
Der that 20 other animals must also
die and no revenue is gained.
l do not argue that the coyote
should not be exterminated, but an
effort to rid the country of this ami
NAL, unless very carefully managed,
would be the cause of ~injuring an
industry that directly and indirectly
engages one and a half million peo-
pie. 1t might be a good plan to give
a high bounty on coyotes during the
time the fur is prime, but poison
should not be used as less cunning,
but none the less valuable animals,
would be sure to wander away and
die where they could not be found
and hundreds Of dollars worth OF
furs would be lost in this way.
Some counties pay a bounty on