The Cordova daily times., 1922-12-18
ENFORCEMENT
 OF FUR LAW
 IS OUTLINED


 Ernest P. Walker, chief agent of the Biological Survey in Alaska, has the following to say regarding fur law enforcement, importance of wild life perpetuation, and the work of the Biological Survey along these lines. MT. Walker stated that the protection and development of the fur and other wild life resources of the Territory Is of greater importance than many realize. He stated that the trappers, fur traders and mer- chants are all vitally concerned in the perpetuation and increase of the supply of furbearers. The trapper's interest is the most direct, for his livelihood is wholly dependent on an adequate supply, and the fur trad CT is equally concerned. The mer- chants are less directly dependent on the fur supply, but are none the less vitally concerned in the per petuation of an abundant stock of furbearers, for the trappers and their
 families must have clothes, gro ceries, etc. The trappeT himself must have guns, ammunition, traps and other outfitting supplies. In
 short, from the bank to the small est industry there Is probably not one in a community who is not di- rectly or indirectly benefited by a successful trapping season.
 MT. Walker further stated that in region such as ours which has so much land unsuited to any other known purpose than raising fur-betar- CTS and game it becomes but the part of good business to protect and de velop those resources so that they may produce abundantly. He likens | the situation to the stockman who | tries to maintain on given range all 1 the animals that the range will sup port in order that he may have the
 maximum increase from this breed | ing stock. Alaska's breeding stock of fur-bearers has been seriously re- duced, and in order for the stock | to be built up again there must be a moderation or cessation of killing.
 He states that as long as killing is | permitted at certain seasons it, is | the duty of all to abide by these
 regulations, for they are made with
 the intent of providing seasons dur 1 ing which the animals may be taken when their skins are of the maxi
 mum value and with the minimum harm to those remaining. He cites that the farmer does not kill his | hogs and cattle when they are in
 poor flesh and that the killing of fur
 bearers when the skins are unprime ] is the same as killing stock when the animals are poor Unprime skins are practically worthless. and bring lit | tie profit to those who handle them;
 whereas the same animals taken in 
 , season bring good profit to all con
 cerned with them. Merely because the animals run at liberty on the public domain is no reason why they may be taken indiscriminately by whoever wishes. Wildlife is the property of the state or people, and
 can become the property of the in- dividual only as he acquires it legal lily. Following out this reasoning, one
 who takes such wildlife in violation
 of law steals from the people at
 large, and certainly it is as much a crime to steal from many as
 from one
 Some people advocate the open beaver season in the spring instead of during the winter, but MT. Walker I says that while there are some ob- 1 jections to the winter season there are few who realize the heavy toll of female beaver with young when | spring trapping is allowed. It is | true that great numbers of beaver cannot be taken So readily in winter, but careful competent trappers can take as many as the present supply can afford to spare. Of all furbearers the beaver is most easily extermi- mated, and with present conditions it is much better to take, only a few first class skins and allow the re- maining animals to reproduce and build up breeding stock that will provide for future seasons. According to MT. Walker most of the real trappers are much opposed to early trapping and regard soon CTS" as menace to the trapping in- drofrv Tha 1a0{t{u,afo nov