The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1923-10-19

see that the several wardens are
actually on the job and doing. the
work assigned to them; and will also
go with the several teams from time
to time and assist them in their
work.
The plan outlined above is al
ready IN effect, and with one or two
exceptions all the wardens are now
in their territories and actively at
work; and feel confident that this
plan of supervision is going to prove
entirely feasible and desired results
will be secured.
Now, as to trapping activities in
the Refuge. Each team of wardens
is under orders to proceed immedi-
ately with as complete a survey as
possible of the number of beaver in
each township in their territory; to
ascertain the number of old and
new beaver houses, and as near as
possible the number of beaver act
ually in each township; what if any
damage is being done, whether or
not it is necessary or desirable to
trap any beaver and if so, the num-
Der which can safely be removed.
No permits or licenses to trap
beaver will be given any trapper
whatsoever until the several wardens
have completed the survey and their
findings and recommendations are
received. l have every confidence
in the ability and integrity of every
man who has been assigned to this
work, and feel certain that within
the next three months l will have in
my possession authoritative informa-
ton concerning every township in
this Superior State Game Refuge
and many outside thereof, and will
then be in a position to proceed fur
Their with some degree of intel
ligence. s.
Now as to the issuance of general
trapping permits in the Refuge: All
the above named individuals when
here, individually and collectively
looked over the hundreds of trap
ping applications received, and a
very careful selection of trappers
has been made. The one township
plan is not at all fixed or arbitrary.
Some trappers have been allotted
one town, others two. All of us en-
deavored to determine just the
townships in which a trapper might
be expected to make a fair and
legitimate living from his activities
in every case without a beaver per-
nit, and needless to say there are
some townships from which a trap
per could not be expected to make
a living from n township, even
tho he had a beaver permit in con-
nection with his general trapping
permit. We all considered the en-
tire proposition from it's many
angles AMI l really believe we have
arrived at a most reasonable and
satisfactory conclusion.
If the plan inaugurated fails in
any particular / will be the first to
admit the failure and my error of
judgment, and adopt other meas
ures.
This whole plan of supervision is
going to prove very expensive. In
fact so much so it will be necessary
for me to request some eight or ten
wardens in other sections of the
state to take at least a six months
vacation without pay, but I feel the
outlaw trapping problem in North
eastern Minnesota is SO acute that
it is really an emergency and merits
drastic action.
l feel further, with the super
vision outlined above it is neither
desirable or necessary for the de-
partment to inaugurate, at least for
this winter; the plan you propose of
the Game Wardens doing the trap
ping in the Refuge rather than the
plan of issuing permits or licenses.
In fact 1 believe licensed trapping
operations under proper and effect
i've supervision to be preferred over
trapping by wardens, most of whom
would be totally, unqualified for
this particular line of work which
would make it necessary for the de-
partment to place on salary many of
the men who would otherwise be
under license or permit.
T sincerely hope the manner in
which l propose to handle this situa-
ton will prove entirely satisfactory
to you and my other friends in your
section of the state.
Very truly yours,
JAMES. F. GOULD,
Commissioner.