The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1924-02-22
FUR FARMING NEW
STATE INDUSTRY
MUSKRAT AND BEAVER BREED
ING GAINS HEADWAY IN
VARIOUS COMMUNITIES
Swamp and Marsh Land, Good for
in Farming Muskrat and Beaver.

|
Fur farming offers an opportun-
| ity to those in Montana who have
the proper kind OF land and who
will make study of the habits of
| wild animals, in the opinion of @.
A. Jakways, state game warden.
For a number of years commercial
propagation of fur bearing animals
has been proving increasingly profit
able to those who have made sue
cess of such ventures and the new in
dustry is capable of considerably
greater expansion in Montana, Jak-
ways believes.
1t is the opinion of the Montana
warden that if those who possess
swamp or marsh land and who have
intentions of draining it would for
sake these intentions and use the
property in its present state for the
farming of fur that, with reasonable
luck and effort more profit would be
derived than would prove the case
after the expense of the draining has
been incurred.
Game wardens throughout the Uni
ted States are interested in prevent
ing the reclamation of the remain
ing areas of swamp land, believing
that game fowl and the smaller wa
ter-frequenting animals will perish
unless their natural breeding and
feeding habitations are maintained.
Muskrats, which are now protected
81 n
be bred so prolifically that so acres
of marsh will yield as many as $500
Warden Jakways states.
The gross value of the animals at
market prices would be
in excess of $4,000 yearly, he states.
Serves Many Purposes
The muskrat may be only a rat"
while it is alive and swimming in
the water but death at the hands of a
trapper magnifies the dignity of the
little creature and it's flesh becomes
marsh rabbit" on the menu cards of
leading hotels; its fur becomes
French or electric SEAL" The
rears three filters yearly of
from three to eight kits, the usual
number being five.
Revenues from swamp land can be
made to come from several sources,
declares the Montana game official.
IN the same piece of property, musk
ats, beaver, mink, marten, game fish
md mallard ducks can be farmed.
Beaver farming is gaining some
Roadway in the Treasure State. The
lemand for the fur is in excess of the
upply at attractive prices. The beav-
r is generally believed to be the
nost cunning of all fur bearing ami
nals that inhabit water without ex-
epting the seal or seal lion.
This cunning which was traditional
Y acknowledged by the Indians make
he animal not only wary and hard to
rap but gives him protection through
is engineering skill
The ability of the beaver to con-
truct dams in swift flowing streams
hitch residents of the country would
md hard to dam, is known universal
z. An illustration of the cunning
nd ingenuity of the beaver as en-
loyed in defensive contest with a
elena district homesteader was told
} the state game officials recently.
Wisdom of the Beaver
The farmers land had been flooded
Y the construction of huge beaver
am in strategic position so that it
iverted water both directions from
lie stream. He was told by the game
arden to dynamite the dam and then
! stretch wire across the stream
here the dam had been, with tin {
ms tied at close intervals along the {
ire. 1t is the theory that the noise
ade by the cans swishing in the wa
r and the jangling against eacr
her will disturb the peace of mind ..
the beaver so that they will desert
q vicinity. :
Directions of the game warden :
ere followed out by the farmer and :
few days later he reported that the :,
'aVer had gone upstream about a !
lie, constructing dam which did :
L. LIZ z~.%rr L <x.~%IO