The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-01-22
BEAVER To HELP
PAY EXPENSES.
TO BE Trimmed OUT SCIEN-
ILLEGALLY ON THE FOREST
AND RESERVE.

By the terms of an agreement
reached at a conference here two
weeks ago, attended by j. F. Gould,
Game and Fish commissioner, and
others from his department, and by
A. l.. Richey, supervisor of the
Superior National forest, and a
committee representing the Ely
chapter of the Izaak Walton league
and the Ely Commercial Club, Min
nesota beaver hereafter are to help
support the Game and Fish depart
ment's game protective activities in
that section of the state.
In the past, beaver, which are of
no direct benefit to the hunter, have
been protected largely, although in
directly, by funds paid by the hunt
ersIin license fees, and this circum-
stance has been subject to more or
less criticism. 1t was brought out
to the satisfaction of those attend
ing the Ely conference, however,
that the status of beaver in the
Superior State Game reIuge now
warrants the taking of a number
each year to help support depart
ment activities.
Representatives of the u. S. For
est service, as well as game wardens
and others acquainted with wild life
conditions in the Superior forest re-
gion, explained that in many local
tiles beaver have become so abund-
and that the. taking of number of
them would serve the cause of con-
servation better than the continued
protection of the surplus Many of
those who now recommend the trap
ping of beaver by the Game and
Fish department formerly were OPP
posed to disturbing beaver in the
Superior forest region under any
conditions have changed, and it
would be advantageous now to thin
them out in many localities.
This does not mean, however, that
beaver protection is to be leopard
lied by indiscriminate trapping
Under the law, beaver may be trap
pad in a game refuge only by per-
sons employed by the Game and Fish
department to do so, and the pelts
so taken become the property of the
State, to be sold by the department
to the highest bidders.
In the case of the Superior State
Game refuge, which is approximate
ly contiguous with the Superior
National forest, the law now pro-
hibits the issuance of permits for
trapping of any sort-including the
taking of injurious or predatory
species. In lieu thereof. the COM
missioner employs salaried game
warden hunters and trappers. All
pelts taken by them are sold to the
highest bidders by the Game and
Fish department, and the proceeds
therefrom are devoted to the pay.
ment of the warden-trappers' sal
aries and expenses.
These activities, however, are re-
stricted to certain periods of the
year, and Ely Waltonians and
others recommended to the commits
sioner that means be devised to en-
ploy more wardens in the Superior
forest region throughout the year,
and to hermit them to devote their
time largely to patrol work and
game and fish protection instead of
combining their activities largely to
the taking of predatory animals.
A. l.. Richey supervisor of the
Superior National Forest, contended
that rabbits are especially destruct-
i've to young trees, and that the in
tensive trapping of foxes and GER
tain other species in the forest
tends to upset the balance of
nature to an extent that permits
rabbits, on which these species prey
largely, to increase to an alarming
extent 1t is generally recognized,
however, that timber wolves pay lit
tie attention to rabbits, and prey
on moose, deer and other
desirable species.
ON recommendation of those at
tending the Ely conferences, the
commissioner agreed to continue the
activities on their
present basis through the present
season, and to assign several war;
den-trappers to the taking of linn
tied number of beaver from local
tiles where it is deemed advisable
in the spring. 1t is expected suffi-
cient revenue will be derived in this
manner to help support warden
patrol work in that section of the
state throughout the year, and that
a substantial income yill be avail
able annually from that source with
out interfering with the intelligent
and scientific conservation of beav-
er.
The u. S. Forest Service will CO.
operate with the Game and Fish de-
ipartment in locating colonies from