The Wrangell sentinel., 1938-03-25
LETTERS
Editor Sentinel:

Editor Sentinel:
 h response to numerous inquir- ies since I came back to town from my trapping camp, as to game and fur conditions. l wish to state Il found deer, as well as quite a mum Der of fur animals, ranging far back inland the past season.
 Up until near midwinter deer were very scarce in the lower eoun-I try which for a time seemed pug zIing However after several extend-I ed trips of investigation far inland, a goodly number were found rang! ing well back. Along near midwin ter deer appeared in considerable numbers in practically all Of my section.
 Marten and grouse likewise prov ed to be ranging far back; a fact which reveals that even our wild animals are fast becoming worldly wise as to the inToads of modern civilization.
 A few years ago while on an ex tended trip of investigation which covered considerable country on twoI of our largest islands, KupreanofI and Prince of Wales, l was surpris ed at the large number of fur and game animals encountered and theIrI comparative lack of fear. l found many geese, ducks and grouse nest ing. Quite often 1 was able to walk up to within ten or twelve steps of deer and on more than one occa- sion deer came right up to my little camp Investigating the newcomer in their retreat.
 Practically all of the hunting and trapping activities in this islandl country of Southeastern Alaska is carried on within a radius of a few hours travel from salt water, sol naturally the game and fur anil mals move back to the unmolestedl areas. Another thing that was quitel noticeable: apparently deer winter much better in some of the heavily timbered inland areas, than theyI do near salt water.
 Much has been said about theI small catch of furs in this ,sectionI the past season. From my own ex-,, perience and information gathered from numerous other trappers, be- lieve this was due h large measure to the extreme weather conditions and our short trapping season. WeI had much cold, changeable weather, fol | ing at night, with ice clogging the traps so they could not spring.
 The trapping season is open dur ing our most severe weather and when the weather is bad, the fur bearers simply den in. have found that even marten and mink do not move about for days at a time inI severe weather. Consequently, al trapper has a very small chance at catching much fur in the short seal son allotted.
 am making these statements well aware that our short catch of furs will be charged entirely to the scarcity of fur animals, a thing which is not aways fact.
 Spending much time each year in the wilderness as I do, I observeI and learn many things about wild life that otherwise I would never fully realize. And knowing these things, I realize the very difficult task of regulating any short openl trapping season to conform with the various furbearers.
 As a matter of fact, marten prime early in the season-November be- ing the best month in which to trapl them. They are fully prime at this time and may then often be found in the lower country, even near the beach, up until near the middle of December.
 Mink are seldom fully prime in Southeastern Alaska until the middle !. of December. By the time mink be- come prime the marten have prac- tically disappeared and it is only oc-