Muskrats on Clayton Lake 1928

1928

Judgment was given last week by County Magistrate Dr. J. T. Kirkland in a trapping case which caused widespread interest and when the evidence was heard on July 4, there were many present in court from long distances. Charges of illegally trapping were laid by Abraham Evans against Alexander McIntosh and David McIntosh. It seems that they had been trapping muskrats on the lands of Mr. Evans at Clayton Lake.

The interest in which the case was occasioned by the high price of muskrat skins at the present time. A year or two ago they were only worth cents, but now they are worth dollars. Swamp land which used to be considered of no value at all, and which no one bothered much about, is now worth considerable from the point of view of muskrat bearing. The charge was dismissed.

A similar case against David Mclntosh was, therefore, not proceeded with. The charge was dismissed on a technicality, and so the rights of an owner of land on which muskrats may be trapped are still undecided. There have been similar cases throughout the province. Mr;-W. H. Stafford, K.C., appeared for the prosecution and Mr. R; A. Jamieson for the defence

July 28 1928

July 28, 1928

The Ontario Provincial Government has passed a law that 110 muskrats are to be trapped for a period of at least one year in /Ontario. This step has been found necessary as a consequence of the tremendous drain upon our wild fur-bearing animals due to the increasing popularity of furs for,winter .

The pioneer in this field was the breedsilver-black foxes, but, the large number of muskrats used by the pelt trade, and the high prices that today can he obtained for their skins, are making this also a very desirable animal to raiss in captivity.

An authority who has had a great deal of experience in fur farming, and is one of the most successful breeders of silver-black foxes in Ontario, has recently added both muskrats and chinchilla rabbits, and is particularly enthusiastic about the future of the muskrat industry. He points out that this is not a laborious or even an expensive line of business. Swampy land fitted by nature for little else, so long as it has an abundance of bullrushes and cat-tails, upon the roots of which the muskrats feed, would be suited to it. Fur farming is following just as naturally as stock raiding followed toe demand for regular, steady supplies of meat.