BELIEVES PRIVATE TRAPPER
BEST
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Encouraging results which
have been noticeable in the last
few years in the campaign
against predatory animals will
be materially better now that
bounties have been increased,
in the opinion of H. *H. Gubser,
leader of the control work being
carried on in Alaska on a co
operative basis between the Ter
ritory and the United States
Geological Survey.
Mr. Gubser, now in Fairbanks,
places much dependence on pri
vate trappers in the campaign
against wolves and coyotes. The
size of the country precludes
any possibility, he believes, of
placing a large number of hunt
ers in the field. Such action
would be extremely costly and
would probably not work out any
better than the bounty system,
he holds.
Coyotes have drifted clear to
Point Barrow on the Arctic, Mr.
Gubser has been advised by Mr.
Charles Brower, veteran resident
of the Arctic. Last winter a few
coyotes appeared at the mouth
of Stony River on the Kusko
kwim. Reports obtained by Mr.
Gubser on a trip to Ruby which
he has just completed show very
few coyotes were observed along
the Yukon during the winter
montns.
Mr. Gubser will be here until
sometime next month makin
lure for distribution amon
trappers who desire it. Circu
lar letters giving scent formu
las are being sent to every trap
per in the country.
Since the inauguration of
control work in Alaska,” he said,
“the numbers of wolves and co
yotes offered for bounty have
shown a decided increase. In
the years 1925-26 there were 1,
111. After trapping demonstra
tions were held and scent for
mulas given, in the years 1927
O'Q JZi
28, the number increased to 2,
161; and up until December 31,
for the years 1929-30, there were
2,022 presented, an increase for
the last year of more than 88
per cent over the earlier years
as a direct result of the past
four years’ cooperation with the
private trappers.
During this time there has
been an unprecedented scarcity
of all rodents, ptarmigan and
grouse with a conesponding
scarcity of fur animals. While
the predatory animals have un
doubtedly not suffered as great
ly from scarcity of rodent and
bird food, yet their decrease is
noticeable in most localities. It
must be borne in mind however,
that during the past two years
the coyotes have spread over a
much greater area in their quest
for food.
“When their food supply again
becomes plentiful, they will in
all probability increase, as also
will their usual characteristic
depredations. Any good that
may have resulted from their
temporary natural decrease will
doubtless be more than offset by
extended depredations over the
much larger area to which they
have migrated. They are lo
cated now and waiting like a
smouldering Are for conditions
to become favorable for them >o
become a source of destruction
to the desirable game and fur
animals.—Daily News-Miner.
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GOLD PANS FOR SALE
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For the first time in 40 years
Montana newspapers carried
advertisements of hardware
stores that gold panning pans
have been stocked. Thus Mon
tana revives her oldest and most
romantic industry—placer min
ing and the boys are taking to
the hills.
Sounds odd to hear of many
men drifting into the hills over
trails along which the frontier
forged.
A fair living can be made
panning the precious metal from
old stream beds. Too ,there’s
always the chance to make a
lucky strike, a bonanza.
Ghost towns show signs of
life. An occasional prospector
from one of them is seen in
town, a little bottle, or bag of
geld dust, giving token of his
industry. Others return to the
hills with him.
Always men seek gold, more so
in times of depression. For as
iron and food and other indis
pensables go down in value, gold
goes up, its price a standard,
being fixed by international
agreement.
In Southeastern Alaska the
hill billies have been climbing
over hills and mountains and
panning streams as they wend
their way. The movement is
not noisy and the men go out
without blare of trumpet. A
note of optimism is being heard
from which should arise devel
opment of minerals that will
mean a new impetus to the
growth of Alaska.
In the Petersburg district, the
Maid of Mexico is creating a bit
of interest, new mill equipment
having been installed recently
and this proposition should be
in the pay soon. In the Farragut
Bay district the Admiral group
of claims have secured the in
terest of the larger mine oper
ators and there is every indica
tion that there will be work of
considerable importance devel
op there before long. In the
Duncan Canal district are re
ports of prospects that show
possibilities of rich pay; the
Ground Hog Basin, near Wran
gell, now that it is shed of the
high speed finance of Jerry Gal
vin, will be able to complete any
negotiations as soon as the
present money stringency be
comes less acute; in the Chica