female fox, the loss in the
price of the skin was small compared to that of the young foxes whose
skins would have been worth, next November, or December, in the
neighborhood of twenty dollars. In this particular case, my friend
would have got the most of those young foxes if not all of them, for
the fox den was on his premises, and not far from his house.

Now, comrades, let us stop this catching of unprime furs--it is our
bread and butter. Let us stop wasting it, for there are but few
trappers, who have any more of this world's goods than he needs. Let
every trapper do all that he can to put a stop to this waste of fur
by catching the fur bearers, when their skins are not more than
one-half their value--and many are taken that are practically worthless.
We must do all that is in our power to stop a wasteful slaughter of
the fur bearing animals, for they are already becoming far too
scarce; both for the trappers' benefit, as well as those who wear the
finished goods.

Comrades, instead of slaughtering the fur bearers during the season
of unprime furs, let us look up our trapping grounds, for the coming
season, and have all preparations made, and our plans well laid. Then
when the season of prime furs arrives, let us take to the trap line
and follow it diligently for two or three months, then drop the fox,
skunk, mink, coon and opossum and put in more time on beavers,
otters, and muskrats.

This applies to the middle, northern and southern states, while those
in the far north, can, of course, continue to take the fox, mink,
etc., longer, but it is not good policy for the northern trapper,
even to keep up the good work so long as to "kill the goose that lays
the golden egg."

* * *

I notice that some of the comrades are complaining that they do not
get a square deal from some of the fur buyers. Shame! shame!
brothers. Do you not know that the Fur Dealer is not even making a
living profit out of your pelts? That is the reason why there are so
many in the business. And do they not always urge the trapper to send
in his furs early for fear there will be a drop in the price, and the
poor trapper will lose on the price of his furs? Now, boys, can't you
see that the average fur buyer is awfully good to the poor trapper?
But comrades, are not we, the trappers, partly to blame for this
unfair deal? Are we careful that our furs are at least fairly prime
and carefully cured and handled? Are we always careful when making
o