Enclosures 46

Box Trap for Catching Animals Alive 55

Box Trap with Swing Gate 58

Barrel Trap for Catching Animals Alive 60

Another Box Trap 62

Northwestern Fox Skins 66

Map Showing Where Fox Farming is Feasible 72

Plan for Arrangement of Fox Yards 74

Box Shelter for Female and Young 75

Corner of Fox Yard 77

Fox Yard, Showing Outer Fence 78

Yards of a Maine Fox Farm 81

Corner of an Ohio Skunk Farm 90

Mink Enclosure in Detail 103

Ideal Location for an Opossum Farm 112

Fur Farm Near a Farmhouse 117

Muskrat House in a Marsh 122

Barrel Shelter for Female and Young 134

Fur Farm on Open Ground 135

Elk in Enclosure 163

Tame Deer Eating Watermelon 178

[Illustration: [G. R. Harding.]]

INTRODUCTION.

Ever since Columbus discovered America, furs have been an important
article of commerce, but at the rate of the catch during recent years,
the supply drawn from the natural sources--forest, field and
stream--will soon prove inadequate if not entirely depleted in some
species.

Less than 30 years ago, there were countless thousands of Buffalo upon
the Western Plains. Where are they today? In the 70's and early 80's
they were slain by tens of thousands by hide and robe hunters. Does or
does not such a condition face some of the American fur bearing animals
at the present time? Many hunters and trappers must think that the
supply will not long be equal to the demand, judging from the hundreds
of letters written the Editor of HUNTER-TRADER-TRAPPER, asking
information about raising fur bearing animals.

This work has been hastily gotten out to meet this demand, yet the
sources of information from