Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 55, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 March 1909 — PELT OF THE RARE BLACK FOX. [ARTICLE]

PELT OF THE RARE BLACK FOX.

In the estimation of trappers of the Canadian Northland, as well as in the eyes of the nobility of Russia, there is only one king of beasts—the highly prized black fox. On an average five perfect pelts of this rare fur bearer are brought down from the Northland each year, and in rare years as many as ten or twelve, though each year thousands of men make a living trapping and the yearly catch of fox skins amounts to over 100,000 from Canada alone. In no way except in color does the black fox differ from the red fox, whose pelt sells for about $2, or from the gray fox, whose winter coat is valued at from $l5O to S4OQ; But whenever a hunter can secure a black fox and remove its skin without marring the fur he is sure of receiving from SBOO to $1,500 for his trttphy. Not only is every black fox pelt bought as soon as taken but a dozen Russian noblemen have paid agents traveling tn North America.all through the winter seeking out remote hillside farms and abandoned logging camps where it is possible that a shy and elusive black fox may have been seen. Within the last twenty years a number of wealthy men who have owned fenced game preserves have "spent vast sums of money in buying young foxes alive and turning them loose within private enclosures. By and by it may be that soma, skilled or fortunate breeder will produce a black-pup or perhaps a pair of black foxes may be captured alive and from these a new breed of black foxes will arise and cause a great panic among the men who hunt for black foxes. He who can wrest the secret of breeding black foxes from nature is assured of riches past counting and can command the worshipful homage of the Russian nobility and aristo?racy, who seem willing to sacrifice untold wealth for the pleasure of wearing overcoats made from the pelts of American black foxes. —Edmonton correspondence Toronto Globe.