I saw a fair number of tanned fox from off the islands and all were the brown to black color. The tanned fox were prime fox. I was trapping fox that were still waring a broke winter coat to summer coats later in the season. From what I saw the summer coat was darker, leaning to black. I feel that the color was breed out due to in breeding. The first Island I worked on was a little over 6 square miles. I have no idea how many fox were planted on the island originally, but unless it was way more than I would think, It would not be long until every fox on the island was related. It was real interesting, all the history, and for the most part no one there to keep it going. On Kanaga there was a fur farm at one time. Here is a little on the fur farm on Kanaga.
KANAGA
Kanaga. Island is a Bowman interest and is to remain in the same sta tuiJ
as a Fox f~rn. The Kanaga Ranching Company is losing the Ilak and Adak Island. An island
the size of Kanaga is sufficient for one conce~n to oarry on fox farm propagation. The
operation up to the present time, according to,the reports, has not been satisfactory.
the reason for this is that this om•oration has been doing all the work on their other
island s (Adak and Ilak). Kanaga Island shrull be a good fox producing island if' any
effort is made to operate theron. ,:>It is noted· that Kanaga Island has improvements
estimated by the lessee to the valueof $7o,ooo.oo. Th;is. includes a dock and about
1:3 structures - houses, cabins, warehouse and .barn. This island will be leased to
same company - namely the Kanaga Ranching Company.
STATUS: Fox Farm
We stayed at the ranch some. We used it as a spike camp to work that end of our trap line. It was about a 25 mile run to the ranch from our main camp. Depending on weather we would run up about every other week. We covered a hole in the roof of the house with a blue tarp and slept in it. We had dropped food, stove, kerosene heater, 300 gallons of fuel for the skiff, radio and antenna before we dropped our main camp. Pictures of the fox ranch on Kanaga.
The barn and house with blue tarp.
What is left of the dock that was there at one time.
Fox hut. When they were used, there was a fence that went off the front of the huts and it was divided, to keep the two huts separate.