Abstract: The article presents the author's key results from studying the history of muskat breeding in the Chita region at the stage of its formation as the most important sector of the local commercial economy. Accordingly, the author examines the issues of zoning, surveying the territory of hunting grounds for the release of muskrat breeding material, expenses for acclimatization measures, hunting periods, labor organization of muskrat hunters, the quantitative composition of full-time and seasonal hunters, their equipment, and the quality of harvested fur. In carrying out the orders of the central management of hunting to increase the productivity of the hunting grounds and the final output of raw fur materials, the regional hunting structures sought to maximally populate with muskrats the reservoirs in the region and their further exploitation. However, this policy did not always reflect an understanding of the real situation in the districts, and poorly considered the factor of natural and climatic conditions. This is why in the 1930s - 1950s, muskat breeding in the hunting industry did not reach its main goal - the sector did not become autonomous, but rather developed in the context of the common frontiers of collective farms and industrial farms.

Abstract: The subject of this research is the initial period of establishment of the hunting and fishing industry in the territories of northern Chita Region. The harsh climatic conditions and mountain-taiga landforms substantiated the specific development of the new economic branches, among which stood out the most ancient industry – hunting. The importance of the development of the riches fur resources encouraged the vigorous activity of Soviet people, and the subsequent collectivization led to the creation of regional system of planned use of all assigned to communal farms hunting areas. One of the urgent problems throughout the entire chronological timeframe examined in the article was the management of hunting labor, which affected all indexes of the extraction of down and fur raw materials. This article is the first to introduce into the scientific discourse of the previously unstudied archival materials from the State Archive of Zabaykalsky Krai, as well as the comprehensive approach towards examination of the problems of history of the development of hunting and fishing industry in the region. Based on a broad circle of sources, the author concludes on the erroneousness of the initial hunting establishment and its consequences.