,the ,accomplished ,muskrat ,trapper  ,a
 ,book on ,trapping for ,amateurs  ,by  
,a4 ,e4 ,,schmidt ,,chicago  ,copyright1
 #aibb1 by ,a4 ,e4 ,schmidt4  ,boyle    
,brothers1 ,incorporated ,printers #fjf 
,west ,lake ,street ,chicago1 ,illinois 
,,introduction4  ,in placing this       
booklet before the great fraternity of  
,american trappers1 the author does not 
propose to exercise any pedagogical     
influence upon the truly professional   
trapper1 who1 seasoned in the hard      
school of experience1 knows the animals 
he is seeking1 like a mother knows her  
child4 ,it is his wish1 however1 to     
assist and guide the amateur to a       
greater success4  ,practically all      
text-books written for trappers1        
treating upon the subject of trapping   
and raw furs1 heretofore have been      
neglectful of two things1 namely1 how to
 trap the animals under various         
conditions1 and the assorting and       
grading of raw furs4  ,of all fur       
bearers1 the muskrat is the most        

numerous and least wary1 hence very     
easily trapped--in consequence of this3 
it has been neglected by writers of     
trapping to a greater extent than any   
other fur-bearing animals4 ,the author  
of ,,the ,,accomplished ,,muskrat       
,,trapper feels that he is instrumental 
in introducing to thousands of muskrat  
trappers a long-felt want4 ,being a     
trapper of wide experience1 he early    
recognized the worth of the methods     
contained herein4 ,knowing that a fair  
trial will convince the most skeptical  
as to the merits and practicability of  
these methods1 the writer feels sure    
that this little booklet will meet with 
the hearty approval of trappers         
everywhere4    ,chapter #a4  ,habits and
 ,nature of the ,muskrat4  ,the rodent  
quadruped muskrat1 also known by the    
,indian name ,musquash is a small       
amphibious animal of ,north ,america1   
being found as far north as ,labrador   
and ,alaska1 and ranging south as far as
 the states of ,new ,mexico and         

,arizona4 ,there is only one species of 
the muskrat1 but naturalists recognize  
several varieties or subdivisions1 the  
differentia lying mainly in the color of
 the fur1 firmness of the skin or pelt1 
and the physical dimensions of the      
animal4 ,for example1 the muskrats of   
the ,atlantic coast states are          
comparatively large and of dark color2  
while those of the ,northwest prairie   
region are smaller1 thin and papery in  
pelt 7except those living in clear or   
cold water streams7 and of paler color4 
,these variations are no doubt due to   
climatic and local conditions under     
which the animal lives4  ,generally     
speaking1 it may be said that the       
muskrat is a nocturnal animal1 but where
 they are plentiful they are frequently 
observed prowling or swimming about     
during the day4 ,it is found at home in 
rivers1 lakes and ponds4 ,when          
inhabiting the former it lives in       
burrows dug in the banks2 the entrance  
to these are usually several feet under 

water4 ,they are found to be most       
numerous in swamps which are heavily    
bordered with grasses and thickly strewn
 with scattering growths of aquatic     
vegetation4 ,the roots of these plants  
compose the principal diet of the       
animal1 while the tops furnish the      
material for the construction of their  
homes4 ,the marsh 'rat differs in its   
mode of living from that of its brother 
the river 'rat1 by its habit of         
constructing dome-like houses4 ,this    
change in abode is due to the natural   
environment in which it lives4 ,in many 
large swamps scores of these queer      
little dwellings can be seen towering   
above the water4 ,they average about    
three feet in height1 and are composed  
of the roots and stems of grasses1      
reeds1 wild rice and flags4 ,the        
entrances are located under water4 ,from
 four to eight 'rats are generally found
 in one house4  ,the muskrat is a       
herbivorous animal4 ,its food consists  
of the roots of flags1 water lilies1    

etc4 ,it is also very fond of sweet     
apples and vegetables1 and will often   
raid a garden when located near its     
haunts4 ,it is also partial to grain1   
especially corn4  ,although the muskrat 
is herbaceous by nature1 it is known to 
eat the flesh of clams4 ,these it       
carries upon shore1 deposits them in a  
pile in some secluded retreat and leaves
 them to die1 whereupon they are easily 
opened and devoured with much avidity4  
,the general assumption is that the     
animal eats these clams only when other 
food is scarce4 ,this1 however1 is      
entirely in discord with the            
observations of the author1 who has on  
several occasions discovered 'rats      
feeding on clams when their favorite    
food was plentiful4 ,therefore1 it is   
only logical to presume1 that it is not 
the lack of food that attracts the      
'rat's attention to the lowly clam1 but 
it is the abundance of the mussel in    
itself4  ,muskrats are our most prolific
 fur bearers1 producing from two to     

three litters in a season1 the first    
making its appearance in the latter part
 of ,april or early ,may4 ,the period of
 gestation requires about forty-five    
days4 ,the young of the early spring    
litters will frequently rear one family 
during the same season4 ,it is this     
progeny of these young females that     
accounts for the numerous kitts         
7immature muskrats7 taken during the    
early part of the trapping season4      
,considering the wonderful procreative  
powers of this little animal1 it appears
 that they would become as numerous as  
the proverbial hair on a dog's back1 but
 they have many enemies1 of which man   
with his traps and firearms is the most 
deadly1 with perhaps the mink a close   
second4 ,many a time has the writer in  
his ramblings come onto a 'rat house1   
which had a small round boring at the   
water-line1 just large enough to allow  
the long1 slender body of a mink to pass
 through4 ,to the casual observer this  
would appear to be merely a hole1 but to

 the trained eye of the trapper it      
reveals a tale of woe4 ,he knows that   
here1 during the long1 tranquil hours of
 the night1 another family of muskrats  
was sacrificed to satisfy the flagrant  
craving of this bloodthirsty member of  
the weasel tribe4 ,when a mink enters a 
house or burrow1 in the aforesaid       
manner1 the inhabitants flee by way of  
the diving hole4 ,if everything remains 
quiet1 they will return1 one by one1 to 
their home in a very few minutes4 ,the  
crafty mink1 knowing the nature of the  
muskrat1 crouches near the diving hole1 
remaining very quiet1 and bounces upon  
the poor1 unsuspecting victims as they  
emerge4  ,occasionally a trapper may    
come upon the remains of a muskrat and1 
following an investigation1 cannot      
detect any clues as to the identity of  
the assailant4 ,when there are no       
telltale tracks about1 then it is safe  
to assume that the marauder was an owl  
or some other bird of prey4  ,the otter1
 fox and coyote can also be listed as   

enemies of the muskrat1 as they too make
 an occasional capture4  ,with the above
 facts in mind1 it can be easily        
understood that approximately only fifty
 per cent of all muskrats born ever     
reach maturity4 ,in spite of all this1  
they manage to hold their own and are   
found in fair numbers in the rat        
producing sections4  ,the animal        
instincts of the muskrat are not as     
keenly developed as those of the        
designing fox or the wary mink4 ,unlike 
the beaver and otter1 it is not afraid  
of civilization and thrives in the most 
thickly settled sections4  ,nature in   
its entirety is wonderful4 ,it is not   
unlike a vast panorama of charm and     
beauty4 ,here we find the ancient       
law--the survival of the fittest--a     
reality4 ,many people surmise the       
muskrat to be very uninteresting4 ,but  
those people who are willing to devote a
 little of their time to the nocturnal  
study of the animal will surely         
acknowledge it to be a very interesting 

little creature4 ,where can we find the 
lover of nature whose heart would not be
 thrilled as we quietly make our way    
along some moonlit stream in the late   
fall 7this being the time of year when  
'rats are very busy7 to get a glimpse at
 the home life of this little fur       
bearer8 ,as we approach the familiar    
patch of cat-tail flags1 we hear the    
persistent crunch-crunch-crunch of      
tireless little jaws1 as they grind away
 at the juicy morsel of flag or water   
lily4 ,we pause to listen1 our little   
friend seems to be no more than twenty  
feet away4 ,further upstream we hear    
another and another in fact2 the rushes 
seem to be alive with them4 ,some of    
them are cutting down the stems of wild 
rice and flags1 while others are        
dragging the material away to build and 
repair their houses with it4 ,we stand  
motionless1 as we discern a ,v-shaped   
streak of silvery lined ripples playing 
on the moonlit waters1 heading directly 
toward us from the opposite shore4 ,we  

know that the dark object at the head of
 this undulating formation is a muskrat1
 evidently bound on joining its friends 
at their feast in the rushes4 ,hark6    
,there is a sudden commotion in the     
flags1 followed by a splash and a       
plunge2 then all is still1 the grinding 
has ceased1 the silvery ripples have    
faded away and the water is smooth and  
reflectent1 not unlike a great mirror4  
,we are surprised and wonder at the     
cause of the sudden alarm1 which drove  
the 'rats to the sheltering depths of   
the river4 ,had we not remained         
perfectly quiet8 ,we turn1 just in time 
to see a monstrous owl glide noiselessly
 by the moon4    ,illustration3 ,fig4 #a
    ,chapter #b4  ,trapping             
,muskrats--,open ,water ,methods4       
,there are numerous methods employed in 
trapping the muskrat2 most of them will 
prove successful when they are used     
under the proper conditions1 time and   
place4 ,the muskrat being a member of   
the amphibious class of animals1        

consequently traps must be set in or    
very near the water to attain the best  
results4 ,this1 however1 does not mean  
that traps set at random will bring     
results1 but1 on the other hand1 when   
sets are properly placed at signs1 then 
the novice can rest assured that he will
 be rewarded for his efforts4  ,when a  
trapper decides to operate on a certain 
stretch of water1 his first duty would  
be to study the signs of the animal1    
from the abundance or scarcity of which 
he can closely estimate the number of   
animals present in that particular      
locality1 also the size of territory he 
can handle1 and the number of traps     
required to cover the same4  ,what are  
signs8 ,they are the visible indications
 which betray the presence of the       
animals1 such as tracks in the muddy    
margins of the shore 7see ,fig4 #a71    
feed beds1 houses1 dens1 slides1 the    
freshly cut stems of aquatic vegetation 
and excremental matter on logs1 drift   
wood1 rocks1 and other objects lying in 

or near the water4 ,to become expert at 
reading signs requires practical        
experience2 theory or book knowledge    
alone will not do4 ,the success or      
failure of any trapper can be measured  
by his ability to read the signs of the 
animals he is seeking and his knowledge 
of their nature4  ,our next             
consideration will be the selection of  
the proper traps4 ,when trapping        
muskrats with the common steel traps1   
never use anything larger than size ,no4
 #a #a_/b nor smaller than size ,no4 #a4
  ,the ,newhouse is without a doubt the 
best and most reliable all around steel 
trap on the market2 the material and    
workmanship embodied in its             
construction1 combined with its         
durability1 render it a product of the  
highest character4  ,the ,victor is the 
most popular of the cheaper kind of     
traps and is generally used by those who
 follow trapping as a side-line4 ,while 
trapping 'rats1 many trappers prefer the
 ,victor to the ,newhouse1 on account of

 the latter's powerful spring4 ,the     
forelegs of the muskrat are             
comparatively small and frail and easily
 broken off2 for that reason too strong 
a spring is not desired4  ,the various  
makes of jump traps are rapidly becoming
 very popular4 ,they are a very compact 
trap on account of their feature of     
having the spring on the inside of the  
jaws1 which permits them to be set in   
places where other traps could only be  
set with great difficulty4  ,there are  
many brands of traps manufactured which 
possess special features1 such as double
 jaws1 webbed jaws1 high grip1 etc4 ,all
 of these traps are excellent for       
catching muskrats1 as they are made to  
prevent the animals from gnawing or     
wringing off1 and thus escaping4  ,one  
of the best traps for muskrats ever     
invented is manufactured by ,w4 ,a4     
,gibbs  ,son1 ,chester1 ,penn4 ,it is   
made with two sets of jaws2 the inner   
set gripping the animal's leg1 while the
 outer set clutches the body4 ,from this

 trap there is no escape when once      
caught1 in many cases killing its victim
 instantly1 which benevolent feature    
makes it a favorite of many4  ,trapping 
methods may be classified into two      
separate groups1 namely1 blind and bait 
sets1 ranking in the order named4 ,a    
blind set is arranged at signs without  
the use of bait4 ,traps placed in       
position so as to guard the approach to 
food and scent decoys are termed bait   
sets4  ,scent decoys1 better known as   
animal baits1 are compounded of various 
ingredients which appeal to the inborn  
and irresistible instincts of the       
animals1 and which assist in enticing   
them to traps4  ,the following methods  
are recognized to be the best and most  
reliable for trapping 'rats when streams
 are free of ice4 ,they will prove their
 merits to the beginner when applied    
intelligently4 ,while the muskrat is    
generally conceded to be one of the     
easiest of fur bearers to trap1 let no  
one suppose that the careless trapper   

who makes his sets in a sort of hit or  
miss fashion1 will ever achieve much of 
a success in trapping them4  ,perhaps   
the most common method employed in the  
capture of this little animal1 is to set
 traps at the foot of their slides1 in  
two or three inches of water4 ,a slide1 
in the trapper's vocabulary1 is a place 
on the banks frequented by 'rats1       
usually extending from eight to sixteen 
inches above the water and having a kind
 of plastic perch or rest at the top1   
upon which are generally found          
excrements of the animal4 ,these slides 
are easily recognized on account of     
their worn and smooth appearance1 which 
is brought about by the animal's habit  
of sliding into the water when leaving  
them4 ,do not waste any time in setting 
traps at old and dried signs1 those that
 are being used will appear damp and    
often sprinkled with fresh mud4 ,where  
the water is not deep enough at the foot
 of the slide to completely cover the   
trap1 excavate a bed for the same to the

 desired depth4 ,this rule should be    
followed in all forms of water sets4    
,whenever possible1 always stake the    
trap chain into deep water at full      
length1 as the first impulse of the     
captured game is to seek shelter by     
diving into deep water1 where1 following
 a short struggle1 the weight of the    
trap finally drowns it4 ,the sliding    
pole is another and more certain method 
of drowning the animals 7,see ,fig4 #b74
 ,drowning will not only conceal the    
captured game from possible thieves1 but
 also secure it for the trapper against 
gnawing and wringing off1 and last1 but 
not least1 this humane act will do away 
with a lot of needless suffering4       
,illustration4 ,fig4 #b  ,another good  
way to take them is at their feed beds4 
,these are located near shore among the 
scattering growths of aquatic           
vegetation4 ,they appear to be floating 
in the water semi-submerged1 and are    
composed of the refuse of the animal's  
food1 such as the stems of blue flags1  

wild rice1 reeds and bits of various    
grasses found growing near their haunts4
 ,when making sets on these beds make   
sure that the traps are from one to two 
inches under water1 as this will allow  
the trap to get a higher grip on the    
animal's outstretched leg4 ,arrange the 
set so that the catch will drown4       
,often while looking for signs the      
trapper will come upon a small1 narrow  
path1 which is three to five inches in  
width1 leading from the water to some   
other body of water near by1 or taking  
its course across a peninsula to again  
terminate in the water on the other     
side4 ,such a trail is commonly made and
 used by muskrats4 ,when you find such a
 place1 set a trap in the water at each 
end of the trail4 ,when making a set    
where the water is much deeper than the 
usual depth required1 take sticks about 
twelve inches long and twice the caliber
 of an ordinary lead pencil1 shove these
 into the bank horizontally about a     
third of their length and three inches  

under water1 placing them an inch apart1
 six in a row4 ,this will make a        
platform for the trap1 which will       
overcome the danger of the animals      
passing over the set without getting    
caught4  ,in the late fall when 'rats   
are busy building and repairing their   
houses1 they can be caught by setting   
the trap on that side of the structure  
showing the greatest slope2 because here
 they ascend when at their labor4 ,when 
staking the trap at a set of this       
nature1 it is advisable to drive another
 stake about a foot beyond the first4   
,the animal1 when caught1 struggling    
winds the chain around the outer stake1 
and is thus hindered from reaching the  
house1 where it otherwise would do great
 damage1 tearing and digging into it4   
,this would result in frightening the   
other inmates away1 thus lessening the  
trapper's chances of duplicating his    
catch4  ,the washes under banks and the 
undermined roots of trees at the water's
 edge1 created by the ceaseless toil of 

the elements1 afford good places to set 
traps1 as every passing 'rat will visit 
such places4 ,traps should be set and   
covered very carefully1 as a place of   
this nature is often investigated by the
 elusive mink and inquisitive raccoon4  
,as a consequence1 the trapper has a    
fine opportunity of catching a more     
valuable animal4  ,when searching the   
stream for signs1 you will often notice 
the droppings of the animals on logs and
 scraps of lumber lying in the water4   
,these can be converted into excellent  
sets by cutting a bed for the trap with 
the ax1 just far enough under water to  
completely cover the trap4  ,when signs 
and places as described above are       
scarce1 but muskrats are known to exist1
 proceed as follows3 ,at some           
conspicuous place1 dig a horizontal hole
 in the bank right at the water-line1   
which should be about a foot deep and   
five inches in diameter4 ,pin a piece of
 parsnip1 carrot1 cabbage or sweet      
apple1 back in the hole4 ,some trappers 

use a piece of the flesh of muskrat1 the
 scent of which is attractive to        
muskrats4 ,set the trap at the mouth of 
this hole1 in two or three inches of    
water1 conceal carefully by covering    
lightly with water-soaked leaves and    
thin mud4 ,the above is a set equally   
good for mink1 as this animal has the   
habit of exploring every hole that it   
comes to in its travels4  ,another and  
most simple method1 is merely to fasten 
the bait on the bank about eight inches 
above the trap4 ,in reaching for the    
bait the 'rat will step into the trap   
and get caught4  ,some trappers prefer  
to use animal baits in connection with  
their 'rat sets at all times4 ,this1 ,i 
believe1 is wholly unnecessary1         
excepting during mating1 which occurs   
the latter part of ,february and extends
 throughout the rest of the trapping    
season4 ,at this time1 a good1          
dependable scent will help considerably 
in luring animals to traps4  ,there are 
numerous brands of scents on the market1

 some of which are reliable1 but most of
 them are a farce1 and are merely       
intended to pry hard-earned dollars from
 overalls pockets4 ,the formula used in 
the manufacture of most of these baits  
is kept a secret by the makers4 ,the    
purchaser1 not knowing what ingredients 
they contain1 faces the perplexing      
problem of choosing1 or more frankly    
stated1 guessing1 as to their merits1   
when buying4  ,but1 why worry about     
buying decoys when you can easily make  
them yourself8 ,the musk of the muskrat 
is the best scent known for attracting  
this animal4 ,it is found on both sexes1
 in two cream colored glands known as   
castors1 which are located just under   
the skin of the belly4 ,remove these    
from every animal you catch1 and place  
in an air-tight bottle or jar until     
needed4 ,when you are ready to prepare  
the scent1 proceed as follows3 ,mash the
 castors into a fine pulpy state2 to    
every ounce of this mixture add two     
ounces of glycerine to give volume and  

prevent evaporation1 also one grain of  
corrosive sublimate4 ,let stand for     
about a week and you will have the best 
muskrat scent obtainable4 ,cork tightly 
and keep in a cool place4 ,sprinkle a   
few drops of this scent at every set    
during the spring season4  ,in the early
 spring1 as soon as the first heavy     
thaws set in releasing the muskrats from
 their natural prison1 they are eagerly 
sought because their pelts are at their 
best1 being fully prime at this time of 
year4 ,but trappers are often hampered  
in their operations against the lowly   
'rat at this particular time1 on account
 of the absence of signs4 ,this drawback
 can be overcome as follows3 ,procure   
pieces of two by six 7plank71 each about
 four feet in length4 ,set two traps on 
each plank1 one near each end1 covering 
them lightly with dry grass or leaves4  
,sprinkle a few drops of scent along the
 plank between traps4 ,staple the traps 
to the ends of the plank and anchor the 
same near shore4 ,some trappers scatter 

pieces of bait on the plank1 but this is
 not necessary1 as the scent will draw  
them much better than food bait at this 
time of year4  ,another method is to    
build a small mound in about six inches 
of water4 ,this can be made of small    
stones1 plastered with mud1 and should  
extend about six inches above the water4
 ,sprinkle a few drops of scent on top  
of mound and set trap at the bottom1    
staking into deep water4    ,chapter #c4
  ,trapping ,muskrats ,under ,ice in    
,winter4  ,the hustling trapper         
generally gathers a fair sized          
collection of muskrat pelts in the late 
fall1 as 'rats are very active and move 
about a great deal at this time of the  
year1 leaving signs in abundance at     
which the trapper may set his traps4    
,then suddenly some frosty morning as he
 makes his rounds1 he finds the stream  
covered with a thin coat of ice1 a sign 
heralding the arrival of winter4 ,under 
the thin ice the traps are setting and  
undisturbed just as he left them the day

 before4 ,disgusted he lifts them and   
quits4 ,right here is where many 'rat   
trappers make a mistake3 ,when they find
 streams covered with ice1 they pull    
stakes and quit4 ,if these same trappers
 knew how to catch them under the ice1  
they could greatly increase their annual
 catch4  ,what becomes of the muskrat   
when its natural highway is covered with
 ice8 ,how does it obtain its food while
 thus imprisoned8 ,how can it breathe   
under water8 ,queries such as these are 
often put to trappers by those who are  
unacquainted with the nature of the     
animal4 ,when streams are frozen1       
muskrats are practically shut off from  
the outside world1 but nevertheless they
 are as happy as ever1 playing and      
frolicking in the water and often       
traveling great distances from their    
burrows4 ,when hungry they seek the beds
 of wild rice and flags1 from which they
 procure their food4 ,this they carry to
 their feed beds or dens to be devoured4
 ,they cannot breathe in the water as   

fish do1 because they are not endowed   
with gills1 but they do travel long     
distances under the same breath1 and    
when the lungs have drained the oxygen1 
the 'rat comes up to the under side of  
the ice and exhales4 ,the bubble thus   
formed immediately fills with oxygen and
 is then again inhaled1 whereupon the   
animal continues on its journey until it
 finds it necessary to repeat the       
operation4  ,as soon as the ice is      
sufficiently strong enough to bear a    
man's weight1 many muskrats are taken by
 men and boys who get out on the ice    
armed with clubs and pursue the animals 
as they swim along under the ice2 when a
 'rat comes up to the ice to replenish  
its supply of oxygen1 a sharp blow from 
a well-seasoned club brought down on the
 ice directly above the animal will     
stupefy it4 ,while the animal is in this
 temporary state of coma1 a hole is cut 
in the ice and the victim taken out4    
,when hunting 'rats in this manner1 ,i  
prefer to use a shotgun in place of the 

club1 because it is quicker in action   
and the terrific concussion which occurs
 when the shot strikes the ice often    
kills the game outright4 ,as many as a  
dozen 'rats are often taken by one man  
in the course of a few hours1 as they   
seem to move about more freely during   
the day1 when streams are covered with  
ice4 ,in their eagerness to get their   
share of the pelts1 trappers often      
receive a wetting while pursuing the    
animals over thin ice4 ,when operating  
on thin ice stay in the shallow places2 
remember the watchword safety first4    
,sometimes muskrats are driven from     
their dens by pounding the bank with    
some heavy object directly over the     
entrance2 when the animals are aware of 
the thumping1 they usually flee from    
imaginary harm's way by taking to the   
water2 they are then shot as they       
emerge4 ,the above methods of taking    
muskrats through ice are good1 but can  
only be used on clear ice1 not over five
 inches in thickness1 as the shot will  

not take effect in heavier ice4  ,while 
open water trapping cannot be excelled1 
in comparison to results obtained1      
under-ice trapping will adequately repay
 those who are willing to give it a fair
 trial4 ,no trapper should attempt to   
make sets under ice which is much more  
than a foot in thickness1 as the task   
would prove too elaborate4 ,the         
following methods will bring results    
when instructions are followed          
carefully4 ,they are being used by      
expert trappers and are the only        
practical modes for this sort of        
trapping3  ,setting traps at the mouth  
of dens is perhaps the best and most    
profitable under-ice method known to the
 trapping fraternity1 as it will be     
remembered that the average den contains
 from four to eight muskrats1 and in    
some instances even more4 ,therefore it 
can be readily understood that the      
trapper who will locate dens in his     
spare time during the summer and fall   
will be the most successful4 ,while     

hunting dens in open water use either a 
boat or hip boots2 select a quiet day   
when the water is calm1 travel slowly   
along near shore1 keeping watch for the 
mouth of dens4 ,these entrances are     
usually from one to four feet under     
water4 ,if the den is inhabited1 the    
entrance will be found clear of all     
rubbish and obstructions of any kind4   
,many of these holes have a trench-like 
trail or run extending a yard or two    
towards midstream4 ,whenever a den is   
found1 mark the same by shoving a stick 
on the upstream side of the entrance1   
the top of which should extend about ten
 inches above the water level to allow  
for a sudden rise of the stream4 ,when  
dens are thus marked they can be easily 
found after ice forms4  ,many dens can  
also be found through clear ice1 as     
follows3 ,walk along on the ice near    
shore until you see a streak of bubbles 
under the ice1 which is several yards in
 length1 usually extending towards      
midstream2 further examination will     

reveal the mouth of den at the          
termination of the bubble stream near   
the shore4 ,mark dens with stakes as    
described above4 ,the traps are lowered 
into the mouth of den at the end of a   
four-foot piece of wire1 said end being 
shaped into a hook for holding the trap2
 or1 better still1 purchase a ,triumph  
,trap ,placer1 which is manufactured by 
the ,triumph ,trap ,co41 of ,oneida1    
,new ,york4 ,this is a very handy       
instrument1 used for the setting of     
traps in difficult places1 especially   
under ice4 ,in all den sets1 the trap   
should be placed inside the entrance as 
far as it is possible to get it4 ,a wide
 entrance often allows the game to pass 
over the trap without getting caught4   
,this can be overcome by placing flat   
stones under the traps or by obstructing
 the upper half of the entrance with a  
wide trap stake1 which is pushed into   
the side of entrance in a horizontal    
manner4 ,this compels the game to dive  
under it and pass low enough to get     

caught4 ,the traps are fastened by      
slipping the chain ring on to the stake 
which marks the den4  ,when the ice is  
covered with snow1 dens cannot be       
located as described above4 ,in that    
case a fair number of dens can often be 
found by sounding4 ,this is accomplished
 by pounding the ice with the ax in     
shallow places along the shore1 until   
you find a place which produces a hollow
 sound upon being struck2 this indicates
 a 'rat run4 ,when you find such a      
place1 cut through and set a trap in the
 run1 then cover the hole in the ice1   
using sticks and dry grass as a         
foundation and then pack tightly with   
snow4 ,a run is the trench-like trail   
under water which leads to the mouth of 
den4 ,when these runs are located in    
shallow water1 the body heat of the     
animals melts the ice to the extent of  
several inches directly above the run4  
,this creates an air space which        
accounts for the hollow sound when      
struck from above4  ,the barrier set    

will capture both the muskrat and mink1 
traveling under the ice4 ,every         
experienced trapper knows that these    
animals swim along near shore in their  
travels1 for various reasons1 chiefly   
while hunting for food4 ,the set is as  
follows3 ,cut a narrow channel in the   
ice about six feet in length2 begin at  
the bank and work out towards midstream4
 ,now take sticks and build a barrier   
the entire length of channel1 shove them
 down well into the bottom about an inch
 apart1 leaving the tops an inch or two 
above the level of the ice4 ,leave an   
opening about six inches wide1 twelve or
 eighteen inches from the bank1 in about
 six inches of water4 ,in this opening  
set your trap4 ,an animal coming along  
will find this opening1 attempt to pass 
through and get caught4 ,this set will  
bring the best results when used on     
small streams and drainage canals1 as   
these can be staked their entire width4 
,when staking small streams1 leave an   
opening for a trap on each side of the  

stream4 ,fasten traps by slipping the   
chain ring into the stake at opening4   
,when the water where the set is to be  
made is somewhat deeper than eight      
inches1 place flat stones or similar    
objects under traps4 ,this should be    
done to crowd the animals into the      
traps4 ,when the ice gets heavier1 thus 
lessening the water space1 then these   
obstacles must be removed4 ,cover the   
holes in the ice as stated above4 ,it is
 advisable1 also much easier1 to        
construct the barriers shortly before   
the streams freeze up4  ,on warm winter 
days muskrats often come forth to sun   
themselves2 they remain but a few       
moments at a time1 but that is          
sufficient to catch them in traps which 
are properly placed in the water at     
springs1 air holes and rapids1 also at  
the inlets and outlets of lakes and     
ponds4  ,in many lakes and swamps       
muskrats live in houses instead of      
burrows4 ,to trap them in their houses1 
cut a hole on the south side of the     

house1 then set the trap inside on the  
bed or in the diving hole4 ,fasten the  
trap to a clog on the outside of the    
house1 then tightly close the opening   
with the material cut away2 on top of   
this freely pack dry grass or reeds and 
then snow4 ,this must be done to keep   
the diving hole from freezing4 ,the     
traps should be visited at least twice a
 day1 preferably in the morning and in  
the evening1 because the animals do not 
always drown when caught in this way4   
,before you decide to set traps in      
houses1 better look up the statute of   
your state in regard to this matter4    
,many states have now enacted a law     
making it unlawful for any person1 at   
any time1 to destroy1 molest or set     
traps in or upon muskrat houses4  ,where
 muskrats are plentiful1 they are often 
taken by lowering the traps through the 
ice1 in three or four feet of water4    
,these traps are baited with a piece of 
carrot or cabbage1 which is bound to the
 pedal of the traps4 ,the muskrats      

prowling along the bottom of the stream 
investigate the dainty morsel and are   
caught4 ,the best traps to use for this 
method are the ,two ,triggers and       
,alligator game traps1 because these    
traps clutch the animal's body4 ,should 
you use the common steel trap1 be sure  
you use nothing small than size ,no4  #a
 #a_/b1 because the game is usually     
caught by the head4 ,the trigger of the 
trap should be set very lightly1 so it  
will spring at the slightest pressure4  
,this method is most generally used near
 muskrat houses1 in states where the law
 prohibits the setting of traps in these
 houses4    ,chapter #d4  ,opportunity  
and ',rat ,ranching4  ,the annual catch 
of ,north ,american raw furs has a      
monetary value of approximately         
twenty-five million dollars4 ,the number
 of pelts required to reach such a      
figure must necessarily be very large4  
,trapping is done1 more or less1 by many
 people1 in many walks of life1 who     
follow the sport for both profit and    

pleasure2 from the professional pelt    
hunter1 down to the farmer's boy1 who   
during the winter indulges in trapping  
as a side line1 tending his traps       
between chores4  ,the fur business is   
and always has been an important cog in 
,american industry4 ,it furnishes       
employment for thousands1 from the      
trapper to the buyer1 manufacturer and  
retailer2 but there is now a cloud of   
depression threatening on the horizon of
 the industry4 ,fur-bearing animals1    
which at one time roamed our prairies1  
streams and woodlands1 in seemingly     
unlimited numbers1 are now rapidly      
becoming very scarce1 where a few years 
previous they were very plentiful4 ,the 
beaver and several other species of fur 
bearers are already threatened with     
extinction and are doomed to follow in  
the wake of the passenger pigeon and    
bison1 unless something extremely       
radical is done in the way of game      
preservation in comparison to           
present-day methods4 ,what has brought  

about this rapid diminution in the ranks
 of fur-bearing animals8 ,it is the     
rapid advance of civilization which     
deprives the fur bearers of their       
natural haunts4 ,it is the inventive    
genius of ,americans1 who1 with highly  
efficient traps1 guns1 especially       
prepared poisons1 smoke-torpedoes and   
other ingenious devices1 contribute to  
deplete the ranks of the animals2 the   
numerous fur houses throughout the      
country1 flooding the mails with their  
propaganda urging everyone to trap4 ,we 
can hardly scan the columns of a paper  
or magazine during the fur months but   
what our gaze will fall upon an alluring
 display of raw fur advertisements4     
,these announcements are continually    
calling for unlimited quantities of raw 
furs2 they are ever urging men and boys 
to push their trapping operations to the
 utmost4 ,these concerns are giving free
 advice to beginners2 they offer free   
instructions in the art of trapping the 
fur bearers4 ,all this has had but one  

result3 ,the fabulous prices paid for   
raw furs and the extensive advertising  
in recent years have kindled a crusade  
on our fur bearers which has developed a
 crisis4 ,when trapping is carried on to
 the extreme folly of taking the animals
 which should be left for breeding1 then
 our natural supply of wild fur shall   
cease to be perpetual4  ,and that is    
just what is taking place1 in spite of  
the legislation passed in favor of the  
fur bearers--in spite of the laws which 
have been enacted for their protection  
by the various states and territories4  
,in the light of this fact1 the question
 arises3 ,where are the millions of     
pelts to come from that the world needs 
each year8 ,the time is not far off when
 the demand will exceed the supply4 ,how
 can we keep an industry alive that can 
use millions of dollars' worth of raw   
furs annually1 thus furnishing          
employment for thousands of people8     
,there is only one remedy1 and that     
is--fur farming4  ,fur farming is by no 

means a new idea4 ,farsighted men       
experimented with fur bearers early in  
the seventies4 ,many people advance the 
theory that the animals will not breed  
or thrive in captivity2 but this        
argument is not sound2 we need only     
remember that all our domestic animals  
were wild creatures at one time4  ,true1
 fur farming1 like any other business1  
has its drawbacks2 but these impediments
 are rapidly conquered by the persistent
 and energetic study and scientific     
research of enthusiastic men1 who are   
devotedly interested in the welfare of  
the animals1 and the evolution of the   
industry to a higher and better         
standard4 ,in any case1 the injury is   
not beyond the remedy4 ,for example1    
some of the early pioneers in the       
business felt very much dejected when   
they discovered that the animals did not
 fur properly in captivity4 ,this was   
later found to be due to crowded and    
improper quarters1 improper drainage and
 the lack of shade about the enclosures4

 ,this has been remedied to the extent  
that ranch raised fur now excels the    
wild in quality and beauty4 ,this       
testimony is verified by the fact that  
the sum of #c1hjj was paid for the pelt 
of a single ranch bred silver fox2 a sum
 that has never been realized for the   
pelt of a wild fox of like variety4     
,cannibalism among the animals was      
another evil fur farmers had to contend 
with4 ,this was traced to be due to the 
feeding of improper foods1 and          
especially underfeeding4  ,abortion must
 also be guarded against4 ,during       
pregnancy strangers must be kept away   
from the ranch1 because during this     
period females become very suspicious of
 them and are nervous and restless1     
often injuring themselves when thus     
excited4 ,this trouble is most common   
among animals which were procured in the
 wilds4 ,each succeeding generation of  
ranch raised stock becomes more and more
 domesticated2 consequently the keeper  
finds it much easier to win their       

confidence4  ,practically all the       
failures in fur farming are due to the  
lack of experience of the people thus   
engaged2 their failure to take the      
proper interest in the animals1 so they 
may understand them and their           
requirements4  ,there are now numerous  
fur farms located throughout the        
northern part of the ,united ,states and
 ,canada4 ,these establishments         
propagate and improve the breed of fox1 
skunk1 muskrat1 raccoon1 mink and       
opossum4  ,fox ranching is the leading  
branch of this industry4 ,there are many
 ranches which specialize in high grade 
foxes1 such as black1 silver1 cross and 
red4 ,prince ,edward ,island is the     
center of this industry2 the most       
valuable foxes in the world are ranched 
here1 being the result of careful and   
selective breeding4 ,john ,a4 ,lea1 of  
,summerside1 ,p4 ,e4 ,island1 is        
recognized as one of ,america's leading 
authorities on the question4 ,he is a   
man of wide experience and knows the    

animals like a mother knows her flock4  
,in his ,facts ,about ,foxes ,mr4 ,lea  
says3  7a7 ,fox ranching is an industry 
begun in ,p4 ,e4 ,island in the #hj's4  
7b7 ,raising domesticated silver foxes  
is now an established success4  7c7     
,since #aiji millions of dollars have   
been paid in fox dividends4  7d7 ,the   
domesticated silver fox is tame and     
easily cared for4  7e7 ,foxes will eat  
anything the ordinary dog will eat4  7f7
 ,the average litter is from three to   
four pups4  7g7 ,the total annual       
increase is about #ajj per cent4  7h7   
,it is possible to breed up or improve  
any kind of foxes4  7i7 ,the foxes now  
ranched on ,p4 ,e4 ,island are valued at
 #f1jjj1jjj4  7j7 ,these foxes earned   
#b1ejj1jjj for their owners in #aibj4   
7k7 ,the average profit to the fox      
rancher is about #dj per cent annually4 
,the above facts show that fox ranching 
,is not a dream1 but an established     
success1 paying large dividends on the  
capital invested4 ,this is also true    

about fur farming in general4 ,there are
 many cases on record showing the       
wonderful results obtained by men who   
experimented with skunk1 mink and       
muskrats4  ,especially ,is this true of 
the muskrat4 ,i shall endeavor to set   
forth here the possibilities 'rat       
ranching offers to those of small means4
 ,in the large salt water marshes along 
the ,atlantic coast and ,chesapeake     
,bay1 'rat ranching has been carried on 
systematically for many years4 ,this    
marsh land which was at one time        
considered practically valueless is now 
yielding large returns annually4 ,the   
animals are protected from possible     
poachers by the authorities and land    
owners4 ,they are trapped only when the 
fur is at its best4 ,the owners see to  
it that enough animals are left for     
breeding4 ,wicomico1 ,dorchester and    
,sommersett ,counties 7,maryland7       
compose the center of this industry4    
,the value of the catch in any one of   
these counties runs ,into thousands of  

dollars yearly4 ,and ,it must be        
remembered that this is from land which 
at one time sold from state or          
government at thirty cents an acre4     
,the following are extracts from a      
letter by a well known manufacturer of  
game traps1 who owns a large muskrat    
preserve ,in ,maryland4 ,i shall put    
down these statements1 not to encourage 
anyone to go there1 as the ground is    
well occupied and trappers are numerous1
 but merely to serve as an ,illustration
 of what can be done with the numerous  
swamps1 ponds and small lakes scattered 
throughout the rest of the ,united      
,states and ,canada1 and which are now  
considered practically worthless3  ,good
 muskrat marsh in ,maryland1 where the  
writer's place is located4 ,is selling  
now for from twenty to thirty dollars an
 acre444 ,as a general proposition the  
owners lease their marshes to the       
trappers for a certain part of the      
catch1 which has up to the present time 
been anywhere from one-half to          

two-thirds to the owners444 ,the marshes
 never dry up1 because they are only a  
very few feet above sea level and a     
great many of them are overflowed at    
times by extremely high tides444 ,my    
'rats are in an open marsh and ,i do not
 furnish them any feed1 or look after   
them in any way1 except to try to keep  
the dogs and foxes out of ,it and to    
catch the hawks1 owls and eagles that   
prey on them4 ,the marsh furnishes      
plenty of natural feed1 and the only    
thing that is necessary to do is simply 
to keep their enemies away and they take
 very good care of themselves444 ,there 
are a great many natural marshes along  
the east coast of the country1 in ,new  
,jersey1 ,delaware1 ,maryland and       
,virginia especially1 these marshes have
 been inhabited by muskrats probably    
since their creation4  ,now then1 from  
the above statements we can readily     
conceive that the raising of muskrats is
 the simplest form of fur farming1      
requiring very little capital to get    

started4 ,for these reasons3 ,first1 it 
does not necessitate the construction of
 expensive pens and enclosures2 second1 
animals need not be fed--the food supply
 is natural2 third1 a keeper is not     
required--the animals take care of      
themselves4  ,as prospective 'rat       
ranchers1 our first duty would be the   
selection of the proper site for the    
ranch4 ,this would naturally be in the  
form of a lake1 marsh or pond4 ,many    
farmers have such a body of water on    
their land2 these vary in size from a   
few acres to several hundred4 ,those who
 contemplate raising 'rats1 but do not  
own a proper site1 could easily buy one 
at a reasonable figure1 as most people  
consider such property of little value4 
,before buying a pond or marsh which you
 are not familiar with1 investigate     
whether it has any inlets1 such as      
springs and small streams4 ,a marsh or  
small lake which is likely to dry up    
during a drought is not to be           
considered1 as the 'rats would then be  

forced to leave it4 ,some of these      
waters have no visible means of support1
 yet they hold the same level of water  
year after year4 ,this seems to be due  
to the nature of their location or else 
they are fed by inner springs4 ,when in 
doubt about a certain marsh or lake1    
better talk with several neighbors who  
are familiar with it1 before buying2    
they may1 from observation1 be able to  
give you reliable information about the 
water supply4  ,many lakes and ponds    
which are possessed of an inlet and     
outlet are often burdened with a very   
high level of water1 and then again at  
other times not enough4 ,this water     
could be held to a normal level by      
putting a dam across the outlet4 ,this  
dam1 however1 would need protection     
against the burrowing mania of the      
muskrats1 as they would soon have it    
looking like a sponge2 the only         
difference would be1 that the sponge    
holds water1 while the dam would not4   
,such a dam could be amply protected    

with a solid covering of rocks4 ,these  
should average in size anywhere from a  
baseball to a man's head1 and should    
cover the dam to a depth of about two   
feet4 ,this layer of rocks should also  
extend along the bottom of the stream on
 both sides of the dam to a distance of 
about twenty feet4 ,the building of such
 a structure would require some hard    
labor and time1 but would well pay for  
itself where the ranch in question is   
large enough to warrant its             
construction4  ,following the selection 
of the proper site1 our next            
consideration would be the food supply4 
,most lakes1 marshes and ponds are      
naturally conducive to wild rice1 flag  
and water lily growth4 ,these aquatic   
plants are the mainstay of the muskrat's
 food supply2 they also represent the   
material of which they construct their  
houses4  ,should the prospective 'rat   
ranch be devoid of such vegetation1 as  
is sometimes the case1 the owner should 
at once take steps to encourage its     

growth by ,introducing some flags and   
water lilies4 ,these should be planted  
in about one foot of water and one yard 
apart4 ,it is advisable to plant them   
along the shore1 in several patches of  
two or three rows each1 and numbering   
about fifty plants to the patch4 ,these 
plants1 when once started1 will multiply
 very rapidly and spread into deeper    
water4 ,the best time to do this work of
 transplanting is in the spring1 just   
before the plants start sprouting4      
,during the summer green grass is eaten 
by muskrats with great relish2          
therefore1 mixed grass seed should be   
sown liberally wherever the banks are   
barren4 ,the seed of wild rice should   
also be sown in the fall of the year1   
shortly after it is gathered4 ,wild rice
 will grow in deeper water than flags1  
and all that is necessary to start it is
 to scatter the seed in a depth of      
several feet of water4 ,it is good      
policy to sow some wild rice every fall1
 even when the supply of food is ample1 

as 'rats are very fond of the myriads of
 young tender sprouts which shoot up in 
the spring4 ,in waters where the food   
supply must be developed1 it is         
advisable to keep muskrats away for at  
least one year1 because their presence  
would greatly hamper its progress4      
,when the food supply has been well     
established1 we are ready to stock up   
our ranch4 ,the 'rats can be purchased  
or procured by trapping4 ,as a general  
rule1 'rats will already be found at    
home in a prospective ranch1 which      
boasts of plenty of water and food2 they
 find such a place by force of instinct1
 though the nearest stream may be fifty 
miles away4  ,we need pay no further    
attention to them1 except to destroy    
their enemies1 which in this case are1  
chiefly1 the birds of prey4 ,sometimes  
these pirates of the air will establish 
headquarters at some muskrat marsh1 and 
remain for weeks at a time4 ,selecting  
some lofty perch from which they can    
scan every angle of their acquired      

domain1 they will often remain perfectly
 motionless1 for hours at a time1 only  
to hurl themselves upon the unwary      
muskrat as it makes its appearance on   
the water4  ,these intruders must be    
caught--but how8 ,occasionally we may be
 able to check up on one of them1 with  
our old scattergun2 but this is the     
exception to the rule1 as these birds   
are far too wary to be approached in the
 open4 ,therefore we must resort to     
steel traps for their destruction4 ,this
 is not as difficult as it would seem at
 first thought4 ,knowing their habit of 
alighting on the highest point of       
vantage while awaiting their prey1 we   
proceed to set up poles in our marsh1   
which are about eight inches in diameter
 at the top4 ,on the tops of these poles
 we conceal our traps 7preferably jump  
traps71 by covering them with           
water-soaked chaff or leaves4 ,pegs are 
driven into the sides of the poles1 upon
 which we ascend when tending the traps4
 ,these poles need not be very high when

 they are set up in the open2 eight or  
ten feet above the water would be       
sufficient1 when there are no higher    
objects near4 ,the erection of one such 
pole would suffice for every ten acres  
of territory4  ,the animals must also be
 protected against poaching and free    
trapping4 ,it is a good idea to post    
signs of warning against trespassing on 
the premises4 ,there should not be much 
trouble on this point1 however1 because 
people1 as a whole1 respect the property
 and rights of their fellow men4  ,when 
the animals are thus protected1 they    
will increase very rapidly4 ,a marsh or 
pond which is covered with a mixed      
growth of aquatic vegetation will       
naturally support a greater number of   
muskrats than a deep water lake where   
such vegetation can only be found along 
the shores4  ,good marsh land has been  
known to produce an average of one      
hundred 'rats per acre annually1 and in 
some instances even more1 but such a    
yield is above the ordinary4 ,statistics

 show the average yield of 'rat pelts to
 be about fifteen per acre yearly4 ,this
 number of animals can be safely trapped
 without fear of encroaching upon the   
necessary quota of animals required as  
breeders4 ,of course there are some     
waters that produce a much larger yield 
per acre1 and these must be trapped     
accordingly4 ,in a marsh or lake of low 
banks the 'rats are compelled to build  
houses4 ,the owners of such a ranch can 
closely estimate the number of animals  
present by counting the houses and then 
multiplying the result by four4  ,though
 the muskrat will tolerate more crowding
 than other fur-bearing animals1 the    
owner should prevent overcrowding1      
otherwise some of them would leave for  
parts less crowded4 ,some raisers1 while
 gathering their annual crop of fur1    
make it a point to trap only two-thirds 
of their grounds1 and when this is      
exhausted of muskrats they quit4 ,this  
method assures the owner sufficient     
breeding stock for the next crop1 and at

 the same time prevents crowding the    
animals4  ',rat ranching is a business  
which does not require much money or    
effort to build up1 and when once       
established there is very little to do1 
except to trap the muskrats during the  
proper season4 ,the best time1 in fact  
the most profitable time to do this1 is 
in the early spring1 when pelts are     
strictly prime and the fur is at its    
best4  ,judging from the ever-increasing
 popularity of muskrat fur and the      
consequent rise in value1 rat ranching  
can certainly be considered a profitable
 undertaking4 ,let us1 for example1 take
 into consideration a fifty-acre marsh1 
producing the low average of fifteen    
'rats per acre4 ,this would represent an
 annual crop of about seven hundred and 
fifty pelts4 ,to trap this number of    
animals would require about thirty days4
 ,for eleven months out of the year1 the
 owner would be free to take up any line
 of endeavor he may choose to follow4   
,considering the small amount of capital

 and time required for the establishment
 and upkeep of such a vivarium1 is there
 any other form of farming or stock     
raising more profitable8 ,we venture the
 answer without fear of                 
contradiction--there is absolutely not4 
,chapter #e4  ,handling and ,grading    
,muskrat ,fur4  ,thousands of dollars   
are annually lost to trappers on account
 of the improper handling of raw fur4   
,this is due to both ignorance and      
carelessness on the part of a certain   
class of trappers4 ,if these amateurs   
would pay a little more attention to the
 proper way of killing and skinning the 
animals1 and the proper fleshing1       
stretching and drying of the skins1 they
 would realize from #e to #aj per cent  
more on their furs4  ,when animals are  
found alive in traps they may be        
dispatched by a few sharp blows on the  
head with a stick1 which should be      
smooth and free from knots and stubs1   
otherwise the fur is liable to be       
damaged4 ,an animal when caught will    

often retreat under the banks or between
 root snags1 and then there is always   
danger of the catch escaping by its     
violent struggles when the trapper      
attempts to dislodge it from its        
retreat4 ,a 4#bb caliber pistol will    
prove very handy for just such          
emergencies2 a bullet between the eyes  
from such a weapon will subdue the      
animal1 whereupon it can be safely      
hauled out4 ,there is no danger of      
decreasing the value of the fur when    
using such a small firearm4  ,trapped   
muskrats are sometimes attacked1 killed 
and torn to shreds by mink or owl1 as   
these nocturnal prowlers are very fond  
of the flesh of these animals4 ,when    
traps are not promptly looked after     
early in the day1 magpies and crows will
 often stage a mass attack and peck and 
harass the poor victims to death4 ,such 
catches are a total loss to the trapper1
 who is in most part to blame1 because  
of his carelessness in attending traps  
and his failure to arrange the sets so  

the entrapped animals may drown and be  
thus concealed from view4  ,before      
skinning an animal1 examine the carcass 
and make sure that the fur is clean and 
free from foreign matter4 ,when an      
animal is bespattered with dried mud1   
proceed to remove the same by thoroughly
 brushing the fur2 fresh mud and blood  
stains can be removed by rubbing and    
rinsing the carcass in cold water4 ,burs
 and other foreign matter should also be
 combed and brushed out4 ,when this has 
been accomplished1 we are ready to skin 
the animal4  ,there are two methods     
employed in skinning the various        
fur-bearers1 namely1 open and cased4    
,the former method is used on the larger
 animals1 such as bear1 wolverine1      
mountain lion1 etc4 ,the latter method  
is used on the smaller animals1 which   
include our friend the muskrat4 ,the    
blade of the skinning knife should      
possess a very keen edge at all times1  
so that there will be no ragged edges on
 the pelts4 ,it is much easier and more 

agreeable to skin an animal right after 
it is killed1 while the body heat is    
still retained4 ,never allow an animal  
to lay unskinned for more than          
twenty-four hours1 as it is liable to   
taint1 which has a tendency to cause the
 fur to slip4 ,such pelts would have    
little or no value4  ,to skin the       
muskrat1 cut the skin loose around the  
hind legs near the feet where the fur   
ends1 then rip down the back of the hind
 legs to the root of the tail and loosen
 the fur around the same4 ,do not skin  
the tail of the muskrat1 as this has no 
fur value4 ,now lay the knife aside and 
peel the skin with your fingers by      
drawing it down towards the head4 ,you  
will find that it will peel very        
readily1 with a little flesh here and   
there threatening to adhere to the skin2
 most of this can be held back by       
pushing the fingers of one hand against 
it1 while pulling the skin with the     
other4 ,to loosen the skin at the front 
legs1 work the thumb of your right hand 

between the skin and the flesh on the   
underside of the main joint of the leg1 
and pull2 the skin will come off very   
easily4 ,the knife comes into play again
 when the ears are reached4 ,these must 
be cut off at the base1 close to the    
head4 ,when cutting the skin loose      
around the eyes1 care must be exercised 
to avoid dilating the apertures4 ,now   
peel down to the nose and jaws1 and with
 the knife assist in peeling the skin   
from these members4 ,the job of skinning
 is now complete and we have what is    
termed a cased pelt with the fur side   
in4  ,it is a deplorable fact that a    
large percentage of trappers do not use 
the knife when removing the skin from   
the head of the muskrat4 ,they simply   
pull it off by sheer force1 with the    
result that the skin generally tears off
 right back of the ears1 which leaves a 
badly damaged pelt4 ,such pelts when    
marketed are thrown into the lower      
grades and sell for about #dj per cent  
less4  ,when the pelt is ready for      

fleshing1 it is placed on the fleshing  
board4 ,this board should be made of    
one-half-inch material about thirty     
inches long1 four and one-half inches   
wide at the base and three and one-half 
inches wide at the shoulders4 ,the upper
 end of the board should taper to a     
rounded point4 ,the edges should be     
rounded and sandpapered1 so there may be
 nothing to injure the fur4 ,a mink fur 
stretcher makes an ideal fleshing board 
for muskrats1 because it is just about  
the size and shape required4  ,place the
 skin on the board fur side in1 and with
 a dull knife proceed to remove all     
loose fat and flesh4 ,an old table knife
 is a very handy tool for this purpose4 
,when using a jackknife1 care must be   
taken not to score or tear the pelt4    
,the skin should be held taut with the  
left hand1 while manipulating the knife 
with the right4 ,scrape by working from 
the head towards the base1 or vice      
versa1 being careful not to scrape the  
muscles behind the shoulders too close1 

because the ends of these are firmly    
attached to the skin4 ,when all         
superfluous fat and flesh have been     
removed1 the pelt is ready for the      
stretcher4    ,illustration3 ,fig4 #c   
,there are various makes of steel and   
wire fur stretchers on the market1 which
 can be purchased at a reasonable       
figure2 but for the accommodation of    
muskrat pelts1 ,i know of none better or
 cheaper than the common plain board    
stretchers which are made of dry goods  
boxes or similar material4 ,these boards
 should be made of one-quarter-inch     
material1 about thirty inches in length1
 six inches wide at the base and five   
and one-half inches wide at the         
shoulders4 ,from the shoulders to the   
tip of the nose they should rapidly     
taper1 coming to a point4 ,this point   
should be rounded so as to fit the head 
snugly 7,see ,fig4 #c74 ,the edges of   
the board should be nicely rounded and  
smoothly sandpapered4 ,when boards are  
made of one-half-inch material1 they    

should be beveled down to one-eighth of 
an inch at the edges4 ,a quarter-inch   
hole should be drilled in each board    
near the base1 so the pelts may be hung 
up when drying4  ,it will be remembered1
 as stated elsewhere in this work1 that 
muskrats vary greatly in size in various
 parts of the country4 ,this fact makes 
it impractical to quote exact dimensions
 for stretchers4 ,the above dimensions  
are an approximate average for standard 
skins and are given to serve as an      
illustration for the guidance of the    
novice4  ,when stretching the fur1 draw 
the pelts on to the stretcher1 fur side 
in1 in such a manner that the back      
squarely covers one side of the board   
7as illustrated71 while the underside   
covers the other4 ,never stretch a pelt 
so carelessly that parts of both the    
back and underside appear on each side  
of the board4 ,draw the skin down firmly
 and fasten to the board by driving     
tacks all around the base4 ,a tack      
should also be driven into the tip of   

nose and lower jaw to hold them in      
place4  ,the pelts should be hung up to 
cure in a cool1 airy place2 dampness    
causes mildew1 which ruins them4 ,never 
dry furs in the sun or too near a fire1 
as this is liable to cause considerable 
damage4 ,never use salt or any other    
chemicals in curing pelts2 allow them to
 dry by the natural process of          
evaporation4 ,be sure that they are held
 secure against mice and other pests4   
99 99 99  ,large quantities of the      
cheaper fur are made up and sold under  
fictitious names by the manufacturing   
furriers1 such as ,hudson seal1 river   
mink1 coney1 nutria1 and others too     
numerous to mention4 ,hudson seal is the
 fur of muskrat1 which is sheared1      
plucked1 dyed and beautifully blended to
 imitate the fur seal4 ,river mink is   
also the fur of muskrat prepared and    
dyed to a rich1 deep brown to imitate   
the more valuable mink4 ,coney is a     
species of ,european rabbit1 somewhat   
resembling our native cottontail1 but   

the pelt of the former is firm and      
tough1 which renders it fit for         
manufacturing purposes4 ,nutria is the  
commercial term for the fur of the      
,south ,american coypou4 ,these fancy   
names have been adopted1 no doubt1 so   
that the goods may sell better4 ,for    
instance1 that beautiful new black sable
 cloak1 which is so soft and silky1 and 
which ,mrs4 ,brown is showing with so   
much pride to her neighbor ,mrs4 ,smith1
 is in reality nothing more than the    
unadulterated fur of that despised      
animal1 the skunk4 ,nevertheless1 with  
the exception of the rare black fox1 the
 skunk supplies the most beautiful and  
most durable natural black fur of ,north
 ,america4 ,in the making up of this    
article1 the white stripes in the fur   
are eliminated1 as this is hair and not 
fur1 as some people erroneously believe4
  ,select specimens of the cheaper fur1 
such as muskrat1 opossum1 etc41 are     
prepared by skilled furriers to imitate 
the finer and more valuable furs2 and   

when these craftsmen are through with   
their process of fixing1 it would       
require the skill of an expert to       
distinguish the finished product from   
the genuine article which it imitates4  
,though the manufacturing end of the    
business is of little interest to the   
trapper and small dealer in raw furs1 ,i
 merely record the above statements to  
give the average reader an idea of how a
 large percentage of furs are skillfully
 camouflaged to improve their appearance
 and thus promote their sale4  ,in the  
following lines ,i shall endeavor to    
delineate1 in an abridged form1 the     
fundamentals and principles of fur      
grading2 this1 for the guidance of the  
reader1 who1 ,i shall presume1 knows    
nothing about the art of grading and    
assorting raw furs4 ,be it remembered   
that in this1 like in any other art or  
craft1 the past master of that art or   
craft has from long experience acquired1
 unconsciously or otherwise1 a certain  
knack1 the absence of which forms the   

main obstacle in the path of the novice4
 ,this fact again calls to mind the     
truth of that age old maxim1 ,experience
 is the best teacher4 ,what ,i am about 
to set forth here on the subject is done
 with the view in mind of assisting the 
amateur muskrat trapper 7in whose       
interest this is written7 to know and   
determine the value of his fur1 which   
will enable him to realize more money on
 his catch and to find a better market  
for his goods4 ,in my own days of       
adolescence as an amateur mink and      
muskrat trapper1 it has been my         
privilege to handle and examine the     
pelts of hundreds of muskrats4 ,this    
study and experience1 alone1 have been  
invaluable to me in buying and selling  
raw furs4  ,,pelt3 ,the inspection of   
the pelt or flesh side of a piece of fur
 is generally the first thing the fur   
buyer does1 for the reason that the furs
 of most of the different animals are   
stretched and shipped to market pelt    
side out4 ,the degree of primeness of   

any piece of fur is largely determined  
by the appearance of the pelt4 ,to pass 
as ,no4 #a1 a pelt must possess a white1
 pink or flesh color4 ,when blue spots  
are apparent on the pelts1 they are     
termed blue-pelts or unprime4 ,the value
 of these depends on the amount of blue 
showing on the pelts4 ,when a pelt is   
possessed of but a few streaks or spots 
of blue1 it is termed good unprime and  
goes into grade ,no4 #b4 ,the ,no4 #c1  
or poor unprime1 are those where the    
degree of primeness covers #dj per cent 
or more of the pelt4 ,any peltries below
 this plane of primeness are of little  
or no value4  ,with the exception of the
 muskrat and one or two others1 the     
pelts of fur bearers are generally      
strictly prime during the latter part of
 ,november and the months of ,december1 
,january and ,february1 though          
occasionally an animal is caught during 
the latter part of ,november or early   
,december whose pelt is not strictly    
prime1 but these are exceptions4 ,from  

this it can be readily seen that the    
appearance of blue-pelts in a trapper's 
collection of furs is due to early and  
late trapping4 ,this trapping out of    
season should not be encouraged1 and is 
now illegal in most states4  ,a pelt    
which has been damaged while killing or 
skinning its wearer1 or in the process  
of fleshing1 stretching and curing1     
cannot be classed as ,no4 #a1 though the
 pelt may be prime and the fur of good  
quality4 ,such pelts are classed as ,no4
 #b's1 #c's1 and trash1 all depending on
 the amount of damage done4 ,a pelt     
which has tainted or heated on account  
of flesh adhering1 is considered        
valueless when the damage thus incurred 
loosens the fur and causes it to slip   
when handled2 such peltries are termed  
trash and are unfit for any purpose4 ,to
 avoid disaster1 keep in mind the       
importance of properly fleshing the     
pelts as soon as they are taken off the 
animals4  ,,fur3 ,though the condition  
of the pelt is an important factor in   

determining the value of furs1 the fur  
on fur side is of much more importance1 
also more difficult to grade and assort 
intelligently4 ,the quality of the fur  
bespeaks the real value of the skin4    
,the vital points for consideration are3
 density1 length1 color1 sheen and      
superficial luster4  ,blow into a piece 
of fur against the grain and you will   
notice two distinct layers4 ,these are  
defined as inner or under fur1 and top  
or guard hair4 ,the former is the basis 
of the fur coat and on a ,no4 #a skin   
must exhibit a very dense growth4 ,pelts
 which possess a poor or thin coat of   
under fur are graded down4 ,the guard   
hair forms the outer layer of the fur   
coat and must be sparse in density1 but 
uniform throughout the pelt4 ,the       
various shades of color and silky       
glossiness of these guard hairs         
harmonizing with the under fur is what  
gives the fur its natural beauty4 ,many 
a piece of fur will appear to be in     
first-class condition1 but close        

scrutiny will often reveal the fact that
 guard hairs are missing in spots4 ,this
 gives the fur a rugged or shaggy       
appearance4 ,furs possessing such       
defects cannot be made up in their      
natural state1 but must be either       
sheared or plucked4 ,on the grading     
sheet they are classified as rubbed and 
are graded down accordingly4 ,this loss 
of guard hair is due to various reasons1
 principally the presence of parasites  
in the fur1 which causes the animal to  
rub against foreign objects4  ,white    
fur1 such as that of the ermine or      
,arctic fox1 is valued as to the purity 
of its color4 ,the pure or snow white   
pelts are the most valuable4 ,other     
shades in this class are gray white1    
blue white and yellowish to cream color4
 ,to command the highest market prices1 
it is essential that white fur be free  
from all blood stains4  ,the policy of  
color is reversed in the assorting of   
the black1 brown1 red and gray furs4    
,here the rule is1 the darker the shades

 of the various colors1 the more        
valuable the fur4  ,the mere color and  
beauty of certain furs of the same      
species often create a tremendous       
difference in the range of values4 ,let 
us1 for example1 consider the pelts of  
two foxes3 ,we will say they are both   
large skins and perfectly prime1 but one
 is a red1 while the other is a black   
fox4 ,though both of these foxes may be 
of the same consanguinity1 the pelt of  
the black would be worth about as many  
hundreds as that of the red would be    
worth dollars4 ,in the case of the mink1
 otter1 marten and other fine furs1 a   
well furred pelt of dark color is often 
worth two or three times as much as a   
pale colored pelt of equal size and     
quality4  ,towards spring many furs fade
 or grow pale in color1 some are rubbed 
and the fur appears woolly4 ,these are  
graded down and termed singed or        
springy1 and as a consequence are less  
valuable4  ,to receive full value for   
raw furs1 the tails must also receive   

proper attention4 ,where they are partly
 or wholly missing or have been damaged 
beyond redemption1 the furs are         
discounted4 ,this amounts to from ten to
 twenty-five per cent of the value of   
the pelt4 ,all tails should be split a  
portion of their length and the bone    
removed1 otherwise they are apt to      
spoil4 ,the tails of muskrat1 opossum   
and beaver are left on the carcass1 as  
they have no fur value4  ,,size3 ,there 
are three sizes of pelts1 namely1 large1
 medium and small2 but dealers in raw   
furs find it necessary to quote a       
special grade for the very small or     
undersize skins4 ,these kitts1 as they  
are termed1 are the skins of the young  
of late litters4 ,they are not mature in
 pelt and the fur is of poor quality1   
hence of little value4 ,a ,no4 #a large 
pelt is usually worth about twice as    
much as one of the same quality in the  
small size4 ,from this the reader may   
gather that the large grade pelt must be
 twice the size of the small1 but this  

is erroneous4 ,the fact is1 that in most
 species of fur bearers the variation in
 the large1 medium and small size is but
 a difference of two or three inches in 
the length of the pelt4 ,just why there 
is such a radical difference in price is
 a mysterious prank of the fur trade1   
for which no one person is responsible4 
,on the other hand1 a small size pelt   
which is of good color and possesses a  
lustrous and dense coat of fur1 is often
 worth as much or more than a large pelt
 of poor color4 ,remember that          
dimensions of the skin and primeness of 
pelt are of little consideration when   
the fur lacks quality4  ,,grading       
,,muskrats3 ,muskrats1 unlike most other
 furs1 are not strictly prime in pelt   
until early spring4 ,for that reason    
they are assorted under three headings1 
as follows3 ,fall1 winter and spring4   
,the pelt of the fall muskrat displays  
very little primeness1 but is endowed   
with a fairly dense growth of fur1 and  
therefore is in good demand4 ,the degree

 of primeness increases as the season   
advances1 and when fifty per cent or    
more of the pelt is prime they are      
quoted as ,winter4 ,when they are fully 
prime1 which occurs during the latter   
part of ,february or early ,march1 they 
are termed ,spring 'rats and command the
 best prices4  ,abnormally thin pelts   
are not uncommon among fur bearers1 but 
this defect is most frequently found on 
muskrats4 ,just what causes this        
imperfection is not definitely known4   
,the writer while trapping in the       
prairie region of ,dakota caught both   
river and marsh 'rats1 and discovered   
that the pelts of the latter were very  
thin1 and when dry rattled like paper   
when handled2 the color of the fur was a
 pale1 rusty red and very dull compared 
with that of the pelts of the river     
'rats in the same district4 ,i believe  
the inferior quality of the fur of these
 marsh 'rats is due to the excessive    
amount of alkali present in the marshy  
waters of the ,northwest4 ,papery       

peltries are discounted from ten to     
twenty-five per cent1 because the       
leather of such thin pelted fur is      
delicate and not very lasting4  ,there  
is a larger percentage of kitts found in
 the average collection of fall muskrat 
pelts than among any other kind of fur4 
,these pelts are poorly furred and very 
small compared with those of mature     
animals1 and are of little value4  ,in  
the spring muskrats fight a great deal1 
especially the males4 ,as a result1 the 
pelts of these are often damaged        
considerably4 ,it is not an uncommon    
occurrence to find entrapped muskrats so
 badly chewed and torn1 by their own    
kind1 that it does not pay to skin them4
  ,in assorting muskrats1 buyers usually
 pay more attention to size and         
primeness of pelt than they do to the   
fur1 because it is generally conceded   
that the average run of 'rat fur is     
good4 ,nature endows the muskrat with a 
dense coat of fur1 which1 in fact1 is a 
necessity to further its welfare in the 

icy waters in which it lives4  ,as      
before stated1 'rats1 like most of the  
other fur bearers1 vary considerably in 
size in various parts of the country4   
,for example the pelt of a large        
,southwestern muskrat is no larger than 
that of an ,atlantic coast 'rat of the  
small grade4 ,the districts which show a
 marked difference in the value and size
 of 'rat pelts may be divided into four 
groups1 as follows3 ,first1 ,eastern    
,canada1 ,new ,england1 ,new ,york1     
,pennsylvania1 ,new ,jersey1 ,michigan1 
,ohio1 ,indiana1 ,illinois1 and ,west   
,virginia2 second1 ,delaware1 ,kentucky1
 ,maryland1 ,virginia1 ,tennessee1 and  
the ,carolinas2 third1 ,wisconsin1      
,minnesota1 ,iowa1 ,nebraska1 and the   
,northwest2 fourth1 ,missouri1          
,arkansas1 ,kansas1 to the ,pacific and 
,southern4  ,the pelts of the first     
district are of the best quality and    
therefore command the best prices4      
,those of the second average about ten  
per cent less per pelt1 and those of the

 third and last district average about  
twenty and thirty-five per cent less1   
respectively1 than those of the first   
named district4    ,,end ,,of ,,the     
,,accomplished ,,muskrat ,,trapper