Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-02-14
MUSKRAT CATCHING.
How Certain South Jerseymen Turn
an Honest Penny by Trapping the
Rodents


philadelphia Record.l
Muskrat trapping is an industry of much local
Importance in southwest New Jersey. The time
occupied In capturing these animals extends
from october to March, embracing period of
pally, If not entirely, for their hides, although
their flesh is very highly esteemed by the trap
ping fraternity. The muskrat generally inhab-
its the banks Of bitches and creeks. They pick
out portion Of the bank overgrown with elders,
these supplying them with food, and also
helping to support their burrow. The rat,
begins operations In this way: Starting at the
waters edge, he bores inland to q distance of
several feet in winding manner, when he
distance Of two or three feet, where he begins to
excavate and form a basin, in the middle of
which he raises mound four or five feet in cir
conference. 1t is here the rats rest during the
day. After finishing this cavern, they return to
the waters edge by different route, thereby
providing three means of escape-two at the
their uniform construction, afford a striking
Illustration of bout architecture. The musk
rats inhabiting single burrow often number
as high as twenty fiye or thirty, and the size OF
mates. His ratship's diet consists Of roots and
grass, although he holds corn and potatoes in
high esteem but it Is not always H that he can
They are scrupulously clean in fact, proven
bially SO in this section. And it is no uncom-
mon thing on moonlight night for persons
travelling In the vicinity OF bitches and canals to
see rat sitting on the bank busily engaged in
washing an elder root or an ear Of corn. They
are, however, very retiring as regards visitors,
place himself in such a position as to be be-
tween the rat and his hole he would not hesi-
tate on an attack. And, by way OF illustrating
late the experience Of gentleman residing in
Salem. On recent evening he was passing
along one of our rural thoroughfares, which
was bordered on each side by a ditch It being
O rot e latn q ho q h1r
ing On at rapid pace, when he was suddenly
set upon by what he supposed to be dog.
After several futile efforts to drive the animal
sway, he betook himself to club, and after
sharp struggle, In which he was twice bitten,
he succeeded In killing the animal which proved
to be large muskrat. The mode Of trapping
these animals Is as diversified as 1t Is ingenious.
The manner most in vogue is by the common
steel-traps Besides this, there is what Is known
as the box-trap, q continuance about five feet
long by eight inches in height and breadth, with
doors at each end, working so that when the
luckless rat once enters he cannot open the door
from the inside. AS many as half dozen rats
are sometimes caught at once In this style OF
trap. "Snoods" and snares, resembling those
employed in trapping Birds are also much used
AS muskrats are very wary animals, great care
has to be taken In trapping them, and no amount
Of trap-setting by the uninitiated would result
be taken to insure the rats being caught else
where than by the leg, for, If he should be
caught In this manner, he would Immediately
mon occurrence. The rat, after being killed, is
carefully skinned and his hide stretched and
dried. 1t is then ready for market The size OF
a skin taken from a full-grown rat is about
seventeen inches long by ten inches wide and
the price obtained for IL from local dealers ten
and fifteen cents, according to size, color, &C.,
as thirty-five and forty cents. The number OF
rats captured in one season is very large. One
trapper had caught $50 rats this season up to
the 1st of January. The big tides of 1876, 1877,
and 1878, have had the effect of somewhat re-
tarding thisindustry by drowning a large num-
Der of rats and driving the others further