The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-06-27
MUSK-RATS.,
METHODS OF HUNTING THE
LITTLE RODENT.
A Novel Sport That is Becoming
Very Popular with Amateur
MISUNDERSTANDING and
Spearing Them.


Very Popular with Amateur
Huntsmen-Shooti and
Spearing Them.
Musk-rat hunting is sport that is
just beginning to attract considerable
attention in different parts of the coun-
try, where extensive areas of marsh-land
form favorite feeding grounds for these
little rodents. Resides the professional
trappers, who live in huts along the
edges of the marshes, and earn their
daily bread by hunting the rats, thousands
of sportsmen engage in the business
every spring merely for the pleasure
which the sport affords. When the
game is found in abundance, the hunters
find excitement enough in capturing the
active little creatures, for they have
methods of effecting escape when pur-
sued by enemies which often lead the
sportsmen long races.
With the exception of the beaver, the
musk.rat is probably the most ingenious
of rodents in the construction of it's
houses. 1t always selects wet, marshy
places for its homes, and all of the rivers
and streams of water emptying into the
Atlantic Ocean have their share of the
small creatures. The low marshes
abounding in treacherous bogs and quag-
mires, which are a terror to amateur
huntsmen, are the places selected for the
musk-rat's home, and usually location
is preferred which is flooded at high
tide, but which is clear of water at low
ebb. The houses are generally two or
three stories high, and connected with
the creek or stream of water by long,
narrow tunnel, which the musk.rat bur-
rows at low tide. The ground floor is
laid on alevel with this tunnel, or lead,
as it is called, and is circular in con-
struction. A. second lead, or sort OF
spiral stairway, connects the ground
floor with the second room directly above
it, which is sslightly smaller than the first.
The height of the house is regulated BY
the tide. The top floor is always just
above the highest water-mark. ..-.
There are three waysin which the rats
are hunted, any one of which makes
good sport. Shooting them Is the mode
of hunting that usually suits the foreign
huntsmsn, for in this he is not compelled
to tramp across the treacherous meadows,
and run the risk of miring waist-deep in
sticky mud. He usually goes in boat
along the edges of the stream on clear
bright night when the rats come ashore
to feed. The rats, though very vicious
in the daytime, become bolder and more
daring after dark, and they will freqently
allow boat to approach quite close to
them. After they have secured a spicy
root they approach the waters edge, and
dipping it in the steam they rub off the
mud, and wash it thoroughly before be-
ginning to eat. While engaged in this
operation the hunter can easily shoot the
little creature, provided the night is not
80 dark that he is unable to get fair
view of the rat on the marsh. On dark
nights headlight with strong refec-
tor may be used with good effect.
Trapping the rats is another mode OF
capture. The traps are constructed some
what after the fashion Of the old box
trap. They are placed in the leads which
connect the houses with the rivers at low
ebb. When the rats return through
their miniature tunnels they push against
the wire door of the trap, which easily
opens for them, and closes Immediately
after they have entered. They can then
proceed no farther until they gnaw
through the trap, but before they can do
this the tides rises, and browns them in
their underground prison. Nearly all OF
the hunters have a number of traps set,
which they can easily attend to while
they are engaged in killing the animals
in another way, which is the most de-
structive mode of capture of all. This is
by spearing the rats, and it can be done
successfully only by the old trappers,
who understand how to use the spears
with considerable effect. It is not looked
upon favorably by sportsmen, as it
has a tendency to drive the rats
away frum the more accessible parts
of the marsh. The spears aFe
simple of construction, but deadly
in their use. In strong cross section
piece of wood number of sharp spears,
three or four feet long, are fastened.
Approaching the rat-house as quietly as
possible, the hunter suddenly plunges
the spears down into the soft mud and
rushes as far as he can shove it. With
a pick-axe he then pulls the house to
pieces. By this method he often
captures two or three musk-rats at once,
as the iron spears will impale all of the
rodents that happen to be in the house.
But in this work the hunter must need
be very cautious and wary in his move
ments, as the slightest noise will frighten
the rats away before he can plunge the
spears through the house.
The hunters of the musk-rats use the
flesh for food, but it is the fur for which
they are the most valuable. This is of
two kinds, black and brown, the black
being considered the most valuable, as
dealers pay as high as twelve and eight
cen cents apiece for them. The brown
can often be purchased for six and ten
cents each. The brown rat is larger,
however, than It's black cousin, and when
full grown it will measure twelve or
fourteen inches from the tip of the nose
to the root of the tail. The rats are
distinguished by peculiar kind of
musk, which is found in little sack just
under theskin in the lower part of the
body.