The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-12-26
HUNTING MUSKRATS.
An Important Industry OF tho Fishing
Bay (Md.) District.


bay (Md.) District.
visit to Illustrating village, as
the scattering cabins of the trnppers
along the border of Fishing bay, Mary
land, are called, will DO a revelation to
the stranger. Tho cabins are rude, and
have barely habitablo appearance.
Tho occupants are squatters, and tho
materials OF which their cabins are
built have been appropriated from tho
nearest tract of timber land. The trap
pe:s and their families are wild and
tattered race of beings, but hardy and
good natured. Ono popularity of a
Illustrating village is tho large num-
ber of children that belong to each
cabin Another feature of tho com
lnunity is q species of razor back hog
that swelis the population with its pres
ence. This nondescript member Of tho
porcino family has an important mis-
sion to perform in these settlements,
and he performs il with will. II is
the making away with tho hundreds OF
surplus muskrat carcasses that accumu-
late although tho flesh OF tho muskrat
ferns m important article of food with
tho trapper and his family. AS for that,
however, Gators Of muslirat meat arc not
confined TO the trapping villages of
Fishing bay, for il is considered u
great delicacy by many an epicuro III
that land of tcrrapin and canvas backs
A remarkable thing about tho razor
back hogs of the muslSrat region is that,
although thcy devour untold pounds OF
muskrat meat every day, they never
show the richness of their keeping by
adding a single pound of flesh to their
cadaverous bodies.
The muskrat builds its house so that,
while it has n couple of stories high and
dry on the ground, tho entrance to it is
always undcr water. This entrance is
long tunnel running from point
foot or more beneath tho water at low
tide limo to tho ground floor of tho
house, which is always flooded. The
musk-rat's reason for having this sub
terranean entrance to his dwelling
place is that thereby no has an oxit or
al entrance in time OF danger that will
not betray him to his enemies, either
in his flight from home, or in seeking
rcfngc within its walls. But his in
stinct does not warn him against the
trap his most cunning and persistent
enemy places at this Eiddon entrance
to his home, changing IL from way to
safety into an avenue to certain death
This trap Is 4 wooden box, thrce feet
long and SIX inches in width and
icpth. Iii each end is u wirc-door, hung
cn hinges at the top. These doors
Use at the slightest push on the out
side, but VIII not opcn from the inside.
Tho trap is sunk III tho water TO tho
mouth Of tho musllraLs tunnel and
anchored there, and whether the musk
rate Is going out OF his house or return
ing 10 IL. he is SUro 10 walk into the
TRAP. ii lac had time, tho captive rodent
could gHaw his way out q tho box, but
before he can FREQ himself no will
lrown. whole family OF muslyrats
may Lc taken in = single night in ono
Of these traps, and every trappcr has
out rs many traps IS he can nttond H..
There arc othcr ways BIZ which tho
muslrat is pursued. In tho daytime the
huntors steal over tho marshes and lab
long Gandiod spears with sharp barbed
tines down through the roofs of tho
muslCrat houses Sometimes n spear
will impaie half a dozen rats as thoy
lie cuddled togcthor in their cosy nests.
hunters with guns skirt tho marshes Mt
night locking Cor 'nusl5rats with the aid
u jack lamps, but that me thod Of hunt
ng IS followed more to indulge the
sporting inclination Of tho hunter than
10 roap profit limos OF extraordinary
.idcs on tho marshes arc times always
Welcomed bY .hc muskra,tcr, for the
ats arc then forced from their houses.
n spite OF tho iniallib!e instinct thoy
ere alleged TO possess in gorosccing such
,alaniLDus happenings and guarding
sgainsc them BY building their houses
1ishcr They arc compelled to foc TO
do open country ana seek places OF
safety, which they rarely find, for tho
trappcrs and hunters have no difficulty
n locating thcsn, ANA so thoy AFRO given
,vcr 90 I. Wholesale slaughter -Clothicr
and i'aruishcT