Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1891-05-28
SEA-OTTER HUNTING.

ssEA-oTTER HUNTING.
Pac.fic Coast Industry About whioh.
Eut Little Has Been Written.
It is not generally known that sonns
d the most valuable fur-producing AMI
mails are killed off the coast Of the new
state of Washington, and it is remark-
able that the extent Of territory where
these animals are talen is 50 extremely
limited, being only from Damon's Point,
1T the northern entrance to Gray's Har-
Dor, up the coast to Point Greenville, q
distance Of about twenty-four miles.
The animal referred to is the sea-otter,
the fur OF which is manufactured into
the robes Of the potentates and princes
ST the Old World:
The fur 81 tie sea otter requires no
plucking OF hair or coloring; in fact, the
most valuable skins are those which are
speckled throughout with silver-tipped
hair, which is known as the si1ver-tipped
turs the addition OF this hair adding %
to SO per cent. to.tie price 81 the skin!
The hunters build for themselves der
ricks about 40 feet high by taking three
slim poles, or pieces of timber, each
about 40 feet in length, and boiling
chem securely together at one end for
The top, then spread them abo,it IS feet
apart at the bottom, giving the appear
once OF a huge tripod These are set on
the ocean beach, about midway between
high and low tides, the foot of the poles
being embedded I'd the sand from two to
6hree feet. Tho structure Is then, thor
oughly braced and a ladder builtsto the
top by mailing pieces at convenient dis
tances, crosswise, on the inside About
Is inches below the top of the tripod
cross timbers are secured to the legs,
and upon these cross tin1bers floor
from 4 to feet square is laid, and on
the oeeanward. and two adjoining sides
walls are built up from 81 to 4 feet in
height, On the side door is con-
structed to allow the hunter easy in
gress to and from his sscrow's nest On
the top of the tripod, which extends
about Is inches above the floor, seat
Is Constructed, and around the inside
Of the wall row of shelving is
placed. At low tide, when the wind
Is propitious, the hunter HES himself to
his crows nest armed with good pair
Of glasses, a ShSrp's rifle, lunch and a
little something to keep himself warm,
and FIR six hours he scans the line of
the ocean just outside the breakers,
where he must expect his game to APP
pear When the tide begins to flood, his
range is about 600 yards. but as it runs
in the range is shortened to 200 or 800
yards. Even at these latter distances
it requires close calculation to know lust
how to shoot to overcome the rise and
fall Of the ocean swell and the effect of
the wind upon the bullets. 1t is said
that not one outof 100 shots Of the best
mhflSsmen is effective When the tide is
full the derrick stands in tn midst o the
breakers, and landlubber feels little
saueamish, looking down from the dizzy
heights on the rolling waters below.
The shooting is generally done on food
tide, so the animal, when killed will
wash ashore, and even then it is some
times three or four days after one is
killed before it is beached. Undoubt.
docome ashore. Each hunter marks his
| bullets with marks known to other hunt
ers Snd when an otter is found on the
beach, the first duty of the finder is to
look for the bullet and ascertain who
Is the right owner. fof ths sign
is respected among the hunters as sa-
credly as marks and brands are among
stockmen. When an otter comes ashore
with no bullet in him, as frequently
occurs, the bullet having gone clean
through the body, and no notice having
been given, it belongs to the finder.
An average skin is about 5 feet long
by II inches vide (double), or, when
cut, "a inches wide, and in the hunters
hand is valued at from 500 to $3.50; hui
these prices leave a handsome margin
1 to the fur men who handle them II
Russia an overcoat made from these
same otter skins brings from 81 900 t,
$4,000, while in China even more il
sometimes paid. The season for KILN,
sea otter extends from May to October
a and so scarce is the game becoming tina
four season is considered doing vel
by any hunter. In fact, some pass tn,
season without taking any The hunter
i have a rule among themselves, which i
strictly observed, that only one derricl
can be allowed within range, i.
4 about half mile. thus giving the Who'll,
beach regularity of appearance no
/ elsewhere observable. II Portland Ore
! gonian.