Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1892-02-12
HUNTING THE MUSKRAT.
ONE OF THE MOST INGENIOUS
OF ARCHITECTS.
Muddy Creeks Are the Haunts OF the
Animal-How They Build Their
Holses-Methois Employed
I'm Their Capture.

Va PuhbOAS ONOA - 0NNAA A'NNSi "NNif
numerous.
The only reason why he has es-
capped extinction is probably that he
isn't really worth capturing. His
pelt is worth at most 10 or 20 cents.
and. though he is a small and clumsy
animal he is by no means so easily
captured rs any one might think who
padding along one of the sluggish
branches of the river near this city.
hears 'plunkn and then sees a small
object-which he knows TO be musk
rats nose-leisurely making off
through the water. OF course, the
rest OF the animal goes with the nose,
but only the latter is visible above
the water Let the least unusual
noise be heard and the nose disap-
pears. A moment later dark object
fits into one of the many holes that
are visible along the banks of the
stream at low tide That is the last
the man in tho boat will see OF the
muskrat for some tine
OF course, muskrats are not hard to
trap but as stated. they aren't worth
the time and trouble. If they could
be eaten they might be pursued more
eagerly, for nothing that can be eaten.
be it ever so small. is safe from mans
pursuit but eating is out of the ques-
ton. OF course, though it is said that
in certain parts of the country. among
certain people the flesh of the musk
rat is regarded as quite palatable.
In one respect the musirat is an In
teresting animal He is next to the
beaver the most ingenious architect
among animals The entrance TO his
house is tunnel in the bank of the
stream the mouth OF which is just
above the water at low tide. 1t ex-
tends for some distance under ground,
and opens ut its further end upon the
first story, so to speak, of the animals
habitation the top of which is quite
near. or even above, the surface of the
ground.
When the animal has completed the
arrangements of the ground floor
an upward lead is made. like spiral
stairway TO tho second floor, which is
made into room similar TO the first
but OF less circumference.
A third and sometimes a fourth floor
is built each succeeding room being
of somewhat less diameter up to the
roof or dome.
The height OF each floor from the
level of the marsh is regulated by the
successive heights reached by the tide
the top floor being always higher than
the highest watermark at food tide.
The rats are social in their habits, and
at extremely low eb0 when the ac-
commodations are greatest in the
houses quite a number may be found
in the same hut
At flood tide fewer are found in any
one house. as the accommodation is
limited then only to the upper stories.
which are free Of water, but these are
all the more easily secured by the
hunter.
There are three ways by which tn G
rats are captured-by shooting, by
trapping and by spearing. A few may
be secured at night by creeping as
noiselessly as possible along the creek
edges and watching for them to craw |
up on the bank to feed.
In this they are very dainty. Hav-
ing secured a favorite root, they APP
proach cautiously the waters edge
and dip it in and rub of the mud. dip
it in again and again until it is per-
fectly clean and suited TO their taste
when it is eaten with evident relish.
provided the sportsman is sufficiently
interested in the process to wait. A
boat however is usually used. as the
, rats can be more easily and quietly
approached on the water. In this
case two persons occupy the same
boat the sportsman requiring q
pusher. as in the case OF ortolans.
AS this sport can only be engaged in
at night the sky must be compare
lively clear in order that the hunter
may have the advantage Of the moon
light or better still, bright star
light.
A headlight with reflector is how
ever sometimes used on the bow OF
/ the boat and this arrangement is fire.
| quently quite successful during the
darker nights TO one sufficiently well
acquainted with the hunting grounds.
Traps are made of boards about six
I inches wide and three feet long
These are nailed together like an or.
/ binary box trap the open ends bein g
secured by swinging doors OF wire net
work fastened to the upper part oil
both entrances. These doors allow
easy ingress 10 the trap but once in.
the rat can not get out without open
ing the door by pulling it 10 him,
which secret he seems very slow 70
/ discover.
These traps are put in the leads
running from the houses to the water
when the tide is at low ebb and the
rats are out feeding On the return
they crawl up the leads push against
one OF the wire doors OF the trap.
which Immediately opens into the
trap but they can not go further as
the next door opens toward them.
Before they can gnaw out the tide
comes W and they are drowned in the
trap. BY having number of trap:
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