The Lamar register., 1892-06-18
HUNTING THE MUsKRAT'
ONE OF THE MOST INGENIOUS
OF ARCHITECTS.
Muddy Creek. Are the Hann's "S 'ns
AnInai-How They baia
Houses Methods Employed
iu Their Capture

I
journal. Along the creeks that
m.ander through tho country and in
the marshes along the river the rodent
Of pungent odor is still moderately
numerous
The only reason why he has es-
capped extinction is probably tina, ne
isn't really worth capturing HIS
pelt is worth a, most 10 or 70 cents
and. though he IS q small and clumsy
animal he is by no means so easily
captured as any one might think who
padding along one of the sluggish
branches OF the river near this city.
hears 'Pluuk" and then sees a small
obiect-which no knows 10 be musk
rats nose-leisurely making OF
through the water. or course the
rest of tho 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 dirk object
iits into one OF the mauy holes that
are visible along the banks OF the
stream at low tide That IS the last
the man In the boat viii see OF the
muskrat for some tirua
trap bu.. rs stated. they aroa't worth
the time and trouble. II they could
be eaten they might Be pursued more
eagerly. for nothing that can be eaten
be it ever so small is safe from man ;
pursuit; but eating is out OF the ques-
ton. OF course though it Is said that
in certain parts OF tho country. among
certain people the flesh OF the musk
rat is regarded as quite palatablc-
In one respect the muskrat IS an In
teresting animal He Is next % the
beaver, the most ingenious architect
among animals The entrance 10 his
house is tunnel in the bank OF the
stream. the mouth OF which is just
above the water at Iow tids- Il cI-
tends for some distance under ground
and opens at its further end upon the
first story. so to speak. OF the animals
hahitaiion. the top OF which IS quito
near or even above the surface Of the
ground
When the animal has completed tho
arrangements OF the ground Zoos
an upward lead is raa5e like a spiral
stairway to tho second floor. which Is
made into a room similar 20 the first.
l UAl pI less NAENuAllNIfAANs-
| A third and sometimes n fourth foor
is built each succeeding room being
of somewhat loss diameter up 10 the
roof or dome
Tho height OF each aoo- from tho
level Of the marsh is regulated by tho
successive heights reached by the tide.
the top floor being always higher than
the highest wa,ermsrk a. food tide
! The rats are social In their habits and
at extremely low ebh When the &c.
commodstions are greatest in the
houses quite a number may b. found
in the same hut
At food-tide fewer arc found in any
one house. rs the accommodation I.
limited then only TO the upper s,ories
which are free OF water but these nre
all the mors easily secured by the
hunter.
There arc three ways by which tn
rats are captured-by shooting. by
trapping and by spoarinc. A few may
be secured at night by creeping as
noiselessly as possible along the creek
edges and watching fo- thetr 70 craw
up on the bank TO feed
In this they are very dainty. Hav-
ing secured favorite root they ap-
proach cautiously tho waters edge
and dip it in and rub OF the mud dip
it in again and again until II is pCr-
fectly clean and suited 10 their iaste
when it is eaten with evident relish.
provided the sportsman IS sufficiently
interested in the process 10 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 tho same
boat the sportsman requiring a
pusher; as in the case OF ortolans.
As this sport can only be engaged In
at night the sky must be compara-
lively clear in order tha. 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 tho bow OF
the boat and this arrangement is fire.
quently quite successful during the
darker nights 10 one sufficiently well
acquainted with the hunting grounds.
6 Traps are made of boards about six
inches wide and three feet long.
These are nailed together like an or.
uLhary poN-tFap tue open ends being
secured by swinging doors OF wire net.
work fastened to tha upper part of
both entrances These doors allow
easy ingress TO the trap but once in.
the rat can mot get out without OPEN
ing the door by pulling it to him.
which secret he seems very slow 10
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 agains,
one OF the wire doors of the tran
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 up and they are drowned in the
trap. BY having number OF traps
and watching the tides closely, a trap.
per can capture large number in
this way.
The most destructive mode of cap
ttrr ic Ir,