The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-12-15
HUNTING H SKUNK
NEW ENGLAND PAsrIME WHICH
Is SAID TO BE VERY EXCITING.
Which Gives Zest and Profit to
Farmers and Their Boys.
snringneld Repubncan.


Throughout the hiny farms of New Eng
land another skunk skin crop has now been
gathered in. 1t isn't a harvest which is
mentioned in the regular agricultural sta
fistics. but it is an important one. never
theless. and a very large proportion of
parpB. especially among the meadows OF
Connecticut and central Massachusetts, are
now rejoicing in their store OF garnered
skunks. In fact the skunk skin is the most
important thing IN the line OF fur which
IS still exported from the more civilized
pats of New England The mink skin is
more valuable, but It is now quite rare,
and the muskrat. though plenty, is 50 cheap
as 70 be hardly worth the catching; but
the skunk is both quite valuable and still
fairly plenty. increasing and multiplying in
a riotous. skiold geometr.cal progression
that would let it Inherit the earth in half
a dozen generations if it were not for the
intrepid pursuit of the small boy and the
farmer. Besides, it furnishes an exhilar-
ating sport for all in search OF adventures
afeid. But by a certain delicacy OF our
sporting writers much has been left unsaid
which might be said of the dangers. disas-
tiers and hairbreadth escapes of skunking.
This cannot be looked on. otherwise than
as a loss to literature.
LAOR ~ 'NA~ - 49, 1850 NHAo h~AA
catching, in many cases, is TO farmers can
be seen BY the fact that it is estimated that
from 1900 TO 1000 skunk skins. averaging
about 80 cents apiece 10 their captors. were
sent out from the State OF Connecticut alone
last year. The skins are nearly all sent
abroad, the prices being governed by three
big sales in London. one in January. one in
March and one in June. AT last January's
sales there were 10000 skins disposed of.
or these a great proportion are said to go
for use as caps in the Russian and other
continental armies With these data. we
cannot refrain from remarking with sur
prise the neglect of the skunk dog as a
factor in European warfare Would IL not
be we'll. we ask, for the triple alliance to
add from time to time a good skunk dog to
It's forces? The movement of the Russian
army, when slightly heated. would then be
nothing less than an open book to them
nothing at all: However, the skin now
serves the armies well. no doubt, as IL does
all OF its other uses. for really IL is a fine
fur, thick and durable. and when naturally
black very glossy and beautiful. 1t is for
this reason that the black skins are pre-
ferred, as all are eventually dyed black,
and the white skins when dyed are rather
black skin is worth as high as Sis. while
a white one brings only from 10 to 10
cents. Black and white are only COMPARE
rarely pure black and almost never entirely
white For commercial purposes however,
below the shoulders is black. while a white
backed animal IS called white. Between
these two are grades known respectively as
IdlA-StIlRC dnQ Iull SlIaDCs dCCOIQll6 u
the size OF the white bands on the back.
The white animals. for some reason. seem
20 be more vigorous than the black. and
as they have an unfortunate failing for
black skunk as a diet. they manage to
create themselves a majority before the
season Is over. However, there are enough
black ones left to make about thirty-fve
out OF one hundred in a years catch count
as black. and the average price secured for
the pelts IS somewhere about 80 cents.
A FRIEND OF MAN.
I'm +b& whole the skunk whra not a "a
mIliar, must be counted a friend OF man.
Although he will occasionally help himself to
a half-grown chicken, his general diet is
composed Of bugs about the fields. and he
OF course devours a great many Of them in
a year, turning up the stones TO secure
them However, he will eat anything that
IS meat, especially dearest diet
of skunk kind is skunk, and the trappers
take advantage OF this fact to lure them to
an untimely fate. Trapping skunks is done
chiefly in the winter and the early spring,
though 1t may be begun when the skins nrst
become good, in the middle of October, and
continue till their season is past again,
about the middle of March; The old-fasn-
toned fgure-four trap is still popular, sup
porting a big stone under which the un-
fortunate skunk on yanking at the bait
meets an abrupt and squatty death. The
later fashion is, OF course. to use steel traps,
but neither is so popular as still hunting,
because the animals die a fussy and inn
III OCdlls liz A06NC9 q $3.50 49,
preston or the skin, and, also, IL Is not
possible to get so many skins this way.
The still hunt is rather a larger institu-
zion. hut IL Is justified by it's results, and
n ore and more are coming now to use It,
The first requisite CT skunk hunting Is a
good dog. Generally a shepherd or a cross
with shepherd blood in it proves the most
DISTINGUISHED in this service or MANKIND.
But almost any kline or a dog can De
skunk dog, like a poet, IS born ana not
made. He trains himself mostly. and makes
game. In his youth the skunk dog has ap-
parently seen his mother insulted by some
wanton skunk or something OF the KIND,
delta against the race. AT all events ne
seldom regards the game as other game
dogs do. and often a muzzle is necessary
10 restrain him from chewing up his skunk
entirely Having a dog With a past OF TINS
kind about your hreside,. the sport or
skunk hunting IS as simple and devoid
Of strain on mentality as gol1ng. Choosing
a dark, misty fall night. we secure a stout
four-foot club, and, putting on our SKUNK
ing costume. HE ourselves out into the
murky dark and on toward the open mead
ows, where the quarry wanders, browsing
up succulent mouthfuls of crickets from un-
tread at any time on our game, my reader,
so familiar and gentle a thing II Is. SO
step softly, softly. How beautiful, and cool
and fragrant is the evening air. AL. an,
this is a stone wall. / think we have
struck :. kilt +; T n1iygb leE a nptnrned 10 after Ss 0 aPi: let u.s.
push on. plucking the bramDies from our
hair and eyes. and saying as little as we
can: the dog is barking. / think he has
sensed a skunk IN the grass, and 1t Is ours.
WHEN o FIND HIM.
When once, in fact. the dog has run
across a skunk track 1t is a very simple
matter 10 secure II. as a rule. Sometimes.
OF course, 1t will go TO earth in the wood
chuck hole. which 1t inhabits, or a stone
wall, but generally the courageous little
animal bristles calmly up to the dog and
shows fight In case he holes, and IL one
can follow quickly enough 10 catch his tail,
A. may be remarked in passing for those in
terested to try it. that it is generally safe
20 ysnk him quickly out. IL you are strong
enough to do so, for he makes a strong re-
sistance, swelling up in the hole and dig
ging his toes in. No mortal man can pull
him out entire at first so strong is his grip.
but in a few minutes he grows exhausted
and slips gradually out. Then If anything
IS to be done il were well IL IL we're done
quickly. and your assistant should NOW the
game with his club Immediately. unless per-
chance you care TO hold the animal up by
its tail. when IL is claimed that 1t is unable
20. harm. The tail. old hunters say, Is not.
as commonly claimed, an aid to the ballis-
tiC properties OF the animal. but IL is neceS-