The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-10-09
TWO VIEWS OF THE SKUNK.
HUNTED IN CONNECTICUT, EsTEBAEED
AMONG HOP GROWERS.

Rights Tor the sake OF tno EeIte ana tne
Oil of the acknowledgements Conferred
By skunks on the Hop-GrowinE Counties
CHESTER, N. Y, Sept. 30.-"If you should
happen to be over in the rural districts OF Con-
n~ectiout a month or 80 from now" said
the naturalist. and especially in the Con
~nectiout River Valley. you would flnd the tiller
Of the soil absorbed in q popular and profit
able occupation. by nc means pleasant to a
person whose sense OF smell Ia toned UP to a
point somewhat approaching fastidlousness
This occupation IL skunk hunting. 1t Is not
a pastime. but n business. and it pays better
than farming or any other vocation that offers
itself to the back country dweller In that part
Of the Nutmeg State.
But l am sorry for one thing about this o.
oupation. The Connecticut followers of It call
It hunting the polecat. which 1t isn't. for there
ia no such thing as a polecat in Connecticut or
IN any other part OF this ountry Of ours. The
skunk Is as different from n polecat as a bear
is different from a dog. and yet It is q com
mon thing. in all our rural districts, to hear
that some one has killed a polecat, or that
there IL q polecat about. Thu polecat is OF the
weasel family and Is one of the most interest
ing rs we'll as one of the most destructive little
animals that aboun in England. which is its
home. The skunk is n night hunter. The
polecat starts out on its ~foraRing expeditions
in the early hours OF the morning. about the
time the skunk is going home. The polecat
especially thrives in England. because 1t finds
there rabbit burrows. and 1t dotes on rabbits.
although it has a long list of things it seeks
as prey. including all kinds OF furred and
feathered game, poultry. rats. frogs. cells. and
other fish. for the polecat is an accomplished
fisher. while the skunk avoids water and is q
lover of insects. grubs and.worms. although it
has a great fondness for eggs and will not
hesitate to steal a chicken.
mo fish can swim. no duck can dive better
than the polecat. 1t knows where the plump
est trout hide. and. as noiseless and swift In
water as it is on land. there is sure to be a fish
In its mouth when 1t dives and comes again
to the surface. Eels are a favorite catch Of the
polecat, and having captured one. the pole
cat will take It alive to the bank and there
amuse itself with the tenacious flsh's writings
and contortions. as the house cat delights to
play with a mouse. Possessed Of a nose keen
err than the keenest hound. the polecat follows
;he feet hare long distances. and. relentless
and untiring in the chase, at last surely gets its
fangs into its victims throat. The polecat
steals upon the little:nut-brown partridge. or
the stately and sober grouse, before the dawn
has disturbed them. and 50 quickly and silently
does It's work that 1t will have pierced the brain
Of half a dozen or more before its presence is
known among the birds. for this destructive
creature is never content to capture and kill
Just enough for it's immediate use, but will de-
stroy as many birdssor animals during one hunt
as would serve it for q months sustenance.
this being the true weasel rapacitv and taste
for blood-letting The polecat introduces the
same tactics to the poultry yard. and kills by
Wholesale. Just for the pleasure OF the,thinR,
and we may be glad that there are no pole
n a "a 70 hunt In ON lind Tho po1aoat lie nban
lutely without fear. and will boldly defend it.
SELF against man. 1t has q musky but not Of
%fensive odor. but no such terrible means of de-
fence as the skunk.
But under the lame Of the polecat the Con-
necticut Valley rural dweller hunts and traps
the skunk. the season beginning with the
heavy fiat stone. supported by notched sticks
held in .L place &c BY a spindle pPSn the top end OF
hind quarter OF. a tmusErat or a piece "i fresh
rabbit is considered a fetching bait. In at
tempting to take the meat from the delicately
hung spindle. the skunk springs the trap and
NAL. The most favorable localities for set
ting these stone deadfalls are at the foot Of
walls. around pasture lots and near lodges and
old cellars or chimney stacks in deserted
Steel traps are sometimes used. They are
placed in the burrows leading to the skunk's
abode, or in the line Of approach to a burrow.
in steel traps. for it is suspicious Of them. II
one should be placed uncovered. or pot skill
oat a T9HeGf4 The IN tr Iti ouf BSit b # T1Hl Of dig lie " s Ea1
trap-for no bait would induce the skunk 70 go
near one. is necessary to get the, game. They
deep snow covers the ground there is no use
setting any, trap for a skunk, for none will ven
young o the moon. When the skunk is stir.
c eiRs it ior sttib%apsiDDiff STRn ne timed m4y be rs sP }sR rods L;
around. as II Q drove of pigs had been roofing
there. This Is where the skunk is seeking
N-rn ar1 ~HtNhn and fnGnnt Hha lt,-A Il, tlN
ground. The animal has also an uncanny lik-
Ing Tor grayeyards. and VII pc found Rurrowo
oftener than elsewhere.
The skunk hunter seeks to get to a hunting
ground not later than 8 o'clock in the even
ing. He is dressed in a suit of cast;off cloth
ing. so that in case he meets possible disas-
ter during the hunt It will be Of no ,conse-
weapon is q stout club or pole. Armed with
this he steals over the hunting ground and his
keen eye, will not fail to discover the game he
the hunter steals stealthlly toward It. and II he
succeeds, IN getting within striking distance
turns IKE 9 flash. face toward the hunter,
blow with the club, and II it has been carefully
are ended and all is serene, II the blow has
s siam 1f Killed, t the air viii HTf be lac laden shS with tT@u BE
for the, hunter. and he will more than likely
THE profit in gathering the skunk in the
Connecticut ruralreg ons lies in It's pelts, which
find q ready market. and are paid for accord
Ing to their g~rade-7stripe. half stripe. or black.
The natural skunkskin should have a white
stripe running. down the back from the head
to the tall b9t in some specimens tho stripe
is missing, entirely. The ,pelt Of the al l-black
skunk Ia the most valuable to the furrier and
commands ms high as $50. The striped skins
are worth from rs cents TO 81.
The fat Of the skunk has also a value in
Connecticut. From 1t an oil is tried which is
alleged to, possess wonderful. medicinal prop
critics in the treatment OF Group, rheumatism,
Inflammation Of the lungs, and similar all
nents. This skunk fat oil has been sold for as
much as 81 an ounce.
But how different they. regard the skunk
In the hop-growlnR district'ot New York State.
II you want to get yourself thoroughly dis
liked n IN a e9m N thni G9 up Into 0tsego county
mean about the skunk. You don't need to XIII
one to get people down on You. Merely talk
mean about that usually despised animal and
you will get talked back to in a way that will
set you to thinking. The hop-growinR coun-
ties are the only l9calities. ! guess, n The whole
call a man a skunk. In every other place,
nan think nf about Rnma nna alaa vpIt faal