River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1898-01-06
CAN A SKUNK CATCH A MousE7
Question over which Maine Farmers
md Hunters Are DIsnnttnE.

y
and any number OF healthy mice which
the fox trappers nigh, choose TO pro-
duce. Since then three tournaments
have been held, and though every one
was largely attended and much money
wagered on the result, the referees have
been unable TO render a decision i'm
favor of either side.
At the first trial the skunk was shy
and so frightened NJ the crowds OF
men that he wouldn't pick up mouse
when il was placed under his nose.
though il is claimed that he caught and
ate two mice after the men had gone
away While this answered the de
mands of science. il was far from salts
factory 20 the bettors, who insisted on
seeing the skunk catch and cat mouse
before they paid over their money. Al
the second trial held in Sidney in De-
tober tame skunk that had beer kept
hungry for TWO days was introduced
into the pen among the mice This
skunk had no trouble In catching three
mice, all of which he devourcd IN the
presence Of the spectators Before n
decision could be given the men who
Lad wagered money against the skunk
declared that the mice had been caught
recently, and were IN a dazed condition,
which untitled them for trial Upon
hearing this argument the referee re
fused 70 declare the skunl, The winner,
md appointed third trial, which came
of in Randolph early in November
Ten tame White mice were turned
loose in a tightly fenced area two rods
square, and when the guests mad assem-
bled and the bets had been made the
tame skunk Of the previous meeting
was put among them. The skunk was
not hungry and paid no heed 70 the mice
that scampered about az his feet \
mouse was killed and fed TO him 20
sharpen his appetite, after which he
seemed TO have no trouble i'm catching
all tho mice he wanted, When lie had
killed four without making any Mt
tempt to eat them. The men who had bet
on the skunk demanded a decision
claim me tha' the skunk had fulfilled his
con ract; but the fox champions de-
mu~~cl, saying white mice were no,
so agile rs the wild field mice ard as
scrting tbut the two rods lImita-
tion Ct the pen gave the skunk an nd
vantage which he could not get in the
open field For these reasons the
referee declared all bets of and APP
pointed fourth meeting, TO be held
in Chelsea next May,
Members of the Brunswick Fur club
and others who hunt foxes with dogs
say that the welfare of all the apple or
cbards IN Maine depends upon the re-
salt of this contest. They say that by
using 4 new bait which has q peculiar
fascinating smell for foxes tho trap
pers arc killing of all the foxes i'm
Maine, aud taking thcm at time when
the fox is practically worthless. One
trapper who passed two weeks I'M the
Aroostook county last February came
home with more than 500 pelts In
Keunebec county the new scent has
been used with such effect that a man
may travel all day in newly fallen snow
and not see 4 fox track II is further
asserted that no sooner did the foxes
disappear from their haunts than the
mice began 70 girdlc the apple trees
killing whole orchards In single win
ter. For these reasons the men wht
hunt foxes with dogs asked the stat.
TO put q stop to trapping, and came he
fore the legislature with the names uI
more than 5000 orchardists attached
TO their petitions. In he debate which
followed Secretary McKecn, of the
l,oorJ re ooriat,fffrre cqiJ fb,f cl-ttr l..