The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1905-05-30
PURSUIT OF PELTS.
RECKLESS HUNTERS DO GREAT
HARM IN LOUISIANA.
Build Fires to Drive Out Game and
Destroy Pasturage and Prop
erty-Exterminating
Animals.

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The demand for furs has caused an
invasion of southern Louisiana by
hunters in search of minks, raccoons,
'possums and even rabbits which threat
ems TO exterminate these animals as ef-
fectually as the millinery hunters have
exterminated the water fowl of the
gulf coast, says the New York Sun.
The rayages of the bird hunters were
so great as completely to annfhilate, in
two seasons, four varieties OF terms pc
culi2r TO Louisiana. One of these va
rieties was killed entirely for its tail
feathers, which furnished a very hand
some aigrette.
The Audubon society finally inter-
fered and secured from the legisla-
ture protection for non-game birds
which they did not previously enjoy;
and this has stopped the slaughter, but
not until several species had been com
pletely exterminated
The energy of the fur hunters is
likely to lead to similar hostile legis-
lation, if not by the legislature at any
rate by the police juries or governing
bodies of the several parishes. The
hunters have been far more active than
usual this year, and for the first time
are hunting possums for their skins
There is no particular objection to
their killing the animals, except from
the negroes, who regard them as great
delicacies; but the manner in which
the hunters have carried on the work
has been such as to arouse a great
deal of indignation and to invite pro-
hibitive laws.
The coon is particularly fond of
fish and shrimps, and as a consequence
the swamps, marshes and prairies on
the gulf coast are filled with them.
and make splendid field for the hunt
ers. The population of this region is
composed mainly of fishermen, who do
not hunt, and when the fur hunters
started in this year they found a pig
business awaiting them.
Unfortunately, they have tried to do
1t on too large a scale. The Louisiana
coast is covered with a coarse grass.
frequently five and six feet high, and
when this is set on fire the coons are
driven out and can be shot like pleas
ants in a preserve.
The prairies have been fired in all
directions by the hunters. The result
has been to cause heavy losses to the
stockmen who feed their cattle in these
prairies and to the lumbermen and the
fishermen
In Vermillion parish, which has over
a million acres of this prairie, the fires
started by the fur hunters have de-
stroyed nearly all the winter pas
turage of the cattle, and the injury to
the stockmen will mount up to the
hundreds of thousands of dollars. The
police jury has prohibited coon hunt
ing in the parish as a consequence.
The police juries of all the coast
parishes are likely to take action sim
liar to that of Vermillion, not in order
to protect coons and rabbits, but to pro-
tect the inhabitants against the reck-
lessness of the fur hunters. But for
this action these animals, now prob
ably more abundant in southern Louis
lana than in any other part of the
country would be wiped out this year
The recent raid on the coon, pos
sums and mink is due to the great de-
mand for furs and the destruction OF
fur-bearing animals in the northwest
The price paid for pelts is so good
that the hunting Of coons and possums
is highly profitable, and a good hunt
er makes from IS TO s25 day.
1t is more pl otitable than shooting
ducks or other game. The carcasses
are thrown away after being skinned.
or else they are converted into oil.
They furnish lubricating oil worth 60
cents gallon, and a good sized coon
will yield nearly half gallon of oil.
Coon skins have been selling for
several years, bringing from 20 to 90
cents. 'Possum skins have never been
sold in this region before the present
year, but are now in demand at from
10 to 20 cents, and even rabbit skins
bring cents apiece.
Squirrels have heretofore been with
out value, but in the last few months
there has been demand for squir-
rels' tails. The minks have always
been in demsnd, but they have been
few until recently.