The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1905-02-09
PROFIT IN A SKUNK FARM,
How Yankee Farmers Turn MalOdorous
Creatures to Account.

In the northern part Of Connecticut,
close to the Massachusetts line and near
settlement Of Shakers, is a skunk
farm which is run by two young farm
crs with profit to themselves IL with
discomfort to their neighbors. This To-
cality had always been greatly troubled
by slunks, and after warning against
them incessantly, these two farmers,
John and Joseph King, decided to make
blessing out OF evil, and capture the
skunks for market As skunk skins are
worth from 40 cents To Sl.50 apiece,
| they decided to trap the animals and
market their pelts. So they set their
/ traps and waited, but in considerable
time only few of the little black and
/ white creatures were caught, SO the
/ method was deemed too slow one to
| be remunerative, and the King brothers
/ decided TO hunt them.
The plan that they follow is this:
Just as it is growing dark they 60 forth
into the fields with courageous but
/ discreet dog. A number of skunk holes
are visited in succession. The dog shifts
around each, and it does not take HIM
long to decide whether the skunk IS
at home or not III the skunk has
gone out he starts on its trail until he
comes within a safe distance Of IT,
Then he bays long and loud and the
two farmers creep swiftly up and usual
" find the little animal sitting up on
| it's hind legs, meditating humiliation to
the dog.
While the skunk is thus occupied one
Of the farmers sneaks behind it and
drops a net over it. The net is made
of 4 barrel hoop over which is stretched
bag, and the whole fastened to a
short handle AS soon as this net Ia
, dropped over the skunk it jumps into
the top Of the bag and the hoop j.
scooped carefully under it. and it
is lifted into the mir in the net. Then
the neck of meal bag which the other
: farmer carries is opened and the small
J bunch Of fur slipped into it. There the
! animal curls up and gives no further
| trouble After The hunt has lasted about
. three hours the men return home, gen
, orally bringing several skunks witt
them, and as a good-sized animal weighs
from ten to twelve pounds, the burden
of CARRYING them is not an easy one.
9 The pelts Of these animals are only
, valuable in cold weather. II killed be
z fore October the skin will be blue OF
Z the under side. Later it will becom'
2 white and bring much higher pric
y in the market. But it Is not Away
! easy to hunt them in the fall and win
ter months, so the Kings hunt them 4
the summer and keep them CAREFUL
: until it is cold enough for them to b
. slaughtered. When these men frs
caught the skunks they were turne
, into a home made Of an old hencooI
:, with yard inclosed with wire. Board
: and tin were sunk into the ground t
{ keep the creatures from digging oui
& This was an acceptable home to tn
skunks, but persons living in the vicin
ity Of the skunk farm claimed that q
). no time was the air fit to Breathe S
= the animals. we're removed to the barn.
d Into this barn the skunks are shake
q from the bag when the farmers retur
from a hunt In boxes in the center Z
to the floor and in corners skunks are I
be seen piled IN heaps fast asleep. Inc
be are fed every evening, and eat neari
everything that is meat. They are give
III bits of muskrat and rabbit and n
- earcasses of all small animals. ~
g King brothers have a fondness for Il
81 creatures and say that each one Ia
an individuality of it's own. When q
RI men 20 into the barn the skunks RI
~ against them and squeal and tumb
about like pampered kittens The kinl
.'monkey with the buzz saw" by picl
~ ing the animals up by the tail.
Is said that this an easy thing to
1I II ii il done quickly, and with ler
e but most visitors are willing to tai
the Kings word for it without tryir
IN. the experiment for themselves.
The fur dealers send agents throug
il out the country each fall to obta
NJ skunk pelts and the Kings expect
make about $50 on their pets this Sc
son. In few weeks they will
- killed by shooting them with reYoly
and their skins will 90 on the wal
en to dry and wait for the agents. NJ
ZEN York Tribune