Omaha daily bee., 1910-03-06
BIG HARVEST FOR TRAPPERS
louisiana Profiting from a Whim Of
Fashion.
LARGE INCOMES FOR POOR MEN
Millions of Killed to Sup
ply the Demand for FUrS--Mink
and otter skins Also
Obtained.

NEW ORLEANS, Feb. 26.-The louisiana
trapping season will be over on March !
and contrary to expectations the fur crop
of the state will be a good one and will
leave probably a million and a half in the
hands of the trappers.
Half a dozen times in the last dozen
years 1t has looked as though they would
have to work for a living instead of fol-
lowing the free and easy existence they
Head in their huts and pirogues along the
great sea marsh OF Louisiana or the rivers,
bayous and lakes which empty into the
gulf. They are unfortunately extermina-
tiers.
Starting with the alligators, they killed
the entire saurian tribe in Louisiana, con-
v%erting them into hand bags and s%atchels,
until there were no alligators to kill. Then
when fashion changed, they set in to kill
the terms, egrets and other seabirds for
their feathers. In two years they eXter-
I minated several species of these birds and
would have annihilated all Of them had not
the Audubon society interviewed and Sc
cured the protection Of the birds by state
and federal statutes.
When 1t looked like hard work with the
hoe and the spade for the trappers, furs
came into fashion, and the arctic region
not being able to supply the demand, sub
stitutes were sought for everywhere. To
the surprise OF everybody II was discov-
cred that Louisiana was a great fur pro-
Queer, 1t contributed last year and will
probably contribute this year more furs
than any other state except the wilder
states Of the far west, for 1t turned in for
1909 in a season Of three months some
thing like 100000 pelts.
Profits for the TrapperS.
The business has assumed immense pro-
portions. A number of dealers sprang up
in New Orleans, and the trappers found the
competition so great and prices so high
that from their point OF view they rolled
in wealth. Think Of a trapper living in a
hut a negro would disown. who probably
never made 500 a year before in his life,
receiving 5000 or 5000 for muskrats and
minks.
The profit came mainly because Of the
great advance in prices. In the alluvial
/ parishes Of Louisiana muskrats and minks
have been accounted among the greatest
pests of the state, costing it millions OF
dollars annually, Burrowing as they do
in the ground and building living places
in the levee with tunnels to the river and
the dry land they are the frequent causes
Of crevices in the levee and overflows.
These burrowing rodents with the king
fisher and the crawfish are regarded with
reason as the most dangerous enemies Of
the levee system. In some places, as al
Bougere In Concordia parish their numbers
are so great and the banks so riddled by
their holes that levee construction there
has been impossible. Al times hounties
have been offered for their heads, and al
a recent session Of the Louisiana Legislature
alligators were placed under the protection
OF the game law on the ground that they
defended the %levees, owning to the large
number Of muskrats they ate-a statement
which has never been sufficiently estao-
lished.
I'm Price OF PeIts.
The alligator protection is no longer
necessary, as the fur OF the muskrat has
become so valuable as 20 make the TRAP.
ping OF the animal profitable. Two years
ago the skin was worth only 8 cents; last
year II ran up TO % cents and occasionally
rs cents, This year Il is 30 cents and
rising. Mink skins have advanced 10 s.
and $3.50 each, otter skins from S5 10 So
and even coons are worth 90 cents.
The possum is almost valueless except