Omaha daily bee., 1910-03-06

as food. the skins bringing only 10 cents,
As FOR the muskrats, although reported
to be eaten by other states, even the
negroes reject them in Louisiana becauso
OF their musky odor, although the flesh Is
said to be sweet and tender and easily
substituted for rabbit
With the advance in price there was a
rush for the muskrats. one million are
said TO lave been killed In Plaauemine
parish just below New Orleans. and some
six million or moro In the state. A clever
boy could easily make his s. a day at trap
ping and at a season when there is no
other work TO do. no other crops to raise.
Along the Mississippi river, along the
gulf coast, particularly in Vermilion and
Cameron parishes. the trappers were active
last year. Perhaps they were a little too
active, for they killed off more n the
years crop OF rats, and II was reported
that the supply would be less this season
than last. The big gulf hurricane OF Sep
TENDER 20, 1909. helped to cut down the
army OF muskrats. The storm drove them
up from the gulf coast to dryer land. the
floods in the streams drowned out immense
colonies OF them and there was a strong
conviction that this years yield would be
reduced.
Perhaps It's has been reduced, but not
much. The animals multiply RAPIDLY. the
price Of polts has Increased and the trap
pers with better knowledge OF the muskrat
and his peculiarities is able to tran them
more easily than formerly. They have inn
/ proved their methods, Instead Of plrogues
many Of them nave gasolene launches,
which carry them from one set Of traps to
another. enabling them to harvest the crop
more rapidly.
Hard Season, Big Output.
1t has been rather a hard life this winter
because there have been many severe
storms. And the trappers, on the gulf
coast at least. lead a very hard and ex-
posed life. their huts being built on the
marsh Of palmetto bushes. Several cases
Of freezing to death in the swamp have
been reported and other lives have been
lost in the storms.
The pelts are brought to Ne WOrleans
weekly and Judging from those that have
arrived 80 far, the indications are that
the fur crop Of Louisiana will, In spite
Of the activity of the trappers last season
and the big September storm, prove larger
than that Of 1909 and several times
larger than that of any previous year.
None the less 1t Is evident that the fur
crop of Louisiana is certain to decline
unless some way can be found of pro-
tecting the fur bearing animals, p%articu-
larly the muHkrats. The area Of swamp
and marsh in which these animals thrive
is rapidly decreasing as the drainage
work is extended, so that by the natural
course of improvements the number Of
fur bearing animals will decrease. When
in addition TO this they are hunted so
~strenuously by the trsppers, their early
determination Is inevitable.
In Plaquemine parish 1t is proposed
tina the State Game commission shall
place some protection around them, that
Is, establish a closed season for them, but
such a regulation Is uncomfortable. The
rats are q public pest, dangerous TO
the levee, and 1t is not to be thought OF
that the safety of the alluvial lands from
overflow will be endangered in order to
put money into the pockets Of the trap
pers. In st. John parish 1t is proposed
to cultivate the mink, to have mink farms
and raise the animal for it's fur. Inc
experiment will be made, but of course
on a small scale, and 1t is impossible with
the muskrats, which contribute the bulk
Of the Louisiana pelts.
Audubon Society Aids.
Moreover, the AuduDon bocietyI "hhS PfS
tecting the birds, has declared war on the
muskrats and coons. which destroy mill
lions of birds eggs annually, and the so
cIety has invited the cooperation OF the
trappers to get rid Of these pests. The so
ciety owns nineteen islands off tho Louis
lana coast, donated by the state and red
eral governments on which 1t has set
apart bird reservations and on which II Is
trying to raise sea birds. In this 1t would
be eminently successful but for the thou-
sands of coons and muskrats which WIN
from the mainland to the islands during
the aging and Matching seasons ana de-
stroy thousands Of eggs and young pros
The Louisiana furs are so widely dis
tributed that they do not yet figure con-
spicuously in the market supplies Com
paratively few go to New York or Boston,
some are shipped to Canada and Chicago
and help to swell! the supply of Canadian
fur for which Americans compete. Others
60 abroad to London, Paris and Berlin
If they are ever worn in Louisiana It Is as
imported furs and certainly under another
name than muskrat.
II seems odd, though, that a state re-
garded as sub-tropical should be helping
TO supply the market with what Is re-
z..aoS 90 a nroduct of tho Arctic regions