Evening journal., 1912-12-20
WEALTH In
THE TRAPPING
OF MUSKRATS
Peninsula Farmers Pile Up
Bank Accounts From Few
Months Work
GET GOOD PRICES
FOR ANIMAL PELTS

There Is an industry peculiar to this
peninsula which has been developed
70 a high point and which pays re-
turns lhs business is the profess
sional trapping and disposition of the
muskrat Because this industry is
for the most part conducted by few
local dealers the public hears but lit
tie and fails TO appreciate this species
OF North American rodent as "A verit-
able commercial factor. Neverthe-
less in this territory. the extensive
markets on the WicomicO and Nanu-
coke rivers. yield each year thou
sands of dollars to both trapper and
dealer.
The season for trapping muskrats
commences on December 10 and ends
on March l5. There is some little
feeling among those interested that
the season commences so late IN VIM
ter, but this matter is controlled en-
tircly by State authorities.
The muskrat himself is an animal
of interesting habits and peculiar
traits. His haunts are of two kinds.
If there is a running stream, a marsh
and a bank of dry land, the muskrat
will burrOw a pipe eight or ten inches
IN diameter from the bottom of the
stream under the marsh and up into
the bank. where he Will have his bed.
OFTEN there are two pipes leading
from same house and the trapper who
guards one finds himself badly fooled.
The other variety is forced upon
the rat when the bank it too far from
the stream to be available for use.
In this case the pipe runs from the
stream under part of the marsh and
then TO the surface whore tho rat
builds his house of marsh, grass and
mud. These little structures may
often be seen dotting the marsh for
a large area. The house itself consist
OF an upper and lower compartment, a
precautionary measure taken by the
rat to obviate any Inconvenience from
high tides. However, at times. even
the upper story is flooded, in which
case the rat repairs to the roof OF
his dwelling with utmost composure
The muskrat feeds at night and his
only article of diet is roots, which he
IS particularly careful to thoroughly
wash before eating. The fact that
the rats food Is Of this sort makes
the flesh. which in taste resembles
chicken, quite a popular delicacy.
In former times IL was customary
Tor pot hunters and also for regular
sportsmen TO make muskrat hunting
At night quite a feature of their years
cunning When a light is flashed
aron rat he is blinded by the glare
and consequently an easy mark fol
lho hunter. Parties We're accustomo,
to rowing in a marsh and flashing
1aniern in all directions, obtaining a
result of this method large bag
of the rat that we're feeding, accord
Ing TO their custom, after nightfall.
Then the advent Of strict game laws
which forbade the unsportsmanlik'
manner of hunting and the business
Is NOW carried on by professional
trappers Many of these trapperl
have from $50 TO 200 steel snap traps
which they set at the entrances o
the pipes, the trap being changed e
stake.
Each morning the trapper maker
his round and collects all the rat
caught during the night Sometimes
he sets his traps Immediately with
out changing their locality. but II /
is a regular business with him, III
usually returns later in the day an,
relocates his traps in which game ha
been caught
The trapper next skins the resul
of his labors stretching each skin oi
a shingle or piece of board TO dry. ai
ter which he sells 10 some local deal
er, who ships TO the city.