Evening journal., 1913-12-05
WEALTH In
The TRAPPING
OF MUSKRATS
Peninsula Farmers Pile Up
Bank Accounts From Few
Months Work
GET GOOD PRICES
FOR ANIMAL PELTS

Trapping OF muskrats is now going
on throughout the State Because this
industry is for the most part conducted
by few local dealers the public hears
but little and fails TO appreciate this
species oil North American rodent as a
yegitable commercial factor. Neyerthe-
less in this territory. the extensive
markets on the Wicomico and Nanti-
coke rivers, yield each year thousands
OF dollars to both trapper and dealer.
The season for trapping muslrats
commences ON December | and ends ON
March 10 in New Castle county and
begins November 20 and ends March Is
in Kent and Sussex counties. The sea
sons were changed by the last legisa-
turc. There is some little feeling among
those interested that the season com
mences so late in winter but this matter
is controlled entirely by State author
titles.
The muskrot himself is an animal Of
interesting habits and peculiar traits.
His haunts are OF two kinds. If there
is q running stream, a marsh and "A
bank OF dry laud, the muskrat will bur
ROW a pipe eight or ten inches in dame
ter from the bottom, of the stream un-
der the marsh and up into the bank,
whore he viii have his bed. OFTEN there
are two pipes leading from same house
aud the trapper who guards one finds
himself badly fooled.
The other variety is forced upon
the rat when the bank is 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 where the rat
builds his house of marsh. grass and
mud. These little structures may
often be seen dotting the marsh for
large area. The house itself consists
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 composuro.
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 popular delicacy
In former times II was customary
for pot hunters and also for regular
sportsmen 10 make muskrat hunting
at night llite a feature Of their years
cunning. When a light is dashed
upon a rat he is blinded by ,he glare
and consequently an easy mark for
the hunter Parties were accustime1
to rowing IN a marsh and flashing a
lantern In all directions. obtaining as
result of this method large bags
OF the rat that were feeding accord
/ ing to their custom, after nightfall
Then the advent OF strict game laws,
which forbade the unsrortsmanlike man
ncr of hunting and the business is now
being carried on bv professional trap
pers. Many of these trapers have from
100 to 200 steel snap traps. which they
set at the entrances of the pipes, the
trap being chained to a stake.
Each morning the trapper makes his
round aud collects all the rats caught
during the night Sometimes he sets
his traps Immediately without chang
ing their locality. but if it is a regular
business with him, he usually returns
later in the day and relocates his traps
/ i'm which game has been caught.
The trapper next skins the result OF
his labors stretching each skn
shingle or piece OF board TO dry. after
which he sells to some local dealer
who ships TO the city