Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1914-06-26
WORTH MUCH MONEY
Skunk Furs Bring Trappers
100000 a Year.

They Are Now Protected by Game
Laws In ~ statss-suosestions
for Raising Animals ~
Source OF Income.
Washington.--The skunk brings an.
hually to the trappers Of the United
States about $3.000.000. It stands
second in importance only to the
muskrat among our fur bearing AMI
mails. The value Of a skunk skin in
the raw fur market averaged from
about 25 cents to $3.50 in December,
1913. and usually runs higher. Al
though this fur Ia not very popular in
America, Europeans favor 1t because
It wears well and has luster which
makes 1t rival the Russian sable In
appearance. These facts are empha-
sized In q new farmers bulletin mo.
$50 now being sent out by the United
States department OF agriculture,
which may be had free on application
by those who are interested in the
Economic Value of North American
Skunks.' "-
Thirteen states now protect the
skunk by game laws. and fuller un.
derstanding Of the economic value OF
these creatures to agriculture, as well
as to commerce. will no doubt result
in protective measures in other 10.
calities. The earliest legislation for
the protection Of these little animals
grew out Of appeals from hop grow
ers in New York because Of their
value in killing the hop borer. This
was in 1893, and since then laws have
been passed for their protection in
Maine, New Hampshire. Vermont,
New York, New Jersey, Delaware,
Ohio. Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Mis-
souri,. Kansas and North Carolina. The
closed season for the skunk varies in
the differnt states, but in the opinion
Of the author of this bulletin it should
be extended to at least nine months
In every case. for at present there Is
. scarcity of fur animals and the
Increased demand for furs has put
q higher premium on its pelt Unless
given more adequate protection. It
cannot long survive q high premium.
In advising this close season it should
be understood that the right of farm
ers to destroy individual predatory
skunks should always be reserved.
London is a great market for Ameri-
can skunk skins. In 1858 over 49,
600 skins Of this animal were exported
to London; in 1911, over 100000.
Although only a small percentage Of
our skins are now dressed and made
up here, we have received in years
past good number Of them back
after they have been made up abroad.
and many American ladies who would
scorn to wear q skunk skin have been
proud Of their imported black mar
ten" or Alaskan sable" which was
merely the American skunk fur more
attractively labeled az
The process Of dressing the skunk
skin and removing any lingering odor
has been improved year by, year, and
meanwhile the fur has been gaining
In popularity. The present extreme
scarcity OF Russian sable because of
. law that forbids the taking Of that
fur. favors the foreign market FIR
skunk, and even in this country the
use of its skin is increasing.
The recent high prices for skunk
skins have led to discussion of the
subject of skunk raising on a CONNER
cial basis. Although some breeders
have encountered difficulties, on the
whole there are good reasons for be-
Heving that profitable industry may
be developed. Skunks are less wild
than other members Of the family
to which the more important small
fur bearers belong, and their diet per-
mits a good deal of latitude in feed
ing, whereas, the marten and the
mink require diet almost exclusive
ly Of meat. The problem of providing
pens for rearing them is also less
complicated in the case of the skunk.
An Enclosure for skunks should &C.
cupy q well-drained, sandy hillside.
partly shaded by trees, and> partly
open land covered with grasses. An
acre will afford room for about SO
adult skunks "A three-foot fence 9ade
Of poultry netting and having an over
hanging barrier at the top is sufficient
to confine the animals. The wire
should be No. 16 gauge, and the net
ting Of onc-inch mesh. This low fence,
however, is not sufhc to keep out
dogs. unless the overhanging is very
large and extends on both sides. Many
breeders prefer q tight fence Of boards
/. or sheet iron or even stone wall.
The fence should penetrate the ground
to q depth Of two or three feet to
prevent the skunks from digging un-
der It. .
J Beside the general Enclosure, sep
: arate breeding pen for each female
should be provided. Cheap boxes with
wooden floors will serve every pur-
pose, but they must be dry inside.
Contact with the soil improves the
fur but dampness must be! guarded
against. ~.
Meat, nsh, insects, bread. cooked
and even raw vegetables. and ripe
fruits are included In the great variety
q foods which skunks will eat. Ia.
BILE scraps will keep the animals in
good condition, and the. food for a
large skunk ranch may often be pro-
cured from hotels when usually 1t will
cost nothing but the labor of remov.
Ing It. Especially to, be recommend.
ed are cakes and mush made OF corn
meal and bits Of meat, fresh milk,
cooked green corn and hominy. Little
more than the amount OF food re.
ouirod for q cat will supply the wanta