The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1919-12-06

|
| prepared by the United States Depart
| ment OF Agricultural
With the approach of cold weather
the thrifty farmer In almost any sec
| ton OF the country soon can under
take some form Of fur trapping with
profit. A knowledge OF the fur-bear-
ing animals found in his vicinity and
how to treat their pelts reveals II
source OF income often overlooked
For the boy In the country nothing
offers IA more delightful diversion than
trapping expedition. particularly If
IL entails n money reward. Where
the farm itself affords little oppor-
tunity for trapping. an accessible
stream or wooded tract is generally
to be found nearby where fur-bear-
ing animals can be caught. While the
fur resources Of the country have been
diminishing steadily. prices have been
rising The war also has been an
important factor In this upward trend.
Wait Until Fur Is Right.
The person about TO engage In pelt
gathering must understand nj the out
set the necessity of postponing trap
ping until the animals fur is at it's
best The pelt Of mink. for ex-
ample, killed in September might not
be worth more than 80 cents. where
as If the same animal We're killed
In November or December. It's pelt
might bring $40. Speaking generally.
trapping should not begin until cold
weather has set I'm, that is. until late
November or December, for most sec
tons Of the country. Two principal
exceptions to the rule are the musk
rnt and beaver. whose fur Is not at
Its best until February or March.
In addition to the widely distrlbut-
low each region has many others to
lure the pelt collector. The prices |
given here are necessarily only APP |
proximations. Each trapper must |
bear In mind that the size and condi- |
ton of the individual pelt, ms well as
with the sum II will bring.
Skunk Peits Valuable.
The skunk. one of the most COM
mon fur bearers. Is found In every
state Of the Union. Large skunk
skins probably win bring the trapper
from 81 to SIS this season, while the
pelts of the little spotted skunk will
bring from 10 to so cents. The weas-
p, Of one variety or another, is to he
found In practically all sections Of
he country. Formerly the brown
,elts were considered worthless. but
With the rise In fur prices brown pelts
should net the trapper from 10 to 25
'ents each. while the white pelts will
ring from 80 cents to $1.5O
An animal not to be found In large
numbers, but native to regions north.
outh, east and west. is the mink. I
When In prime condition It's skin II
ecured In the north. should bring {
rom 81 to So. while skin secured I'm
he south should command 50 to SO.
likewise, the raccoon living In the {
orth produces n better peIt than the q
ne living In the south. Good rae |
Don skins are worth from S1.O5 to !
BIO each to the trapper 8
Many persons. particularly city
wellers, may be surprised to learn Y
lat many foxes still are trapped In u
Ms country. Red fox pelts. obtain y
BILE In widely distributed areas in the n
orthern states, should bring from "
10 to $50 each this season, while the Is
ray fox found In the Southern states
III bring from S1.FO to So n pelt. Z
An example Of returns that can be /
cured from fur resources long over |
oked IN found In the fact that the
sople OF Oregon Noted approximately
5000 from mole skins last year, fol- \
wing trapping demonstrations by
Of The biological sur
" Of the United States department
agriculture. The demonstrators b,
lowed that while millions Of Euro
'an mole skins were used by fur
In America before the. Il
ar, the skins Of some American
oles. especially the large. common
lriety OF western Washington and I'll
RECON. are larger and have better u.
xture than those from Europe. Farm
s. Bulletin S32. published by the
nited States department of agricuI- dc
re, describes the best kinds of mole fe