Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1920-03-17
WISCONSIN BRIEFS.

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What becomes of the sea gulls in
winter timer is answered by Lake
Superior fishermen who say that they
remain on the open lake all winter
This, they say, is seen in the fact that
the great bulk of Lake Superior never
freezes over, and that with the first
appearance Of open water in March.
the gulls are seen. No gulls are seen
as ice appears in the fall, the gulls
appearing to retire from the shore as
ice forms, but retreating only out in
to the lake where there is water. Gull
island, Lake Superior, is covered with
thousands of gulIs as open water
reaches its shores, the young are
reared early, and early in the season
take wing. While the Lake Superior
gull is partial to FISH, it will eat al
most anything. They prefer harbors
where vessels lie, and will follow
ships for miles. An Ashland fishing
party at Isle Royal saw a specimen
q the Yoracity Of gulls, in destroying
an entire brood Of young ducks which
were swimming across a channel with
their mother The gulls espied tho
ducks as they ventured out, and
swooped down upon them, picking up
ana flying away with every one Of the
brood in spite Of the attempts Of their
mother to protect them. The open
water OF the lake evidently furnishes
the food Of the gulls in winter, in the
shape of fish, which is practically the
sole diet until spring comes. In spite
Of the somewhat strenuous winters Of
Lake Superior, the gulls, according to
ficb 70
the open water all winter, roosting on
, floating ice fields and the edge of big
ice packs.
Democracy is making the world SAT-
er for the silver fox, ii one can Judge
from the decrease in price of the furs
of these animals. In the days when
kings and queens were more numer-
GUS and had more stable positions.
the skins of these rare animals sold
for $500 to 1000 each, whereas they
are worth from $3.50 to $500 now.
These are the only furs that have
dropped in price during the last five
years. Fur trapping in northern Wis
consin is fiourishing this winter and
many valuable catches are being made
daily A single shipment of furs val
ued between $4,000 and $4,000 was
made from Eau Claire recently The
furs, which included bear, skunk. red
and gray fox, wildcat, lynx, coyote,
muskrat and mink, were bought by
Harry Lewis, La Crosse, for New
York company Raw furs are bring
ing from 10 to 500 per cent more than
five years ago. The stocks kept in a
warehouse at Eau Claire are so val
liable that an armed Waterman is
maintained to prevent thefts The
cold weather early in the season is
responsible for particularly fine crop
OF fur. Mild weather has made trap
ping easier and large shipments are
coming to Eau Claire. The best mink
furs in the country are said to be COM
ing from northern Wisconsin. Musk
rat furs are unusually plentiful. Four
days of trapping netted $121 worth
Of rat furs for one trapper These
hides are bringing $3.50 and 81 each.
as compared with % cents five year4
ago. Fox hides bring from $15 to $40
on the local market and minks from
So to SIS. One wolf was killed in the
town Of Seymour, about eighte II miles
northeast of Eau Claire Wolves are
being chased nearly eve~y day in that
section Of the country by hunters ana
dogs.