The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1921-12-02
TRAPPERS RICH
WINTER HARVEST
GAME PLENIFUL AND PRICES OF
PELTS ARE INCREASED.

Sioux Falls, Dec. with the
coming of December /, opportunity
looms large for many man who to-
day is jobless. At noon tomorrow the
trapping season opens in this state
and present prospects points to a
small harvest among fur-bearing ami
mails on the lakes and sloughs. The
market for furs, whether dictated by
Dame Fashion or from some other
reason, has mounted since last year
and the early trapper this year should
reap a snug sum from his efforts to
entice the little animals into his
traps.
Customs change with the years
and sometimes "the goose that lays
the golden eggs" is killed. Hereto
fore it has been the custom when pri-
ces sufficiently alluring prevailed,
for trappers to seek out some favor
able slough or lake on the property
of farmer and pay him rental for
the season. But many owners became
too eager and rentals scared out of
proportion to the harvest, say the
trappers. This year indications point
to little renting but the trap-bearers
will scour the lakes and up and down
the streams of the state for mink,
skunk and muskrat, the animals
chiefly trapped in this region with
out stopping to rent more secluded
spots. These rents in the past have
run from 500 to $50 per season
for one spot.
Fur dealers this year say the de-
mand for furs is not extremely great
but that market prices are about dou
BILE what they were last year. The
market is not in stable condition
and may collapse almost any time,
but there is scarcity of furs right
now they say, which is expected to
lead hundreds to the lakes and
streams this coming month. There is
slight expense attached to the work
and the steady trapper can get a.
snug little sum this season if he at
tends to business.
The trapping season. opens earlier
in Minnesota than in this state and
yields thus far indicate. a hetvy sea-
son of furs. Muskrat pelts that last
year brought from 25 to SO cents
each now command from SO cents TO
$1.OO. The skunk hides which in
1920 netted the trapper from SO
cents to $3.50 dependent on the quail
ity, will now bring from $1.0O to
$500 each while the mink furs which
last year were SO and 81 are now
Sc and So.
Hundreds of young men who two
years ago were living off the fat OF
the land and spending money like wa
ter, are today preparing to pick up
tidy piece of money around the lakes
and sloughs to help tide them over
the winter. Fur dealers say that
many trappers should get from $500
to s40O for months work afieid
this year by steady work with the
traps and some can bring in we'll over
5000 worth by fast, persistent ef-
fort and fair catch. The inquiry
from dozens of fellows who are now
out of jobs, indicates plainly that
lots of them realize the opportunity
to make good money and are going
out early. Then too, many a young
farmer, with the prevailing low pri-
ces for grains. is seizing his traps
and hiking away to the streams
where he knows the fur-bearing ami
mails abound.
So taking it all in all, this should
be season of prosperity for the
trappers in South Dakota and fur and
hide dealers expect great results
within the next 80 days.