Arno Erdman Schmidt

“ The following methods are recognized to be the best and most reliable for trapping 'rats when streams are free of ice. They will prove their merits to the beginner when applied intelligently. While the muskrat is generally conceded to be one of the easiest of fur bearers to trap, let no one suppose that the careless trapper who makes his sets in a sort of hit or miss fashion, will ever achieve much of a success in trapping them.
Perhaps the most common method employed in the capture of this little animal, is to set traps at the foot of their slides, in two or three inches of water. ”

“ Some of them are cutting down the stems of wild rice and flags, while others are dragging the material away to build and repair their houses with it. We stand motionless, as we discern a V-shaped streak of silvery lined ripples playing on the moonlit waters, heading directly toward us from the opposite shore. ”

“ Whenever possible, always stake the trap chain into deep water at full length, as the first impulse of the captured game is to seek shelter by diving into deep water, where, following a short struggle, the weight of the trap finally drowns it. ”

“ The annual catch of North American raw furs has a monetary value of approximately twenty-five million dollars. The number of pelts required to reach such a figure must necessarily be very large. Trapping is done, more or less, by many people, in many walks of life, who follow the sport for both profit and pleasure; from the professional pelt hunter, down to the farmer's boy, who during the winter indulges in trapping as a side line, tending his traps between chores.
The fur business is and always has been an important cog in American industry. ”

“ When hungry they seek the beds of wild rice and flags, from which they procure their food. This they carry to their feed beds or dens to be devoured. They cannot breathe in the water as fish do, because they are not endowed with gills, but they do travel long distances under the same breath, and when the lungs have drained the oxygen, the 'rat comes up to the under side of the ice and exhales. The bubble thus formed immediately fills with oxygen and is then again inhaled, whereupon the animal continues on its journey until it finds it necessary to repeat the operation. ”

“ Each succeeding generation of ranch raised stock becomes more and more domesticated; consequently the keeper finds it much easier to win their confidence.
Practically all the failures in fur farming are due to the lack of experience of the people thus engaged; their failure to take the proper interest in the animals, so they may understand them and their requirements.
There are now numerous fur farms located throughout the northern part of the United States and Canada. These establishments propagate and improve the breed of fox, skunk, muskrat, raccoon, mink and opossum. ”

“ In a marsh or lake of low banks the 'rats are compelled to build houses. The owners of such a ranch can closely estimate the number of animals present by counting the houses and then multiplying the result by four.
Though the muskrat will tolerate more crowding than other fur-bearing animals, the owner should prevent overcrowding, otherwise some of them would leave for parts less crowded. Some raisers, while gathering their annual crop of fur, make it a point to trap only two-thirds of their grounds, and when this is exhausted of muskrats they quit. ”

“ The washes under banks and the undermined roots of trees at the water's edge, created by the ceaseless toil of the elements, afford good places to set traps, as every passing 'rat will visit such places. Traps should be set and covered very carefully, as a place of this nature is often investigated by the elusive mink and inquisitive raccoon. As a consequence, the trapper has a fine opportunity of catching a more valuable animal. ”

“ Where are the millions of pelts to come from that the world needs each year? The time is not far off when the demand will exceed the supply. How can we keep an industry alive that can use millions of dollars' worth of raw furs annually, thus furnishing employment for thousands of people? There is only one remedy, and that is — fur farming.
Fur farming is by no means a new idea. Farsighted men experimented with fur bearers early in the seventies. Many people advance the theory that the animals will not breed or thrive in captivity ”

“ In assorting muskrats, buyers usually pay more attention to size and primeness of pelt than they do to the fur, because it is generally conceded that the average run of 'rat fur is good. Nature endows the muskrat with a dense coat of fur, which, in fact, is a necessity to further its welfare in the icy waters in which it lives. ”

“ The fact is, that in most species of fur bearers the variation in the large, medium and small size is but a difference of two or three inches in the length of the pelt. Just why there is such a radical difference in price is a mysterious prank of the fur trade, for which no one person is responsible. On the other hand, a small size pelt which is of good color and possesses a lustrous and dense coat of fur, is often worth as much or more than a large pelt of poor color. Remember that dimensions of the skin and primeness of pelt are of little consideration when the fur lacks quality. ”

“ Many farmers have such a body of water on their land; these vary in size from a few acres to several hundred. Those who contemplate raising 'rats, but do not own a proper site, could easily buy one at a reasonable figure, as most people consider such property of little value. Before buying a pond or marsh which you are not familiar with, investigate whether it has any inlets, such as springs and small streams. A marsh or small lake which is likely to dry up during a drought is not to be considered, as the 'rats would then be forced to leave it. ”

“ While open water trapping cannot be excelled, in comparison to results obtained, under-ice trapping will adequately repay those who are willing to give it a fair trial. No trapper should attempt to make sets under ice which is much more than a foot in thickness, as the task would prove too elaborate. ”

“ Wild rice will grow in deeper water than flags, and all that is necessary to start it is to scatter the seed in a depth of several feet of water. It is good policy to sow some wild rice every fall, even when the supply of food is ample, as 'rats are very fond of the myriads of young tender sprouts which shoot up in the spring. ”

“ It is made with two sets of jaws; the inner set gripping the animal's leg, while the outer set clutches the body. From this trap there is no escape when once caught, in many cases killing its victim instantly, which benevolent feature makes it a favorite of many.
Trapping methods may be classified into two separate groups, namely, blind and bait sets, ranking in the order named. A blind set is arranged at signs without the use of bait. Traps placed in position so as to guard the approach to food and scent decoys are termed bait sets. ”

“ On warm winter days muskrats often come forth to sun themselves; they remain but a few moments at a time, but that is sufficient to catch them in traps which are properly placed in the water at springs, air holes and rapids, also at the inlets and outlets of lakes and ponds.
In many lakes and swamps muskrats live in houses instead of burrows. To trap them in their houses, cut a hole on the south side of the house, then set the trap inside on the bed or in the diving hole. ”

“ These announcements are continually calling for unlimited quantities of raw furs; they are ever urging men and boys to push their trapping operations to the utmost. These concerns are giving free advice to beginners; they offer free instructions in the art of trapping the fur bearers. All this has had but one result: The fabulous prices paid for raw furs and the extensive advertising in recent years have kindled a crusade on our fur bearers which has developed a crisis. ”

“ Considering the wonderful procreative powers of this little animal, it appears that they would become as numerous as the proverbial "hair on a dog's back," but they have many enemies, of which man with his traps and firearms is the most deadly, with perhaps the mink a close second. Many a time has the writer in his ramblings come onto a 'rat house, which had a small round boring at the water-line, just large enough to allow the long, slender body of a mink to pass through. ”

“ A slide, in the trapper's vocabulary, is a place on the banks frequented by 'rats, usually extending from eight to sixteen inches above the water and having a kind of plastic perch or rest at the top, upon which are generally found excrements of the animal. These slides are easily recognized on account of their worn and smooth appearance, which is brought about by the animal's habit of sliding into the water when leaving them. Do not waste any time in setting traps at old and dried signs, those that are being used will appear damp and often sprinkled with fresh mud. ”

“ True, fur farming, like any other business, has its drawbacks; but these impediments are rapidly conquered by the persistent and energetic study and scientific research of enthusiastic men, who are devotedly interested in the welfare of the animals, and the evolution of the industry to a higher and better standard. ”

“ When animals are found alive in traps they may be dispatched by a few sharp blows on the head with a stick, which should be smooth and free from knots and stubs, otherwise the fur is liable to be damaged. An animal when caught will often retreat under the banks or between root snags, and then there is always danger of the catch escaping by its violent struggles when the trapper attempts to dislodge it from its retreat. ”

“ When hunting 'rats in this manner, I prefer to use a shotgun in place of the club, because it is quicker in action and the terrific concussion which occurs when the shot strikes the ice often kills the game outright. As many as a dozen 'rats are often taken by one man in the course of a few hours, as they seem to move about more freely during the day, when streams are covered with ice. In their eagerness to get their share of the pelts, trappers often receive a wetting while pursuing the animals over thin ice. When operating on thin ice stay in the shallow places ”

“ When a mink enters a house or burrow, in the aforesaid manner, the inhabitants flee by way of the diving hole. If everything remains quiet, they will return, one by one, to their home in a very few minutes. ”

“ The marshes never dry up, because they are only a very few feet above sea level and a great many of them are overflowed at times by extremely high tides... My 'rats are in an open marsh and I do not furnish them any feed, or look after them in any way, except to try to keep the dogs and foxes out of It and to catch the hawks, owls and eagles that prey on them. The marsh furnishes plenty of natural feed, and the only thing that is necessary to do is simply to keep their enemies away and they take very good care of themselves... ”

“ They are the visible indications which betray the presence of the animals, such as tracks in the muddy margins of the shore (see Fig. 1) , feed beds, houses, dens, slides, the freshly cut stems of aquatic vegetation and excremental matter on logs, drift wood, rocks, and other objects lying in or near the water. To become expert at reading signs requires practical experience; theory or book knowledge alone will not do. The success or failure of any trapper can be measured by his ability to read the signs of the animals he is seeking and his knowledge of their nature. ”

“ Fur-bearing animals, which at one time roamed our prairies, streams and woodlands, in seemingly unlimited numbers, are now rapidly becoming very scarce, where a few years previous they were very plentiful. The beaver and several other species of fur bearers are already threatened with extinction and are doomed to follow in the wake of the passenger pigeon and bison, unless something extremely radical is done in the way of game preservation in comparison to present-day methods. ”

“ Sometimes muskrats are driven from their dens by pounding the bank with some heavy object directly over the entrance; when the animals are aware of the thumping, they usually flee from imaginary harm's way by taking to the water; they are then shot as they emerge. The above methods of taking muskrats through ice are good, but can only be used on clear ice, not over five inches in thickness, as the shot will not take effect in heavier ice. ”

“ The former is the basis of the fur coat and on a No. 1 skin must exhibit a very dense growth. Pelts which possess a poor or thin coat of under fur are graded down. The guard hair forms the outer layer of the fur coat and must be sparse in density, but uniform throughout the pelt. The various shades of color and silky glossiness of these guard hairs harmonizing with the under fur is what gives the fur its natural beauty. Many a piece of fur will appear to be in first-class condition, but close scrutiny will often reveal the fact that guard hairs are missing in spots. ”