54 Department of Conservation of Louisiana 



fur markets fall into the unprofitable class. Fur of the 

 more superior quality and more of it would be handled by 

 ihe trade if seasons were shortened and made more uni- 

 form in states having similar climatic conditions. 



"Those responsible for the enactment of laws do not 

 always realize that two and one-half months are sufficient 

 open season on muskrats nor that the most valuable skins 

 are those taken late in winter and early spring. As far 

 as the muskrat is concerned, it is acknowledged by all who 

 have made a serious study of this animal that it is an eco- 

 nomic mistake to trap it anywhere in the United States 

 before December 1 of any year." 



This pronouncement by the Federal bureau seems to be 

 suffcient proof of the soundness of the recommendations we 

 have made as to the open season for trapping of fur animals 

 in Louisiana in the future. 



The Fur Take In Past Years 



The trapping industry in Louisiana has grown to pro- 

 portions that make it not alone a resource of large revenue 

 and a means of livelihood to a considerable percentage of 

 the state's population but a subject for the most careful 

 and extensive conservation consideration so that the indus- 

 try will become a permanent one. 



It is a difficult matter to present accurate comparative 

 takes of past years. It is certain that the survey made by 

 the author of this bulletin in 1914 was the first made tend- 

 ing to compile the actual numbers of fur animals taken by 

 the trappers and handled by the various raw pelt dealers. 

 The catches of various winters, up to the 1919-1920 season 

 were made a part of the department's files, but this collec- 

 tion of statistics was interrupted when the raw fur dealers 

 of New Orleans, who objected to the state's fur severance 

 tax, fought its collection in the courts, carrying the fight 

 to the United States Supreme Court, where they lost, as 

 they did in all of the lower courts. 



While this legal affray was on the deparement was en- 

 joined from delving into the business of the raw pelt deal- 

 ers and at the conclusion of the legal battle the tax for 



