126 Department of Conservation of Louisiana 



The otter take in Louisiana is slightly more than 2,000 

 pelts a year, which means about $35,000 annually to the 

 trappers securing them. Two otters, trapped in Ascension 

 parish, near McElroy, were very fine examples of dark 

 pelaged animals frequently secured in Louisiana and earned 

 the trapper $35.00 a pelt. When these skins entered the 

 fur trade via buyer, dealer, etc., and reached New York 

 they became "Labrador otters," because "fine black otters 

 never come from the South" and "they looked like 

 Lsibradors!" 



The usual run of otters from Louisiana range, however, 

 from $25.00 to $15.00; pelts not grading up to a No. 1 or 

 for those taken when the pelts are not prime, are, of course^ 

 lower in price. 



