294 Department of Conservation of Louisiana 



In Louisiana a well-known 'rat ranch is located in Cam- 

 eron parish, in the extreme southwestern section of the 

 state. Roughly, it is 35 miles east to west, and from 14 to 

 16 miles north and south, containing 163,000 acres of 

 marshland. It was purchased in 1923 for approximately 

 $3.50 an acre. In the course of our biological surveys and 

 scientific investigations, Vernon Bailey, chief field naturalist 

 of the Bureau of Biological Survey, made an approximation 

 as to the number of muskrats that could be trapped nor- 

 mally on this tract and not endanger the "seed," or breed- 

 ing stock, and this was placed at a minimum of 6.75 musk- 

 rats to the acre, a very conservative figure, it must be re- 

 membered. 



At this low figure, it would mean that this tract of land, 

 should only 6 rats to the acre be taken from each of the 

 163,000 acres, would have an annual production of 978,000 

 muskrats, to say nothing of mink, otters, raccoons and 

 skunks. Should the owners realize only $1.25 a pelt (an 

 absurd and ridiculous price in these days of climbing fur 

 values), the gross income would be over $1,222,240 a year. 

 With 40 per cent going to the trappers and an operating 

 overhead of 10 per cent charged, there would be a net of 

 $611,220 annually. 



Actual production on the Cameron parish lands during 

 the season 1923-24, when 10,000 of these very acres were 

 trapped by an operator named Oscar Jones and his crew, 

 was 226,000 muskrats, to say nothing of more than 1,000 

 raccoons and mink. This indicates an actual catch of better 

 than 22!/4 muskrats to the acre in a normal season. 



Another instance of high production occurred in the 

 1924-25 season in Louisiana. Two men leased a tract of 

 land in the Terrebonne parish section for $350 for the sea- 

 son. The tract was "wild land," had not been protected or 

 planted or cultivated, in any manner, shape or form. It 

 had a three-quarter mile frontage on a bayou and ran back 

 exactly one mile, three-quarters of a section, or 480 acres 

 in all. 



