CONTENTS 



Page 



Distribution and habits 1 



General characteristics 1 



Distribution and habitat 2 



Home of the muskrat 5 



Food of the muskrat 8 



Breeding ' 9 



Developing the muskrat resource 11 



Improving the habitat 11 



Estimating muskrat numbers 16 



Maintaining a balanced population 21 



Harvesting and handling the muskrat crop 24 



Traps and trapping equipment 24 



Setting the traps 26 



Skinning methods 28 



Preparing the pelts 29 



Marketing the pelts 32 



Muskrat meat as food 33 



Muskrat farming 34 



Raising muskrats in pens - 34 



Raising muskrats on natural and fenced areas 35 



Farm ponds in relation to muskrats 35 



Stocking depleted areas 36 



Live-trapping muskrats 36 



Handling live muskrats 37 



Banding and tagging 38 



Identification of sex 39 



Shipping live animals 39 



Recommendations 40 



Note. — Dr. Herbert Lawrence Dozier died December 

 4, 1951, after the manuscript of "Muskrat Production 

 and Management" had been submitted for publication. 

 Final review for publication was completed by Frank G. 

 Ashbrook. 



