122 FERRET FACTS AND FANCIES. 



large, old, savage and persistent fighters they 

 sometimes are able to make a skunk ^^perfume'^ 

 which is conclusive evidence that there is fur 

 within, but no skunk will show at the entrance. 

 There mav be exceptions where the den is shal- 

 low but forty-nine times out of fifty the skunk 

 or skunks will not leave their nest. 



In many states the digging out or destroy- 

 ing of dens is prohibited by law. Even if such 

 is not the case digging is not recommended. A 

 trap set in the entrance and hole plugged up out- 

 side of trap will be very apt to make a catch the 

 first night. Skunk or skunks generally leave a 

 den the first night after being disturbed. 



A ferret user in one of the Central states has 

 the following to say: *^In hunting skunk the 

 ferret will not drive them out but will stir them 

 up and the smell will inform you that there is a 

 skunk in the hole. For skunk and mink hunting, 

 they must be bred for that purpose, for if not 

 properl}^ bred, they will not hunt them very well. 

 In order to have them hunt skunk they should be 

 bred the same as a good fox dog or a good coon 

 hound. Two parents that have been good skunk 

 hunters will produce young that take to this 

 kind of hunting readily." 



Another party who has used ferrets consid- 

 erable in the state of Arkansas says: "I find 



