PIONEER HUNTERS OP^ THE KANtCAKlEE 

 all center in the Kankakee Swamps then as it 

 has in later years, for many big hunts that won 

 me fame was west of the /Mississippi River, 

 years ago. Whilst writing this story and talking 

 with ©Id friends I have been living over those 

 old days. It has freshened memories of inci- 

 dents that 1 have not thought of for years. In 

 the early 60's. during the Civil War. the price of 

 furs of all kinds went up. A mink hide would 

 sell from four to nine dollars each. A good 

 coon skin would bring four dollars and a half, 

 just as it was nailed on the shanty door, and the 

 fur buyer would pull the nails himself. All kinds 

 of furs brought" a good price and for this reason 

 many hunters were brought to the Kankakee 

 Swamps. Also many trappers were brought 

 here. Up to this time the pioneer trappers had 

 no established trapping grounds as there was a 

 vast territory along the river covered with water 

 the whole year round which furnished good trap- 

 ping grounds anywhere. He saw that his rights 

 were slipping from him and that he would soon 



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