CHAPTER IX 



THE MUSKRAT 



Muskrats require little feeding. The plant life of the ponds and 

 marshes usually furnish an abundance of food. It is a very easy 

 matter to plant the right sort of vegetation in the ponds and marshes, 

 which will develop and grow very rapidly. In many sections the 

 area adapted to the successful raising of muskrat is extensive, and 

 there are no doubt numerous places that are now considered value- 

 less that could be turned to profit by turning loose a few muskrat, and 

 protecting them until they get started. They require no attention, 

 will take care of themselves if left undisturbed and breed very rapidly. 

 As the taking of the pelts is done in the winter time, it lends itself 

 very nicely to the farmer, who has more time in the winter, and can 

 easily find time to trap the muskrats on his place during the winter 

 months. 



There is no state in the union where muskrat will not thrive and 

 do well, and there is not a state in the union where they are not trap- 

 ped. If you have a lake or a pond that is quite a distance from any 

 stream, it would hardly be necessary to fence it in. If you will 

 place a couple of live muskrat in the pond and leave them undisturbed 

 they will go ahead and breed, and probably will not migrate or leave 

 until they become crowded. 



Muskrat seldom leave the water for a distance of more than a 

 rod or two, so that there is not much danger of losing them, if there is 

 not any other water close. However, if a lake, or pond, or marsh is 

 near a large body of water, it would be well to fence it in until they 

 have built their dens and have gotten a start. After this, they will 

 be very little trouble. 



Muskrats seldom migrate except where they become over crowded 

 and food becomes short. If you have a swamp, or a pond or lake 

 that is already inhabited by muskrats, encourage them, and do not 

 allow any one to hunt and trap them out of season. Give them a 

 chance to breed and they will be a constant source of profit to you, 

 your children and your grand children. Muskrat fur will always 

 be one of the most popular furs and bring high prices. 



Where there is an ideal body of water attaching land belonging 



