FUR FACTS 57 



start a muskrat farm, even if on a small scale, and if given the proper 

 care will prove to be a very profitable undertaking. 



Muskrat farming is already a prosperous business. On a marsh 

 at the mouth of the Maumee River, near Lake Erie the muskrats 

 were allowed to breed undisturbed for a period of two years. At 

 the end of that time 5000 were taken in one month. The pelts 

 brought a high price and the carcasses were also sold in the market 

 at $1.00 a dozen. 



Muskrat farming has probably reached its highest development 

 on the eastern shore of Maryland, where there are extensive marshes. 

 This land, a few years ago, was considered almost worthless, but 

 now owing to the fact that the muskrat thrives in these marshes 

 and have been allowed to develop, it has become a source of profit 

 to the owners as well as the trappers, who take the muskrat, the 

 trappers being allowed one half of the proceeds from the skins for 

 their work. As an example, the owner of one tract stated that he 

 bought it several years ago for $2700.00. He leased it for half the fur 

 that would be produced and in one year his income was $1000.00. 

 Another example is that of a man who bought a small piece of swampy 

 ground for $150.00, leased it for the trapping rights and the owner 

 has received $100.00 a year on his investment of $150.00. 



With the prices of muskrat as high as they are to-day these in- 

 comes would be considerably more. Another owner of a 100 acre 

 tract of marsh, who does his own trapping, with the aid of his sons, 

 secured in one season over 12,000 muskrats. At the present market 

 value these skins would be worth about $18,000.00, and this is prob- 

 ably all net profit. 



In addition to this, muskrat meat is an additional source of in- 

 come and will no doubt be used in larger quantities as people become 

 familiar with it. In Dorchester County, Maryland, it is estimated 

 that the income to the community from muskrat farming is fully 

 $100,000.00 a year. 



Trapping is done only in the winter and there is a closed season 

 the balance of the time. In spite of all the trapping that can be 

 done, the muskrats in this section are on the increase for the reason 

 that where they are only taken by trapping methods they can never 

 be exterminated — in fact, will always show an increase. 



