78 FUR FACTS 



A skunk is not a very cunning animal and is not hard to catch. In 

 order to trap skunk you must be very careful about setting the trap. 

 Find the hole where the skunks have denned up for the winter. You 

 will find that the ground at the mouth of the hole is worn smooth. 

 Dig a small hole just big enough to set the trap in, then cover it with 

 a httle dry dirt or short grass, but be sure not to get any dirt under 

 the pan of the trap. Skunks will den up sometimes fifteen or twenty 

 in one hole. It is best to use Funsten Skunk Bait, for it wiU make a 

 trap in some old hole just as profitable as a trap without it in a den." 



CD. Johnson 

 Winner oj Third Prize 



"Please accept this in your Contest as the best way to trap for 

 skunk that I have found yet. 



First, find the den, path or place where they five. Set your trap 

 in the center of hole or path, lower it down until it is level with the 

 soil, put a few drops of some good animal bait — Funsten 's is the 

 best — then just cover the trap over with dust to hide it, and you are 

 safe in getting Mr. Skunk." 



H. W. Walters 



How to Prepare Skunk for Market 

 Skunk skins should be cased pelt side out for market. In order 

 to take the skin off cased begin by cutting the skin loose around the 

 hind feet and rip the skin down the middle of the back of the hind 

 legs, peel the skin carefully from the hind legs, skin the tail and re- 

 move the tail bone. Care should be taken not to cut into the scent 

 gland. No other cuts in the carcass are necessary. Turn the skin 

 back from the body, using the knife only when necessary to cut the 

 Hgaments. Care should always be taken in cutting around the eyes 

 and nose to avoid tearing the skin. Keep the skin as clean of meat 

 and fat as possible. It is well to suspend the carcass from the limb 

 of a tree, using the Funsten Gambrel-Stretcher for this purpose. 

 This consists of a regular fur stretcher with two hooks on it to which 

 the hind legs of the carcass may be fastened, and this enables the 

 trapper to peel the skin off very easily. After the skin has been re- 

 moved it will be in the form of a long pocket with the fur in. In 

 order to dry the skin to the proper shape, dry it on the Funsten 

 Perfect Stretcher, but if this is not available a board cut to the 

 proper size and shape may be used. Stretch the skunk skin out 

 smooth with the hair side in and allow it to dry in a shady cool place. 

 Never dry skunk by the fire or in the sun. Scrape the skin off clean, 



