BOUNTIES. 



25 



Trendies. — It has been asserted that a field may ~oe protected by a 

 trench at the bottom of which oil cans are sunk at intervals. The 

 Gophers in trying to enter the field are supposed to fall into the trench, 

 along which they move until caught by the oil cans. 



BOUNTIES. 



So great is the harm done by Gophers that in many places bounties 

 are offered for the animals' scalps or tails. Bounties have been paid 

 most extensively in Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minne- 

 sota, and from these States have been received detailed accounts of the 

 results of the system. In these reports, however, the ground squirrels 

 and Pocket Gophers are seldom discriminated, so it is hard to form a 

 just estimate of the proportional sums paid for each. To give an idea 

 of the large sums expended in attempts to reduce the numbers of these 

 troublesome animals it may be stated that thousands of dollars are 

 often paid annually by one county for this purpose. 



The following table gives a detailed account of the sums expended 

 in Gopher bounties by the State of Iowa, for which the best returns 

 have been received (from county treasurers): 



Table showing amounts paid in Gopher bounties in Iowa, by counties. 



County. 



Date. 



Bounty 

 on each 

 Gopher. 



Amount 



specified as 



paid for 



Gophers 



alone. 



Total paid 

 for Gophers 

 and ground 

 squirrels — 

 not discrimi- 

 nated. 





1877-1880.... 



Cents. 



15 

 15 





* $800. 00 

 1, 458. 65 





1875 





Do 



1877 





1 378.70 











Dailas 



1868 69 



10? 

 5 





1440 00 





1888 





* 250. 00 



Do 



1889 









1888 







tl 150 00 





June 1, 1888. to July 1, 



1888. 

 1889.' 



10 

 10 





2 198 01 



Do 



2 400 00 



Ida 



1871 





10.99 



Do 



1872 







35.84 



Do . 



1873... 







90.50 



Do 



1874 







126. 25 



Do 



1875 







71.58 



Do 



1876 







225. 79 



Do 



1877 







371. 01 



Do 



1878 







994. 29 



Do 



1879 







73.00 





1889 



Feb. 1.1890 



1867 



15 

 10 

 15 

 15 

 15 

 15 





* 7, 782. 30 



Do 









$109. 95 



1, 176. 80 



532.80 



177. 25 



9.60 





Do 



1868 





Do 



1869 .. 





Do 



1870 .. 





Do 



1871 





Do 



1872 





* 2, 007. 75 





No bounty for 20 years - . 



10 







Mitchell 









April 5, 1875 



15 

 10 

 10 



886. 75 

 1,438.60 

 2, 785. 95 

 1,110.30 





"Do 



April, 1876 





Dc 



1877 





Do 



1878 . 



*6 221 60 



Pottawattamie 



No bounty for 10 years. . 







Estimated. 



f Approximate. 



