14 



farmers' BULLETIN 587. 



ber 1 to March 10, inclusive; Ohio, November 15 to February 1, inclu- 

 sive; Indiana, November 1 to April 1 ; Illinois, November 1 to April 1 : 

 Michigan, November 1 to April 1 ; Missouri, November 1 to February 

 1 ; Kansas, November 15 to March. 15. North Carolina has local laws 

 protecting skunks in several counties. 



A close season of about nine months is well adapted to conditions 

 existing in most parts of the country, where a reasonable period for 

 fur taking is desired without encroaching on the season of breeding 

 and growth of the animals. In parts of the country where skunks 

 have been trapped to excess, a close season for a few years would 

 probably restore their numbers. 



COMMERCIAL VALUE OF SKUNKS. • 



The skunk stands second in importance among the fur animals of 

 the United States, the total value of the annual catch being exceeded 

 only in the case of the muskrat. The mink is third in value. Most 

 of the skunk skins are marketed in London, but their use is increasing 

 in the United States and a small percentage is now dressed and made 

 up here. 



No complete statistics of the London sales of skunk skins prior to 

 1858 are available. The total annual sales since that date are given 

 in the following table. The statement includes skins of civet (the 

 little spotted skunk), although in recent years these have been cata- 

 logued and sold separately. 



Table I. — Sale of skunk furs in London, 1858 to 1913. 



Year. 



1858. 

 1859. 

 1860. 

 1861. 

 1862. 

 1863. 

 1864. 

 1865. 

 1866. 

 1867. 

 1868. 

 1869. 

 1870. 

 1871. 

 1872. 

 1873. 

 1874. 

 1875. 

 1876. 



The present value of skunk skins in the raw-fur market (prices cur- 

 rent in New York for December, 1913) are about as follows: No. 1, 

 $2 to $3.50; No. 2, $1.25 to $2.50; No. 3, $0.75 to $1.75; No. 4, $0.25 

 to $0.75. These quotations are much lower than they have been for 

 several years, owing to the very large offerings in London in October, 

 1913. It is not likely that such low prices will long continue. Skunk 



Number 

 of skins. 



18, 255 



84, 886 

 148, 346 

 116,609 



30, 969 



94, 187 

 136,361 

 103, 755 



76, 602 

 137,407 



94, 480 

 111,001 

 114,665 



45,670 

 206,320 

 263,704 

 191,980 

 243,493 

 331.914 



Year. 



1877 

 1878 

 1879 

 1880 

 1881 

 1882 

 1883 

 1884 

 1885 

 1886 

 1887 

 1888 

 1889 

 1890 

 1891 

 1892 

 1893 

 1894 

 1895 



Number 

 of skins. 



283, 141 



1896 



285, 103 



1897 



444,224 

 517,191 



1898 



1899 



350, 594 



1900 



443,911 

 424, 645 

 596, 243 



1901 



1902 



1903 



560, 388 



1904 



489, 473 



1905 



625, 802 



1906 



526, 263 



1907 



536, 864 



1908 



688, 946 



1909 



567,398 



1910 



635, 800 



1911 



575, 472 



1912 



739, 228 



1913 



542,885 





Year. 



Number 

 of skins. 



796, 750 

 872,326 

 482, 130 

 426, 610 

 695,686 

 696, 961 

 973,695 

 987. 550 

 911,923 

 952, 549 

 1,225,582 

 1.368,475 

 1.037,641 

 1,115,910 

 1,282,001 

 2,009.465 

 1,821,485 

 1.659.773 



