MONTHLY WILDLIFE RESEARCH LETTER 
Vol. 1, No. 11 
Page 3 
G. Sanderson 
W-56-R-3 
Through the cooperation of a fur buyer at Monticello, it was learned 
that at least I 4 I raccoons from the Robert Allerton Park study area were harvested 
during November. Fourteen of these were tagged animals; 11 of which were trapped 
in 1958 and 3 in 1957. Thus, of 103 raccoons trapped and tagged in 1958, 11 had 
been taken by hunters to November 1, 1958, indicating an estimated population 
of 281 raccoons on the 1,565-acre area as of November 1, 1958. These data also 
indicate that the hunters harvested a minimum of 11 per cent of this raccoon 
population. No marked opossums have been reported, probably because the fur 
buyer will not take them at any price. 
Early prices being received by fur hunters and trappers show that the 
market has declined to a point that is below the extremely low levels of 1957- 
58. Top prices were 1*5 to 65 cents for muskrats and UO to 75 cents for raccoons. 
Most buyers were little interested in raccoon pelts at any price; the above 
prices on raccoons were for unskinned animals for which the buyers hoped to 
realize a profit by selling the carcass as well as the pelt. Although the mink 
market has not been well established as yet, it appears to be holding up better 
than the others. Some buyers were paying as much as $13.00 for prime male mink 
and $5.00-$6.00 for females. 
During November 190 raccoons were examined at furbuyers* establishments 
in Piatt, McDonough and Fulton Counties. Nearly 52 per cent were females. Many 
were weighed and measured in order to compute a condition factor. Bones were 
collected for age determination, and reproductive organs and adrenal glands were 
collected for later study. 
W-61-R-2 F. Greeley, J. Ellis 
Thirty-seven cock pheasants were reported to have been killed and four 
crippled on the Neoga area during the pheasant hunting season. These figures 
may change after a final check of all farmsteads permitting pheasant hunting 
has been made. In 1957, 52 cocks were harvested on the area. Hunting pressure 
was down considerably from last year. Ideal weather for farming this fall, a 
low hunting success in the 1957 season, and better chances for bagging pheasants 
to the north were factors which probably reduced the hunting effort on the Neoga 
area in 1958. Fifteen cocks were aged. The age ratio was 1; juveniles to 1 
adult; in 1957 the cock age ratio was 2.6 juveniles to 1 adult. 
Most of the month was spent working at field stations during the hunting 
seasons. A h l/2-day controlled pheasant hunt was held on the Bellmont study 
area, Wabash County. Hunters were required to leave their licenses at a central 
check station and to present a written permit from the host-farmer. All hunters 
wore numbered arm-bands and returned to the check station later for interview 
and examination of their kill. Hunter cooperation and farmer reaction were ex¬ 
cellent. 
