MONTHLY WILDLIFE RESEARCH LETTER 
Vol. 3, No. 5 
Page 2 
F. Bellrose 
W-55-R-4 
This project was inactive during May. 
W-56-R-4 Glen C. Sanderson 
Preparation of manuscripts for publication was continued with emphasis on 
physical characteristics useful in determining the ages of raccoons. Live-trapping 
of raccoons and opossums also were continued. 
Average prices received by hunters and trappers for Illinois furs during 
the past three seasons based on reports from fur buyers are listed below. 
Species 
AVERAGE PRICE RECEIVED PER PELT 
1957-58 1958-59 1959-60 
Mink 
$10.23 
$11.05 
$12.18 
Beaver* 
4.69 
4.59 
4.64 
Raccoon 
.91 
.77 
1.38 
Skunk 
.79 
.80 
.82 
Muskrat 
.71 
.68 
.85 
VJeasel 
.43 
.57 
.63 
Red Fox 
.21 
.33 
.79 
Opossum 
.13 
.15 
.34 
Gray Fox 
.11 
.20 
CO 
■st- 
• 
*Beaver prices are for 1957, 1958, and 1959, respectively - spring season. 
Attempts were made to get voluntary reports from furbuyers regarding the 
number of each species they bought from hunters and trappers. More than 50 per cent 
of the buyers, including most of the largest buyers, did not reply; useful data on 
the size of the Illinois fur crop are not available. 
Udell Meyers, investigator of wood duck-raccoon relationships, has found 
32 wood duck nests in natural tree cavities within the study area; 14 of which were 
destroyed by raccoons, 2 by squirrels, 1 by a snake, and 1 by tree damage. Of the 
14 nests which remain, 6 are being layed in, and 8 are being incubated. Raccoon 
!y 
