Vol. 4, No. 3 
Page 3 
lower than during the preceding season (Table 2), but were higher on beaver, red 
and grey foxes, and opossums. Prices received for raccoons remained essentially 
the same as they were the previous season. 
Efforts to reduce raccoon numbers on the Allerton Park study area were 
continued. Such reduction will permit studies of raccoon population behavior and 
ecology at a low population level. The effectiveness of control efforts can also 
be studied. All indices suggest that the resident raccoon population is now low. 
Only 7 raccoons were captured during a 35-day trapping period in late February 
and March when 2,962 trap nights were employed. 
During the past 3 years, attempts were made to control raccoon predation 
on wood duck nests located in natural cavities of trees on the study areas. A 
gummy substance called "tanglefoot" initially was applied to the trunks of one- 
fourth of the trees being studied. During 1958 and 1959, it was 100 per cent 
effective. However, it was only 80 per cent effective in 1960. 
The cost of tanglefoot is approximately $3.CO per tree each year and the 
application must be repeated annually. It is thought that a metal band 14 inches 
wide would be as effective as tanglefoot, and it costs only l/l5th as much. To 
test the idea such bands were put on 30 trees during March. 
Sixty cavities in trees were investigated during March. The remains of 
a wood duck hen were found in one cavity. Associated raccoon hair suggested 
that the hen may have been killed and partially eaten by the raccoon. Five rac¬ 
coons were found in the cavities^ Examination of the same cavities in 1960 dis¬ 
closed 12 raccoons. 
Table 2.-- Average prices received for Illinois pelts, 1957-58 season 
through the 1960-61 season. 
Species 
1957-58 
1958-59 
1959-60 
1960-61 
Mink 
$10.23 
$11.05 
$12.18 
$9.44 
Beaver* 
4.69 
4.59 
4.64 
7.86 
Raccoon 
.91 
.77 
1.38 
1.41 
Skunk 
.79 
.80 
.82 
.69 
Muskrat 
.71 
.68 
.85 
.70 
Weasel 
.43 
.57 
.63 
.55 
Red Fox 
.21 
.33 
.79 
.96 
Opossum 
.13 
.15 
.34 
.53 
Grey Fox 
.11 
.20 
.48 
.65 
*Beaver prices are 
for 1957, 1958, 
1959, and 1960 
seasons. 
W-61-R-4 J, Ellis, J. Harper, W. Anderson 
Six hundred game farm pheasants from California stock and 514 wild-trapped 
