September, 1943 Brown & YEAGER: 
River Bluffs and Bottoms and the Gray 
Prairie regions are among the largest and 
are the most diverse, it is believed that 
those regions represented by only one 
county were for most species reliably 
sampled. 
The chronological summary of sam- 
pling, by counties, is shown in table 2. 
It is apparent from table 2 that the sur- 
vey of some counties required proportion- 
ally more time than others. The investi- 
gator acquired greater proficiency with 
experience. Io a considerable degree dif- 
ferences in the time required were due 
to differences in this proficiency, but they 
are also accounted for by differences in 
the road systems in the 10 counties, by 
differences in the weather and in the sea- 
son. In the farm planting and harvesting 
seasons, it was comparatively difficult to 
obtain information during working hours; 
accordingly, many persons were _ inter- 
viewed at night, on Sundays or at other 
times that suited the convenience of the 
persons questioned. 
The desirable and undesirable features 
of the sampling method used in Project 
1-R are evaluated as follows: 
For 
1. It is rapid, as compared to a complete 
survey or a survey involving a larger 
sample. 
2. It does not require intensive knowledge 
of the sample area on the part of the in- 
vestigator. 
3. It is adaptable to the convenience of 
residents on the sample area. 
4. If planned well, it gives relatively pro- 
portional sampling of all habitats. 
5. It affords opportunity for the investi- 
gator to check reports of doubtful nature 
by talking to a neighbor or to a local fur- 
buyer. 
6. It is more nearly representative of the 
total fur-taker situation, and less selective, 
than a survey based on catch reports of 
only licensed fur-takers. 
A gatinst 
1. Use of roads as strip axes tends to inter- 
sect greatest human densities. 
2. Sometimes it is impossible to run strips 
along a straight east-west or north-south 
course, thus interfering with the mechan- 
ical nature of the method. 
3. Topography and water features of an 
area are not always adaptable to strip 
sampling. 
SURVEY OF Fur ReEsourRCE 
449 
+. Percentage of area required to give a 
true sample is not readily determined. 
5. In coverage of a large unit, as a state, 
time limitation may make possible only a 
small sample, in this case, only 1.7 per cent 
of the area of the state. 
THE FUR-TAKER 
Fur-taker is a term used in this report 
to indicate any individual taking furs un- 
der natural conditions by his own efforts. 
It includes both trappers and hunters, 
whether they operated day or night, with 
or without dogs. 
In table 3, data on the number and 
density of Illinois fur-takers are presented 
by regions. ‘he density of fur-takers in 
the eight regions over the 2-year period 
ranges between 0.33 and 0.83 per square 
mile, the average for the state being 0.52 
in 1938-39 and 0.48 in 1939-40. Fur- 
takers numbered 29,431 and 27,021, re- 
spectively, for the two seasons, as calcu- 
lated from sample data. “The importance 
of the River Bluffs and Bottoms, Black 
Prairie, Glacial Lakes and Gray Prairie 
regions are at once apparent, although for 
different reasons. The greatest density of 
fur-takers was in the Glacial Lakes Re- 
gion, where numerous shallow lakes and 
marshes occur. The River Bluffs and 
Bottoms Region, with 0.72 fur-takers per 
square mile in 1938-39 and 0.63 in 1939- 
40, ranked second in density. This region, 
with 8,101 and 7,088 fur-takers for the 
two seasons, also ranked second in total 
number; it is third in size. “The Black 
Prairie Region was first in total number 
of fur-takers, with 8,889 and 7,737, as 
well as largest in size. However, this 
region showed only 0.54 and 0.47 fur- 
takers per square mile. 
Fur-hunters were by far the most nu- 
merous in the River Bluffs and Bottoms 
and the Gray Prairie regions; both con- 
tain considerable woodland and therefore 
are good raccoon and opossum habitats. 
Regions devoid of timber, figs. 2 and 4, 
ranked relatively low in the number of 
fur-hunters. 
The above data disclose a statewide 
average of nearly one fur-taker for each 
2 square miles. 
It will be noted in table 3 that the 
summation of all trappers and fur-hunters 
exceeds the total given for fur-takers. 
