September, 1943 
around” fur animal, since it produces in- 
come, affords sport and food, and ranks 
high in aesthetic appeal. Of the Illinois 
fur-takers contacted concerning their opin- 
ion of the raccoon, 356 in 1938-39 and 
387 in 1939-40, only 1 in each year de- 
sired fewer of these animals. Depreda- 
tions by raccoons on corn and poultry are 
overlooked far more readily by farmers, 
fur-takers and non-fur-takers alike than 
similar activities on the part of opossums, 
skunks, weasels and foxes. 
The sport value of raccoons, especially 
during an era of low prices, is probably 
the greatest worth of these animals in IIli- 
nois. The income value, considerably less 
than $100,000 annually at the time of the 
survey, is probably exceeded by the yearly 
turnover involved in the care, training and 
sale of coon dogs. At price levels current 
when the survey was made, it is difficult 
for a coon hunter to take enough raccoon 
furs to cover the annual upkeep of his 
dogs. This is certainly true in cases where 
vaccinations, registration fees and other 
kennel expenses are figured in the cost. 
Damage and Control.—Raccoon. 
damage is very minor except in cornfields 
bordering woodlands holding sizable rac- 
coon populations. A foray on poultry is 
occasionally reported, and a very few cases 
of injury to cultivated fruits and brambles 
are on record. Injury of this sort is con- 
sidered too insignificant to justify control, 
but in instances in which it is required the 
writers recommend trapping, in season if 
possible; if not in season, the liberation of 
captured animals at points removed from 
the scene of the damage. Before trapping 
is attempted, Illinois State Department of 
Conservation investigators should be con- 
sulted and, if necessary, their aid in cap- 
ture and liberation of the animals enlisted. 
Populations.—On the basis of avail- 
able records, and the opinion of hundreds 
of fur-takers, no Illinois fur animal has 
shown a sharper decline in numbers dur- 
ing recent years than the raccoon. Of 
253 fur-takers expressing an opinion for 
the season of 1938-39 in comparison with 
the preceding season, 179 indicated a de- 
crease, 41 no change and 33 an increase; 
for the season of 1939-40 in comparison 
with the preceding season, 183 trappers 
reported a decrease, 58 no change and 58 
an increase, table 8. In addition, many 
experienced fur-takers were positive in 
Brown & YEAGER: SURVEY OF FuR RESOURCE 
463 
their opinions that the decrease had been 
steady and rapid during the preceding 5 
or 10 years. 
Of fur-takers reporting an increase, 
about 25 per cent were from the upland 
communities of Calhoun County, only a 
few miles removed from extensive bottom- 
land clearing made in conjunction with 
channel improvement along the Mississippi 
and Illinois rivers. Such clearing forced 
raccoons into the nearby timbered bluffs, 
thus affording there a year or two of in- 
creased populations and good hunting. 
The catch in this county in 1938-39 was 
very high, with 2.66 raccoons per square 
mile. The annual catch, according to un- 
verified but general belief among experi- 
enced hunters in this region, represented 
about one-half of the total population. A 
density of five raccoons per square mile 
was thus indicated for the county as a 
whole, the population being, of course, of 
even greater density on actually inhabited 
areas. his was the heaviest raccoon pop- 
ulation encountered during the study. 
Following completion of the survey we 
had numerous and apparently reliable re- 
ports of increases in raccoon numbers, 
noticeable particularly in 1941 and 1942. 
‘These increases are believed to have re- 
sulted from three factors that had tended 
to reduce the raccoon catch: low prices on 
raccoon furs, good agricultural crops and 
prices, and increased employment in in- 
dustry. ‘The additional breeding stock 
built up by these conditions may indeed 
have resulted in somewhat larger popula- 
tions, despite accelerated depletion of the 
raccoon habitat. Such gains may be only 
temporary and may be easily lost during 
periods of good fur prices and greater than 
normal take. 
Habitats.—It is natural that a raccoon 
population as high as that found in Cal- 
houn County should occur in an excellent 
habitat. An abundance of heavy timber 
and bluffs afforded plenty of cover and 
dens; the water supply, consisting of large 
rivers, lakes, swamps, marshes and spring 
runs, was excellent; and extensive and 
widely scattered areas of brush, cultivated 
fields and thousands of food-producing 
forest trees, such as pecan and persimmon, 
offered ample food. Despite heavy hunt- 
ing, a breeding reserve of raccoons was left 
because of the difficulty in removing 
“treed” animals from the hundreds of 
