September, 1943 
some increase in populations, but their net 
effect on these populations is difficult to 
evaluate. Studies of extended duration 
on representative areas are necessary be- 
fore the full effect of prices and various 
other economic and social factors can be 
determined. 
Of the factors other than price that 
may affect the fur catch, the most im- 
portant are weather, employment and the 
degree of prosperity among rural people 
generally. he effect of both employment 
and rural prosperity is apparent; during 
industrial booms, especially in mining and 
lumbering, or during eras of good farm 
prices, potential trappers are not inclined 
to follow the uncertain recourse of fur- 
taking for a livelihood. This reference to 
farmer-trappers chiefly concerns tenants, 
share-croppers and small farm owners in 
southern or southwestern Il|linois. Few 
landowners in the more prosperous farm 
regions give any time or thought to the 
fur crop, since it is insignificant in com- 
parison with their main farm activities. 
As discussed previously, there has been 
a pronounced decline in farm-boy trapping 
in Illinois. ‘The skill of older professional 
trappers offers discouraging competition 
to boys, who are now concerned with 
school and related activities. 
The effect of weather on the catch 
is highly important. Mild weather and 
open water usually result in increased 
catches, since traps placed on logs, in 
trails or at the edge of lakes and streams 
do not freeze down, and every night is 
a “catching” night. Extreme drought, re- 
sulting in dried-up water courses, serves 
to concentrate muskrats, minks, and prob- 
ably other species, on areas where water 
is available. Under such conditions the 
bulk of the catch may be made by rela- 
tively few trappers, while fur-takers with- 
out trapping water often hang up their 
traps for the season or until heavy rains 
fall. Dry conditions also make for poor 
trailing and consequently low night 
catches of raccoons, opossums, foxes and 
other fur animals. Very deep snow, sleet 
and floods are also detrimental to good 
catches. Cold weather induces hiberna- 
tion in raccoons and skunks, and reduced 
activity in certain other species. On the 
other hand, warm weather probably re- 
sults in maximum travel on the part of 
fur animals and therefore increased chance 
Brown & YEAGER: SURVEY OF Fur REsourRcE 
495 
of being taken in traps. Unseasonably 
warm weather may result in some spoil- 
age of pelts. Under certain conditions, 
especially in the Glacial Lakes Region and 
on the Illinois River marshes, ice a few 
inches thick is conducive to good muskrat 
trapping. 
In tables 15 and 16, respectively, the 
calculated total and average per-square- 
mile catch of Lllinois furs is given by 
species and regions for both years covered 
by the survey. In table 17, these data are 
expressed in per cent for both species and 
regions, and for the state as a whole. In 
table 18, the calculated income value of 
the fur resource per square mile in sample 
counties is summarized; and, in table 19, 
the value is expressed in dollars for both 
species and regions, and in per cent for 
regions. ‘lable 20, comparing catch with 
value, shows wide variation between total 
value and the total number of pelts for 
the various fur animal species. Similarity 
in percentages relating to catch and value 
for the same regions, tables 15 and 19, is 
due to compensating factors between num- 
ber and average pelt value of species. The 
data in tables 16 and 19 are taken directly 
from the preceding tables dealing with 
specific animals. 
The value of the fur resource in [lli- 
nois as given in table 19 for 1938-39 and 
1939-40 is probably lower than the aver- 
age annual income. How much lower it 
was than the average for the previous 20 
years is not known. The total income for 
1938-39 was $1,297,126.55, as calculated 
from sample data; for 1939-40, $1,106,- 
534.35, derived in the same manner. 
These data represent an average income 
of $1,201,830.45 per season. 
As stated in a previous section of this 
paper, the raw fur income is derived 
practically without investment or man- 
agement, and at no harvesting expense ex- 
cept time and the cost of trappers’ sup- 
plies. The investment, capitalized at 4 
per cent, required to yield a comparable 
annual income may be calculated by using 
the standard formula: 
$1,201,830.45 
ME? vie 
or $30,045,761.25 
Capital == 
When the lower-than-average incomes 
of 1938-39 and 1939-40 are taken into 
