The Fur-Bearing Animals of an

Indiana Farm.

BY HENRY ADOLF LINK.

Just a few of our wild animals, seen on a woodland walk, a squirrel, a woodchuck, a mouse, a chipmunk, brings one back to the higher life. There is a feeling akin to brotherly affection for the great out-of-doors, and life to the nature lover contains less of the grim realities that crowd this workaday world.

Many were the hunting exploits of years ago, when large game animals were plentiful. But these are other stories, and the past is gone, only to be revived in the memory of pioneers who tell of times when all kinds of game was to be had on every side. Nothing passes the time away as quickly as to hear several of the older pioneers tell stories of these bygone days. The unheard of number of passenger pigeons, black and grey squirrels and other animals, makes the hunter of the present time wish that he could turn the curtain of the past around, and live for just a few weeks in this great hunting paradise.

In this paper I have included the small rodents, all classed under the one head; furbearing animals, though the skin of a mouse is too small to be of any commercial value. The numbers of our larger furbearing animals are fast being depleted, and at the present rate of decrease, within ten years many of them may become extinct, viz., the mink, coon, muskrat, skunk and otter. Today very few mink and fewer otter are caught. About the lakes and streams a few are still found.

Draining of swamps, cutting away of the timber, early fall trapping when fur is not prime, persistent hunting, trapping, and destroying and digging out dens, catching in early spring, have driven many of our wild animals from this country. Early in

September, or even the last of August, some begin trapping when the fur is very unprime. If they would wait till November the fur would be worth a half more and would go for high grade stuff. The loss in this manner amounts to thousands of dollars every season.

For several years I have been making observations and taking notes, and I am now convinced that the wild animals make migrations from one section of the country to another, and that they will make wide circles over the surrounding country. Especially is this true if the nut crop fails in one place and there is an abundance in another; they tell each other and travel towards this harvest of plenty.

Rabbits will travel from one woods to another, and from an open country to one that is heavily wooded and swampy. When persistently hunted or during cold weather they seek the warmest places for protection. They will also, during exceedingly cold weather, stay in underground holes. A woodchuck hole is an ideal place. These, when the ground is frozen, are almost impossible to dig out. Here the "Molly" is sure of good protection, and only after night will she venture forth in quest of food.

Perhaps the wanderlust moves them to make trips to some other country. There is always a spirit of unrest that at various times keeps them moving; much such an one as impels the human family. With mink and the weasel it seems to be the spirit of the conqueror, while the coon, skunk, rabbit, squirrel and muskrat are more concerned for new pastures which have not been tramped by others.

In years when there is an abundance of hickory nuts, acorns, buckeyes and beechnuts, there will be plenty of squirrels. And of rabbits, a swamp one day will be full of them, and in a few weeks not a rabbit can be found therein, even though they have not been hunted there. This I know to be true.

In the winter and early spring a mink will travel for miles and miles, and with seeming regularity will make his rounds of the ditches. And he seems to know when he is being tracked, for he will then travel fast for a safe retreat. It always seemed to me that each mink carried a map of the country in his clever brain that brought him safety many times.

Skunk also make migrations from an unfavorable locality to one which affords them more food and better protection. Not every year, but every few years this migration mania seems to take possession of them, and they will travel for miles.

Coon go from one den tree to another, and will go many miles to secure snug winter quarters. Perhaps they tell each other the news of the day, and their lives are as eventful as our own. Their successful eluding of trained hounds suggests reasoning power of a high order. During the past few years, with the disappearance of good snug den trees, they have taken up their abode in woodchuck holes. They have a preference for tile ditches, and some will keep going up the tile till they wedge themselves into it at the upper end.

Even young kittens will go on hunting excursions and be gone for two or three days, sometimes a week or longer.

The Norway rat in the past few years has taken up his residence along the open ditches and in the fields during the summer time. In the winter he goes into the barns and corneribs to do more damage.

It must not be understood that our wild animals make migrations as do some of the birds. But the same spirit seems to move them at times, and their wanderings are far and wide. The desire to explore and conquer, and to find new fields for food and protection from their worst enemy, man, and also from their lesser enemies, are probably the forces that impel them.

THE RACCOON.

Nothing thrills the hunter's heart more than a real good coon hunt; one that is filled with adventures and good healthy leg exercise that makes a fellow feel like he should wish to sleep all the following day when he rolls into bed at one or two o'clock or later in the morning. It is fun that makes the red blood flow freer in the veins. It takes off the ennui that collects during the summer time. With a dog that knows how to chase a coon there is sport that can be enjoyed to the fullest extent of one's ability to enjoy any good sport. One of the craftiest animals to be found in the woods at the present time is the raccoon, more popularly called