Chapter 5.

Handling and Grading Muskrat Fur.

Thousands of dollars are annually lost to trappers on account of the improper handling of raw fur. This is due to both ignorance and carelessness on the part of a certain class of trappers. If these amateurs would pay a little more attention to the proper way of killing and skinning the animals, and the proper fleshing, stretching and drying of the skins, they would realize from 5 to 10 per cent more on their furs.

When animals are found alive in traps they may be dispatched by a few sharp blows on the head with a stick, which should be smooth and free from knots and stubs, otherwise the fur is liable to be damaged. An animal when caught will often retreat under the banks or between root snags, and then there is always danger of the catch escaping by its violent struggles when the trapper attempts to dislodge it from its retreat. A .22 caliber pistol will prove very handy for just such emergencies; a bullet between the eyes from such a weapon will subdue the animal, whereupon it can be safely hauled out. There is no danger of decreasing the value of the fur when using such a small firearm.

Trapped muskrats are sometimes attacked, killed and torn to shreds by mink or owl, as these nocturnal prowlers are very fond of the flesh of these animals. When traps are not promptly looked after early in the day, magpies and crows will often stage a mass attack and peck and harass the poor victims to death. Such catches are a total loss to the trapper, who is in most part to blame, because of his carelessness in attending traps and his failure to arrange the sets so the entrapped animals may drown and be thus concealed from view.

Before skinning an animal, examine the carcass and make sure that the fur is clean and free from foreign matter. When an animal is bespattered with dried mud, proceed to remove the same by thoroughly brushing the fur; fresh mud and blood stains can be removed by rubbing and rinsing the carcass in cold water. Burs and other foreign matter should also be combed and brushed out. When this has been accomplished, we are ready to skin the animal.

There are two methods employed in skinning the various fur-bearers, namely, "open" and "cased." The former method is used on the larger animals, such as bear, wolverine, mountain lion, etc. The latter method is used on the smaller animals, which include our friend the muskrat. The blade of the skinning knife should possess a very keen edge at all times, so that there will be no ragged edges on the pelts. It is much easier and more agreeable to skin an animal right after it is killed, while the body heat is still retained. Never allow an animal to lay unskinned for more than twenty-four hours, as it is liable to taint, which has a tendency to cause the fur to slip. Such pelts would have little or no value.

To skin the muskrat, cut the skin loose around the hind legs near the feet where the fur ends, then rip down the back of the hind legs to the root of the tail and loosen the fur around the same. Do not skin the tail of the muskrat, as this has no fur value. Now lay the knife aside and peel the skin with your fingers by drawing it down towards the head. You will find that it will peel very readily, with a little flesh here and there threatening to adhere to the skin; most of this can be held back by pushing the fingers of one hand against it, while pulling the skin with the other. To loosen the skin at the front legs, work the thumb of your right hand between the skin and the flesh on the underside of the main joint of the leg, and pull; the skin will come off very easily. The knife comes into play again when the ears are reached. These must be cut off at the base, close to the head. When cutting the skin loose around the eyes, care must be exercised to avoid dilating the apertures. Now peel down to the nose and jaws, and with the knife assist in peeling the skin from these members. The job of skinning is now complete and we have what is termed a cased pelt with the fur side in.

It is a deplorable fact that a large percentage of trappers do not use the knife when removing the skin from the head of the muskrat. They simply pull it off by sheer force, with the result that the skin generally tears off right back of the ears, which leaves a badly damaged pelt. Such pelts when marketed are thrown into the lower grades and sell for about 40 per cent less.

When the pelt is ready for fleshing, it is placed on the fleshing board. This board should be made of one-half-inch material about thirty inches long, four and one-half inches wide at the base and three and one-half inches wide at the shoulders. The upper end of the board should taper to a rounded point. The edges should be rounded and sandpapered, so there may be nothing to injure the fur. A mink fur stretcher makes an ideal fleshing board for muskrats, because it is just about the size and shape required.

Place the skin on the board fur side in, and with a dull knife proceed to remove all loose fat and flesh. An old table knife is a very handy tool for this purpose. When using a jackknife, care must be taken not to score or tear the pelt. The skin should be held taut with the left hand, while manipulating the knife with the right. Scrape by working from the head towards the base, or vice versa, being careful not to scrape the muscles behind the shoulders too close, because the ends of these are firmly attached to the skin. When all superfluous fat and flesh have been removed, the pelt is ready for the stretcher.

There are various makes of steel and wire fur stretchers on the market, which can be purchased at a reasonable figure; but for the accommodation of muskrat pelts, I know of none better or cheaper than the common plain board stretchers which are made of dry goods boxes or similar material. These boards should be made of one-quarter-inch material, about thirty inches in length, six inches wide at the base and five and one-half inches wide at the shoulders. From the shoulders to the tip of the nose they should rapidly taper, coming to a point. This point should be rounded so as to fit the head snugly (See Fig. 3). The edges of the board should be nicely rounded and smoothly sandpapered. When boards are made of one-half-inch material, they should be beveled down to one-eighth of an inch at the edges. A quarter-inch hole should be drilled in each board near the base, so the pelts may be hung up when drying.

It will be remembered, as stated elsewhere in this work, that muskrats vary greatly in size in various parts of the country. This fact makes it impractical to quote exact dimensions for stretchers. The above dimensions are an approximate average for standard skins and are given to serve as an illustration for the guidance of the novice.

When stretching the fur, draw the pelts on to the stretcher, fur side in, in such a manner that the back squarely covers one side of the board (as illustrated), while the underside covers the other. Never stretch a pelt so carelessly that parts of both the back and underside appear on each side of the board. Draw the skin down firmly and fasten to the board by driving tacks all around the base. A tack should also be driven into the tip of nose and lower jaw to hold them in place.

The pelts should be hung up to cure in a cool, airy place; dampness causes mildew, which ruins them. Never dry furs in the sun or too near a fire, as this is liable to cause considerable damage. Never use salt or any other chemicals in curing pelts; allow them to dry by the natural process of evaporation. Be sure that they are held secure against mice and other pests.

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Large quantities of the cheaper fur are made up and sold under fictitious names by the manufacturing furriers, such as "Hudson seal, river mink, coney, nutria," and others too numerous to mention. Hudson seal is the fur of muskrat, which is sheared, plucked, dyed and beautifully blended to imitate the fur seal. River mink is also the fur of muskrat prepared and dyed to a rich, deep brown to imitate the more valuable mink. Coney is a species of European rabbit, somewhat resembling our native cottontail, but the pelt of the former is firm and tough, which renders it fit for manufacturing purposes. Nutria is the commercial term for the fur of the South American coypou. These fancy names have been adopted, no doubt, so that the goods may sell better. For instance, that beautiful new "black sable" cloak, which is so soft and silky, and which Mrs. Brown is showing with so much pride to her neighbor Mrs. Smith, is in reality nothing more than the unadulterated fur of that despised animal, the skunk. Nevertheless, with the exception of the rare black fox, the skunk supplies the most beautiful and most durable natural black fur of North America. In the making up of this article, the white stripes in the fur are eliminated, as this is hair and not fur, as some people erroneously believe.

Select specimens of the cheaper fur, such as muskrat, opossum, etc., are prepared by skilled furriers to imitate the finer and more valuable furs; and when these craftsmen are through with their process of fixing, it would require the skill of an expert to distinguish the finished product from the genuine article which it imitates.

Though the manufacturing end of the business is of little interest to the trapper and small dealer in raw furs, I merely record the above statements to give the average reader an idea of how a large percentage of furs are skillfully camouflaged to improve their appearance and thus promote their sale.

In the following lines I shall endeavor to delineate, in an abridged form, the fundamentals and principles of "fur grading"; this, for the guidance of the reader, who, I shall presume, knows nothing about the art of grading and assorting raw furs. Be it remembered that in this, like in any other art or craft, the past master of that art or craft has from long experience acquired, unconsciously or otherwise, a certain "knack," the absence of which forms the main obstacle in the path of the novice. This fact again calls to mind the truth of that age old maxim, "Experience is the best teacher." What I am about to set forth here on the subject is done with the view in mind of assisting the amateur muskrat trapper (in whose interest this is written) to know and determine the value of his fur, which will enable him to realize more money on his catch and to find a better market for his goods. In my own days of adolescence as an amateur mink and muskrat trapper, it has been my privilege to handle and examine the pelts of hundreds of muskrats. This study and experience, alone, have been invaluable to me in buying and selling raw furs.

PELT: The inspection of the pelt or flesh side of a piece of fur is generally the first thing the fur buyer does, for the reason that the furs of most of the different animals are stretched and shipped to market pelt side out. The degree of primeness of any piece of fur is largely determined by the appearance of the pelt. To pass as No. 1, a pelt must possess a white, pink or flesh color. When blue spots are apparent on the pelts, they are termed blue-pelts or unprime. The value of these depends on the amount of blue showing on the pelts. When a pelt is possessed of but a few streaks or spots of blue, it is termed good unprime and goes into grade No. 2. The No. 3, or poor unprime, are those where the degree of primeness covers 40 per cent or more of the pelt. Any peltries below this plane of primeness are of little or no value.

With the exception of the muskrat and one or two others, the pelts of fur bearers are generally strictly prime during the latter part of November and the months of December, January and February, though occasionally an animal is caught during the latter part of November or early December whose pelt is not strictly prime, but these are exceptions. From this it can be readily seen that the appearance of blue-pelts in a trapper's collection of furs is due to early and late trapping. This trapping out of season should not be encouraged, and is now illegal in most states.

A pelt which has been damaged while killing or skinning its wearer, or in the process of fleshing, stretching and curing, cannot be classed as No. 1, though the pelt may be prime and the fur of good quality. Such pelts are classed as No. 2's, 3's, and trash, all depending on the amount of damage done. A pelt which has tainted or heated on account of flesh adhering, is considered valueless when the damage thus incurred loosens the fur and causes it to slip when handled; such peltries are termed trash and are unfit for any purpose. To avoid disaster, keep in mind the importance of properly fleshing the pelts as soon as they are taken off the animals.

FUR: Though the condition of the pelt is an important factor in determining the value of furs, the fur on fur side is of much more importance, also more difficult to grade and assort intelligently. The quality of the fur bespeaks the real value of the skin. The vital points for consideration are: density, length, color, sheen and superficial luster.

Blow into a piece of fur against the grain and you will notice two distinct layers. These are defined as inner or under fur, and top or guard hair. The former is the basis of the fur coat and on a No. 1 skin must exhibit a very dense growth. Pelts which possess a poor or thin coat of under fur are graded down. The guard hair forms the outer layer of the fur coat and must be sparse in density, but uniform throughout the pelt. The various shades of color and silky glossiness of these guard hairs harmonizing with the under fur is what gives the fur its natural beauty. Many a piece of fur will appear to be in first-class condition, but close scrutiny will often reveal the fact that guard hairs are missing in spots. This gives the fur a rugged or shaggy appearance. Furs possessing such defects cannot be made up in their natural state, but must be either sheared or plucked. On the grading sheet they are classified as "rubbed" and are graded down accordingly. This loss of guard hair is due to various reasons, principally the presence of parasites in the fur, which causes the animal to rub against foreign objects.

White fur, such as that of the ermine or Arctic fox, is valued as to the purity of its color. The pure or snow white pelts are the most valuable. Other shades in this class are gray white, blue white and yellowish to cream color. To command the highest market prices, it is essential that white fur be free from all blood stains.

The policy of color is reversed in the assorting of the black, brown, red and gray furs. Here the rule is, the darker the shades of the various colors, the more valuable the fur.

The mere color and beauty of certain furs of the same species often create a tremendous difference in the range of values. Let us, for example, consider the pelts of two foxes: We will say they are both large skins and perfectly prime, but one is a red, while the other is a black fox. Though both of these foxes may be of the same consanguinity, the pelt of the black would be worth about as many hundreds as that of the red would be worth dollars. In the case of the mink, otter, marten and other fine furs, a well furred pelt of dark color is often worth two or three times as much as a pale colored pelt of equal size and quality.

Towards spring many furs fade or grow pale in color, some are rubbed and the fur appears woolly. These are graded down and termed singed or "springy," and as a consequence are less valuable.

To receive full value for raw furs, the tails must also receive proper attention. Where they are partly or wholly missing or have been damaged beyond redemption, the furs are discounted. This amounts to from ten to twenty-five per cent of the value of the pelt. All tails should be split a portion of their length and the bone removed, otherwise they are apt to spoil. The tails of muskrat, opossum and beaver are left on the carcass, as they have no fur value.

SIZE: There are three sizes of pelts, namely, large, medium and small; but dealers in raw furs find it necessary to quote a special grade for the very small or undersize skins. These kitts, as they are termed, are the skins of the young of late litters. They are not mature in pelt and the fur is of poor quality, hence of little value. A No. 1 large pelt is usually worth about twice as much as one of the same quality in the small size. From this the reader may gather that the large grade pelt must be twice the size of the small, but this is erroneous. The fact is, that in most species of fur bearers the variation in the large, medium and small size is but a difference of two or three inches in the length of the pelt. Just why there is such a radical difference in price is a mysterious prank of the fur trade, for which no one person is responsible. On the other hand, a small size pelt which is of good color and possesses a lustrous and dense coat of fur, is often worth as much or more than a large pelt of poor color. Remember that dimensions of the skin and primeness of pelt are of little consideration when the fur lacks quality.

GRADING MUSKRATS: Muskrats, unlike most other furs, are not strictly prime in pelt until early spring. For that reason they are assorted under three headings, as follows: Fall, winter and spring. The pelt of the fall muskrat displays very little primeness, but is endowed with a fairly dense growth of fur, and therefore is in good demand. The degree of primeness increases as the season advances, and when fifty per cent or more of the pelt is prime they are quoted as "Winter." When they are fully prime, which occurs during the latter part of February or early March, they are termed "Spring 'rats" and command the best prices.

Abnormally thin pelts are not uncommon among fur bearers, but this defect is most frequently found on muskrats. Just what causes this imperfection is not definitely known. The writer while trapping in the prairie region of Dakota caught both river and marsh 'rats, and discovered that the pelts of the latter were very thin, and when dry rattled like paper when handled; the color of the fur was a pale, rusty red and very dull compared with that of the pelts of the river 'rats in the same district. I believe the inferior quality of the fur of these marsh 'rats is due to the excessive amount of alkali present in the marshy waters of the Northwest. Papery peltries are discounted from ten to twenty-five per cent, because the leather of such thin pelted fur is delicate and not very lasting.

There is a larger percentage of kitts found in the average collection of fall muskrat pelts than among any other kind of fur. These pelts are poorly furred and very small compared with those of mature animals, and are of little value.

In the spring muskrats fight a great deal, especially the males. As a result, the pelts of these are often damaged considerably. It is not an uncommon occurrence to find entrapped muskrats so badly chewed and torn, by their own kind, that it does not pay to skin them.

In assorting muskrats, buyers usually pay more attention to size and primeness of pelt than they do to the fur, because it is generally conceded that the average run of 'rat fur is good. Nature endows the muskrat with a dense coat of fur, which, in fact, is a necessity to further its welfare in the icy waters in which it lives.

As before stated, 'rats, like most of the other fur bearers, vary considerably in size in various parts of the country. For example the pelt of a large Southwestern muskrat is no larger than that of an Atlantic coast 'rat of the small grade. The districts which show a marked difference in the value and size of 'rat pelts may be divided into four groups, as follows: First, Eastern Canada, New England, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and West Virginia; second, Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, Virginia, Tennessee, and the Carolinas; third, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, and the Northwest; fourth, Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, to the Pacific and Southern.

The pelts of the first district are of the best quality and therefore command the best prices. Those of the second average about ten per cent less per pelt, and those of the third and last district average about twenty and thirty-five per cent less, respectively, than those of the first named district.

END OF THE ACCOMPLISHED MUSKRAT TRAPPER