400416-24

of 4-5 a litter. Seven is a large litter.

Qn April 15 one can see small rats squatting on the den.

First of April they dgep their young.

1 trapped eight days at West Jordan and netted {448 twelve years ago.
Did not have enough traps, only 60. Price of rats $1.50 to $2.00.

I have sold many rats in early days for three cents for kits and five
cents for large rats.

When the lake lowered it foreed the rats into the tas oe ditches
where they were soon caught out.

Boys in their trapping destroy many rat dens (Hlmer tas and Bill
Baxter (George's boy) Baker, Carter. Kill 12 be get 1.

March 6, 1937. Claud Carter, Prove, Utah. Approx 49 years of age.

Rhout 1897 Parley Carter caught 130 _rats in one day.

Two men would average about 3,000 a season. Robert Boe was paying top
nine cents for rats at that time.

There were about 15 trappers on the lake (Utah) in 1897

Father trapped upper end north of Mud Lake and Egg Island towards old
Lake Resort. Would net 5,000 rats a season from October first to Mareh
fifteenth.

My best season for rats was 1897.

Mpril 27, 1938. Dede Johnson.

I used 2 funnel trap very successfully catching eight rats in one
night. Made of netting three feet longe Funnel 1 foot deep with eight
inch opening at large end. Trap was immersed two thirds in water at edge
of the stream. Traps were barrel shape two feet in diameter. Rats would
- never fight.

Mareh 5, 1937. Stephen Bee. A pioneer trapper and fur buyer of Prove:
4ge 81 years.

Swenty seven thousand furs of all kinds were bought in one season.
Do not know for certain the year.

Other buyers were James Dunn, William Freshwater and later Jews
from Salt Lake came into the region.

In early days muskrats were thick--I could step from den te den.

Otter were never plentiful, several a season was the average catch.

March 5, 1937. sobert G. Bee.

Probably the early nineties. 1 was eight years old at that time and
can remember well the immense purchases made by father and Uncle Bteve.
I helped pack hundreds of ratg skins in bundles of 25 to be shipped to N.Y.
market.

The above statements refer tos
Ondatra zibcthica osoyoosensis.
Mustela vison energumend se.
Lutra canadensis mnexa.
Mephitis occidentalis majore
Martes caurina origenese
Castor canadensis frondator.
Canis latrans lestes.