The Accomplished Muskrat Trapper: A Book on Trapping for Amateurs

by Arno Erdman Schmidt

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.