Left, Bert Iverson and his furs.  Right, Mike Iverson and his furs.  Caught in Jan and Dec.

SKUNK RAISING

Skunks are the fur bearers that I am interested in consequently the only ones I raise. For feed I give them rabbit, chicken, corn meal mush, oatmeal, apples, potatoes, carrots, melons and eggs. I also give them some stock tonic. If your skunks have lice, get some sheep dip, and put in their houses, then get some lice powder and rub in their fur. Always give them fresh bedding once a week in summer. Make the dens in a knoll, or on the highest part of your pen. I would advise any one going into the skunk raising industry for profit, to make a good pen in the start. Use one-inch mesh for the young skunks, and one and one-half inch mesh for old animals. Don't use anything smaller than No. 17 wire. Your fence should be 4 feet high or more, and sink 2 feet in the ground.
Get some good half stripe females, and a few star males; give them the right care and success will be yours.
Bert H. Iverson, Winnebago County, Iowa

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Caught at Rice Lake, Iowa
1700 Muskrats, 37 Skunk, 13 Mink, 4 Coon, 1 Opossum, in five days by Halverson Bros. and Westcott, Winnebago County, Iowa.

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~sources~
Iverson photo & Skunk raising article: Hunter – Trader – Trapper, Vol 32, 1916,  pg 94
Rice Lake photo: Hunter – Trader – Trapper, Vol 14, No. 2,  1907

~contributed by S. Ferrall

 

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