Illinois Furbearer Distribution and Income

Abstract

Probably about 958,000 individuals of our eight common furbearers are caught annually in Illinois, or 17 per square mile, amounting roughly to 9,400 per county. Individual fur-takers average about 37 animals each per year. Muskrats were by far the most common catch.  The average annual income from the Illinois fur catch for the period beginning with the 1929-30 season and ending with the 1939-40 season (seasons of 1931-32, 1932-33 and 1933-34 omitted) amounted to about $1,067,500, or about $19 per square mile.  Muskrats accounted for the greatest average annual income.