. "v I an .. .. 1 a a1 new . . w 51 , . .95.». Q H ’1. )3qu a .5 f. JV fit; u . .1 f% A v "3 b . o. 3 ’ . . . .7..." n. u f‘u .. v. c .IL .0 ‘ V. a“. wt“ A. ‘a .v... i _~ «a...» ..v . a .v a a. , !_ n . o .M . . .v ! . (.3 13.“. V ......... «id .1 .‘ _ . .o . \ ..- r V”... . \s w‘ In ”m . .114 . d .‘ .l, . . . a .V .. x a a3 a ... a. i. “NW. rQ D . i. . .. .0 %,3l . uvht h u \ D .)d ION 0.151; a .J‘a a lo . 1.. ”1...... ... .5. .2. ...... 3. .3 e. x 1.. . .3: . .III ' 5. O y. I. .n. 4 . .x . v... ‘01.. o. .(O O ‘ ¢‘ ¢ In.» F g 3.x... 3.... . .. . m... . .3 . a... .. vs . .Yn n a... 1" ’ ‘t‘ .. 1“»3 I... . 0" . 31293 1014 ll 111111111219 ‘r‘- ’“fi’ —--, This is to certify that the thesis entitled aThe Fur Value of the I-iic‘tigen Red Sq irrel" presented by Marvin H. Provo has been accepted towards fulfillment of the requirements for M. 3. degree in Eisheries 8: Wildlife jor professor "i «a. “‘4.“ .-~._. - THE FUR VALUE OF THE MICHIGAN RED SQUIRREL BY Marvin.m. Provo how «.5 A THESIS Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies of Michigan State College of Agriculture and Applied Science in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Year 1952 lHE."DJS THE FUR VALUE OF Tun MICHIGAN RED SqUIRREL The purpose of this study was to determine the value of the Michigan red squirrel, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus loquax Bangs, as a fur bearer. It was thought that the fur of the Michigan red squirrel might be similar in quality to that of the Canadian subspecies, T._h. hudsonicus Erxleben, with which intergradation occurs in southern Quebec and Ontario (Hatt, 1929). Between 1940 and 1900, the average annual collection of red squirrel pelts in Canada was in excess of 2,500,0o0, and the prices received were between twenty-four and seventy-nine cents per pelt (D.B.s., 1951). According to the census of Canadian furs exported in the season of 1947-1948 (D.B.S., 1951), the red squirrel was listed as fifth in total value of wild caught furs in the Dominion and in the seasons of 1948-1949 and 1949-1950, it was accorded sixth place. In recent years United States fur manufacturers received be- tween 75,474 and 2,594,025 Canadian squirrel pelts annually at prices that ranged from fifteen cents in 1939 to eighty-six cents per pelt ‘ in 1946 (U.S.D.C., 1939-1946). According to Bachrach (1946), squirrel pelts are variously used in the manufacture of fur coats, trimming of fur and cloth garments and manufacture of linings for outer garments. Generally, pelts from Alberta and Saskatchewan are used for fur coats, and those of other provinces for trimming (Comer, personal letter). m‘ gtr“~if':- v.13 ”pi ro‘gfe“ ACKNUWLE GEMENTS The author wishes to express his thanks to Dr. George A. Petrides, under whose supervision this investigation was undertaken. Grateful acknowledgement is due to Mr. D. F. Switzenberg, Biologist in Charge, and the staff at the Cusino Wildlife EXperiment Station, Shingleton, Nichigan, and to Mr. R. A. MacMullan, Biologist in Charge, and the staff at Houghton Lake'Wildlife Experiment Station, The Heights, Michigan, for their hospitality and cooperation during the investigation. The author greatly appreciates the help of Mr. Lloyd H. Shemenaeur, Game BiolOgist of Saulte Sainte Marie, Michigan, who gave freely of his time and the use of his equipment to facilitate the collection of specimens. The writer is grateful to J. O. Veatch, Professor Emeritus, Soil Science, Michigan State College, for his help in the analysis of vege- tation types of collecting areas. Appreciation is expressed to the Hudson's Bay Company for their assistance in grading and appraising the pelts. PROCEDURE Michigan specimens were collected from Chippewa, Mackinac, and Schoolcraft Counties, in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, during December 1951 and January 1952. In the Lower Peninsula, pelts were taken during February 1952, in Roscommon and Ogemaw Counties. One specimen was se- cured from Kalamazoo County in late Nbvember 1951. The skins were pre- pared as cased pelts with the leather side out and tail attached. Collection of specimens was accomplished by shooting with twelve guage shotgun or .22 rifle and by trapping with ordinary rat traps. Conventional solid bullets and shot ammunition were both used in the rifle. 'When the collection of specimens was concluded, the pelts were submitted to the Hudson's Bay Company, Montreal, Canada, for grading and appraisal. HUNTING AND TRAPPING SUCCESS Evidence of good squirrel pOpulations in the form of nests, tracks, snow tunnels, and cuttings, were abundant in all locations from.which animals were taken. Greater evidence of red squirrel abundance was found in or near stands of coniferous trees than in any other type of habitat observed (Table 1). The distribution was not limited to extensive unbroken stands of conifers. Isolated groves. two acres or less in size, along U. S. Highway No. 2 in Central Chippewa County, were found to contain as many as five red squirrels each. Chi square tests showed significant variation in hunting success between the different habitat types from which specimens were taken and revealed highly significant differences when the habitats were compared on the basis of the squirrels seen per gun-hour. In the latter test, the jack pine and jack pine-oak habitats showed the highest chi square values. Definite statements as to the relative abundance by habitats could not be made due to the small numbers involved in these obser- vations. Other evidence indicated that the jack pine and jack pine-oak were more productive habitat types. Field signs such as tracks, snow tunnels and nests, appeared to be more abundant in the jack pine-oak habitat. In addition, on.March 18, 1952, a friend of the writer shot 5 squirrels in 5 hours in this habitat (Walter Palmer, personal letter) in contrast to the low success experienced by the writer in February. Table 1. - Hunting and Trapping Success in Various Forest Habitats. GunJHours Dominant Tree Squirrels Per Squirrel Squirrels GunsHours Squirrels Trap-Nights Species Seen Seen Shot Per Pelt Trapped Per Pelt Red Pine 4 0.9 3 1.17 1* * Jack Pine 23 1.4 12 2.7 5 16 Balsam Fir, 7 2.0 4 3.5 0 -- White Spruce, White Birch, Aspen, Elm.and Red Maple Jack Pine, 4 8.6 3** 11.5 1** 96 Nerthern Pin Oak and Black Oak Red Pine, Balsam O -- -- -- O (24 Trap- Fir, White Birch Nights) and Aspen Beech, Maple and O -- 0 (5.5 0 (8 Trap- Balsam Fir GuneHours) Nights) 'White Cedar, O -- O (18.5 -- -- Black Spruce and Gun-Hours) Eastern.Hemlock Totals 38 208 22 409 7 2907 Collection data on one specimen unavailable Two additional pelts collected from Highway kill Advice from Hudson's Bay Company personnel (Petrides, in con- versation) indicated that an earlier harvest is more productive in Canada. Palmer's experience may indicate that later hunting also might be desirable in order to avoid unfavorable weather conditions. The term "prime" used in Table 2 is applied to pelts that showed no bluish or blackish discoloration of the skin due to fur replacement. Most pelts taken were prime. Exceptions had small areas of fur re- placement under the chin and near the forelegs. Only one prime pelt was collected from an adult in Nevember, and was not considered in Table 2. No significant change was found in the ratio of prime adult pelts to prime juvenile pelts during the collection period. Table 2. - Distribution of Prime Pelts During Collection Period. December January Rebruary Numbers of Adult Pelts 3 9 5 Percentage of Prime Pelts 100 78 60 Among Adults anbers of Juvenile Pelts 7 4 2 Percentage of Prime Pelts 43 50 100 Among Juveniles Total Percentage of Prime 7O 69 71 Pelts FUR VALUE AS nELATED TO NETHOD OF COLLECTION The shotgun was most effective on.moving shots, but usually re- sulted in pellet damage to the sides and backs of the pelts. Three of the specimens collected in this manner were damaged too badly to save. The limited range and resulting pellet damage of the .22 shot ammunition made its use unsatisfactory. Except for difficult running shots, the .22 rifle using solid bullets, was found to be the most satisfactory weapon. ‘Where the animals could be shot through the head the damage was not sufficient to lower the value of the pelt. Pelts were not damaged when the animals were trapped. The results of pelt appraisal by the Hudson's Bay Company are presented in Table 5. The terms used by them are: Class I contains pelts with crime or near prime skins and good quality fur. Class II consists of pelts with thin fur, pelts of small size, or unseasonable pelts that showed a bluish discoloration of the skin indicative of unprime condition. £9322 describes a pelt of good quality, within its respective class, that is not damaged to any considerable degree. Slightly shot is the term applied to those pelts that have sustained very slight shot damage or to pelts that have tranSparent spots or windows due to the presence of a sparse undercoat. Damaged or slightly damaged pelts are those which have been damaged to the extent that their usefulness in manufacturing is impaired. Table 5. - Numbers and Values of Pelts According to Method of Capture C-c-c- -~.—-— -- --.—---- --—-— 1* .22 12 Guage .22 Shot Highway Class No. Value Rifle Shotgun Ammunition Trapped Kill I Clean 10 22¢ 4 l 5 I Slightly Shot 9 18¢ 6 1 l 1 II Clean 5 14¢ 2 1 2 Slightly Damaged 5 12¢ 2 l Damaged 4 09¢ 3 1 Total 51 $5.24 12 7 5 7 2 Average value 16.9¢ l8.7¢ l5.0¢ 15.0¢ 20.5¢ 14.0¢ per pelt om. ——-~—--———. -u.” Of the pelts graded as Slightly Damaged or Damaged, four would have been placed in Class I Clean and three in Class II except for damage caused by shotgun or .22 ammunition shot pellets. The average value of the pelts according to size and fur quality and disregarding damage in capture was nineteen cents. The values of Michigan pelts in the tOp two classes were twenty-two and eighteen cents as compared with approximately twenty-six and twenty-three cents in these classes for pelts taken in Quebec, Nbva Scotia, and Ontario, Canada, during the 1951-52 season. Michigan red squirrel pelts appear unimportant as a fur resource because of their low value. Their best use may be in supplementing income from other furs. AGING AND SEXI NG Age and sex of specimens were determined by examination of re- productive organs. A light colored scrotum in the male and thread- like uterus in the female were considered as evidences of immaturity. Among 14 adults, 6 were males and of the 17 juveniles 10 were males. The results were inconclusive when age determination was attempted by inspection of epiphyseal ossification using the eray technique de- scribed by Petrides (1951). Michigan red squirrel pelts, taken from Chippewa, Mackinac, and Schoolcraft Counties in the Upper Peninsula, and from Roscommon, Ogemaw, and Kalamazoo Counties in the Lower Peninsula, were presented for sale and their values appraised. Values were between nine and twenty-two cents p:r pelt. The average value determined on the basis of size and fur quality alone was nineteen cents per pelt. “I NDIX APPENDIX Computations of Chi Square Values For Data Included In Tables 1 and 2. Table 4. - Comparison of Habitats According To Squirrels Shot Per Gun- Hour (table 1 - page 4) Squirrels 1 Habitat Shot Expected Deviation (o-c)2 Gun-Hours (0) (C) (0-0) 0 Red Pine 3 .9 2.1 4.900 3.5 Jack Pine 12 803 307 1.64:9 3200 Balsam.Fir, White 4 3.6 .4 .444 14.0 Spruce, etc. Jack Pine - Oak 3 9.0 6.0 4.000 34.5 Total 22 21.8 o x2 =10.993, 84.0 significant at 5% for 3 do f. 1 Expected : total squirrels shot x gun—hours per habitat TEOtal gun-hours 10 Table 5. - Comparison of Habitats According to Squirrels Seen Per Gun- Hour (table 1 - page 4) m Squirrels 1 Habitat Seen Expected Deviation (o-c)2 Gun-Hours (0) (0) (o-c) 0 Red Pine 4 1.6 2.4 3.600 3.5 Jack Pine 23 14.4 8.6 5.136 32.0 Balsam Fir, White 7 6.3 07 .077 1400 Spruce, etc. Jack Pine " Oak 4 1505 1105 80532 3405 Total 38 37.8 o x? = 17.345, 84.0 significant at 1% for 5 do f0 1 Expected : total squirrels seen x gun-hours per habitat _¥tota1 gun4hours Table 6. - Comparison of Ratios Between.Adult and Juvenile Prime Pelts in Different Months (table 2 - page 5) Prime Juvenile Expected Pelts Prime Total Adult Prime Adult Total Juvenile Adult 2 Month Pelts Pelts Pelts Pelts2 Deviation (0-02 (0) (e) 0 December 5 3 5/7 1.5 1.7 2.223 January 9 7 2/4 4.5 2.5 1.470 February 5 3 2/2 5 .0 2 .0 . 800 y x3 = 4.493, not significant at 2 do If. I—.-—....4......- __ 2 Expected = prime juvenile pelts per mg. x total adults pelts per mo. totaIPjuvenile pelts per mo. 11 Literature Cited Bachrach, Max. 1940. Fur. Prentice—Hall, Inc. New York. 128-143. Dominion Bureau of Statistics. 1951. Memorandum. Fur production. Ottawa, Canada. 1-19. Hatt, Robert T. 1929. The red squirrel: its life history and habits. Roosevelt Wildlife Annals. New York State College of Forestry, 2 (1)31-70. Petrides, George A. 1951. Notes on age determination in squirrels. Journal of Mammalogy. 32:111-112. U. S. Department of Commerce, 1939-1946. Foreign commerce and navigation of the United States (Annual bulletin). Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce,'Washington, D. C. "Ill!llflllll‘ll‘llllfs