James D. Nichols

A Survey of Furbearer Resources of the Atchafalaya River Flood Plain in Louisiana

Fur trappers in the area of the Atchafalaya River flood plain were interviewed following the 1971-72 season. Fur catch information from two portions of the flood plain, the swamp region and the marsh region, were compared; and the total fur catch was computed for the swamp region. Mean harvest values were computed and expressed as animals caught per trap-night per square mile per trapper. Differences between mean harvest values from the two regions were not significant for muskrat (Ondatra zihethicus), nutria (Myocastor coypus), and otter (Lutra canadensis). Mink (Mustela vison) and...