Methods of Measuring Productivity in Raccoons

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Abstract
Female raccoons, either alive or dead, are easily recognized by the conspicuous vulva, the mammae, and the absence of the penis bone. Cased pelts from males are recognized by the roughened area near the middle of the belly marking the position of the preputial orifice, while pelts from females are recognized by pigmented spots marking the location of the teats. Examination of nearly 800 penis bones gathered in Missouri shows that presence of cartilage on the distal end of the penis bone during fall and winter marks an animal less than 1 yr. of age, while an ossified tip indicates an animal more than 1 yr. of age. Examination of nearly 200 penis bones from Iowa shows that the reliability of the penis bone as an indicator of age is not confined to one area. Until February in Missouri if the penis can be extruded easily through the preputial orifice, the animal is more than 1 yr. old. If the penis cannot be extruded, or if it can be extruded only slightly without force, the animal is less than one year old. Body wt. alone is of little value as an age criterion in female raccoons; however, body wt. can be used to separate males into age classes with only 10% error by considering animals weighing 15 pounds or more as adults. Parous females have long, dark teats and placental scars in their uteri during the hunting season (Dec. 1-Jan. 15) in Missouri, while non-parous females have short, non-pig-mented teats and no placental scars in their uteri. In Missouri non-parous females taken during the hunting season which weigh 11.5 pounds or more are adult. The os clitoris was found to have no use as an age-indicator in the raccoon. Cased pelts from parous females are recognized by the large, dark teats which show through to the fleshy side of the pelt. Laparotomies performed on 6 females which had given birth to known nos. of young indicate that placental scar-counts equal the no. of young born to raccoons. Juvenile mortality is very low between birth and summer, but it amounts to approx. 50% during the 1st yr. Most of this mortality is believed to be the result of hunting.

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