Friday, September 01, 2006

PETA: Take note, please!


Here's a squirrel getting a little tail (before he loses it)
Hook, line & sinker: Mepps buying squirrel tails


We usually mean fishing t-a-l-e-s when it comes to telling stories about our fishing exploits. But, this time, we're talking fishing t-a-i-l-s. Mepps, the company known for making hair-covered spinners with that enticing throbbing action in water, has put out the word it is offering a bounty on squirrel tails to use in its manufacturing business. There is one proviso: The company only wants tails from squirrels that were hunted for food. Mepps does not condone harvesting squirrels for their tails alone.

You won't get rich selling tails to Mepps, which has been buying the hair for 30 years. Premium specimens net only 20 cents if you sell fewer than 100 at a time. That climbs to 26 cents each if you sell more than 1,000. The cash value can be doubled if you take the bounty in tackle rather than money, which most people do, the company said.

Store tails in a freezer, salt the tail butt liberally and keep the flies away, the company says. Do not store them in plastic. Put them in a package with the count, your name and address on the inside and ship them to Sheldons' Inc., 626 Center St., Antigo, WI 54409-2496. Shipping is refunded on 50 tails or more. Ship by UPS or surface parcel post only. Visit www.mepps/squirrel.com for details on the offer and handling instructions.

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