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24 July 2013

Louisville Game Market - December 1863

Louisville, Dec. 30, 1863.

Game of nearly all kinds is abundant in our markets, and the trade in it is considerable. The following are our quotations:

Wholesale Prices.
  Buying.
Saddle Venison ...   15 c per lb.
Wild Geese ...   50 c each.
Wild Turkeys ...   75 c @ $1.25 each.
Brants ...   40 c each.
Wild Ducks Canvasback ... none in market.
  Mallard ... $2.50 per doz.
  Black ... $ 3 per doz.
  Redhead ... $2.50 per doz.
  Bluewing Teal ... $1.75 per doz.
Pheasants ...   $3.50 per doz.
Quails ...   $1.25 per doz.
Rabbits ...   $1.25 per doz.
Squirrels ...   $1 per doz.
Grouse ...   $4.00 per doz.
Retail Prices.
  Selling.
Saddle Venison ...   20 @ 25 c per lb.
Wild Geese ...   75 c each
Wild Turkeys ...   75 c @ $2 each.
Brants ...   50 @ 75 c each.
Wild Ducks Canvasback ... none in market.
  Mallard ... 50 @ 75 c per pair.
  Black ... $1 per pair.
  Redhead ... 75 c per pair.
  Bluewing Teal ... 50 @ 75 c per pair.
Grouse ...   $4.50 per doz.
Pheasants ...   $4.50 per doz.
Quails ...   $1.50 per doz.
Rabbits ...   $1.50 per doz.
Squirrels ...   $1.25 per doz.
December 31, 1863. Louisville Daily Democrat 20(143): 3.

This account of market prices is especially significant because it has both wholesale and retail prices. Most reports typically provide only the wholesale price. No similar reports were found after browsing through other nearby issues of this newspaper.

The "brants" listed here are likely the Snow Goose (or other species, although the Greater White-fronted Goose was often called the "speckle-bellied goose"), as they they would probably not at Louisville, along the Ohio River, be the Brant typical of the Atlantic coast. Grouse are designated as the Greater Prairie Chicken and the pheasant as the Ruffed Grouse. This far east, it is not likely that there would have been any Sharp-tailed Grouse, which with their long-tail, could represent pheasants.

These advertisements from the same newspaper, though a different issue, feature businesses which offered various sorts of game meat during the season.


February, 1856

November, 1863