The increasing population in towns near the Everglades hunted in the area. Raccoons and otters were the most widely hunted for their skins. Hunting often went unchecked; in one trip, a Lake Okeechobee hunter killed 250 alligators and 172 otters.[118] Water birds were a particular target of plume hunting. Bird feathers were used in women's hats in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.