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diff --git a/34098.txt b/34098.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4a4d38b --- /dev/null +++ b/34098.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4892 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Science of Trapping, by Elmer Harry Kreps + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Science of Trapping + Describes the Fur Bearing Animals, Their Nature, Habits + And Distribution, With Practical Methods For Their Capture + +Author: Elmer Harry Kreps + +Illustrator: Elmer Harry Kreps + +Release Date: October 19, 2010 [EBook #34098] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SCIENCE OF TRAPPING *** + + + + +Produced by Linda M. Everhart, Blairstown, Missouri + + + + +SCIENCE OF TRAPPING + +DESCRIBES THE FUR BEARING ANIMALS, +THEIR NATURE, HABITS AND DISTRIBUTION, +WITH PRACTICAL METHODS +FOR THEIR CAPTURE. + +By E. KREPS. + +REVISED EDITION. + +Published by +A. R. HARDING, Publisher +106 Walnut Street +St. Louis, Mo. + +Copyright. 1909. +By A. R. HARDING PUB. CO. + + + +CONTENTS. + + I. The Trapper's Art + II. The Skunk + III. The Mink + IV. The Weasel + V. The Marten + VI. The Fisher + VII. The Otter + VIII. The Beaver + IX. The Muskrat + X. The Fox + XI. The Wolf + XII. The Bear + XIII. The Raccoon + XIV. The Badger + XV. The Opossum + XVI. The Lynx + XVII. The Bay Lynx or Wild Cat + XVIII. The Cougar + XIX. The Wolverine + XX. The Pocket Gopher + XXI. The Rabbit + XXII. Tracks and Signs + XXIII. Handling Furs + XXIV. Steel Traps + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. + + The Author with a Catch of Furs + Trap Set in Correct Position at Den + The Balance Pole + The Skunk + The Mink + Mink Set under Log + The White Weasel + The Marten + A Marten Set + The Fisher + The Otter + Otter Trap Set under Ice + The Beaver + Trap, Set for Beaver + Beaver Trap Set under Ice + The Muskrat + The Red Fox + Water Set for Fox + Dry Land Set for Fox + The Coyote or Prairie Wolf + Scent Set for Wolf + Bank Set for Wolf and Coyote + The Grizzly Bear + The Raccoon + The Badger + The Opossum + The Lynx + The Wild Cat or Bay Lynx + The Cougar + The Wolverine + The Pocket Gopher + Burrow of Pocket Gopher + The Rabbit + Rabbit Snares + Tracks of Furbearing Animals + Tracks of Furbearing Animals + Tracks of Furbearing Animals + Tracks of Game Animals + Canadian Pattern Stretching Boards + Steel Traps + + [Illustration: The Author with a Catch of Furs.] + + + +INTRODUCTION. + +Among the many outdoor occupations, trapping the furbearing animals +is perhaps the most pleasant and in many instances is also very +profitable. + +Although trapping was one of the earliest industries of this country, +the occupation has not passed away, along with the vanishing +wilderness, for there is more trapping done today than at any time +during the past. Scattered all over North America, in both the +thickly settled portions and the more remote districts are thousands +of trappers who are each season deriving both pleasure and profit +from this unique calling. + +Trapping in itself is an art. Many of the wild creatures are +exceedingly wary and the trapper must match his reason against the +instinct, the natural wariness and the acquired knowledge of the +animals. This wariness alone has saved some species of animals from +extinction, and although man is superior to all brute life, such +intelligent animals as the fox and the wolf frequently prove a match +for the most expert of trappers. + +In order to be successful, one must know the wild animals as a mother +knows her child. He must also know and use the most practical methods +of trapping, and it is my object to give in this work, the most +successful trapping methods known. + +These modes of trapping the furbearing animals have for the most part +been learned from actual experience in various parts of the country, +but I also give the methods of other successful trappers, knowing +them to be as good as my own. I am personally acquainted with some of +the most expert trappers in North America and have also followed the +Indians over their trap lines and in this way have learned many +things which to the white man are not generally known. + +E. KREPS. + + + +SCIENCE OF TRAPPING. + + + +CHAPTER I. + +THE TRAPPER'S ART. + +During past ages many of the wild creatures of the forest and stream +were hunted and captured in various ways by the inhabitants of the +wilderness,--the flesh of these animals being the principal food of +many tribes of savages and the skins being used for clothing; but it +was only after furs became a staple article of wearing apparel among +civilized nations and the traders had learned of the profits to be +made in the fur trade that wholesale and systematic trapping began. +For many years after the commencement of the fur trade in this +country, the occupation of trapping was monopolized by the native +inhabitants, but later some of the bolder of the white race pushed +into the wilderness and learned the trapper's art. + +To-day there are thousands of trappers scattered over the United +States, Canada, Alaska and Mexico and the catching of wild animals +for profit is no longer considered to be an occupation fitting only +for the savage, for there is scarcely a farmer, ranchman or other +person whose calling brings him close to nature who is not more or +less interested in the fur-bearing animals. Wild animals are not all +hunted for the sake of their furs. There are some such as the wolf, +coyote, mountain lion and wild-cat which have become positive +nuisances because of their destruction of stock and for such the +government and in many cases the stockmen pay a bounty. The capture +of wolves and coyotes especially has become a profitable business. + +As to the profits to be derived from this occupation, there are +professional trappers in the North, South and West whose catches +amount to from five hundred to two thousand dollars or more each +season, but the number who do as well as that is comparatively small. +By far the greater number of trappers are those who follow other +occupations and devote only their spare time to the capture of wild +animals and they are for the most part farmers and country boys who +in this way add considerable to their yearly income. + +It is not at all necessary to go into the wilds in order to do +successful trapping, and almost any farming section will be found to +be a paying trapping ground. Indeed, the country man or boy will in +most cases do far better in his own home district than he would by +going into some place with which he is not familiar even though the +fur-bearing animals be more plentiful there than at home. In his own +territory he will learn the haunts of each kind of fur-bearing +animal, its route of travel, the dens, etc., and this knowledge will +be of great value when the actual trapping commences. + +Of course all of the various species of animals will not be found in +any one section but where one is missing there will be some other +found in fair numbers. Muskrats are most numerous as a rule in the +settled parts of the country and wherever the muskrat is found there +the mink is also. Skunks are found almost everywhere and the ease +with which they may be captured makes the trapping of them a +lucrative business. Foxes are found in most of the hilly sections and +while they are not so easily captured, one can make a success of it +if he gives the matter careful study and uses sufficient care in +setting and attending the traps. In many parts of the South the +raccoon is found in abundance as is also the opossum and the otter, +the wild cat and other animals are found more sparingly in many parts +of the country. + +The trapper no matter where he is located is certain to meet with +many hardships but it is a pleasant calling for all of that and there +is a certain amount of pleasure in even the roughest experiences. +Once one has followed trapping for a few seasons it is almost +impossible to give up the wild, free life. The study of the habits of +the wild creatures which is necessary if one wishes to become a +successful trapper brings one into close touch with nature and the +work is extremely fascinating. + +In the early days before the steel trap came into general use, the +deadfall and the snare were used almost exclusively for the capture +of the fur-bearers, but at present when steel traps have reached a +high state of perfection, are sold at prices which place them within +the reach of all, they are preferred by most trappers and many of the +most expert have discarded the wooden traps entirely. However, both +the deadfall and the snare are good traps for certain animals and it +is well to know how to make and use them for one may sometimes see a +good place in which to place a trap but may not have a steel trap +along. In such cases the knowledge of how to construct a practical +deadfall will be of value. It is true that many of the fur-bearing +animals are too cunning to be captured by such a contrivance but some +of the most wary fall easy victims to the snare. Some of the most +expert fox trappers use the snare in preference to the steel trap but +the number is comparatively small. + +Many styles of traps have been invented and some of the most +promising styles were placed on the market but it is doubtful if any +trap will ever be designed which will equal in popularity and general +usefulness the old time jaw trap, commonly known as the "steel trap". +These traps have been improved in many ways until at present they are +almost perfect and are made in sizes and styles to meet all +requirements and all conditions of trapping. + +The jaw traps possess decided advantages over all other styles of +steel or wooden traps. They are light and compact and may be moved +from place to place without inconvenience to the trapper, will +capture the most wary animals as well as the most stupid and will +work perfectly under all conditions whether set in the water or on +dry land, on the snow or on a log or stump or the side of a tree. +They may be used with or without bait and if the proper size of trap +is used and it is set in the right way it will capture almost any +animal that comes that way. What other style of trap possesses all of +these advantages? + +As most of those who have never done any trapping know practically +nothing regarding the use of traps I will outline briefly the methods +usually employed for the capture of fur-bearing animals before +proceeding farther. + +Most of the animals which are caught in traps are decoyed by means of +a bait,--something in the line of food which appeals to its +appetite,--so placed that in attempting to reach it the animal places +its foot in the trap. The most common way is by setting the trap in +the entrance to some natural enclosure, such as a hollow log or +stump, a hollow between trees, or a hole in the rocks, or under a +stump the bait being placed in the enclosure beyond the trap. Failing +to find a natural enclosure, the trapper constructs one, using such +material as may be found on the spot. It is advisable as a rule to +make as little disturbance as possible and to give the enclosure a +natural appearance. + +It sometimes happens that an animal can not be induced to approach a +bait and in such cases the "blind set" is resorted to,--in other +words the trap is set without bait in a trail where the animal +travels or at the entrance of its den. Failing to find such a place +the trapper carefully studies the route of the animal and selects a +place where some natural or artificial obstruction will crowd it into +a certain spot where he carefully sets his trap in such a way as to +catch the animal the next time it comes along. These blind sets are +as a rule very successful and many trappers use such methods +exclusively. + +In setting steel traps, great care is advised for the one who learns +to do this most neatly, leaving everything natural is, as a rule, the +most successful. One should always be certain to get the trap in the +right position for to miss catching an animal not only means its loss +for the time being but many of them will become wiser from such +experiences and their capture will be more difficult afterwards. The +trapper is wise also who gives sufficient attention to the fastening +of the trap, thus reducing the animal's chances of escape after it is +once caught. + +To properly set a steel trap on dry land one should dig a "nest" for +the trap, deep enough to allow the covering to be flush with the +surroundings and just a little larger than, and of the same shape as +the trap when set. This hollow should be lined with dry leaves or +moss and the trap placed therein. To make the trap rest solidly so +that there is no danger of it being tipped over also to make the jaws +set level, the spring should be twisted around towards the jaw which +is held down by the trigger or "dog". The trap should then be covered +with some light, dry material in keeping with the surroundings, a few +dead leaves or a sheet of paper being used first to prevent the +covering from rolling under the pan and in that way prevent the trap +from springing. Instead of doing this some trappers place a bunch of +cotton or dry moss under the pan but I do not think this advisable. + + [Illustration: Trap Set in Correct Position at Entrance of Den.] + +In all cases when setting traps at dens, on trails or at the +entrances of enclosures, the trap should be so placed that the jaws +will be lengthwise of the animal's approach so that it will step +between the jaws and not over one of them. If the setting is reversed +the rising jaw will sometimes throw the animal's foot out of the +trap. + +There are various good methods of fastening and the proper one to use +depends on the nature of the surrounding and the species of animal +that one is setting for. Water animals should be drowned as quickly +as possible after they are caught and in order to secure this result +the "sliding pole" is used. This is simply an inclined pole leading +into deep water and of a size that will enable the ring of the trap +chain to travel easily its entire length. The most common way of +using the sliding pole is to thrust the small end into the bed of the +stream and fasten the other end securely to the bank. The pole should +have a few branches near the small end to prevent the ring from +sliding off. All water animals when caught in traps plunge into deep +water immediately and the ring of the trap chain sliding down the +pole makes it impossible for the captured animal to again regain the +shore. In order to make this outfit more certain when setting for +large animals such as otters and beavers, a stone of six or eight +pounds should be tied firmly to the chain but not near enough to the +trap to interfere with the action of the swivel. + +In trapping for muskrats and mink the usual practice is to simply +stake the trap the length of the chain into the deepest water +available, the weight of the trap being sufficient to hold the animal +under water. + +For land animals the trap may be fastened to a "clog". This is simply +a chunk of wood, a pole, brush or stone, the object being to hamper +the animal in its movements and prevent it from getting a dead pull +on the trap and chain. In fastening to the clog the staple may be +used or the chain may be dropped through the ring so as to form a +loop which is slipped over the clog, a few snags being left stand to +prevent the chain from being drawn over the end. When setting for +bears the ring is slipped over the clog,--a pole,--and fastened with +a spike or wedge. Some trappers prefer to use a pronged iron drag and +this is especially desirable when trapping for the more cunning +animals such as the fox, coyote and wolf as the drag may be covered +without leaving much sign. A stone may be used in the same manner by +securing with wire to the end of the chain. + +For the animals mentioned the traps are sometimes staked down +solidly, the stake being driven out of sight but this gives the +animal a dead pull and they will sometimes escape. + +Such of the fur-bearers as are likely to escape by gnawing or +twisting off a foot may sometimes be held securely by the use of the +"spring pole" or better still, the "balance pole". The spring pole is +a small springy sapling, trimmed of its branches and planted firmly +in the ground. The trap is fastened to the small end which is drawn +down and held in that position by being hooked lightly under a +crotched stake or a link of the chain may be hooked to a headless +nail driven in the side of the stake. In theory this device works +nicely but in practice it is not found to be perfect as the wood will +lose its "spring" if kept bent for some time, especially in freezing +weather. + + [Illustration: The Balance Pole.] + +The balance pole is more faithful in its action. It is simply a long +slender pole fastened in a crotch or tied to the side of a sapling, +the trap being secured to the small end. It is so balanced that the +weight of the butt will not only lift the trap but the captured +animal as well. It is fastened down in the same way as the spring +pole and is released by the struggles of the animal. + +In order to keep steel traps in perfect working order they should +have a certain amount of attention. Repairs will be necessary at +times and before the trapping season commences one should look them +all over and see that they are in good condition. The triggers should +be so adjusted that the pan will set level. All parts should work +freely and the trap should neither spring too easily nor too hard. +Rust on traps is not desirable and may be prevented to a great extent +by boiling the traps occasionally in a solution of evergreen boughs, +maple, willow or oak bark or walnut hulls. This will give the traps a +blue-black color and they will not rust for a considerable length of +time. New traps will not take the color very well but they should be +boiled just the same to remove the oil also the varnish with which +some manufacturers coat their traps. Some trappers smoke their traps +before setting believing that the odor of the smoke will smother that +of the metal. This however is not in my opinion a good idea as clean +iron has no odor and the smell of smoke enables the animal to locate +the trap, thus having just the opposite of the effect desired. + +Others again, grease or oil the traps which is also bad for the same +reason and another thing worth considering is the fact that a greased +trap does not have as good a grip as one which has not been so +treated. For my own part I would rather have my traps red with rust +than to have them oiled, and if it is necessary to oil the joints of +a stiff working trap, use some oil having practically no odor, never +strong smelling substances such as kerosene. + +As to the number of traps that one can handle, this depends on +conditions. The kind of animals that one intends to trap for, the +nature of the country, the method of setting and tending traps, the +amount of fur to be found, etc., must all be considered. The muskrat +trapper who is in a good location where traps may be set from a boat +or in the marshes where muskrat houses are plentiful as on some parts +of the Atlantic Coast, can easily handle from seventy-five to a +hundred or more traps, looking at them once a day. The marten +trappers of the Northwest sometimes use five or six hundred traps, +but the traps are not set far apart and the trapper spends a number +of days in going over the line. In the thickly settled districts +there are comparatively few who use more than five or six dozen traps +for they must be seen each day, and for beginners from two to three +dozen traps will be sufficient. + +As before mentioned, steel traps are made in various sizes so that +they may be used for all animals, from the smallest to the largest. + +The No. 0 is the smallest size and is intended for such small animals +as the pocket gopher, the rat and the weasel. If the spring is of +fair strength as it is in the higher grades they may also be used for +muskrat and marten. They are used extensively by the marten trappers +of the Rocky Mountain region. + +The No. 1 is known as the muskrat trap and is the best size for this +animal. It is also used for mink, skunk, opossum and marten. + +The No. 1 1/2 is a very popular trap as its size and strength adapt +it for general use. It is known as the mink trap, but the tendency +among trappers is to use the 1 1/2 for larger game and the No. 1 for +mink. It is the best size for skunk, and if the spring is of fair +strength, it will hold the fox, coon, fisher and lynx as well as all +smaller animals. + +The No. 2, which is the smallest size of the double spring style is +known as the fox trap. It is also the best size for coon and is +sometimes used for otter especially in the North but in my opinion it +is too small for regular use on otter. + +Next in order is the No. 3 which has been named the otter trap, and +it is the proper size to use for this animal. It is also used for +catching the coyote, beaver, wild cat and lynx and is a very popular +trap in the more remote sections of the country. + +The No. 4 trap was originally intended for the capture of the beaver +and is the proper size for that animal. The higher grades of this are +also used to a great extent for trapping the timber wolf, also for +otter and coyote. + +The best trap for wolves, however, is the 4 1/2 which was designed +especially for trapping these animals. It is considerably heavier +than the No. 4 and is fitted with a longer chain and a pronged drag. +This size is also used for taking the cougar or mountain lion. + +The bear traps are known as the No. 50, the No. 5 and the No. 6. The +No. 50 is the smallest but is sufficiently strong for the black bear. +For those who prefer a larger trap for this animal, the No. 5 will +prove satisfactory, and it will also hold the grizzly, but is rather +small for that animal. The size best adapted to the capture of the +larger varieties of bears is the No. 6, which will hold almost any +living animal. + +In addition to the traps mentioned, there are a number of special +styles designed to meet the demand from those trappers who desire +special traps for some certain animals. Among these may be mentioned +the clutch traps, the single spring otter traps and the traps with +offset jaws. + +It should be understood that in writing the foregoing description of +traps, I had in mind the higher grades only. In the following +chapters devoted to the capture of the various animals, the proper +sizes and brands of traps to use will be given. + + [Illustration: The Skunk.] + + + +CHAPTER II. + +THE SKUNK. + +The skunk is an animal of the weasel family, and is found throughout +the United States and the southern parts of Canada. A full grown +specimen will usually measure sixteen or eighteen inches, from the +nose to the root of the tail, which is about twelve or fourteen +inches long and quite bushy. The color is a glossy black, with +usually, a white V-shaped stripe extending from the top of the head +to about half the length of the back. Often, this stripe is quite +broad and extends the length of the body, while in others the stripe +is missing, there being only a white spot on the head, and a white +tip to the tail; this latter marking being found on all specimens. In +some of the Pacific coast States, a variety is found having only a +single white stripe running the entire length of the back. There is +also a small species found in parts of the Mississippi valley, which +has white spots, instead of stripes. This animal is known to the fur +trade as well as the trappers, as the "civet cat", although the true +civet cat is quite a different animal. + +The skunk has become quite famous, among country folks, because of +its powerful scent, which is found in two glands near the root of the +tail, which the animal can eject at will. This scent is perhaps the +most powerful and offensive of all odors, and the use of it is the +skunk's only means of defending itself against enemies. + +The skunk makes its den in the ground, usually along a gravelly +hill-side, and it sometimes makes use of the den of the woodchuck. In +thickly settled countries where the dens have been destroyed by +hunters, they often make their homes under barns and out-buildings, +and even under dwelling houses, much to the discomfort of the +inmates. + +The skunk is a nocturnal animal, searching for food only at night and +remaining in its den during the day. During the cold part of the +winter, they remain in their dens, coming out only on warm nights, +until after the middle of February, when their mating season +commences, and the males travel, at this time in almost all kinds of +weather. + +The young are born in April and May, and there are usually from four +to ten in a litter, though occasionally there will be a larger +number. + +Their food consists mostly of insects, grubs, young birds and eggs, +and when they have an opportunity to do so, they will kill and eat +poultry, etc. They are also fond of carrion, and even the flesh of +their own kind. + +In the northern states the skunk becomes prime about the last week in +October, while in the extreme south they are probably not prime until +the last week in November. In the north they commence to shed their +fur about the tenth or fifteenth of March, while in the south they +shed still earlier. During very cold weather, when the skunks have +been confined to their dens for a considerable length of time, the +warmth of the dens has a tendency to injure the fur. The males also +fight among themselves and their fur is often injured in this way. At +other times the fur is spoiled somewhat, because of too small an +entrance to the den, the fur having a rubbed or woolly appearance. It +is the fine black skins taken when in the best condition, that are +the most valuable. Skunks are, perhaps, found in the greatest numbers +in the eastern states, and the trappers from that section, make more +money from skunks than from any other animal. + +In winter, one may track them to their dens, and if the den is a good +one, may find any number of skunks, up to a dozen, in the same den. +It is a common practice to dig the den open and kill all the inmates, +but as this method means the destruction of a good den, it is not +advisable to do so. The best way is to trap them, as in this way the +den will not be injured, and it is almost certain that you will find +skunks in the same den each season. Such a den is worth money to the +trapper. The oil of the skunk, if rendered carefully, without +burning, is useful, and is often used by country people as a remedy +for croup. + +The most common method of trapping the skunk is to set the trap in +the entrance of the den, without bait, but where there are many dens, +or where the dens are hard to find, it is best to use bait. In +setting the trap in a den, it should be set just inside the entrance, +unless the mouth of the den is small, when it should be set just +outside. The trap should be set with the jaws lengthwise of the hole, +so that the skunk steps between the jaws, and not over them, as by +stepping over the jaw the foot is likely to be thrown out of the +trap, by the jaw, as the trap springs. This rule also applies to all +traps set in dens or enclosures of any kind. The common way of +fastening is to stake the trap or fasten to a clog, but the balance +pole is better. + +No great care is necessary in covering the trap, as the skunk is not +suspicious, but it is always best to use care, especially in setting +baited traps, as one never knows what animal may come along. On one +occasion I caught a fox in a trap set for skunk. + +It is a good idea also, when trapping at dens, to put a small scrap +of bait inside of the den, as many skunks that are traveling about, +only look in and turn away, and if the trap is set inside, will not +be caught. If, however, there is a small bait inside the den, the +skunk will attempt to get it, and will be caught in the trap. + +The traps most used for skunks are the No. 1 and No. 1 1/2. There are +also some special traps manufactured for these animals, having double +jaws or webbed jaws, to prevent the animal gnawing off its foot. + +Traps set for skunk should be visited every day, as otherwise the +captured animals are likely to escape. They seem to struggle more on +dark stormy nights, and during such weather, one should get around to +his traps as early as possible in the morning. + +Sometimes one can find a well-defined trail leading away from the +mouth of the den. In such a case, several traps may be set in the +trail, thus doubling or trebling the chance for a catch. + +When good dens cannot be found, dig a hole under an old stump, and +place a bait inside, setting the trap directly in front of the hole +and cover with dry dirt. Sprinkle some scent about, on the stump and +ground; use care in setting as you are likely to catch a fox, +providing the trap is carefully set and covered, and the stake driven +out of sight. For bait use tainted meat of almost any kind. + +Another good way is to find a spot of sandy ground, and set the trap +in a small hole, covering with sand. Cut the bait into small pieces +and scatter it all around the trap, also, if you have it, sprinkle +some scent around. The trap may be fastened to a brush drag, and the +brush set up to look as though it were growing there. + +If you can find a tree or stump with two spreading roots, set the +trap between these roots and fasten the bait on the side of the tree, +about ten inches above the trap. + +Still another way is to make a small pen of old, rotten wood, stones +or stakes, setting the trap in the entrance, and placing the bait in +the pen beyond the trap. + +Any natural enclosure, such as a hollow log, a hole in the bank, or +in a wall or pile of stones, makes a good place in which to set a +trap. + +Skunks may also be taken in box traps, deadfalls and snares, and they +seldom become scented when caught in such traps. + +For bait, the following are all good: muskrat, skunk, chicken, birds +of any kind, rabbit, squirrel, mice, rotten eggs or fish--tainted +bait is always to be preferred for skunks, fresh bait being second +choice. + +To make a good decoy, take one-half dozen rotten eggs, and the scent +of one skunk, and mix thoroughly. A mixture of the male and female +scent is probably best. Many of the decoys recommended for the fox +are also good for skunk. The scent of the skunk itself, is one of the +very best to use. + +Most trappers object to having the scent of skunks on their clothing +and for this reason I give the following methods for killing the +captured animals, so that they will not throw their scent. If the +trap is staked, or fastened to a clog, cut a club about four or five +feet long, and approach the animal very slowly, using care not to +make any quick movements. If the skunk raises its tail, as though it +intended to throw its scent, stop, and stand perfectly still until it +drops its tail again, when you can go nearer. In this way if you are +careful, you can easily get within striking distance, when you should +deliver a good smashing blow across the back. If the back is broken, +the muscles which operate the scent glands will be paralyzed, and +there will be absolutely no danger of getting a charge of perfumery. + +Some trappers fasten their traps to the end of a ten or twelve foot +pole, and by approaching carefully, can pick up the pole, when by +going slowly, the skunk may be led to the nearest water where it may +be drowned. Lead the skunk into shallow water, gradually working it +into deeper, holding its head under until nearly drowned, then let it +have a little air,--just a breath, and push it under again, keeping +it there until its struggles cease. If the animal is caught by a +front foot, it may be carried to the water, as a skunk can seldom +throw its scent if lifted off the ground, and not allowed to touch +anything with the hind feet or tail. + +Another method is to cut the animal's throat with a small, very +sharp, pointed knife blade, attached to the end of a ten foot jointed +pole. Approach the animal carefully and place the point of the knife +against the side of the animal's neck, just over the jugular vein. +Push steadily against the knife; as soon as the blood flows freely, +move away and allow the animal to die. + +Perhaps the quickest method is to shoot the skunk in the center of +the back, with a 22 caliber rifle or pistol. This breaks the back +killing the animal almost instantly, and there will be no scent +whatever. + +If the trap is fastened to a balance pole you can kill the animal by +a blow across the back. Never shoot them in the head, or stride the +head with a club, as they are certain to throw their scent if killed +in this way. + +If the fur of the skunk has become scented, I use the following +method for removing the scent: Build a fire and throw an armful of +evergreen boughs on it so as to make a dense smoke. Hold the scented +animal in the smoke for about five minutes, using care to keep it +away from the fire or the heat will curl the hair. After the skunk is +skinned hang the skin in an airy place for a few days, when there +will be practically no smell left. + +Before skinning or handling the skunk, rub your hands with some kind +of grease. After the animal is skinned, wash your hands well, using +soap and hot water; there will be no scent remaining on the hands. +Benzine or gasoline will also remove the scent from the hands or +clothing. Cider vinegar is also said to be good. If the clothing is +buried over night in damp ground, the scent will usually draw out. + +The track of the skunk is peculiar and is not likely to be mistaken +for that of some other animal. Although a member of the weasel +family, it does not travel by a series of jumps as does the weasel, +mink, marten, etc., but maintains a steady walk, and the foot-prints +will be an even distance apart and spread considerably so as to make +a wide trail. The length of step is about five inches and the +footprints will measure from one to one and a half inches in length, +according to the size of the animal. + + [Illustration: The Mink.] + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE MINK. + +The mink is a small carnivorous animal, belonging to the weasel +family. It is found throughout the United States and the greater part +of Canada and Alaska. A distinct species is also found in Europe and +Asia. In North America there appears to be several varieties, varying +considerably in size and color. A large, light-colored variety is +found in the country drained by the Mississippi River and its +branches, and also in the prairie country of Canada. This variety +sometimes reaches the weight of four pounds, or even more, and the +skin, when properly stretched, will sometimes measure thirty-six or +thirty-eight inches from tip to tip. A smaller and darker variety is +found in the Eastern States and the Eastern parts of Canada and Lake +Superior regions, and a still smaller and very dark colored mink is +found in Northern Maine and parts of New Brunswick. A small, light +colored variety is found on the Pacific coast. + +The mink has a long, slender body, a small head, and rather short +legs. The tail is usually about eight inches long and is quite bushy. +The fur is thick, fine and glossy, and the color varies from a very +light brown to very dark. The usual color is dark brown, the fur on +the tail being darker than that on the body. + +The mating season commences about the last week in February and ends +about the middle of March. The young are born in April, there being +from four to six in a litter. + +The mink is not an amphibious animal, but it is found only along the +streams and watercourses, from which it obtains a large part of its +food. It is a great rambler, traveling long distances along the +streams and lakes, and always following the same route. When on these +trips it explores the drifts and log-jams, holes in the bank, hollow +logs, etc., which habit is taken advantage of by the trapper. + +The fur of the mink is at its best during the months of November, +December and January, in the north; while in the extreme south, they +are only number one, during December and January. In February, the +fur commences to fade, and they are not worth so much. The dark +colored skins command the best prices. + +The food of the mink consists of fish, frogs, birds, squirrels, mice, +rabbits, muskrats, etc., all of which are good for bait. They are +also very fond of poultry. + +The traps most used for mink are the Nos. 1 and 1 1/2. The webbed jaw +and the double jaw traps are especially desirable for mink, as when +caught in these traps, they cannot escape by gnawing off the foot. + +There are probably more methods used in trapping the mink than in +trapping any other animal. In localities where they take bait well, +the usual plan is to set the trap in the entrance to a natural or +artificial enclosure, on the bank of the stream, placing a bait on +the inside of the enclosure. The trap should be nested down, and +covered with some light material in keeping with the surroundings. +The trap may be fastened to a light clog or a balance pole, or if +very close to the water, to a sliding pole. The bait should be +strictly fresh. Some good scent may be used if desired. Hollow logs +and holes in drifts and under stumps make good places for sets. Some +trappers do not set in an enclosure, but hang the bait about eighteen +inches above the trap. I do not, however, consider this a +satisfactory method. When an artificial enclosure is used, it should +be roofed over with bark, or evergreen boughs to protect that trap +from the snow. + +For fall trapping, many prefer to set traps in the water. The +following method is one of the best for a water set: find a steep +bank where the water is shallow, and runs smoothly and rapidly, make +a hole in the bank, on a level with the water, making the hole about +ten inches deep and about four inches in diameter. Put a piece of +fresh bait back in the hole, fastening with a small stick, and set +the trap in the water at the mouth of the hole. Stake the trap the +full length of the chain into the water and cover with mud or +water-soaked leaves. + +Along the streams where little sand-bars lead out into the water +select a place on one of these bars, where the water is only an inch +or two in depth, set the trap under the water, close to the edge of +the stream. Fix a small fish on the point of the stick, out in the +stream a foot from the trap, pushing the stick down until the bait +rests partly under water. Stake the trap so that the catch will +drown. This is a very successful set and requires but little time and +trouble to make. + +In some localities the mink do not take bait well, in which case, +blind sets--traps without bait must be depended upon. In the fall +while the water is still open, find a high bank where the water leads +off fairly deep, leaving only a very narrow strip of shallow water, +at the foot of the bank. Set the trap in the edge of the water and +stake full length of the chain into the stream. Place a couple of +water-soaked leaves on the trap, and drop a few pinches of mud on +them to hold them in place. The steep bank on one side and the deep +water on the other, will guide the mink into the trap. If, however, +the shallow water extends out some distance from the bank, take a +chunk of water-soaked wood, and stand it in the water, just beyond +the trap, leaving the top rest against the bank. This will leave only +a narrow passage over the trap, and you may be pretty sure of +catching your mink. A similar set should be made on the opposite side +of the stream, if conditions are favorable. This is a very good +method for use in the south. + +After streams are frozen, a different plan must be adopted. In such +cases if you can find a jam or drift extending across the stream, +find an opening, leading through this drift, close to the bank, and +set the trap in this opening, covering with fine, drift dirt. In case +you cannot find a suitable passage, make one and stop up all other +holes. A little scent of the right kind may be used here to good +advantage. + + [Illustration: Mink Set Under Log. XX Shows Positions of Traps.] + +The illustration shows two traps set under an old log, spanning the +stream. The log protects the traps from rain or snow, and a glance at +the cut will show that it would be practically impossible for a mink +to pass along the stream without being caught. The same set is good +for the raccoon. If the stream is frozen fill the opening, under the +log, with old, dead brush, so that there is no chance for the mink to +pass, except over the traps. + +Another good method for the wary mink is as follows: find a high, +steep bank along the stream; if it overhangs, so much the better, and +about two feet above the water, make a hole about four inches in +diameter, and a foot or more deep. Leave the dirt that you dig out, +rest directly in front of the hole, and set the trap in this dirt, +covering with same. Pack dry moss around the jaws and cover the trap +first with a sheet of paper, finishing with a thin layer of dirt. Put +some good mink scent in the hole; the musk of the mink itself is best +for this set. If the traps can be visited every day, it is a good +plan to stake the trap, so that the mink will roll around over the +ground, and the next one will be more easily caught. + +Where mink travel around a lake, go to the outlet and lay a hollow +log across the stream, just where the water leaves the lake. Set a +trap in this log, covering with fine, rotten wood, and every mink +that travels around the lake, will attempt to run through the log, +and will be caught. If you cannot find a hollow log near at hand, +build a covered passage-way of poles and chunks, and set your trap in +this passage. + +Mink may also be taken in box traps and deadfalls. + +Scents are much used and there are some few which have proved +attractive. Fish oil is one of the most common scents for mink and +other animals. It is made by taking fish of almost any kind, cutting +them into small pieces, and putting in a wide mouthed bottle. Let +stand in a warm place, loosely covered, until the fish are thoroughly +rotted, and in a liquid state; this scent may be used alone or +combined with others. + +If a female mink can be caught, during the mating season, remove the +generative organs, and place them in a bottle, adding about two +ounces of fish oil and all of the mink musk you can get. This is +undoubtedly the best scent ever devised. It should be used without +bait. + +In traveling, the mink goes "the jump" and its foot-prints are +always in pairs, the space between each set being from eighteen to +twenty-four inches. The footprints will measure from one to one and +one-fourth inches in length, with one always somewhat in advance of +the other. + + [Illustration: The Weasel.] + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +THE WEASEL. + +The weasel is the smallest of all carnivorous animals and the various +species and varieties are distributed over the greater portion of +northern Asia, Europe and North America. In this country alone +naturalists recognize some twenty species and sub-species, most of +which are found in Canada and Alaska, also the northern and western +states. Of these it is only the northern varieties, those which +become white in winter that are of importance to the trapper. + +The ermine of Europe is a species of weasel, and the American white +weasel is sometimes called the ermine, its fur being used to imitate +the fur of that animal. + +The change of color in the fur of this animal is not understood by +naturalists. It occurs only in the most northern portions of its +range and it is not known whether the animal really sheds its brown +summer coat when the cold weather approaches or whether the fur +bleaches, but it is certain that the change occurs in some way, the +fur becoming white in the fall and changing to brown again in spring. + +The smallest variety of the weasel is found in northwestern Canada +and Alaska and with it the black tip of the tail so characteristic of +the weasel is missing. Very large weasels are secured in the northern +part of Maine, but it is said that the finest skins are obtained in +Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. + +The weasel from many sections have a peculiar, sulphury yellow cast +to the fur, especially on the hind-quarters, and of many of these +stained skins only the black tip of the tail is of value. What causes +the stain is not known, neither is there any known method for +removing it. One fur buyer states that about seven out of every ten +skins received, show this yellow stain and are of little value. + +The weasel is one of the most blood-thirsty of animals and is very +courageous. It is a terror to rats, mice, rabbits, partridges and +poultry. It will kill for the love of slaughter, even when not +hungry, and I have known a single animal to kill more than thirty +chickens in a night, sucking only a little of the blood from each. + +On one occasion I knew a farmer who had turned a drove of fair-sized +pigs into a pasture, and one day, hearing a wild squealing over along +the pasture fence, went to investigate. He found the entire drove of +porkers running along the fence and squealing from terror and +following them was a little brown weasel. + +Curiosity is highly developed in the weasel. Many times I have seen +them in my camp at night and if I remained perfectly quiet they would +approach to within a few feet and stand upright on their hind legs to +get a good view. At the least movement, however, they would disappear +only to return a minute later. + +As before mentioned the weasel is a blood-thirsty creature, and when +it finds some food that is to its liking it can scarcely be driven +away. On various occasions I have found them attempting to remove the +bait from my traps and such times I would adjust the trap so as to be +very easily sprung, and then step aside and wait for the animal to be +caught. + +The weasel has a sharp eye and a keen nose. While trapping in the +North I would always keep on hand a supply of snared rabbits for use +as bait, and often weasels would come into the camp at night, +attracted by the bait, and it is interesting to note how quickly they +could scent out the freshest rabbit in the pile and by biting into +its ears would attempt to drag it away. Quite often they were able to +move a fair sized rabbit. I usually kept a trap setting in my camp +and in this way in one season caught fifteen weasels in one camp. + +I have never learned anything regarding the breeding habits of the +weasel, but judging from the large numbers of these animals found in +favorable localities I would say that they are very prolific. + +For trapping this animal I recommend the No. 1 1/2 trap and prefer a +trap that is loosely hinged and springs easily, such as the Victor. +Any trap will hold a weasel but when caught in the smaller sizes they +quite often double up about the jaws and when they die and freeze in +that position it is difficult to remove them from the trap. With the +1 1/2 they are always caught over the body and there is little +trouble from that source. As the animal is so very light in weight it +is necessary that the trap springs very easily. There are various +styles of rat traps on the market which make excellent weasel traps, +but as one never knows what animal may happen along, I prefer to use +the steel trap. + +My method of setting is to place the trap inside of a small enclosure +of chunks of wood, bark, sticks or whatever is most convenient. No +covering is needed but when setting on the snow I make a bed of +evergreen boughs for the trap to rest on. Rotten wood will answer +just as well. I fasten the bait with a stick just back of the trap so +that the weasel will be obliged to stand on the trap when attempting +to remove the bait, for it should be remembered that they will never +eat any food where they find it if able to move it away. Fasten the +trap securely for some larger animal is likely to be caught. I do not +place the traps far apart, where tracks are seen in fair numbers, and +I drag a fresh killed rabbit from set to set, splitting it open with +a knife so as to leave a bloody trail. Any weasel that strikes the +trail is sure to follow it. + +For bait I prefer rabbit to anything else as it contains more blood +than other baits and fresh blood is the only scent that I know of +which will attract the weasel. + +In order to obtain good prices it is necessary that the fur be kept +clean and I use a small cloth bag in which to carry my catch. + +The tracks of the weasel resemble those of the mink but are +considerably smaller. The average length of jump is perhaps about +eighteen inches. + + [Illustration: The Marten.] + + + +CHAPTER V. + +THE MARTEN. + +The marten is a carnivorous animal belonging to the same family as +the weasel. The principal species are the pine marten of North +America, the beech or stone marten of northern Europe, the sable of +Russia and Siberia and the Japanese sable. Naturalists usually class +the fisher with the martens, also. The Russian sable is the finest of +the martens, the pine marten of Labrador being next in value. The +pine marten is found throughout the timbered regions of Canada and +Alaska, also in the mountainous districts of the western states. A +few are still found in northern Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New +York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. + +In size the marten is about the same as the mink of the North and +East, being somewhat lighter in the body, but the longer fur causes +it to appear fully as large. It has longer legs than the mink, and +the feet are larger and heavily furred. The tail is thick and bushy, +the ears and eyes, large and the muzzle is more pointed than that of +the mink. The fur is very fine and soft, the color varying from a +rich yellow to almost black. The fur of the tail is darker than that +of the body, and the face, lighter. The ears, on the edges, are +greyish white and there Is always a yellow or orange spot on the +throat. + +In the more southern portions of their range, the martens are quite +pale. The finest and darkest skins come from Labrador and the country +east and south of Hudson Bay, also from northern British Columbia and +the interior of Alaska and the Yukon province. The marten is strictly +an animal of the woods, being found only in the heavily timbered +country. Their favorite haunts are in the rough, broken country, +where the timber is of various kinds. They feed on rabbits, +squirrels, mice, birds and eggs and probably have no trouble in +obtaining a sufficient amount of food, but unlike the mink and the +weasel, they never kill more than is needed to supply their wants. + +The young are usually born in April, and there are from three to five +at a birth. Just where they make their dens I cannot say. Some +writers say they live in hollow trees, while others assert that they +live in holes in the rocks or ground. I should say that the latter +idea is most likely to be correct, at least as regards the marten of +the far north, as in that part of the country, hollow trees are few +and far between. One peculiarity regarding the martens is the fact +that they occasionally disappear from a locality in which they were +formerly numerous. The common supposition is that they migrate to new +feeding grounds when food becomes scarce. + +The marten travels mostly in the gullies and depressions on the +mountains and hills. As they usually follow the same route, when one +sees their tracks in such a place, he can be reasonably sure, if he +sets his trap there, that he will make a catch. They are not shy or +suspicious and are easily caught. In many ways, marten trapping is +the most pleasant as well as the most profitable kind of trapping. As +they are found only in the timbered country, the trapper does not +feel the storms like he would in an open country. They are easily +caught, light to carry and easily skinned. Moreover, they are a very +valuable fur and if one is in a good locality, he will make a large +catch in a season. They usually become prime about the 15th of +October and remain in good condition until the last of March. + +In countries where the snow does not fall too deep, the traps are set +in small enclosures, the same as for the mink. If there is snow on +the ground, I set my traps as follows. With my snowshoes, I tramp the +snow down solid, at the foot of a tree, and build a small pen of +stakes, or chunks split from an old stump. The stakes or chunks, are +arranged so as to form the sides of the pen and the sides are placed +about six or seven inches apart, the tree forming the back of the +pen. I roof the pen with evergreen boughs, to protect the trap from +the falling snow. It is a good idea to leave a couple of boughs hang +down over the mouth of the pen so as to hide the bait from the birds, +and also to prevent the rabbits from entering the pen. I set the trap +on a bed of boughs, just inside of the pen, and cover lightly with +tips of evergreen. The bait is placed on a stick behind the trap. I +fasten the trap to a toggle, but if only marten is expected, the trap +may be fastened in almost any way, as they seldom escape. It is also +a good idea to bend a small twig and place it under the pan of the +trap, to prevent it from being sprung by birds, squirrels and +weasels. + +For bait, rabbit, partridge, squirrel, fish, small birds or meat of +almost any kind is good. The Indians sometimes smoke-cure salmon, +pickerel, or white fish, for marten bait, and other trappers use +putrefied salmon roe, but the majority prefer to use fresh bait. Some +trappers advise dragging a piece of fresh, bloody meat along the +line, to lead the marten to the trap. + + + [Illustration: A Marten Set.] + +Another very good method is the following: Find a small spruce, about +three inches in diameter and cut the tree about two feet above the +snow, leaving the top of the stump V shape. Draw the tree forward and +lay it over the stump, so that the butt of the tree will be three or +three and a half feet above the snow. Now, about a foot back from the +end, flatten off a place for the trap and set the trap on the pole. +Tie the trap fast with a light string and loop the chain around the +tree. Split the butt of the tree, and fasten the bait in the split. +This is a very good set, possessing advantages over most methods. The +birds can not eat the bait, the trap is not bothered by weasels or +rabbits, the marten must stand on the trap when trying to get the +bait, and when caught, falls off the pole and can not get back. + +In the mountains, where the snow falls deep, the traps are set on the +trees, five or six feet above the snow. The most common way, is to +make two cuts in the tree with an axe, and drive in two wooden pegs, +about five inches apart. Set the trap and place it on the pegs, one +peg passing through the bow of the spring, the other between the jaws +and the bottom of the trap. Draw the chain around the tree and staple +solidly. The bait is pinned to the tree, about a foot above the trap. +A bunch of boughs may be placed over the bait to hide it from the +birds. + +If desired, a notch may be cut in the tree and a trap set in the +notch. The notch should be about four inches deep and about twelve +inches from top to bottom. Cut the bottom smooth, so the trap will +set solid and fasten the bait in the top of the notch. Staple the +trap to the tree. If desired, you can lean a pole against the tree +for the marten to run up on, but this is not necessary. + +The trapper should always be on the lookout for places in which the +trap may be set without much labor. Sometimes a tree can be found, +with a hollow in one side and this makes a good place for a set. Lean +a pole against the tree, with one end resting in the hollow, set a +trap on the pole and place a bait in the cavity above the trap. At +other times a cavity may be made in the side of a rotten stub and a +trap set in the same way. The traps recommended for marten are the +No. 1 of any make, but the No. 0 Newhouse is much used. If there are +fishers, lynx and other large animals about, it is best to use a No. +1 1/2 trap. Deadfalls are also used and they may be built on the +ground or snow, or on the top of a stump, or the side of a tree. The +track of the marten resembles that of the mink, except that it is a +trifle larger and the footprint wider in proportion to the length. +The toes do not make as clear a print as do those of the mink, the +feet being more heavily furred. + + [Illustration: The Fisher.] + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +THE FISHER. + +The fisher belongs to the weasel family and is classed by naturalists +among the martens, under the name of Pennant's Marten. To the +trappers, however, it is best known as the fisher, and in the Eastern +States and Eastern Canada, as the "black cat". It is strictly a North +American animal, being found scattered over a large part of Canada +and Alaska, and also in California and other parts of the Pacific +Coast, Northern Michigan, the Adirondack mountains of New York, the +White mountains of New Hampshire and in Northern Maine. + +In general appearance, the fisher resembles both the marten and the +wolverine, but is larger than the former and smaller than the latter. +Compared with the marten, the ears are smaller and more rounded, the +tail longer and the animal is far more stoutly built. An average, +full size fisher, will measure two feet from the nose to the root of +the tail and will weigh from ten to fifteen pounds. The tail is +peculiar, and is the most valuable part of the skin; It measures, +usually, about sixteen inches in length, is heavily furred, thick at +the base, and tapers to a point. The color of the fur varies, some +specimens being very pale and others almost black. The general color +is a yellowish grey on the face, head and neck, light brown on the +back, dark brown on the hind-quarters and the tail and legs, a +brownish black. The under parts are darker than the back. The fur is +fairly fine and soft, though not nearly as fine as that of the +marten. + +For its size, the fisher is an exceedingly powerful animal, and is +rather hard to hold in a trap, as it will struggle as long as life +lasts. The animal possesses a musk, having a peculiar, rank odor, +which it ejects when alarmed. The food of the fisher consists +principally of rabbits, partridges and other small animals and birds, +but it will scarcely refuse anything in the line of flesh, +occasionally eating mink, weasel, etc., out of traps. It also preys +on raccoons in the parts of its range where those animals are found +and sometimes kills and eats the porcupine. Neither is it a strictly +carnivorous animal, as it feeds largely on the berries of the +mountain ash and in seasons when these berries are plentiful, the +fisher does not take bait well. At such times the Indian trappers +will often use a bunch of mountain ash berries for bait. + +They are found most plentiful on the higher ground, where the land is +fairly well timbered, and the surface of the country is very ragged. +They are great travelers and follow the wooded ravines whenever +possible. Like all other animals of a rambling nature, each +individual has its regular route of travel, and when you see a track, +especially in a ravine, you may be sure that the animal will come +that way again. The fur becomes prime about the first of November, +and remains in good condition until the first of April, or sometimes +longer. They are not very prolific, there being only from two to four +in a litter. The young are usually born in April. + +Usually, the fisher is easily trapped and will enter the trap as +readily as the marten, but there are "off seasons" when food is +plenty and the animals are rather shy. On such occasions I have seen +them refuse to cross my trail in the snow. In most cases, however, +they will jump into the trail and follow it to the trap. When +trapped, the animal struggles violently and if the leg is broken, is +likely to twist off the foot and escape. It will also chew up +everything within reach and the traps must be well fastened. The use +of a balance pole is advised, but where, for any reason, it cannot be +used, the traps should be fastened to a heavy log. The most common +method for trapping the fisher is by setting a trap in a pen of +stakes or a natural enclosure, the same as recommended for marten, +but the pen should be larger. It should be two feet high, wide at the +top and just wide enough for the trap at the bottom. + +The bait should be placed on a stick in the back of the pen and the +trap should be covered with some light material. The pen should be +roofed with evergreen boughs, to protect the trap from the snow. It +is the custom among the Indian trappers to make the trap pen of green +wood, splitting it and placing the stakes so that the split side will +be inward. The object in this is to enable the animal to more easily +locate the bait, for sometimes when the fisher scents the bait but +cannot find it at once, he moves on. If however, the pen presents a +bright interior it attracts the animal's attention and leads to an +investigation. This method is used generally, but should not be +employed when setting for the more wary animals. + +The Indians also at times hang the bait by a piece of light wire, +in preference to placing on a stick. This is so that the little +wood-mice can not reach and destroy the bait, and I have found it to +be a very good plan. A small twig should be placed under the pan of +the trap to prevent squirrels and birds from springing it. + +For trapping the fisher, I recommend the No. 1 1/2 traps of all +makes, also the No. 2 Victor and Oneida Jump traps. Mr. Charles +Carner, a noted trapper of California, uses the following method. +Find somewhere on the fisher's route of travel, a small bushy +evergreen tree with limbs coming down to the ground, cut away a few +of the limbs, on one side, so as to make a sort of enclosure. The +limbs that are cut away should be stuck in at the sides and back to +make the pen tighter. The bait should be tied to the stem of the tree +and the trap set a short distance in front of the bait, so as to +catch the animal by the fore foot. The trap is fastened securely to +the butt of the tree. Mr. Carner recommends the use of the following +scent. Fish oil, oil of anise, assafoetida and muskrat musk, +thoroughly mixed. He saturates a rabbit with the scent and draws it +from trap to trap, and on the last trap uses the rabbit for bait. +This scent is also used by some other noted trappers. + +I have also caught fishers by building a pen on an old log, lying +with one end above the ground. I would make some splits in the log +with my axe, drive in a few stakes and weave evergreen boughs among +the stakes, roofing the pen with boughs. The trap should be set the +same as in the first method and should be stapled to the top of the +log, so that when the animal jumps off on either side, he can not get +his front feet or the trap down to the ground. The above methods are +all very good, but if a particularly shy animal refuses to enter the +pen, try setting in a natural enclosure, and if this fails, try the +following method: + +Under some thick evergreen tree, scrape up a cone shaped pile of +snow, making it two feet high and pack the snow solid. Have the trap +fastened to a clog and bury the clog in the snow. In the very top of +the mound, hollow out a place for the trap and line this place with +evergreen tips. Set the trap in this nest, cover it with a piece of +paper, and brush a half inch of snow lightly over the paper. For +bait, use a whole partridge or rabbit and hang it by a string from a +limb of the tree, so that it hangs about two and a half feet above +the trap. + +Brush your tracks shut with a bunch of boughs and when looking at the +trap do not go too close. This method is very good for the shy ones +but is too much trouble to use as a regular set, when putting out a +long line of traps. The best places in which to set for fishers is in +the timbered ravines, especially where two ravines join. Other good +places are at the ends of lakes, the points of swamps, and in narrow +strips of timber connecting larger bodies. + +The track of the fisher is very similar to that of the marten but is +larger. The length of jump is about three feet and the footprints +from one and a half to two inches in length. + + [Illustration: The Otter.] + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +THE OTTER. + +The otter is a carnivorous animal, somewhat resembling the mink in +appearance. They are found in various parts of the world and will be +met with in most of the wilder parts of North America. The northern +or Canadian otter is the most common, but there are other varieties +known as the Carolina otter, the Florida otter and the Newfoundland +otter. In habits and general appearance they are all similar. + +A distinct species is found in the North Pacific, and is known as the +sea otter. This animal is considerably larger than the fresh water +species, and has a shorter tail. The fur is of great value. + +The otter is an aquatic animal, living in and near the streams and +lakes, and getting its living from them. It has a long body, short, +stout legs, and webbed feet; the tail is long, thick at the base, and +tapering to a point. The neck is thick, the head comparatively small, +with small ears, set well down on the sides of the head. The fur is +of two kinds, the under fur being fine, soft and wavy, and of a light +silvery color; while the outer fur or guard hairs, are longer, +coarser, and usually straight, the color varying from brown to almost +black. The fur of the tail and under parts is shorter and stiffer +than that on the back, sides and neck; that on the under parts having +a silvery tint. Otters frequently measure three and one-half feet in +length and weigh from fifteen to twenty-five pounds. The skin, when +stretched, will often measure five feet from tip to tip, and +sometimes even more. + +The food of the otter consists principally of fish, trout being their +favorite food; but they also feed on muskrats, clams, frogs, and the +smaller animal life, found in the beds of streams and lakes. + +They capture muskrats by entering their houses and their holes in the +banks. + +Otters usually make burrows in the banks of streams, lining the nest +with leaves and grass. The entrances to these burrows are under the +water and it is my belief that they inhabit them only during the +breeding season. The young are born in April and May and there are +from two to four in a litter. + +The otter is a great traveler, following the lakes and water courses, +sometimes going a distance of one hundred miles on a single trip. +Apparently he is always in a great hurry to reach a certain place, +some lake or pond, at which, having reached, he may remain for +several months, and again he may leave immediately after his arrival. + +Otters sometimes have slides on the banks of streams, down which they +slide into the water, apparently for pastime. They also have landing +places on the banks of streams and on logs projecting into the water, +where they go to roll in the grass and leaves, or to lie in the sun. +These places are seldom visited in the fall, but in the spring, they +will land at almost every place as they come along. + +In traveling, they usually follow the center of the stream, as they +are more at home in the water than on land. In winter they travel +under the ice, wherever the water is deep enough to allow of their +passage. The otter's legs being very short, he has a peculiar method +of traveling on the ice or snow. He throws himself forward, sliding +on his belly, and by repeating the move in rapid succession, is +enabled to get along at a surprising rate of speed. + +Wherever there is a sharp bend in the stream, the otter will make a +short cut across the point, and if the stream is traveled much, you +will find a well-defined trail in such a place. Where two streams lie +close together, they sometimes have a trail from one stream to +another. Also wherever a long point of land projects into a lake, +they are likely to have a trail across the point. + +The otter appears to be on very friendly terms with the beaver, and +if there are any beavers in the country, the otter is sure to find +them and will spend considerable time in the same pond. When there +are a number of families of beavers in the same locality, the otter +will spend nearly all of its time with the beavers, visiting from one +family to another. Wherever he finds beaver cutting along the stream, +he examines it, and will most likely follow up the stream to find the +beaver. This habit is taken advantage of by the Indian trappers of +the north, as will be explained later. + +In the north, the otter becomes prime about the first week in +November, and remains in good condition until about the first of +June. In the south they are seldom prime until the first of December, +and commence to shed from the first to the fifteenth of April. The +fur of the otter is valuable, the dark, straight haired ones being +worth the most. Occasionally an otter is found having a decided curl +to the ends of the hair, the ends being turned forward. These are +called "curly" otters and are not near so valuable as the others. + +Otters are found in good numbers in the swamps of the southern +states; in Florida, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana and the lowlands +of Texas. They are also quite plentiful in some parts of +Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine; also in the wilds of +Labrador, Ungava, Quebec, Ontario, Yukon, Mackenzie and Alaska. The +most valuable otters come from the far north, but they are probably +more plentiful in the south, and the southern trapper has the +advantage of having open water all winter. + +The best traps for otter are the numbers 2 1/2, 3 and 3 1/2 Newhouse; +the Nos. 3 and 4 Hawley & Norton; and the No. 14 Oneida jump, also +the "Seminole" pattern, Blake & Lamb. + +The point to keep in mind when trapping for otter, is that they are +very shy of the scent of man; more so perhaps than any other animal, +and unless great care is observed, are likely to be frightened +entirely out of the locality in which you are trapping. This human +scent theory is disputed by some trappers, but I speak from my own +experience, and from the experience of many expert trappers with whom +I am acquainted. If one will use a little judgment he will readily +understand why human scent is alarming to many wild animals. Man is +the natural enemy of all wild animal life, and all wild creatures +realize this fact. Now you will see that any indications of the +presence of man, puts the animal on its guard; especially is this the +case in the wilderness where the animals are not accustomed to seeing +the tracks of man wherever they go. When an animals finds human +scent, he has positive proof that man has been in that vicinity. + +Footprints and other human signs, if there is no scent, are not so +alarming, as they are likely to be mistaken for signs made by some +wild animal. Although the animals of the wilderness are more afraid +of human scent than those found in the settled countries, they are +just as easily trapped. The more wary animals found in settled parts, +are always looking for danger because of the continued presence of +man in their locality, but on the other hand, they are not likely to +be frightened by human scent because it is a common thing to them. + +As mentioned before the otter is sure to visit the beavers, if there +are any about, so if you know of a family of beavers, go to that +place and if you can find an old beaver dam, on the stream +somewhere, below where the beavers are located, make a break in the +center of this dam, so that all of the water will flow through this +opening, and set the trap in the water, in the upper end of this +passage. Narrow down the passage to about eight inches, by driving a +few old stakes on each side of the trap. The trap may be staked, but +it is better, if the water is deep enough, to use a sliding pole, so +that the captured animal will drown. No covering is needed on the +trap, but after it is set, the entire setting should be drenched with +water, to remove the human scent. This is an excellent set and will +remain in working order until late in the fall, as the water +immediately above the break in the dam will not freeze until long +after other water is closed by ice. Even in the coldest weather this +set may be kept from freezing by roofing it over with evergreen +boughs, and banking it well with snow. + +Beavers and beaver dams are not found in every locality, but wherever +otters are found traveling on small streams, they may be trapped in +the following manner: + +Find a narrow place in the stream, where the water flows smoothly, +and narrow up the stream by placing a bunch of old dead brush in each +side, leaving a passage of about eight inches in the middle. Lay a +few stones among the brush to keep them in place. Set the trap in the +opening, and splash water over the brush and banks. The trap may be +staked but it is better to fasten to a clog. Cut a small sapling of +such a size that the ring of the chain will just pass over the butt +of the sapling. Slip the ring over the clog and fasten it by +splitting the butt and drive a wedge in the split, or by driving a +staple over the ring. The clog may be placed on the upper side of the +brush, used to block the stream, and the top may be tied to the +shore, so that it will not be carried away by high water. In very +small streams, a narrow passage may be made, by simply placing a few +stones in either side, leaving a narrow passage in the middle, in +which to set the trap. + +When you can find a sharp bend in the stream, with a trail across the +point, set the trap in the water, at the end of the trail. Use same +care as advised for the other sets. + +For spring trapping this method is excellent: if you can find one of +the otter's landing places on the bank, prepare the place for setting +in the fall in the following manner: Make a nest for the trap in the +center of the trail and fill the nest with grass and leaves. Lay a +bunch of dead brush or a chunk of rotten wood on each side of the +trail, so as to leave only a narrow passage and cut a clog and lay it +in place. The otters seldom visit these places in the fall, so there +is no danger of frightening them. In the spring, before the snow is +all gone, go and set your trap in the place prepared, covering with +the leaves and grass, and attach to the clog, covering the entire +setting with a little snow. As the snow melts, it takes with it all +of the scent and signs, leaving the trap ready for the first otter +that comes along. + +If you do not find the landing places until after the snow is gone, +set the traps just the same, washing the scent away by sprinkling +with water, or set the traps in the water where the otter climbs up +the bank. + + [Illustration: Otter Trap Set Under Ice.] + +Another very good method for spring trapping, is to set the trap in +the edge of the water, where the bank bluffs a little, sticking up a +few fresh cut, green sticks behind the trap, and at the sides. Post a +piece of the dried oil castor of the beaver on a stick, behind the +trap, and about ten inches high. The ordinary beaver castor is also +good. The oil castor is very attractive to the otter, and the green +sticks are also attractive, as the otter mistakes them for beaver +cutting. Always fasten the trap so the animal will drown, as you are +likely to catch a beaver in this set. + +One of the best methods of trapping otter in winter, after the +streams are closed with ice, is as follows: Find a long pool of still +water, where you are sure the otter will be traveling under the ice, +and at either end of this pool, where the water is about ten inches +deep, cut a hole through the ice, make a pen of dead sticks in the +water, making the pen about nine inches wide, by twelve or fifteen +inches deep. Now take a fish and fasten it to a stick, in the back of +the pen, and set the trap in the entrance, staking it securely. Drive +the stake about ten inches in front of the pen, and directly in front +of the trap. The object in this is to cause the otter, in entering, +to twist his body, in which act, he will put his foot down in the +trap. Throw some snow in the hole, so it will freeze over. The bait +should be renewed once a week. In case you cannot get fish for bait, +use the head of a rabbit, the breast of a partridge, or a piece of +muskrat. The bait should be skinned. + +The otter will also be attracted by any white object. I know a +trapper who caught one in this way by baiting with a white door knob, +and the Indians sometimes use a piece of fresh peeled poplar for +bait. + +If the ice has formed when the water was above its usual level, there +will be an air space, between the water and the ice. In such a case, +cut a hole through the ice at the edge of the water, placing a piece +of beaver castor on a stick behind the trap. The hole may be closed +by covering with a block of ice. + +When the otter has been working on a lake for some time, you will +find where he has been coming out at the springholes, which are found +on nearly all lakes. In such places the water is always shallow, and +a trap may be set on the bottom directly under the hole. Great care +must be used however, for if the otter is not caught the first time +he comes out, he will be frightened away. + +Otters often land on the logs which project into the water. When you +can find such a log, cut a notch for a trap, so that it will set +about two inches deep, and place some mud in the notch so as to hide +the fresh cutting. Some very successful trappers, set their traps in +this way, and place some good scent on the log, above the trap. + +If you can find an otter slide, find the place where the animal lands +on the bank to visit the slide, and set the trap under about two +inches of water. + +The Nos. 2 1/2 and 3 1/2 Newhouse traps were designed especially for +trapping otters on their slides. The trap should be set at the foot +of the slide, so as to catch the animal by the breast or body. + +Otters often travel in pairs, and it is usually advisable to set two +or three traps on one stream. + +Do not make your camp near the stream, and do not travel along the +stream more than necessary. In looking at the traps, do not go too +close, unless the traps need your attention. + +There is no way in which the sea otter can be trapped and they are +hunted only with rifles. The methods employed in hunting them have +been very successful and as a consequence the animal has been +practically exterminated. + +The track of the otter is peculiar, owing to their strange mode of +travel. As before mentioned their method of travel is a series of +plunging slides and in the snow they make a deep furrow, their +footprints being from four to eight feet apart, according to the +"sliding conditions". When two or more are traveling in company, they +will usually all run in the same trail. Their tracks are as a rule, +only seen on lakes and streams, but occasionally they will go +overland from one stream to another. The footprints will measure +about one and one-half or one and three-fourths inches in length and +about the same in width. + + [Illustration: The Beaver.] + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +THE BEAVER. + +When this country was first explored and settled, beavers were found +in good numbers throughout the United States and Canada, but at +present they are extinct in many of the states where they were once +abundant. Today they are found in fair numbers throughout the greater +part of Canada and Alaska, also in a few of the northern and western +states. There are also a few beavers found in the south at the +present time. However, many of the states, as well as some of the +provinces of Canada, have made laws prohibiting the trapping or +killing of beavers, to prevent them from being exterminated. + +The beaver is an amphibious animal, resembling the muskrat in +appearance but much larger. It has the same thick, heavy body, short +neck and scaly tail. The hind feet are large and strong and the toes +are connected by a web; the front feet are small. The tail is "paddle +shaped," four or five inches wide and about ten inches long. When +full grown, the beaver will weigh from forty to fifty pounds, +although occasionally a much larger one is found. The under fur is +very fine and soft, and is mixed with longer and coarser hairs called +"guard hairs". The prevailing color is a rich, reddish brown, on the +back and sides, and ashy beneath. + +The food of the beaver consists mostly of bark, of such woods as +poplar, birch, willow and cottonwood, as well as the roots of the +water lily. In the south they also eat corn. + +Beavers build houses of sticks, stones, and mud, similar in shape to +the houses of the muskrat, locating usually, in the edge, of a pond +or lake, but often making a large pond to suit their requirements, by +building a dam across the stream. Even when their houses are built on +a lake or pond, they always build a dam across the outlet, so as to +raise the water two or three feet. + +The dams are built of the same material as the houses. Sometimes +there are one or two small dams found below the main dam, and they +are so well made that they will last for many years, and are so tight +that the water usually drips evenly over the top. + +The houses are also very well made, the walls being several feet in +thickness. There are usually two entrances, both under water. The +size and general shape of the house depends on the number of beavers +inhabiting it. The house of a full family of beavers will usually +measure about twelve feet in diameter at the water line, but will +some times be even larger, and the height is about six or seven feet. +When there are only two or three beavers, the house is much smaller, +and more pointed on the top. + +A full family consists of from six to eight members. There are +usually two old beavers, two or three two year olds, and two or three +young. The reason for this is that the young beavers remain two years +with the parents, and as it requires several years for them to grow +their full size, there are always three sizes in a family. When they +have reached the age of two years, they start out and make a house of +their own, the beavers born the spring before, becoming the medium +size, and a new litter taking their place. By autumn, the beavers +that have left the main family have their house and dam completed and +a store of food laid up for winter. + +Many of the beavers travel about through the summer, following the +streams, and return to their homes early in the fall. Sometimes, if +they are late in getting back they will have to work day and night, +in order to get sufficient food gathered for winter, before the ice +comes. This food consists of saplings and small trees, which they +gnaw off about a foot above the ground, drag into the edge of the +water, where they are cut up into pieces of different lengths, stored +away, under water in front of the house. Just how they cause this +wood to sink, remain in place under the water, is a mystery. The +beaver spends the entire winter under the ice. When he feels hungry +he goes out and gets a piece of wood, takes it into the house, eats +the bark, and takes the peeled stick out again. They repair the house +and dam each fall and they also make holes in the bank under water, +to which they can retreat in case the house is disturbed, or when +they hear a noise on the ice. + +Trappers who are well acquainted with the habits of the beaver, can +make a fair estimate of the number of inmates of a house. It +sometimes happens that a pair of young beavers, or a lone beaver that +has escaped from some family which has been trapped, will locate in +an old deserted house, and then it is not such an easy matter. The +experienced trapper, however, is not likely to be fooled. He goes +along the shore and carefully examines the stumps, where the animals +have been cutting trees for food. The amount of stuff that has been +cut will show, usually; but he has still a better way of determining +whether the work was done by one or more beavers. He examines the +teeth marks on the stumps, and if they are all alike, he decides that +there is not a full family, but only two, or perhaps only one. + +A lone beaver that has escaped from the trapper, is difficult to +trap. I remember once finding such a one, located on a large pool of +a fair sized stream. He had no dam and had only a small house along +the bank. I found him in the fall, while the water was still open, +and he was busy laying in a supply of food for winter. Well, I went +there one rainy day and set two traps. I set the traps very +carefully, fastening to sliding poles, which I had cut quite a +distance away so as not to make any noise near the house. The rain +washed the scent away in a short time, and I could see no reason why +he should take alarm; but he did, just the same. I kept those traps +set a week, but did not catch him, nor did I ever see any fresh signs +there, after I had set the traps. Apparently he had left the place +immediately after I had set the traps. An Indian trapper had trapped +several families of beavers, near there the season before, and this +beaver was one that had "given him the slip." + +In cutting timber, the beaver takes the wood in small chips, gnawing +all around the tree, until it falls. He knows absolutely nothing +about throwing the tree in the direction in which he wishes it to +fall, but lets it fall just as it is inclined to go. I have seen +where a tree had lodged, refusing to fall, and the beaver had stood +up and cut several pieces off the butt, and as the tree still refused +to fall, he had let it remain hanging. It was a case of hard work and +no pay. + +When one finds a family of beavers, and expects to trap the same +ground each season, he should not attempt to catch them all, as by +leaving a few to breed, he is sure of getting beavers each season. +The Indians, in such cases, trap the old beavers only, which they do +by setting the traps a good distance from the house, for the young +beavers never venture far away. + +Many beavers are trapped in the fall just before the ice forms, but +their fur is not prime until mid-winter. In the north they remain in +good condition until the first of June; in the south they would +probably not be good after the middle of April. + +Beaver castors have a market value, usually selling for seven or +eight dollars a pound. In preparing them, they should be dried +slowly, in a shady place. Most trappers prefer to keep the castors +for scent, as it is attractive to many animals. The Indians sometimes +combine the two scents by making a hole in the beaver castors, and +squeezing the contents of the oil castors into them. The castors are +then hung up and allowed to dry. This is more or less attractive to +all animals, only a small piece being used in connection with the +bait. + +The best traps for beavers are the Nos. 2 1/2, 3, 3 1/2 and 4 +Newhouse, the No. 4 Victor, the No. 4 Oneida Jump, and Blake & Lamb. + + [Illustration: Trap Set for Beaver--Sliding Pole.] + +The following methods of trapping are for use in open water, in +either the fall or spring. The first method given is usually +considered best: + +Find a place where the bank bluffs a little and the water is of good +depth. Make a little pocket in the bank, several inches deep, and set +the trap in the water directly in front of this pocket, where the pan +of the trap will be about two inches under water. Take a piece of +beaver castor and fasten it to the bank with a stick, about fourteen +inches above the water, and as far back in the pocket as possible. If +you are using some other scent instead of beaver castor, just dip a +small stick in the scent and fasten it to the bank. Fasten the trap +so that the beaver will drown; the sliding pole is best. Be sure to +use a dead pole or stake, as if a green pole is used the other +beavers may carry it away, trap and all. This is a very good method +for spring and fall, or at any time when there is open water: + +Here is another method for the same kind of place: + +Set the trap under water at the foot of a steep bank, and fasten a +couple of green poplar or cottonwood sticks on the bank, directly +over the trap, so that the beaver will step into the trap in trying +to reach them. Have the fresh cut ends of the sticks showing plainly, +and make your set near the house or dam so that the beavers are sure +to see it. Fasten trap so that the captured animal will be sure to +drown. No covering is needed on traps when they are set under water. + +Look for the beaver's slides or trails where he drags his food into +the water, and if the water is deep enough to drown him, set the trap +under about two inches of water, just where he lands on the bank. +This set is all right in the fall, when the beaver is laying in his +food for the winter, but is not much good in the spring. Some +trappers set the trap a foot or more from the shore, where the water +is about six inches deep, as by so doing the beaver is caught by the +hind foot, and is not so likely to escape. When using a set of this +kind, it is best to use a number 3 1/2 or 4 trap, as the No. 3 is too +small for the beaver's hind foot. + +Beavers usually have a slide or trail over the center of the dam, and +this makes a very good place to set a trap. Set the trap under water +on the upper side of the dam, just where the trail leads over. Be +sure to fasten the trap so that the animal will drown, as if it is +not drowned, it is almost certain to escape, and even if it does not, +the others will be frightened and you will have a hard time to get +them. + +In the spring, after the ice has gone, it is a good plan to set a few +traps along the stream, baiting with beaver castor, as the beavers +are traveling at this time, and you are likely to catch one almost +anywhere along the streams. When setting traps in this way, it is +best to drench the set with water to remove the human scent. The +beaver is seldom afraid of human scent, but there is likely to be an +otter along that way, and you stand a good chance of catching him in +a trap baited with beaver castor. + +Beavers may be caught in mid-winter and early spring, by setting +baited traps under the ice. It is not much use to set traps under the +ice in early winter, as the beaver's food is still in good condition, +and they will not take bait well; moreover you are likely to frighten +them and make them harder to trap later on. The following methods are +among the best for use under the ice, the one first given, being most +used, and is probably the best: + +Go close to the beaver's house where the ice is thin, and by cutting +small holes in the ice, find a place where the water is about twelve +inches deep. Having found such a place, enlarge the hole until it is +about sixteen by twenty inches in size, making a pen the same size as +the hole, by shoving down dead sticks about four inches apart. If the +bottom is very hard, you will have to freeze the sticks to the ice, +to hold them in place. This may be done by throwing snow in the +water, and packing it around the sticks and against the edge of the +ice. When the pen is completed, cut a piece of green poplar about 1 +1/2 or 2 inches thick and two or three feet long, and fasten it to a +stake by one end--the poplar being placed at a right angle to the +stake. This green poplar is for bait, and the stake should be driven +down in one corner of the pen so that the bait is within two or three +inches from the bottom, and close along one side of the pen, +extending a foot or more beyond the entrance. + + [Illustration: Beaver Trap Set Under Ice.] + +The trap should be staked and set well inside of the pen, and quite +close to the bait, so that the jaw of the trap will just clear the +bait. This set will be readily understood by referring to the cut. If +the bottom is of thin mud, as is often the case, you will have to +make a bed for the trap, by sinking a bunch of evergreen boughs +inside of the pen. It is also best to fasten the bait near the +entrance to prevent the beaver from swinging it around. When the set +is completed, cover the hole with evergreen boughs, bank it with +snow, to keep it from freezing. + +It is best to let this set go for about a week before looking at it. +The beavers will be frightened and will not approach the set for a +few days, but finally one of them musters up courage enough to try to +pull the bait out of the pen. When he finds it fast, he cuts it off +at the entrance of the pen, takes it to the house to eat it; this +sharpens his appetite, makes him more courageous, and he finally +ventures into the pen for the balance of the bait. In attempting to +cut the bait, he places one front foot on the bait and the other one +in the trap. When using this set you should use three or four sets at +each house. + +Another good ice method is as follows: Find the proper depth of +water, about fourteen inches, and make a pen of dead sticks arranging +them in the form of a half-circle. Now take some green poplar and +shove them down firmly into the bottom, about six inches apart, close +up to the stakes, on the inside of the pen. These bait sticks must be +long enough to reach above the ice, so that they will freeze fast at +the top. Stake the trap and set it in the center of the enclosure, +with the pan about nine inches from the center bait. Throw some snow +in the hole, so that it will freeze and hold the bait sticks +securely. + +The following method is one of the best for use in deep water: Cut a +dead pole about four inches in diameter and six or seven feet long. +Flatten the pole at one end, and loop the trap chain around the pole; +then set the trap on the end of the pole and tie it with a string, to +hold it in place. Now, cut an oblong hole in the ice, and place the +pole in the water in an inclined position so that the trap is about +twelve inches below the ice. Pack wet snow around the pole to hold it +in place, fasten two sticks of green poplar in the ice over the trap, +one on either side. In attempting to cut the bait, the beaver will +put his foot in the trap. + +Always fasten your trap to a dead stick or pole, for if a green stake +is used, the beavers are likely to carry it away, trap and all. +Poplar and cottonwood make the best baits, but in case they cannot be +obtained, use birch, willow or black cherry. + +When setting traps near the house, in open water, make as little +noise as possible, and do not remain in the vicinity longer than +necessary. + +When trapping in open water, never camp or make a fire near the pond +where the beavers are located. In winter, after the ice has formed, +it does not matter. + +If you find a beaver house in winter when the snow is deep, and wish +to know if it is inhabited, examine the house, and if the snow is +melted on the top, you may be sure there are beavers in it. + +Another way to tell whether a house is inhabited, is to cut a hole +through the ice and shove down a piece of green poplar, filling the +hole with snow. Examine it in about a week, and if the poplar has +been cut, you may be sure you have found beavers. + +The track of the beaver is seldom seen as they do not move about much +in winter and on their trails their tracks are obliterated by the +food which they drag into the water. The trapper does not look for +tracks, but for more conspicuous signs, such as houses and dams with +fresh cut wood. + + [Illustration: The Muskrat.] + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +THE MUSKRAT. + +The muskrat is a small herbivorous animal of the amphibious class. +Its head and body are from thirteen to fifteen inches in length. The +tail is nine or ten inches, two edged, and for two-thirds its length +is rudder shaped and covered with scales and thin, short hair. The +front feet are small, the hind feet, large and slightly webbed, +making the animal an expert swimmer. The color of the fur is brown +above and ashy beneath. + +The muskrat is a nocturnal animal, but is sometimes seen in the day +time. Their food consists of grass and roots, fruit, grain and +vegetables. They will also eat clams, sometimes, when food is scarce. +They thrive best in sluggish streams and ponds, bordered with grass +and flags, the roots of which are their chief support and from the +tops of which they construct their houses. These structures are dome +shaped, and rise, sometimes to a height of five feet from the water. +The entrances are at the bottom, under water, so that the inside of +the house is not exposed to the open air. From six to ten muskrats +are sometimes found in one house. Hundreds of these dwellings can be +counted from a single point in many large marshes. + +The muskrats found on the streams do not build houses, but live in +holes in the bank, the entrances of which are under water. The +muskrat is found throughout the greater part of the United States and +Canada. They are especially numerous in the marshes on the coast of +Delaware and Maryland. This muskrat ground is owned by private +parties, who lease the ground to the trappers for a certain length of +time, the trapper catching all the animals he can in that length of +time. Muskrats are also very plentiful in some parts of Western +Canada. These animals are very prolific, bringing forth from six to +nine at a birth and three litters in a season. They have many +enemies, such as the fox, mink, otter and owl, but their greatest +enemy is man. + +Muskrats are trapped in the fall, winter and spring, but they are not +prime until mid-winter, and some are not fully prime until the first +of March. Nevertheless, they are more easily caught in the fall, and +as the skins bring a fair price, the most trapping is done at this +time, that is for "bank rats,"--those living in holes in the banks. +Where the muskrats live in houses, they are trapped mostly after the +ice had formed. + +In the far North the skins are in good condition until the first of +June, while in the extreme South they should not be trapped after the +first of April. The muskrats found in settled districts are larger +and better furred than those of the wilderness, also, those found +East of the Mississippi River are larger than those of the West. + +When trapping for these animals, the traps should always be staked +full length of chain into deep water, so that the captured animal +will drown, as otherwise they are almost certain to twist off the +foot, and escape, unless they are caught by a hind foot. Many +trappers set their traps several inches under water, as by so doing +they catch the rat by a hind foot, and there is very little danger of +them escaping. Some stake their traps the length of the chain into +deep water, and drive another stake about a foot beyond. The muskrat, +when caught, winds the chain around the outer stake and is thus +prevented from reaching the bank. Others prefer to tie a stone on the +end of the chain, and lay the stone in deep water. + +The traps most used are the Nos. 1 and 1 1/2, but the No. 0 is also +used sometimes. The Victor trap is a great favorite, as it does not +have a strong a spring as the higher priced traps, and is not so +likely to break the animal's leg. The single spring Oneida Jump traps +are also fine traps for muskrats. + +One of the most common methods of trapping the muskrat is to find +their slides on the bank and set the trap at the foot of the slide +under about two and a half or three inches of water. No covering is +needed. + +If you can find a log, with one end lying in the water, examine same +and if there are muskrat droppings on the log, cut a notch for the +trap, so that it will be just under water when set in the notch. The +chain may be stapled to the log. + +Another good way is to find their holes in the bank and set a trap in +the entrance, staking into deep water. + +If the water is still, and there is much grass in the water, look +around, and you will find their feeding beds,--beds of grass which +appear to be floating on the water. Set traps on these beds, under +water. + +If you know there are muskrats about and you can not find any of the +places described above, select a steep bank, and set the trap under +two or three inches of water at the foot of the bank. Pin a piece of +bait to the bank about ten inches above the trap. + +Where muskrats are found in large numbers as in a pond or slough, +proceed as follows: Get a board about twelve inches wide and sixteen +feet long and nail strips across it, arranging them in pairs, just +far enough apart to let a trap set between. A board of this size will +hold six or eight traps. The traps may be stapled to the edge of the +board and some small pieces of bait scattered the entire length. The +traps should be covered with dirt or dead grass. Attach a rope to one +end of the board and anchor it in the water where the muskrats are +sure to find it. + +To trap muskrats in their houses in winter, cut a hole in the side of +the house, and set the trap inside, on the bed. Fasten the trap to a +stick outside of the house and close the opening tight, so the diving +hole will not freeze. I have had best success at this kind of +trapping by using a small trap, No. 0, and a good length of chain, as +it gives the rat more chance to drown. The traps should be visited +evening and morning. + +In the spring, when the ice has just commenced to melt, you will find +small piles of grass roots projecting above the ice. Move this aside +and you will find a hole in the ice, with a feed bed directly in +under it. Set a trap on this bed and cover the hole. + +The best baits for muskrats are sweet apple, parsnips, carrot, +pumpkin, corn and the flesh of the muskrat. While they do not eat the +meat, they will go to smell at it, which is all that is needed. +Muskrat musk, beaver castor and catnip are all attractive to the +muskrat. + + [Illustration: The Red Fox.] + + + +CHAPTER X. + +THE FOX. + +The various members of the fox family are found in almost all parts +of the world but are most abundant in the Northern Hemisphere. There +are many species and varieties, but it is those of North America that +are of the most interest to the trapper. + +Those found on this continent are the red, the gray, the kit and +Arctic foxes, and there are a number of varieties of the red and gray +species. The black, silver and cross foxes are supposed to be only +color varieties of the red, but why this occurs, and only in the +North, is a mystery. + +The Silver or Black fox is the most beautiful and most valuable of +all the foxes. It is found in the high, northern latitudes of both +continents. In this country, it is found as far south as the northern +tier of states. They are most abundant in the interior of Alaska, the +Northwest Territories, Ontario, Northern Quebec, Labrador and +Newfoundland. + +At the London fur sales, specimens have been sold at over one +thousand dollars each, but the average price is probably about two +hundred dollars. Wherever the Silver fox is found, the Cross or Patch +fox is found also, and they also range somewhat farther south. They +are always found in greater numbers than the Silver variety. + +The red fox is the most common and is distributed over a larger +territory than the other varieties. They range from the northern +timber line, to well down in the Southern States. They are probably +most abundant in the Eastern provinces of Canada and the England +States, but they are found in fair numbers in parts of New York, +Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri, Michigan +and the larger part of Canada and Alaska. + +The Gray fox is one of the least valuable, and is most abundant in +the Southern States. In the East they range as far north as +Connecticut, In some places they have supplanted the Red species, and +in other places the grays have disappeared and the reds have taken +their place. + +The fox, as well as the wolf and coyote, belongs to the dog family, +which is second, only to man in intelligence. The different species +are all practically the same size, but the same varieties vary in +size in different localities. The average weight is from nine to ten +pounds. In general appearance they somewhat resemble the dog, being +rather light of build, considering their height. The ears are erect +and pointed, the tail thick and bushy, and the muzzle small and +pointed. The fur varies in the different species, being coarse and +rather short on the Gray, while that of the Silver fox is extremely +fine and soft. + +The mating season comes in February, and e young are born usually in +April, there being from four to nine in a litter. They make dens in +the sand hills and in rocky districts, den in the rocks. Except +during the breeding season they spend very little time in the dens, +but lie during the day in some clump of brush or weeds, or often on +top of a stump or log. In mountainous sections they lie during the +day, somewhere on the mountain side and come down into the valleys at +night in search of food. + +The fox is not strictly a carnivorous animal. When food is scarce +they often feed on apples and other fruits, but their regular food is +flesh. They are fond of partridge, rabbits, mice, skunk, muskrat or +opossum flesh, carrion of almost all kinds, fish, eggs, poultry, and +often they come around the camps and gather up the scraps, bread, +bacon rinds etc. If they are given time and not disturbed they become +quite bold in coming to such places for food and the trappers +sometime take advantage of this peculiarity by baiting them awhile +before setting the trap. + +The fox in the North becomes prime in the beginning of November and +remains in good condition until the middle of March, when the fur +begins to take on a rubbed and woolly appearance. In the South they +do not become prime until the last of November or the beginning of +December and go out of prime in February. Most of the foxes are +trapped in the fall before the ground freezes too hard for dry sets, +and of course, many of them are not prime. + +The traps recommended for the fox, for dry land use are the Nos. 2 +and 3 Oneida Jump and Blake & Lamb, the 1 1/2 Newhouse and Hawley & +Norton and the No. 2 Victor. For water and snow trapping, the Nos. 3 +and 4 Oneida Jump and Blake & Lamb, and the 21 1/2 and 31 1/2 +Newhouse will be found most desirable. + +In places where there are springs and small streams, there is no +better method than the old water set, which is made as follows: It is +best to find a spring which does not freeze, but for early fall +trapping a brook will do. The rise and fall of the water in small +streams sometimes makes trouble, and a spring or small pond gives +best results. The spring should be at least four feet in diameter and +should be prepared for the set in the summer, but if care is used, +may be fixed up during the trapping season. A moss covered stone, or +a sod (according to surroundings) should be placed about a foot and a +half from shore, and should rise about two or three inches above the +water. This is the bait sod. The trap is set half way between the sod +and the shore, and the jaws, springs and chain should be covered with +mud, or whatever is found in the bottom of the spring. + + [Illustration: Water Set for Fox.] + +The pan of the trap should just be covered with water. Now take a +nice piece of moss or sod and place it on the pan of the trap, so +that it will rise an inch above the water. When properly placed, this +sod will look natural and will, apparently be a safe stepping place +for the fox. The pan should be so adjusted that it will not spring +too easily. A small piece of bait and also some scent should be +placed on the larger sod. + +In making this set you should wade up the outlet of the spring, and +stand in the water while making the set. Do not touch the bank or any +of the surroundings. The trap should be fitted with a chain about +three feet in length, with a two prong drag attached, but most +trappers simply wire a stone of eight or ten pounds weight to the end +of the chain. The drag, whatever is used, should be buried in the bed +of the spring. + +I recommend the flesh of the muskrat, skunk, opossum or house-cat for +bait, and it should be allowed to taint by remaining about a week in +a glass jar. This method was first used by William Schofield a famous +fox trapper of the Eastern states. Two men have been known to catch +over one hundred foxes in a season with this method, besides +considerable other furs taken in the same traps, for the method is +good for many other animals besides the fox. + +One trapper recommends setting the trap in exactly the same manner, +except that the bait sod is omitted, and the bait, a bird, is +fastened by means of a stick thrust in the bottom of the spring. The +stick must be entirely out of sight, and the bird, apparently, +floating in the water. Both of these methods are very good, and are +especially recommended for the novice, as they are the easiest and +surest methods to start on. + +The water sets given above, can of course, only be used in certain +places, for in some of the best fox countries, springs cannot be +found, and even the streams are not suitable for trapping. For this +reason many professional fox trappers prefer to use dry land sets, +and the blind set will be found to be one of the very best. + +Look for fox tracks in old stock trails, foot paths, old roads in the +woods, openings under fences, etc., and having first cleaned the +traps by boiling or washing, find a narrow place in the trail and dig +out a nest for the trap. Make this nest so that when the trap is set +in it, the jaws will lie lengthwise of the trail. Line this nest with +dry grass or leaves, and having attached the trap to some sort of a +drag, set it and place it in the place prepared. Fill in all around +the outside of the jaws with dry dirt, and cover the springs. Now +lay a piece of clean paper over the trap and cover all with about +one-fourth inch of dirt, making it look like the other parts of the +trail as much as possible. The chain and drag must be carefully +concealed. + +It is best to have a basket or piece of canvas in which to place the +dirt while making the set and to carry away what is not needed. Do +not spit near the trap, and do not leave any signs of your presence. +It is not necessary to wear gloves, but the hands should be kept +clean. This is an excellent method, especially for the old, sly +animals. + + [Illustration: Dry Land Set for Fox.] + +The professional trappers of the East use the bait method, mostly, +and although the different trappers use different baits and scents, +the methods of setting the traps are all, practically the same. + +The following directions are almost the same as you will get when you +buy a method at from $1.00 to $5.00 or more. "Prepare your bait about +a week before you want to set the traps, by cutting into pieces about +half the size of an egg, and placing in a clean jar to become +tainted. Put a little bit of scent on each bait before placing in +jar. There are different ways for preparing the traps; most trappers +prefer to boil them in hemlock boughs, or lay them over night in +running water. Wear clean gloves when handling the traps and carry +them in a clean basket. Now find an old stump or a rock along some +hillside, and dig a hole under it making the hole four or five inches +in diameter and ten or twelve inches deep. Stake the trap solid, +driving stake out of sight, and set the trap about ten inches in +front of the hole. Cover the trap first with a piece of clean paper +and finish by about one-fourth inch of dirt dug out of the hole. It +should look as if some animal had dug the hole and scratched the dirt +out in front. Use a small shovel made for the purpose, or a sharpened +stick to dig the hole, and keep your gloves on all the time. Do not +walk around, but stand in the same spot until the set is complete. +Now put a piece of bait in the back of the hole, using a sharpened +stick to handle the bait and put just a little scent by the side of +the hole. When you catch a fox, kill him without drawing blood, and +set the trap back in the same place. Your chances for catching +another fox are doubled. Skunks, coons and other animals will also be +caught in these sets." + +The following method is a good one to use in settled countries, as it +is not so likely to catch dogs and other animals, as other methods +are. Find an ant-hill, a small, pointed knoll, an old rotten stump, a +moss covered rock, or an old log with one end off the ground. Set the +trap on the highest point, covering carefully, so that it looks just +like it did before the trap was set. Place a fair sized bait, such as +a skunk or muskrat about eight feet away from the trap. The fox is +always suspicious of a bait, especially a large one, and will always +get on the highest point to look at it before going close. Of course, +there must be no other place for him to get up on, near the bait. In +the winter, traps may be set on muskrat houses, and bait placed on +the ice. I think it best to set the traps several days before placing +the baits, as in that way the human and other scents have a chance to +pass away. When baiting, go just close enough to throw the bait into +place. + +Some trappers set traps around large baits, such as the carcass of a +horse, cow or sheep, but I think it best to place the bait by the +side of a trail and set several traps on the trail from thirty to +seventy five yards from the bait. When feeding on the bait the foxes +will travel on the trail, and they will not be looking for danger so +far away from the bait. + +Comparatively few of the professional fox trappers can trap the fox +successfully after the deep snow come on; but the following methods +are the best known, and will catch the fox if you use care in +setting. Of course, snow sets of any kind can only be used when the +snow is dry and loose and likely to remain in that condition for some +time. + +The first method given is the one used by the Canadian Indians, for +taking the silver fox in the great northern wilderness. Out on the +ice on some frozen lake, or on any open, wind swept piece of ground, +make a cone-shaped mound of snow, beating it solid, so that it will +not drift away. The trap should be fastened to a clog, and the clog +buried in the mound. Make the mound about two feet high, and make a +hollow in the top for the trap to set in. The hollow should be lined +with cat-tail down, or some other dry material, and the trap set in +the hollow and covered first with a sheet of white note paper, +finishing with a half inch or more of loose snow. Do not handle this +snow with your hands, for if you do it will be certain to freeze on +the trap. The best way is to take a bunch of evergreen boughs, and +brush the snow up over the mound so that it sifts lightly over the +trap. The covering on the trap should be a little lower than the top +of the mound so that the wind will not uncover the trap. The bait is +cut into small pieces and stuck into the sides of the mound. + +After the trap is set it will only require a short time for the wind +to drift your tracks shut and remove all traces of human presence, +and the trap will remain in working order as long as the cold weather +lasts. If water rises on the ice it will not reach your trap, and if +there is a snow storm, the first wind will blow the loose snow off +the mound, leaving just a little over the trap. When looking at the +traps you should not go nearer than fifty yards, and do not turn off +your route, but walk straight by. This is a splendid method for use +in the far north where the snow never melts or freezes during the +winter months. + +For use in the settled countries I have been very successful with +this method. Find where foxes travel on old wood roads and with your +traps clean, and with drags attached, go and break a trail in the +snow by walking back and forth on the road, and set the traps in this +broken trail without bait. The traps should be set and covered, as in +the other method, and the chain and clog pushed under the snow at the +side of the trail. Do not let it appear that you have stopped at all, +and when looking at the traps you can follow the trail and step right +over the traps. In settled localities, the fox will follow the trail +because the walking is better, but in the wilderness where the track +of a man is seldom seen, they not only refuse to follow the trail, +but often will not even cross it. + +I believe that scent is more used for fox-trapping than for trapping +any other animal. Some of the best trappers, however, do not use any +scent at all, but I believe that if the right kind is used, that it +is a great help. One of the best scents known for dry land or water +sets is prepared as follows: Remove the fat from one or two skunks, +chop it fine, and take a sufficient quantity to almost fill an +ordinary pickle bottle. Take two mice; cut them up and add to the fat +and let the bottle stand in the sun until the mixture is thoroughly +decomposed; then add the scent of two skunks and five or six +muskrats. The bottle must be kept covered so the flies will not blow +it, but it must not be tightly corked. Different trappers have +different ways of preparing this scent, but I think this way is the +best. + +Another very good one is made by allowing the flesh of a muskrat to +rot in a bottle, and adding about four ounces of strained honey and +one-half ounce of essence of musk. + +Pure fish oil is attractive to the fox, and is used by some very good +trappers. We believe that one of the most successful scents, +especially for winter use is made by taking the generative organs of +the female fox, when in heat and preserving it in alcohol. The urine +of the fox is also good, but in using these two scents, no bait +should be used. + +The brine from mackerel or other fish is claimed to be a good scent +for foxes, but if there are any porcupines, or snow-shoe rabbits +about, it will make plenty of trouble as the salt is very attractive +to these animals. + +When making blind-sets, or when setting on a trail some distance from +a bait, do not stake your traps, but fasten to a drag of some kind: a +brush, a stone or a grapple. By so doing the fox will not spoil the +trail for the next one, and the trap may be set back in the same +place. For a bait set on dry land, the trap may be staked to +advantage, for if one fox is caught and rolls around over the ground, +you are more likely to catch another one there. + +Do not start out with a dozen traps and expect to make a success of +fox trapping. You should have all the traps that you can look after. + +Do not depend on one method of setting, as a fox will sometimes learn +your method, but some other method, even if it is not so good, may +fool them. + +When killing foxes in traps, do so, if possible without drawing +blood. One of the best ways is by piercing the heart with a wire +dagger. Another good way is by breaking the neck, which may be done +as follows: Strike the fox a light blow over the head with a stick, +just hard enough to slightly stun him, and when he drops down, place +your left hand on the back of his neck, pinning him to the ground and +with your right hand pull his nose backward against his back. It +requires some practice to do this right. + +The track of the red fox resembles that of a small dog, being perhaps +a trifle narrower. The length of step is about twelve or fourteen +inches, and the foot prints of an average sized fox will measure +about one and a half inches in length. + +The track of the gray fox is rounder and more like that of a cat. + +Some hunters claim that they can distinguish the track of the male +fox from that of the female, the footprints of the female being +smaller and a trifle narrower in proportion. + +There is no difference in the footprints of the black, silver, cross +and red foxes. + + [Illustration: The Coyote, or Prairie Wolf.] + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +THE WOLF. + +The Wolf belongs to the dog family and is found throughout the +greater part of North America, also in Europe and Asia, and parts of +South America. There are many varieties, varying greatly in size and +color, but there are probably only two distinct species, namely, the +timber wolf and the prairie wolf, commonly called the coyote. Of the +timber wolves, we have in this country, the following varieties; the +small dark grey or black wolf of Florida and southeastern United +States, the red wolf or southern Texas; the brindled wolf of Mexico, +the light grey wolf of the central plains region; the dark grey wolf +of eastern Canada; the white wolf of northern Canada and Alaska and +the large black or dusky wolf of the northwest coast region. + +Of the smaller prairie wolf, there are also several varieties, they +being found throughout the prairie regions of the United States and +Canada, extending westward to the foot of the Rocky mountains, and +also occurring west of the mountains, in the states of Oregon and +Washington. To the trappers and the western people in general, these +two species are commonly known as the wolf and the coyote, pronounced +ki'yote. As a rule, the varieties of timber wolves found in the far +north are larger than those of the south. While they are found in +fair numbers in most parts of the regions mentioned, the prairie wolf +or coyote is far more abundant in the sections lying east of the +mountains; there being, in most localities, probably fifty coyotes +for one wolf. + +Of the large species, the common grey wolf, of the western stock +region, is probably most abundant, and the most destructive to stock +and game. The grey wolf varies considerably in size, the largest +specimens weighing sometimes more than one hundred pounds. The fur is +long and heavy and good prime skins bring usually from two to five +dollars each. In former times, when the buffalo was abundant on the +plains, they formed the chief food of the wolf, but since the buffalo +has become an animal of the past, the wolves depend on stock for +food. They are very destructive to cattle, horses, hogs, goats, etc. +Occasionally a herd of sheep is raided, but this is of rare +occurrence, as the sheep are always guarded by the herders. + +In the north where there is little or no stock raised, they prey on +game of almost all kinds, being very destructive to deer and even +killing moose, at times. They also follow the herds of cattle, which +range in the mountains during the summer and in winter are found in +the foot hills. The coyote preys on young deer and antelope and on +small game, such as rabbits, prairie dogs, sage hens and badgers. +They are very destructive to sheep, and many of them follow the sheep +when they are driven into the mountains in summer. + +The breeding season of the grey wolf varies considerably, some being +born in the summer, but the majority are born in March and April. The +mating season comes mainly in January and February. There are usually +from five to eleven in a litter. They breed in the foot hills and bad +lands, in holes in the buttes and rim-rock and sometimes in enlarged +badger dens. The breeding season of the coyote generally comes later +than that of the grey wolf; most of them being born in April. They +also breed in natural excavations in the rocks. + +Wolves are great ramblers and range over a large section of country. +Like all other animals of rambling habits, they have a regular route +of travel, and while they vary somewhat from the route, you may be +certain to find them using the same passes through the hills, and the +same route across a flat. However, when in pursuit of game, they go +far out of their course. + +Almost all of the states where wolves are found, as well as some of +the provinces of Canada, pay a bounty on wolves and coyotes. The +bounties are different, in different states and so also, are the +bounty laws, and the methods of obtaining the bounty money. Usually +the skin and head, or part of the head, or the feet and bones of the +legs, must be produced, in order to obtain this bounty. + +Besides the state bounty, the ranchmen often offer an additional sum, +which in most cases, amounts to far more than the state bounty. +Sometimes, when some particular band of wolves become especially +destructive to stock, the bounties offered for these wolves amount to +a fancy sum of money. On one particularly destructive wolf, in the +state of Wyoming, bounties were offered amounting to five hundred +dollars. Of course such instances are rare, but in most cases, the +bounties are sufficient to make wolf trapping profitable, even in the +summer, when the fur is of no value. + +For trapping grey wolves, I recommend only the Newhouse trap. A +special trap is manufactured, for grey wolves, No. 4 1/2. It has an +eight-inch spread of jaws and a five foot chain, fitted with a heavy +iron drag, and with chain, complete weighs nine pounds. However, many +trappers consider this trap too heavy and the No. 4 Newhouse trap is +used more than any other. When these traps are used, they should be +fitted with a heavy chain of suitable length, and a pronged drag. The +length and style of chain needed will depend much on the method of +setting. If the trap is to be staked, I think the ordinary length of +chain is best but unless there are two or more traps used in a +setting, I would not advise staking the trap. + +Some trappers do not use a drag, but wire a heavy stone to the end of +the chain. The stone should be fastened securely, for it will be +handled pretty roughly, if a wolf gets in the trap. For the coyote, I +recommend the Nos. 3 and 4 Newhouse, the 3 and 4 Hawley & Norton, the +No. 4 Oneida Jump trap and Nos. 3 and 4 Victor. They should also, be +fitted with special chains, unless the traps are to be staked. Good +hard-wood stakes should be provided and they should be about fifteen +inches long, unless the ground is very soft, in which case they +should be longer. As good hard-wood is scarce in many parts of the +west, it will sometimes be best to have iron picket pins, made by the +local blacksmith. + +The bait for the grey wolf should be strictly fresh, for if food is +plenty, they are pretty particular. Any of their favorite foods may +be used for bait. For the coyote, horse or sheep is probably best, +but prairie dogs, rabbits (both sage and jack rabbits), sage hens, +badgers, etc., make good bait. When using small animals for bait, +they should never be skinned, for that makes the animal suspicious. + +Many different kinds of scent have been used for wolves. Some have +been used successfully but in using scent, one should also use good +sound judgment, or he will only make the animal suspicious, and +harder to trap. Beaver castor and Chinese musk are mildly attractive. +Siberian musk is very attractive to both the grey wolf and the +coyote. Assafoetida used alone, is worthless, but may be mixed with +other scents, to advantage. The urine of the wolf, bottled and kept +until it has become rancid, is a very good scent, and the sexual +organs of the female, taken when in heat, added to the urine, makes +it far more attractive to the male. This scent is most successful +during the mating season and should be used without bait. + +A very effective scent and one that is much used is made as follows: +Place half a pound of raw beef or venison in a wide mouthed bottle +and let it stand from two to six weeks, or longer, or until it is +thoroughly decayed and the odor has become as offensive as possible. +If the meat is chopped fine, it will aid decomposition. When +thoroughly decayed, add a quart of some liquid animal oil--prairie +dog oil is probably best, and one-half ounce of assafoetida, +dissolved in alcohol and one ounce of tincture of Siberian musk, or +if this can not be obtained, an ounce of pulverized beaver castor or +one ounce of the common musk used as perfumery. Mix thoroughly and +bottle securely until ready for use. This scent is attractive to both +the wolf and the coyote, also to cattle and horses and in using it +the traps should only be set in places where they are not likely to +be disturbed by stock. + + [Illustration: Scent Set for Wolf.] + +This method of trapping, as well as the above scent formula is given +by Mr. Vernon Bailey, who made an investigation of the wolf trouble +in the interests of the Biological Survey and the department of +Forest Service. + +"The best anchor for a wolf trap is a stone drag of 30 or 40 pounds +weight, to which the trap is securely wired. A long, oval stone is +best, but a triangular or square stone can be securely wired. + +The trap, stone and chain should be buried out of sight close to a +runway, where the wolves follow a trail or road, cross a narrow pass, +or visit a carcass, with the trap nearest the runway and when +covered, flush with the surface of the ground. To keep the dirt from +clogging under the pan, the pan and jaws should be covered with a +clean, oval shaped paper, and over this should be sprinkled fine +earth until the surface is smooth and all traces of paper and trap, +have been concealed. The surface of the ground and the surroundings +should appear as nearly as possible, undisturbed. The dust may be +made to look natural again by sprinkling with water. + +Touching the ground, or other objects with the hands, spitting near +the trap or in any way leaving a trace of human odor nearby, should +be avoided. Old, well scented gloves should be used while handling +the trap and making the set, and a little of the scent used for the +traps should be rubbed on the shoe soles. A piece of old cowhide may +be used to stand on, and on which to place the loose dirt when +burying the drag and trap. Place the scent about 6 inches beyond the +trap and a very little may be sprinkled over the trap, to the trail. + +If possible, place the trap between two tufts of grass or weeds, so +that it can be readily approached from one side only." + +As many of the wolf trappers do not believe in scent, the following +methods are given. They are methods that have been thoroughly tested +and are being used today, by some of the best trappers. The first +method is a trail set, for use with a large bait, and is equally good +for grey wolves and coyotes. It should be remembered, however, that +trail sets of any kind, can not be used to advantage, if there is +much stock about. Find a well defined stock trail somewhere on the +wolf's route of travel and set two traps close together, on the +trail, then go on from fifty to one hundred yards and set two more in +exactly the same manner. Use care in setting the traps, so as to +leave everything looking the same as before. You can wear gloves if +you like, but I do not think there is much gained by doing so, for it +is impossible to make a set without leaving some human scent. The +scent will pass away in a day or two and few trappers count on making +a catch until after the traps have been set a couple of days. + +A large bait should be placed close along the trail and midway +between the two settings. When the wolves get to feeding on the bait +they will travel on the trail and will not be looking for danger so +far from the bait. If desired, only one trap need be set in a place, +but two are better, as the wolf is likely to step over the trap if +only one is used. It is a good plan to set the traps several days +before placing the bait, so as to allow time for the human scent to +pass away and the setting to take on a more smooth appearance. + +Here is a method that is much used for both wolves and coyotes. It +requires three or four traps and they should all be fastened securely +to one stout, hard-wood stake. Find a smooth, sandy spot and scoop +out a little hollow and drive the stake down until the top is below +the level of the ground. Fasten your bait securely to the top of the +stake, so as to hide the stake and prevent the wolf or coyote from +taking the bait away. If three traps are used, spread them out in the +form of a triangle, if four are used, arrange them in the form of a +square. Set the traps very carefully, so that when they are covered, +everything will be smooth and looking just like it did before. As the +bait is fastened, the wolf can not take it away, and in trying to +pull it up, will step in one of the traps. He is almost certain to +get in another one when he commences to struggle, and there is little +danger of him escaping. If a place can be found where the traps may +be set between bunches of weeds, cactus, etc., so much the better. + + [Illustration: Bank Set for Wolf and Coyote.] + +Another very good method, is to set a trap on top of a straight or +over-hanging bank, from four to eight feet high, so that when the +animal is caught it will leap or fall over the bank and be unable to +get back, where it would have a chance to struggle. The set is made +as follows: Find two bunches of cactus, growing on the top of the +bank, fix the bait on the very edge of the bank, between the two +bunches of cactus. Fasten the bait with a small stake, and drive the +stake out of sight in the bait. Stake the trap just the length of the +chain from the edge of the bank, driving stake out of sight, and set +the trap between the cactus and about twenty inches back from the +bait, somewhat farther if grey wolves are expected. Cover the trap +very carefully. If two bunches of cactus can not be found growing +close together, get some and place it there, so that it will look +natural, and have the appearance of having grown there. + +A single trap may be set almost anywhere, and small pieces of bait +scattered around the trap. In this way you can bait the trap without +dismounting from your horse and avoid leaving human scent. + +Mr. Vasma Brown, a noted trapper of Texas, gives the following +method: "Take a large piece of fresh meat and drag it along a trail. +Stop occasionally and set a trap, just outside of the edge of the +trail, where the stock will not step in it. Dig out a place for the +trap and set the trap, covering first with a piece of paper and +finishing with sand, leaving the place looking just like it did +before. Cut some of the meat in small pieces and scatter them around +the trap. Use no scent; fresh pork is the best scent you can get. If +you can find some animal that the wolves themselves have killed, do +not fail to set traps there immediately." + +When trapping around a large bait, sometimes the animals will not +approach close enough to be caught. In such cases a small bait may +sometimes be used to advantage, by setting traps a short distance +away. The tail of a skunk is said to be an unfailing lure. Do not +smoke or grease your traps or the wolf is sure to locate them at +once. + +Sometimes a badger will be caught in a wolf trap. If so, do not skin +it, but kill it and set the trap close by. It will make a fine bait, +and the trap may be set in the ground that the animal has dug up, +leaving no signs of human presence. + +When trapping during freezing weather, fill in around the jaws and +springs of the traps with sage leaves, or some similar dry material, +before covering with dirt. + +Always carry a rifle with you when tending the traps. You will get +shots at wolves or coyotes almost every day. + +When visiting wolf traps, always go on horseback and if possible +avoid dismounting near the traps. + +Dark, cold, stormy nights are the best for the wolf trapper. + +Use plenty of traps. The more chances you have, the better success +you will have. + +Sometimes a coyote will uncover a trap or dig it up and spring it. +Nothing can prevent this. Your only remedy is to have lots of traps +set, and if he fools you in one set, you may fool him in another. + +In warm weather, if you can set out a line of traps just before a +rain, your chances for making a good catch are very good, as the rain +washes away all human odors, and helps to smooth over the sets. In +winter, a light snow fall will often help to increase the catch. + +The tracks of the wolf resemble those of the dog and fox. An average +full grown grey wolf will make a foot print about three inches wide +and four inches long and will step about twenty inches. The average +sized coyote will make a footprint about two inches in length and the +length of step is about sixteen inches. + + [Illustration: The Grizzly Bear] + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +THE BEAR. + +The bear family is a large one, and its members are found scattered +over the greater part of the globe, Australia and Africa being +excepted. They range through all latitudes, from the equator to the +poles. The following species have been described by naturalists: +Polar bear, grizzly bear, European Brown bear, American Black bear, +Alaskan Brown bear, Inland White bear, Glacier bear of Alaska, +Asiatic bear, Siberian bear, Spectacled bear of South America, +Thibetan bear, Bornean bear and Malay bear. The three latter are +called Sun bears, from their habit of basking in the rays of the +mid-day sun. They are the smallest members of the family and live +exclusively on vegetables. + +Bears differ from each other in consequences of the differences of +climate, more than almost any other animal. Those that inhabit the +far north and such high, cold regions as the Rocky mountains, are +monsters, of great strength and ferocity, while those that inhabit +warm countries are small, feeble and inoffensive. The smallest of all +is the Bornean bear, while the Alaskan Brown bear is probably the +largest. The Grizzly or Silver Tip, and the Polar bears are very +large. + +The American Black bear is probably the most numerous of the family, +and is one of most interest to the trappers. With the exception of +the prairie country, they are found scattered over almost all of the +United States, and a large part of Canada and Alaska. The Cinnamon is +only a color variety of the Black bear, differing only in color. Both +kinds are found in the same litter. In some sections, as for instance +in some of the northwestern states, and in Mexico, the Cinnamon bear +predominates, while in the east and north they are very rare. The +average weight of the Black bear, when full grown, is from two +hundred to three hundred pounds, but specimens have been killed +weighing far more than these figures. The fur is fine and soft and +usually of a jet black color. + +Bears of all kinds, with the exception of the Sun bears and the Polar +bear, feed on both vegetable and animal food. The Polar bear lives +entirely on fish and flesh. Bears, with the exception of the Polar +species, hibernate in winter. They usually den in the ground or +rocks, but sometimes in a hollow log or tree. + +The mating season is in July and August and the young, usually two, +are born in January, February and March. They remain with the mother +until fall, and sometimes longer. + +In sections where they are found in fair numbers, they form trails +through passes in the mountains, along the bottoms of the cliffs, +around points of the lakes, and in other places of like nature. These +trails may be easily distinguished from the paths of other animals, +by the marks on the trees. At intervals, all along the trail, the +bear will stand on his hind feet, by the side of a tree, gnaw a +circle around the tree, about five feet above the ground. I am told +that this marking is done during the mating season. The trails are +traveled more in the spring and summer than in the fall. + +Bears are very fond of fish, and in the north, when fish are in the +streams, spawning, the bears spend much of their time fishing, at the +foot of the falls. The sucker is the first fish to spawn, and as soon +as they are gone, the pike come, and the bears fare well for a couple +of weeks. After that they feed on the leaves of the poplar, insects, +berries and nuts, and whatever meat they can find. In some sections +they remain in the same locality during the entire year; in other +places they migrate on the approach of cold weather and do not return +until spring. + +The bear becomes prime about the first to the fifteenth of November, +and remains in good condition until late in the spring. In northern +sections they do not commence shedding until June fifteenth, and +sometimes even later. The best time to trap them is in the spring +just after the snow is gone, but many are trapped in the fall. + +The traps for black bears are the Nos. 5 and 15 and the Nos. 50 and +150 Newhouse. For larger bears the No. 6 is the trap to use, although +many grizzly bears are caught in the No. 5. + +The most common method for trapping bears is the following: Make a +sort of enclosure of old logs, brush, etc., in the form of a V, about +eight feet long and two or three feet wide at the entrance. It should +be three feet high, behind, but it is not necessary to have it so +high in front. The bait should be fastened in the back of the pen, +and the trap set in the entrance. + +Take a small, springy stick, about eight inches long, and spring it +under the pan of the trap, to prevent small animals from being +caught. To do this, stick one end firmly in the ground, and bend the +other end down, and hook it under the pan. The trap when set, should +support a weight of twenty-five pounds, but it is my opinion that +most trappers allow the trap to spring too easily. + +Always turn the loose jaw up, and work from in under, for the sake of +safety. Now drive down a couple of stakes on each side of the trap, +so as to leave only a narrow passage; cover the trap with leaves or +moss. It is a good idea to put a good sized piece of moss over the +pan. To cause the bear to step in the center of the trap, some +trappers put sharp sticks around the outside of the jaws, others lay +a stick across the mouth of the pen, about six or eight inches high, +and close up to the jaws. In stepping over it, the bear is more +likely to put his foot in the trap. The trap should be fastened to a +heavy clog of hardwood. For the Black bear, the clog should be about +six or seven feet long, and just small enough to go through the ring +on the chain. The ring should be slipped on to the middle and +fastened with a spike. For the grizzly and other large bears, the +clog should be larger. + +This is the best method, but if you nip a bear once, you will have to +try some other method, and it is not likely that you will catch him, +even then, as they become very cunning. Do not set the trap at the +same place, but find his trail, and make a blind set; preferably +where the trail leads through a pool of water. Of course you must be +sure that no person will travel on the trail. Some trappers prefer to +hang a bait about six feet above the trap and do not use any pen. + +Bears may also be trapped successfully with snares and deadfalls but +the objection to these traps is that the animal is killed instantly +and if the traps are not visited daily, the skin is likely to spoil. + +For bait, there is nothing better than fish, but pork, (either salt +or fresh), mutton, beef or any kind of large game is good. Even the +flesh of the bear makes fair bait. Beaver, otter or muskrat meat is +also good. Honey is very attractive. + +There are a number of scents that are attractive to the bear, such as +fish oil, oil of anise and beaver castor. The scent recommended for +the raccoon is good for the bear. + +The track of the bear is easily distinguished from that of other +animals, because of its large size. Ordinarily, the bear's mode of +locomotion is a shuffling walk. The footprints of a large black bear +will measure about eight inches in length. + + [Illustration: The Raccoon.] + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +THE RACCOON. + +The raccoon is allied to the bear family. It is found only on the +Western Continent, where it is represented by two species; the common +raccoon of the United States and the crab-eating raccoon of the +tropics. The common raccoon, called coon by the hunters and trappers, +is found throughout the Mississippi Valley and all of the states east +and also in the Pacific Coast states, Western British Columbia, Lower +Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. They are found in greatest +numbers in those states bordering on the Gulf of Mexico. + +The common raccoon is the one of principal interest to the trapper +and fur dealer. The body is short and stout, like that of the badger. +Its head resembles that of the fox. Its tail is ten or twelve inches +long, thick and bushy. The feet are bare and the toes long. The +general color is grey, the tips of the hairs being darker. +Occasionally a very dark one is found, in some cases being almost +black. The tail is ringed with black and a black band crosses the +eyes. The raccoon is a nocturnal animal, is omnivorous and hibernates +during cold weather, coming out in search of food only on warm +nights. + +This food consists of green corn, grapes and other fruits, fish, +frogs, clams, birds and their eggs and they are also fond of poultry. +In search of food, they travel mostly along the streams and in early +fall, in the corn fields. + +They den in hollow trees, having an entrance at a considerable +distance from the ground. In mountainous districts, they also den in +holes among the rocks. + +The young are born in April and May and from two to six are brought +forth at a time. Their mating season is generally about the last of +February and the beginning of March, and at this time the males +travel considerably, crawling into a hollow tree wherever daylight +overtakes them. + +In the North they become prime about November 1st; the season being +later in the South. They remain in good condition until late in the +spring. The fur is used mostly for coats and robes. + +The nature and habits of the raccoon, like all other animals differs +considerably in different localities. In most sections they are very +easily trapped, but those found in some parts of the Pacific Coast +are said to be quite cunning. Any of the articles of food mentioned +above, will make good bait; fresh fish however, being preferred. The +traps to use are the No. 1 1/2 Newhouse or Hawley & Norton, the No. 2 +Victor, and the Nos. 2 and 3 Oneida Jump and Blake & Lamb traps. The +trap should be fastened to a clog, and in some cases an iron drag +could be used to advantage, as the coon will get fastened up on the +first brush he comes to. + +The most common method is to set the trap in the entrance of a pen of +stakes, at the edge of the water where the animals travel. The trap +may be set dry or under water, as preferred, and the bait should be +placed in the back of the pen. + +Another very good method, much used in the South, is to fasten a +piece of bright tin or a piece of a white dish, on the pan of the +trap and set the trap under about two inches of water, near the bank. +No bait is used, but a little scent may be used on the bank to good +advantage. + +The Southern Trappers sometimes find a tree, stump or rock in the +edge of the water, and set the trap in the water, just where the +'coon will walk, when passing around the obstruction. A fence made of +brush will answer the same purpose. + +Where the bank is steep and the water is shallow, dig a six inch +hole, straight into the bank at the edge of the water. Fasten some +bait in the back of the hole and set the trap in the water, directly +in front of the hole. + +Where coons are visiting a corn field, find where they go through the +fence and you will sometimes find a well beaten trail. Set the trap +in the trail, covered, and fasten to a clog. + +If you find a log lying across the stream and there are signs of +'coons about, cut a notch in the top of the log and set the trap in +the notch, covering with rotten wood or moss. You are likely to catch +a fox in a set of this kind. + +When a den tree can be found, cut a pole five or six feet long and +six inches thick; lean it against the tree and set the trap on the +pole. Cover the trap lightly with moss and staple to the tree. + +Any natural enclosure along a stream, such as a hollow log or a hole +under a stump, makes a good place to set a trap. When trapping for +foxes with water sets, many coons will be caught in the traps. + +One of the best scents for 'coon is made as follows: To a pint of +fish oil, add twenty or thirty drops of oil of anise and two ounces +of strained honey. Pure fish oil is used by some trappers and beaver +castor, muskrat musk and oil of anise are also good. + +The trail of the raccoon is somewhat like that of the mink, but the +tracks are larger. The animal makes the print of the entire foot and +the long slender toes show plainly. The print of the hind foot will +be from two and a quarter to three inches in length. + + [Illustration: The Badger.] + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +THE BADGER. + +Badgers are burrowing, carnivorous animals. They are found in North +America and various parts of the Old World; one species being found +in Europe, one in India and another in Japan. There are several +varieties of the American species and they are found at present only +west of the Mississippi River, although formerly they ranged as far +east as Ohio. They are perhaps most numerous on the High, dry plains +just east of the Rocky Mountains, and range from Mexico to well up +into Canada. They were at one time quite numerous in Wisconsin and +Minnesota, as well as others of the Northern and Central States, but +today are found but rarely in those sections. Wisconsin is sometimes +called the "Badger State" because of the numbers of these animals +found there by the early settlers. + +The badger is an animal of peculiar build, having a heavy, broad +body, at times appearing almost flat, as when it crouches close to +the ground, and the legs are short and stout. The feet are furnished +with long, strong claws, adapted for digging. The tail is short, the +ears short and round, the eyes small and black. A full grown specimen +will measure about two feet or more from the end of the nose to the +base of the tail. + +The color is a grizzly, yellowish grey, being darker on the back. A +white line traverses the face, head and neck, bordered with black, +which latter marking extends around the eyes. The sides of the face +and the throat are white, and there is a black patch in front of each +ear. The legs and feet are black. The back and sides of the body are +mottled somewhat by narrow streaks of darker fur. + +The fur, or more properly speaking, the hair, is long and appears to +be parted on the back as it hangs off to either side from a line down +the center of the back. Each separate hair shows a number of colors +and it is this which gives the animal the peculiar grizzled +appearance. Although the animal is, as before stated, of a heavy +build, the casual observer would scarcely credit the animal with the +great strength which it really possesses, because of the apparently +soft and flabby body, however, the strength of the animal is +surprising. They are slow moving creatures and were it not for their +strength and powers of digging, they would have difficulty in +procuring a sufficient amount of food. + +They feed on the small burrowing animals mainly, such as the prairie +dog, the gopher and the pouched rat, and they are enabled to capture +many of these animals by digging them out of the dens. They also eat +mice and reptiles and the eggs and young of ground-nesting birds. + +Being such an expert digger, the badger makes a deep den. The +entrance to the den is wide and surrounded by a mound of earth. In +addition to the main den the animal has a number of others nearby, so +that one would scarcely know which of them is the main burrow. They +are hibernating animals and remain in the dens during the cold +portion of the winter. + +The animal is of a rather timid nature, and when alarmed seeks safety +in the den if possible, but when surprised far from the den, will +hide wherever possible and failing to find cover will flatten down +close to the ground and by remaining very quiet, will try to escape +notice. However when pursued, and finding escape impossible, they +will fight desperately. + +The young are born in early spring, there being as a rule three or +four in a litter. + +The fur of the badger is used for making brushes of various kinds, +its peculiar texture making it especially desirable for this purpose. +It is not used for wearing apparel. + +The No. 3 trap is the proper size to use for this animal, and only +the stronger ones should be used. They are caught and held +occasionally in smaller and weaker traps, yet such cases are +exceptional. + +As the animal is not a valuable one and is not found in large numbers +in any one locality, they are not much sought by the trappers and the +most of the Skins which reach the market are from the animals caught +in traps set for other game. The wolf and coyote trappers catch them +occasionally, as they may be captured by any of the methods used for +those animals. + +Perhaps the best way in which to capture the badger is to set the +trap at the entrance to the main burrow, that is, the one showing the +most use. The trap should be set just outside of the entrance and +should be securely staked, using a long stake driven out of sight in +the ground. The jaws of the trap should be parallel with the passage, +so that the badger will step between the jaws, and not over them. It +should be bedded down so that the covering will be flush with the +surroundings. + +Traps may also be set with bait. On the plains, material for +enclosures can not be found but the traps may be set between clumps +of sage brush or cactus, placing the bait behind the trap, the +setting being so arranged that the badger will be obliged to walk +over the trap in order to reach the bait. The trap should be securely +staked in all cases. For bait, rabbit, sage hen, prairie dog or +almost any kind of fresh meat may be used. + + [Illustration: The Opossum.] + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +THE OPOSSUM. + +The opossum is the only American member of the family of pouched +animals. Only one species is found in this country although others +are found in other parts of the world. Of the American species, +naturalists have discovered three varieties, namely the Virginia +opossum, the Florida opossum and the Texas opossum, all very similar. + +The Virginia opossum is the most common and the most widely +distributed, being found as far north as Pennsylvania and Ohio and +from there westward to Nebraska and southward. In the southwest the +Texas opossum is found. + +In general form the opossum resembles the house rat but is much +larger. The tail is almost bare and is prehensile, that is, it is +capable of holding on to anything which it encircles. The muzzle is +long and pointed, the ears bare. + +In color this animal is generally a grizzly gray but some specimens +are much darker than others. The fur is long, soft and fluffy. + +The opossum dens in the ground and the abode is usually located under +a stump or rock. The burrows are shallow and terminate in a larger +cavity lined with dry leaves. They also sometimes locate in hollow +logs. They are found only in timbered districts and are active +climbers. Their food consists mainly of mice, eggs and young birds +and insects, but they are also fond of poultry and almost any kind of +flesh, fresh or tainted. They are not strictly carnivorous as they +feed on persimmons, paw-paws, polk berries and other wild fruits. + +They are slow moving and stupid creatures and have no means of +defending themselves against their enemies. It is true that they do +have a habit of feigning death when frightened but this trick is of +no value in case of an attack from other animals, for no wild animal +would be deceived, and even if it were, there would be no hope for +the opossum for it would only be a case of a meal already prepared +for the attacking animal. On other occasions instead of feigning +death the animal will open its mouth and present a rather fierce +appearance, but there is little danger of them biting. + +While the opossum is not a hibernating animal it remains in its den +during cold weather. It is a southern animal and the severe winters +in the northern parts of its range are not to the animal's liking, +They are most active on warm, damp nights for they do not like to +move about when the weather is dry and the leaves are rustly. + +They are very prolific, bringing forth from six to twelve young at a +litter and in some cases even more. When newly born they are very +small and imperfectly formed and are carried by the mother in the +pouch on the under side of the body until large enough to travel. + +They become prime about the second week of November in the North and +remain in good condition until March. In the South they do not become +prime until about December 1st and commence to shed much earlier than +in the North. The fur is not a very valuable one but there is a +growing demand for the flesh which is used as food and in many places +will meet with ready sale. + +I recommend the No. 1 trap for this animal and those of medium +strength of spring only, as the opossum's foot and leg is tender, and +if the bones are broken the animal is likely to escape. They do not +struggle much, however, and comparatively few escape from the traps. + +I set my traps in the thick woods, usually in the gullies also along +the edges of the woods, along fences, etc. The opossum is possessed +of no cunning whatever, and no special care is needed in setting the +traps if this animal alone is expected, however, it is always best to +use care in setting for the most stupid animals, as one never knows +what animal may pass that way. Whenever possible I place the trap in +a natural enclosure, such as a hollow in the side of a stump or tree, +a hollow between two spreading roots, an opening among rocks or in a +hollow log. Failing to find any such place I construct a small +enclosure of stakes, bark, stones or pieces of rotten wood, whichever +is most convenient, and set the trap in the entrance nesting it down +and covering with whatever is found nearby. + +The trap may be staked, stapled or fastened to a clog. For bait I use +rabbit, fowl, muskrat or small birds of any kind. Bait may be fresh +or tainted as the opossum is not particular. I have heard of many +fancy sets and baits and have given some of them a trial, but find +the method given above to be the most satisfactory. + +Opossums will sometimes be caught in traps set for skunks, foxes and +other animals and there are probably more of them caught in such sets +than in any other. They may also be caught in wooden traps. + +I have caught these animals in traps set on logs spanning the +streams, also at the entrance of the dens, but if I were setting +many traps for opossums I would use the above method mostly. The +opossum makes a wandering, aimless sort of trail, quite broad for +an animal of its size and the toes are turned outward in walking. +The footprints of the average opossum will measure about one and +one-fourth inch in diameter--that is, the front foot--the print of +the hind foot being from one-fourth to one-half inch larger. + + [Illustration: The Lynx.] + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +THE LYNX. + +The Lynx family is a branch of the cat tribe and its members are +found in various parts of the world, but it is the European and +Canadian species that are of the most importance, when viewed from +the hunters' and trappers' standpoint. There are two species in North +America, namely, the Canada Lynx and the Bay Lynx or wild cat. The +Canada Lynx is the most valuable and they are most sought by the +trappers. This animal is found throughout practically all of Canada, +Alaska and Newfoundland, also in all of the most northern states and +in the Rocky mountain region extending down into Wyoming and perhaps +still farther south. Those found in Newfoundland and Alaska are of +slightly different varieties. + +The Lynx, when full grown will measure about three or three and a +half feet in length and the weight is from twenty to thirty pounds, +but occasional specimens will weigh forty pounds or even more. They +are very "cat like" in appearance but the legs are rather long, the +feet large and the tail very short. The feet are heavily furred and +the toes connected with a web, the whole forming a sort of snowshoe, +which prevents the lynx from sinking in the loose snow. The ears are +small and pointed and tipped with a pencil of black hairs. The tail +is also tipped with black. The general color in winter is a silver +grey on the back, shading to white on the under parts. In summer they +take on a reddish color. The fur is long and soft and there is a ruff +of longer fur on the sides of the face, near the throat. + +The young are born usually in May and there are from three to seven +in a litter. The entire family will be found living in the same +locality and although each will have its own particular route of +travel, they frequently travel together along the border of certain +swamps and occasionally the entire family will start off together and +look for a better feeding ground. They live mostly in the swampy +parts of the more open country, being rarely found in the great bush. +In the west they are found in the timbered parts of the mountains. In +the North, you will find their tracks leading along the edges of the +swamps and alder or willow thickets. + +Their food consists mostly of rabbits and partridge. The snow-shoe +rabbit falls an easy victim. They have been known to kill small deer +and caribou, but only in very rare instances. + +There has been considerable controversy among naturalists regarding +the courage of the lynx. From my own observations, I should say that +they are very cowardly, as a rule, but all rules have exceptions. I +know of two instances in which the lynx has stood his ground for a +man, and in one case, for a number of men. This lynx was killed by an +axe thrown by one of the men at a distance of twelve feet. + +In traveling, the lynx usually walks, only running when in pursuit of +some animal, and always traveling the same route. They are active all +winter, but travel most in fall and spring. They become prime about +the first of November and if the spring is late, will remain in good +condition until the middle of April. + +The European lynx closely resembles the Canadian in habits and +appearance. Its general color is a dull reddish grey, mottled with +black. In winter the fur is longer and lighter colored than in +summer. It is found from the Pryenees to the Far North, and eastward +throughout northern Asia. + +As a rule, the lynx is easily taken with the steel trap, unless food +is very plentiful, when they do not care for dead bait. Almost any +trap will hold them as they do not struggle much, and I have caught a +number of them with the No. 1 trap, but because of their large feet, +I would advise the use of a larger trap. The Nos. 3 and 4 traps are +perhaps the best sizes to use. + +There are various methods of trapping them but the most common, as +well as the best is to set the trap in an enclosure, with bait. I +prefer to make the enclosures of split wood, placing the split side +inward. I make the pen about three feet in height, about two and a +half feet long, wide at the top and just wide enough to receive the +trap at the bottom. The pen should be well roofed with evergreen +boughs to protect the trap from the snow, and the trap should be just +inside of the entrance. If there is snow on the ground, I make a bed +of green boughs for the trap to rest on. It is not necessary to cover +the trap but I prefer to do so. The bait should be placed on a stick +in the back of the pen. + +Rabbit and partridge is the best bait, but it must be fresh, as the +lynx does not care for stale food. Some scent should also be used as +the lynx's sense of smell is not so highly developed as that of some +other animals. Beaver Castor is perhaps the best, but fish oil is +much used by the western trappers. Muskrat musk is also good. + +The trap should be fastened to a stout clog. I use a small spruce or +balsam tree, about three inches thick at the butt and fasten the trap +by stapling or by looping the chain around the clog, leaving some +snags to prevent the chain from slipping over the end. + +The rabbits are a great nuisance, they being found in great numbers +in the northern swamps. The scent of the hands left there while +setting the trap, also the fresh cutting, attracts the rabbit into +the pen and it is sometimes difficult to keep the trap in working +order until the lynx journeys by that way again. The best way I have +found to keep them out of the trap is by dropping some dead brush in +front of the enclosure, as the rabbits do not like to jump through +the dead brush. + +Squirrels and birds are also troublesome, and I have found it a good +idea to place the bait well up under the roof of the pen so as to be +out of sight of these creatures. I also place a small springy stick +under the pan of the trap, which will sometimes prevent the squirrels +and birds from springing it. I sometimes make a trap pen by standing +up a number of small evergreen trees, cutting the boughs away on the +inside. This is a very good method. + +When lynx do not take bait well, some trappers make a long pen or +passage, open at both ends and high enough so that the lynx can walk +through easily. The trap is set inside and some beaver castor or +other scent is placed on a stick in the passage. Others put scent on +a piece of red cloth and fix it in a pen of brush, setting the trap +in the entrance. + +As the lynx's eye is more keen than its nose, I have found it a good +plan to hang a rabbit skin from a string near the setting, so that it +will swing about in the breeze. This will attract the animal for +quite a distance, and is a good method to use when setting traps +along the shore of a lake, as the lynx walks the ice and will +sometimes pass outside of scenting distance of the trap. + +Lynx are easily killed by a blow from a stick but when caught in +small traps it is safer to shoot them, using a small caliber pistol +or rifle. Another good way is to choke them by tieing a snare to the +end of a ten or twelve foot pole. Slip the snare over the animal's +head, draw it tight and hold the pole; the lynx will die in a very +short time. The advantage of this method is in the fact that the skin +is kept clean and free from blood. + +The track of the lynx resembles that of the cat but is much larger. A +large specimen will make a track three and a half inches in diameter +and the length of step is from sixteen to eighteen inches. + + [Illustration: The Wildcat, or Bay Lynx.] + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +THE BAY LYNX, OR WILD CAT. + +The Bay Lynx replaces the Canada Lynx throughout the greater part of +the United States. This animal is known to the fur trade as the wild +cat and is also known in some localities as the Catamount and the +bobcat. + +The true wild cat is not found in America, being a native of Europe +and Northern Asia, and resembling the domestic cat, somewhat, in +appearance. Such cats are also found in certain parts of the United +States but they are only the descendants of domestic cats which have +strayed into the woods and become wild, and are not the wild cat of +Europe. + +The Bay Lynx is found throughout the rough timbered portions of the +eastern, northern and western States, also in the swamps and cane +brakes of the south. The International Boundary is about the northern +limit of its range. They are quite plentiful in parts of the south, +also in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains where they have become +so destructive to sheep that the stockmen pay bounty on those that +are killed. + +The animal is somewhat smaller than the Canada Lynx, but resembles +that animal in general appearance. It is about thirty inches in +length, with a tail of five or six inches, and weighs from eighteen +to twenty-five pounds, in some instances exceeding these figures. Its +color on the back and sides is of a pale reddish brown, overlaid with +grayish, the latter color being most prevalent in fall and winter. +The throat is surrounded with a collar of long hair. The under parts +are light colored and spotted and a few dark spots are also found on +the sides. The tail is tipped with black and has half rings on its +upper surface. The ears are also tipped with black hairs, but this +tip is not so conspicuous as in the case of the Canadian Lynx. The +hair is also shorter and coarser, and the feet smaller and less +heavily furred. + +The food of this animal consists of rabbits, partridges, sage hens, +and any other small animals and birds which they can capture. They +are fond of poultry and have been known to kill and devour the +raccoon. As before mentioned, they are partial to mutton. In all +probability they capture large numbers of mice, moles, prairie dogs, +etc. + +In the West, as in parts of the East the wild cat dens in natural +holes in the rocks. In the swamps of the South they no doubt, nest in +hollow trees. + +They are, as a rule, shy and retiring animals, but when brought to +bay show considerable courage and fight desperately. The fur of the +Bay Lynx is not as valuable as that of the northern lynx. It becomes +prime in the north about the first of November; in the south three or +four weeks later. + +The wild cat resembles the Canada Lynx so closely in habits, etc., +that I do not consider it necessary to give any special methods for +capturing it. The bait methods recommended for the lynx will also do +very well for the wild cat, and the same bait may be used. In the +south it would probably be better to set in natural enclosures +whenever possible. In the foothills of the Rockies the Bay Lynx is +frequently caught in traps set for coyotes, although they may be +captured as easily there as in any other section, and if the trapper +wishes, he can set his traps in hollows in the rocks, or in +enclosures of brush, cactus, etc. + +Some trappers prefer to hang the bait above the trap, and it is a +good way, but I think that the enclosure is more certain. + +I would recommend the Nos. 2 and 3 traps for these animals. Although +they may be held at times in smaller traps, any trap having less +strength than the No. 2 should not be depended on. + +The track of the wild cat resembles that of the lynx, but is much +smaller. The footprints will seldom measure more than one and a half +inches in diameter, and the step is a trifle shorter than that of the +Canadian Lynx. + + [Illustration: The Cougar.] + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +THE COUGAR. + +With the exception of the Jaguar, which will average a trifle larger, +the cougar is the largest representative of the cat tribe to be found +in America. + +This animal is known locally under various names. In the mountainous +districts of the Eastern States, where they were once found in fair +numbers, they were known as the panther or "painter" from a fancied +resemblance to the panther of tropical Asia. In the far West they are +most commonly known as the mountain lion, and in other localities as +the cougar, while in the Southwest they are sometimes called the +Mexican lion. Throughout the whole of South America they are known as +the puma. + +This animal has probably become extinct in the Eastern States, but +they are still found in the South, from Florida, westward throughout +the wild, swampy sections of the Gulf States, into the lowlands of +Texas, and southward. In the West they are found in all of the +mountainous portions from northern British Columbia southward, and in +South America are to be found as far south as southern Patagonia. +They have at all times been more abundant in the West than in the +East and are still plentiful in portions of British Columbia, Idaho, +Wyoming, and Colorado; also in the Pacific Coast States, especially +in northern California. + +In size, the average, full grown cougar will perhaps measure seven +feet in length from the nose to the tip of the tail, certainly not +more, and large specimens will weigh from a hundred and fifty to a +hundred and seventy-five pounds. Occasionally larger specimens are +found, but they are exceptional. The tail will measure from two and a +half to three feet. + +The color of the cougar is usually of a yellowish brown on the sides, +a trifle darker on the back and white on the throat and underparts. +The tip of the tail is dark, almost black in some specimens. This is +the prevailing color but some will have a grayish cast. While there +is very little difference in the specimens from the various sections, +some naturalists claim that the cougar of Florida and other parts of +the South is a distinct variety. + +Cougars prey largely on deer, also in some sections on the wild sheep +and goats. They also kill small animals, and when pressed by hunger +they will not hesitate to attack larger animals than the deer; even +the moose is sometimes killed by the cougar. They are very +destructive to stock in many parts of the West, particularly to +horses, and many of the Western States, as well as the stockmen pay +bounty on cougars. In South America they kill large numbers of wild +cattle. + +Their method of securing game is by creeping cautiously to within +springing distance, or by watching a runway from the branches of a +tree, or a ledge of rock from which position they spring upon the +unsuspecting victim, breaking its neck by a twist of the head. When +they can get plenty of food they only suck the blood of the captured +animal, and do not return to the carcass, When food is scarce they +make a meal of the flesh and cover the remains. In such cases they +may return for a second meal. + +It was only after the panther became rare in the Eastern States that +the fabulous tales of their daring, and their inclination to attack +human beings, originated, and such stories are never credited by +those who are acquainted with the nature and habits of the animal. +While it would be an easy matter for the cougar to kill an unarmed +man, they are by nature, timid animals, and not to be feared by +human beings. While individual animals may attack man on rare +instances, such occurrences are very rare, and it is safe to say +that nine-tenths of the "panther stories" have no foundation +whatever. The western mountain men consider them very cowardly +animals. + +In the mountainous districts the cougars live in natural dens, or +caves in the rocks, in places that are almost inaccessible to other +animals. In the swamps of the South they make their home in dense and +almost impenetrable thickets and canebrakes, where they make a nest +of sticks, grass, moss and leaves. + +The young animals are born in early spring, there being from two to +four at a birth, but as a rule, only two. The mother animal displays +considerable anxiety for the safety and comfort of her kittens. + +There is no method known by which the cougar may be successfully +trapped. Owing to their rambling habits one never knows where to +place a trap for them, and as they prefer to kill their own game, +they will seldom touch bait. As a rule they do not return to the +carcass of their victim, but if one can find an animal freshly +killed, it is a good plan to set a trap by the side of the remains, +and in case the animal should return for a second meal, its capture +is likely. Practically all of those which are trapped are taken in +this way. The No. 4 Newhouse trap is used but the No. 4 1/2 is +better, for being a larger and stronger trap it is more certain to +hold the animal. The trap should be fastened to a heavy clog, and the +trap and clog carefully concealed, for the cougar is wary and +suspicious. + +On rare instances when the trapper has been certain that there were +cougars in the near vicinity, they have been captured by setting a +trap in a natural enclosure, placing a fresh, bloody bait behind the +trap, also by hanging the bait about five feet above a carefully +concealed trap. + +They are most commonly hunted by the aid of dogs, and in this way the +capture is a comparatively easy matter. When pursued they usually +take to a tree and remain there until the arrival of the hunter when +a rifle bullet ends the game. The animal will take to a tree readily +for any dog which has the courage to follow it. + +The skin of the mountain lion is not valuable as a fur, and is used +principally for rugs, but as before mentioned many of the states pay +bounties on the animals, so that hunting them may be made a +profitable business in certain localities. + +The tracks of this animal resemble those of the wild cat but are much +larger. The footprints will measure about four inches in diameter. + + [Illustration: The Wolverine.] + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +THE WOLVERINE. + +Perhaps the most rare of all fur bearing animals, as well as the +least known, is the wolverine. This animal belongs to the marten +family and is the largest, strongest and most cunning of the genus; +in fact, is claimed to be the most cunning and wary of all the +furbearing animals, and among the trappers has an unenviable +reputation. + +It is strictly a northern animal and is found scattered over the +greater portion of Canada and Alaska, ranging southward into the most +northern portion of the United States. In the Rocky mountain region +it is found as far south as Wyoming. They are not plentiful anywhere +and are probably found in the greatest numbers in the Alaskan +interior, Yukon, Mackenzie and northern British Columbia. + +While the wolverine is classed among the martens it appears to be the +connecting link between the martens and the bears for it is stoutly +built and very bear-like in general appearance, also is a plantigrade +animal, walking on the entire sole of the foot. An average specimen +will measure about thirty inches from the end of the nose to the base +of the tail. The tail is about ten inches in length, exclusive of the +long hair and is very stumpy and bushy. The fur is long and flowing +and is fairly fine. The general color is a dull brown with black legs +and feet and a black patch about the eyes. A spot or stripe of +lighter color sweeps along the sides. The teeth are large and strong +and the curved claws are white, contrasting sharply with the black +fur of the feet and legs. + +The wolverine makes its home in a burrow. As to the breeding habits +of the animal, my observations have been limited and I can give no +authentic information. Naturalists disagree as to the number of young +and the time of birth. Some claim that the young animals are born in +May, others put the time as late as December. As the other members of +the marten family give birth to their young in April and May, I think +it safe to assume that the young of the wolverine are born about the +same time, and that the number would be from three to five in a +litter. + +The animal is a great traveler, straying sometimes thirty miles in +each direction from its home. It is not a rapid traveler, however, +and it is claimed that a man can easily outrun it. + +The wolverine is also known under other fancy names, the most common +of which is "carcajou". In Europe it is called the "glutton" from its +supposed gluttonous appetite. Among the Indians of the northwest it +is known as the "mountain devil" and in British Columbia is sometimes +called the "skunk bear." + +The animal really does bear some resemblance to the skunk in its +appearance and actions, the most noticeable of which is its habits of +raising its tail when disturbed or when it stops to listen to some +noise. Sometimes it will stand on its hind legs in order to get a +better view of some object which has aroused its interest. + +The wolverine is not as active as the other members of the genus, but +its strength and cunning fully compensate for all that it lacks in +activity. It can seldom capture enough of game to satisfy its hunger, +therefore it seeks out and robs the caches of other animals, also +robs the traps of their bait and the captured animals. For this +reason the animal is despised and dreaded by the trapper. Once one +has found the trap line it will follow the trail to the end, +destroying the sets and eating the baits and catch. What it cannot +eat, it will carry away and conceal presumably for future use. It +will also sometimes enter the trapper's cabin and destroy or defile +all that it cannot eat. + +Many strange stories are told of the animals cunning and of its evil +ways. While some of these tales are no doubt true, I feel safe in +saying that the majority have no foundation whatever. There is no +doubt that the wolverine is exceedingly wary and that it is a great +mischief maker, but the fact that the animal is not well known, has +led the nature writers to draw on their imaginations and these +wonderful stories are the result. We hear of the animal decoying deer +to its hiding place by dropping a bunch of moss for them to feed on, +and then springing upon the unsuspecting animal from a nearby limb. +We also read of the wolverine biting off the string of a set gun +without discharging the arm, so that it could eat the bait without +danger. That such stories are false goes without saying. + +Not being plentiful in any one locality the animals are seldom +trapped and what few are caught are taken when they are visiting +camps or while robbing the traps of the bait and catch Trapping them +at all times is difficult work, owing to the natural wariness of the +animal. That the trap must be well concealed and that the animal must +be taken when off its guard will be evident to all. The No. 4 trap +should be used and only those which have strong springs, as the +wolverine possesses great strength. + +The animals are not sought by the trapper and he may consider himself +lucky if there are none of them on his trapping ground. When they are +found, the trapper's aim is to get rid of them and the most certain +way appears to be by means of poison. When they visit the traps a +fair portion of strychnine placed in the bait will usually bring the +desired result. + + [Illustration: The Pocket Gopher.] + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +THE POCKET-GOPHER. + +The pocket-gopher is found throughout the Mississippi Valley, ranging +westward into Colorado and Wyoming, southward into Mexico, and +northward into the prairie region of Canada. They are also found in +Alabama, Georgia and Florida. They appear to be most abundant in +those states bordering on the Mississippi River. There are a number +of different varieties, but as their habits are the same, a +description of the Prairie pocket-gopher, will be sufficient. + +This animal measures, when full grown, about eight inches from the +end of the nose to the base of the tail. The tail is about two and a +half inches long, and thinly covered with hair. The color is a liver +brown, somewhat lighter on the under parts; the feet white. The legs +are very short; the feet armed with large claws, adapted to digging. +The head is large, no neck being visible. The eyes and ears are very +small. The incisors are large and chisel shaped, for cutting roots. +On each side of the face and neck are large pouches, having no +opening into the mouth. These pouches are not used for carrying dirt, +as is commonly supposed, but are only used for carrying food. The +animals known as the "grey-gopher" and the "striped-gopher" are no +gophers at all, but species of ground squirrels. + + [Illustration: Burrow of Pocket Gopher.] + +The gopher is a burrowing animal and is seldom seen above ground. +They are working almost all of the time, during the spring, summer +and fall, extending the burrows in search of food. They also work in +winter, when the ground is not frozen, and it is supposed that they +also work under the frozen ground, when it is not frozen too deep. +They are most active in the fall when they are storing up food for +winter. + +The burrows will be found from six to twelve inches beneath the +surface of the ground, the usual depth being about eight inches. At +irregular distances along the burrow, the animal makes a short branch +passage leading up to the surface, where it deposits the dirt dug +from the main passage, in the form of a mound. After the dirt is all +thrown out, it closes the branch passage, packing the ground in +solidly, so that the only visible signs of the burrow are the mounds +of ground. There is a good reason why the animal should be so careful +to keep the passage closed, for they have a number of enemies besides +man. Its most dangerous enemies are, perhaps, the little spotted +skunk or civet cat and the bull snake, as both of these creatures, +once they get inside of the burrow, follow its course until they find +their victim. + +The food of the gopher consists mostly of roots of plants but they +often cut the roots of fruit trees. They are particularly destructive +to alfalfa, and the loss to farmers, caused by these animals, is +considerable, not only from the plants destroyed by having the roots +cut, but also from the plants buried under the mounds, and from the +fact that the mounds interfere with the cutting of the crop. The fur +is of no value, but owing to the destructiveness of the animals, land +owners are very anxious to be rid of them. In many places a bounty +is paid on the gopher, so that they may be profitably trapped when +fur-bearing animals are of no value. + +The traps recommended for the gopher are the No. 0 steel trap and +some of the various choker traps made especially for this use. In +setting steel traps, select the freshest mound, and by examining +closely, one can usually tell which way the dirt was thrown out, and +will know on which side to look for the burrow. A handy tool is a +slender, pointed iron rod to use as a probe in searching for the +burrow. Having located the passage, open it up and set the trap on +the bottom, sinking it down until level. Cover it lightly with dirt, +and close the hole by laying a small piece of board, or a shingle +over the opening, covering with ground. + +The trap should be fastened with a stick, and the same stick will +serve as a marker, so that one can easily find the trap. A small +spade or a heavy garden trowel will be needed for digging and for +convenience, the traps, stakes, etc., may be carried in a large +basket. The regular gopher traps, mentioned above, are more easily +set than steel traps and printed directions for setting usually +accompany the traps. They should be set at one side of the burrow, on +a level with the bottom and with the mouth of the trap just even with +the side of the passage. Just a little light should be allowed to +penetrate from behind, and all other parts should be closed, so as to +exclude light. + +The gopher, in coming along the passage, sees the light and goes to +investigate, when it will be caught in the trap. If too much light +shows up, he does not go close to look at it, but immediately brings +a load of dirt and proceeds to close the hole, thus burying the trap. +All loose dirt should be removed from the burrow before setting the +trap, as otherwise the gopher will gather up the dirt as it +approaches the light, and shove it into the trap. + + [Illustration: The Cottontail Rabbit.] + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +THE RABBIT. + +While the rabbit is classed among the fur-bearing animals, the skin +having a slight market value, very few of the trappers ever market +the skins as the price is so little that trapping the animals for +their fur would not be a lucrative business. + +The flesh is much used as food by the northern hunters and trappers, +and also as bait for traps, and it is well for the trapper to know +something about the animal and how to capture it. + +Properly speaking there are no rabbits in North America, the animals +known by that name being classed by naturalists as hares, but the +name is so universally used that it would be useless now to try to +bring the true name into general use. + +There are many species, one or more of which will be found in almost +every locality of North America, but the most important species are +the common cottontail, the jack rabbit and the snowshoe rabbit, or +varying hare. Of these there are many varieties, but they are so +similar in appearance and habits that I do not consider it necessary +or advisable to go into detail in describing them in a work of this +kind. + +Rabbits belong to the class known as rodents or gnawing animals, and +are distinctly different in structure from all other animals of the +class. The long hind legs, long ears, small tail and soft fur is +characteristic of the genus. + +The common cottontail is found in almost all parts of the United +States, in certain parts of the north only, being replaced by the +snowshoe rabbit. They are smaller than the snowshoe and jack rabbits +and are of a grayish brown on the back and sides shading to white on +the under parts. The fur is a reddish brown in summer. + +Their food consists of grasses, fruits and vegetables, bark, and the +leaves of evergreen shrubs such as the laurel. They are especially +fond of fruits, sweet apples being a favorite food, and are also +partial to cabbage. + +Their favorite haunts are the brushy, wooded bottom lands but they +are also found on the hills and mountains; in fact, in almost any +place where they can find food and shelter. + +The snowshoe rabbit replaces the cottontail in Canada and the most +northern portions of the United States. As before mentioned they are +larger than the common rabbits and like the northern weasel the color +of their fur varies with the seasons. The summer coat is a reddish +brown, but when the cold weather comes on in the fall they commence +to take on a white color, the fur of the ears and legs being the +first to change and in a few weeks the animal will be perfectly +white. This is nature's provision for the animal's protection, and +their color in winter is so nearly like that of the snow that when +sitting under some log or clump of brush they are almost invisible. +They have many enemies, being preyed upon by all the carnivorous +animals, also by such birds as the hawk and owl, but as they are +exceedingly prolific their numbers increase rapidly. + +Every few years, perhaps at regular intervals, but of that I am not +certain, some disease makes its appearance among them and they die +off rapidly. Some naturalists believe that this is caused by +inbreeding as the rabbit's circle of acquaintance is comparatively +small, and his knowledge of the country and the ground covered by his +wanderings is limited to a very small area. + +The food of the snowshoe rabbit consists mainly of grasses in summer +and the bark of certain young growths in winter. They are very fond +of salt and wherever there is a trace of it to be found, they will +come nightly and dig up the soil in order to procure it. The northern +settlers who use large numbers of these animals for food sometimes +make a salt lick for the rabbits and watch for the animals in the +early evening. + +The feet of the snowshoe rabbit are very large and are heavily +furred, forming a sort of snowshoe which accounts for its common +name. They are very methodical, running the same route so often as to +form a well defined trail, quite common in the northern swamps and +hazel thickets. These trails are followed after the snow falls and +become beaten several inches in depth. + +It is from the skins of the snowshoe rabbit that the northern Indians +make the wonderful rabbit skin blankets. The skin is ripped down the +back of the hind legs and is drawn off whole and while still fresh is +cut into one long strip averaging an inch in width. Immediately after +cutting, the strip rolls up leaving the outside covered with fur and +resembling a fur rope. These skins are wound into a ball and kept +frozen until the desired number has been secured when they are woven +into a frame, the ends being sewed together. It makes the warmest bed +covering known, and is used universally by the northern trappers. It +also was a great comfort to those who went into Alaska and Yukon in +search of gold. + + [Illustration: Rabbit Snares.] + +The jack rabbit is found mostly on the western plains and is the +largest of the American hares. They resemble the ordinary rabbit in +structure, but the ears are very long and the tail is more like that +of the deer. In running they make long leaps, all four feet hanging +straight down, presenting a singular appearance. + +Rabbits are seldom trapped with steel traps, but almost every country +boy knows how to take them in box traps baited with sweet apples. The +cottontail may also be taken in a spring pole snare, such as shown in +the cut. The noose is made of twine and is about ten inches in +diameter. When carefully made they are almost certain in action. They +should be baited with sweet apple or cabbage. + +The snare used for the snowshoe rabbit is a very simple contrivance. +The white trappers use No. 20 brass wire, doubled and twisted with a +small loop on one end, and made into the form of a slip noose. + +The snares are set on the trails, the bottom of the noose being about +four inches above the trail and the loop, about four inches in +diameter, is attached firmly to a brush placed horizontally over the +path. A short stick is set upright under the noose and others are +placed on either side of the snare. When properly arranged the noose +will take the animal by the neck when it attempts to leap through, +and it will be choked by its struggles. + +The Indians make the snares of light linen cord but with the white +man this method is a failure as the rabbit will invariably stop and +bite the cord. I do not understand why they do not bite the snares +set by the Indians. + +Where tracks are plentiful and good trails cannot be found I have +caught them by placing a few fresh twigs of birch or tamarack on each +side of the snare. The rabbit is certain to find them and after +eating those placed on one side it will attempt to leap through the +noose to reach the others, which, of course, is the end of poor +"bunny". The smallest and tenderest shoots should be selected for +bait and only two or three should be placed at a snare. + +At other times I have made a fence of small evergreen trees where +signs of the animals were numerous, and have fixed snares in the +openings along the obstruction. This is also a successful method. + +I have never learned of any method of trapping or snaring the jack +rabbit, but believe they could be trapped successfully where they +visit the farms and gnaw the bark from fruit trees as they do in some +parts of the west. + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +TRACKS AND SIGNS. + +Old and experienced trappers can read the signs of the forest and +stream with a degree of accuracy that to the amateur is surprising. +In this way he can make a fair estimate of the number and kinds of +fur-bearing animals found in a locality, while the novice would see +nothing, or if he did see the tracks and signs he would not be able +to distinguish them, one from another. + +To be able to read the signs accurately is essential for successful +hunting and trapping. The expert trapper will know instantly, on +seeing a track, just what animal it was that passed that way, and by +knowing its habits will know about when it is likely to return, and +how to place a trap for its capture. He can also tell with fair +accuracy at what time the animal passed that way, and frequently, +will know whether it was a male or female; whether it was looking for +food or a place of rest, whether it was on its regular route of +travel and where it was going. To the novice all of these signs are +unintelligible. + +The art of sign reading can be learned only from experience. While +the writer can distinguish the signs and tracks of the fur-bearing +animals, to put this knowledge in print is exceedingly difficult. +However, I will endeavor here, to describe the tracks of the +fur-bearing and game animals, and believe that the description will +be of value to the amateur. + +Before the coming of the tell-tale snow, and the myriads of tracks +which then appear, the stream with its muddy or sandy shores is per +haps the most promising place in which to look for signs. In the mud +alongside of a pool of water, the tracks of that busy little animal +the muskrat, can be seen. + +The trail of this animal is accurately shown in the drawing. When +seen at the water's edge, and only a few tracks are visible, the +trail appears irregular, but if one can see where it has walked for +some distance, it will be noted that the animal has a regular step, +some five or six inches in length, and there is also the trail of the +dragging tail, most plainly seen in the soft muddy bottom of the +still, shallow water. In the snow the track will appear the same. +Only the prints of the hind feet are visible, the front feet being +very much smaller, and the print being obliterated by those of the +hind feet. When the animal is running the prints of all four feet are +readily discernible. The print of the hind foot will measure about +two and a fourth inches in length if the full impression of the foot +is to be seen. + + [Illustration: Tracks of Furbearing Animals.] + +In addition to the tracks other signs may be seen. Where the animals +are found in fair numbers they will have well defined trails leading +from the water. Where the bank is steep the trails are sometimes worn +an inch or more in depth, owing to the muskrat's habit of sliding +down the bank, which habit is not practiced in play, but for +convenience. Other signs are the droppings on the logs which extend +into the water; the dens with an accumulation of grass at the +entrance; also the scratch signs on the bank, the feed beds, houses, +etc. + +All signs are plentiful in early fall, and at such times the novice +is likely to overestimate the number of animals, as the muskrat is +very active at that season. + +The signs of the beaver are very similar to those of the muskrat, but +the tracks are much larger, and owing to the fact that the level of +the water in the vicinity of a beaver lodge, is raised far above the +muddy shores, by the dam the tracks are seldom seen. However, the +house and dam with the fresh cut wood, and well used trails are all +of the signs that are needed. Old houses and dams are found +frequently, but if there is no fresh cutting about, one may be +certain that the house is uninhabited. + +One of the most puzzling things to the novice is to know the number +of inmates, that is, whether or not it is a full family, but methods +of determining this are given in the chapter dealing with this +animal. In the North the beavers are ice bound during the winter +months, but occasionally one may find them emerging from the water at +some springhole near the lodge or dam, and at such times the tracks +may be seen in the snow. + +The trail of the otter is unmistakable, owing to its peculiar, +floundering, sliding mode of travel. It is seldom seen except in the +near vicinity of the water. In the snow, the track is well defined +and resembles the trail made by dragging a small log, the footprints +in the bottom of the trail being very distinct. The length of jump is +from four to eight feet, depending on the condition of the snow, and +the footprints will measure about two inches in diameter. + +They travel under the ice whenever possible and one may see +frequently where the otter has bored into a snow bank at the water's +edge, trying to locate a weak spot in the ice. When they have been +working under the ice for some time one may find where they have been +entering at, and emerging from the spring holes near the shore. At +such places the snow will be packed down solidly and remains of fish +may be found. + +When there is no snow, one may learn of the most frequented +localities by the number of slides and landing places. At the landing +places the droppings will be found, and they may be distinguished +from those of other animals from the large proportions of fish bones +and scales. + +Another animal which will be found frequenting the waterways is the +mink. The track of this little animal may be found along the muddy +shore, where the steep bank crowds it down to the water's edge. At +other times it will travel several rods from the water, and after he +ice forms, will run on the ice, seldom going far from the shore. Its +method of travel is an easy lope, and the footprints are nearly +always in pairs about three inches apart one somewhat in advance of +the other, and separated by a distance of from one to two feet. The +footprints measure from one to one and three-fourths inches in +length. They are sometimes found entering the water at spring holes +in the ice, and at open places in the rapids. + +About the outlets or inlets of lakes and ponds, and at the log-jams +or drifts on the stream one may sometimes find small, slender pointed +droppings on the stones or logs. These sign will show unmistakably +that the route is regularly used by at least one mink. + +The track of the weasel is similar to that of the mink, but is +smaller, but as the weasel is not a water animal, its tracks are more +likely to be seen along the fences and where logs and rocks are +plentiful. Here the trail will be found leading here and there in an +aimless sort of way, and entering every nook and corner, where the +persistent little hunter thinks it may find a sleepy "bunny" or some +other animal or bird. The length of jump is from sixteen to twenty +inches and the footprints measure about one or one and a fourth +inches in length. + +The marten has a similar method of travel and makes a track like +those of the mink and weasel, being a little larger than the track of +the mink and the footprint is broader and more rounded; the foot +being heavily furred the toes do not show so distinctly. The trail +will be found leading through the gullies and depressions of the +heavily timbered places, and occasionally they also travel on the +ridges. + +Few signs are seen when the ground is bare but in the dark, sheltered +ravines, the droppings may sometimes be seen on the logs, resembling +those of the mink, but somewhat larger. Sometimes one may also find +where they have killed a bird or rabbit. + + [Illustration: Tracks of Furbearing Animals.] + +There is practically no difference between the track of the fisher +and that of the marten except in size. The footprints of the fisher +are perhaps a trifle more distinct, and will measure from two to two +and a half inches in length, the distance between each set of tracks +being from two and a half to four feet. The tracks of both the marten +and the fisher are found in the same kind of places, but the fisher +is more of a rambler and more given to rambling in the open country. +When the ground is bare one may see occasionally where they have +killed and eaten rabbits, in which case very little will remain +except the fur and toes of the victim. + +Although the skunk is a member of the great weasel family, its method +of travel is decidedly different from that of the weasel, for it +seldom lopes, but has a slow, measured walk. The length of step is +about five or six inches, and the footprints are from one to one and +three-fourths inches in length. The trail is rather broad, and if the +snow is deep and soft the animal sinks deeply, so as to make a trail +with its body; however, the skunk seldom travels when the snow is in +that condition. + +Signs of the skunk may be noted also in summer and early fall. +Occasionally one will find in the field, small excavations varying +from an inch and a half to four or five inches in depth, nicely +rounded and funnel shaped. This is the work of the skunk, and it was +hunting for insects or grubs. + +The most conspicuous signs, however, are the dens, which may be found +along the steep, gravelly hillsides. Although the woodchuck makes a +similar den, one may be able to distinguish them, as a rule. If the +den is inhabited by skunks one will usually find black and white +hairs clinging to the mouth of the den, also will be likely to find a +pile of droppings somewhere near, and to one side of the entrance. + +The walk of the opossum is similar to that of the skunk, but the +trail is broader, the footprints more spreading and the toes turned +outward. The feet being naked, the toes show very plainly. Their +tracks are only seen after a warm night, when the snow is melting, +and the dens are seldom found unless one can follow the trail. The +footprints will measure from one and a fourth to two and a half +inches in diameter. + +The tracks made by the animals of the dog family, the fox, coyote and +wolf, are all similar, practically the only difference being in size. +The foxes make the smallest tracks, that of the red fox being about +two or two and a fourth inches in length and the length of step is +about fourteen inches. The female makes a narrower track than the +male, the same being true of many animals. There is no difference in +the tracks of the silver, cross and red foxes, they being all of the +same variety, but the gray fox makes a shorter and rounder track, +easily distinguished from that of the red fox. + +In early fall one may see the droppings of the fox along the old wood +roads and stock paths, and they may be distinguished from those of +the dog by the remains of apples and other fruits which are found +there. Occasionally one may see the tracks in the mud or dust of the +old roads in the woods, and sometimes the dens are to be found. + +As before mentioned the track of the coyote is identical with that of +the red fox, except that it is larger. The length of step is about +sixteen inches and the track will measure about two and one-half +inches in length by two inches in width. + +The track of the timber wolf is larger, that of a full grown specimen +measuring about three inches in width by four in length, the length +of step being about eighteen or twenty inches. + +As the tracks of the dogs are similar so also are those of the cats, +the wild cat, lynx and cougar, or mountain lion, the only difference +being in size. The two first named are plainly shown in the drawings, +and as will be noted, that of the wild cat is the smallest, and will +measure about two inches in diameter with a step of about fourteen +inches. + + [Illustration: Tracks of Furbearing Animals.] + +The lynx makes a step of about the same length and the footprint of a +large one will be from three to three and a half inches in width. + +The cougar makes a larger track than the lynx, otherwise there is no +difference. + +Occasionally one may find where these animals have killed game; the +lynx will eat all but the feet of a rabbit. The droppings may also be +seen at times. They resemble somewhat those of the fox, but are +slightly larger, and never show remains of fruit, as the lynx never +eats vegetable food. + +Along the streams and shores of the lakes and ponds one may see in +summer and early fall the tracks of the raccoon, where the animal has +traveled the strip of mud at the water's edge, looking for frogs and +fish. One may trace the animal along the stream and will find that at +times it has waded in the shallow water, and then again has gone the +lope along the water's edge, or, perhaps has made a side journey to +some cornfield. At such places if coons are plentiful, one may find a +trail leading through the fence into a field. In parts of the South +where these animals are abundant, trails may also be found along the +ponds and swamps. + +The coon belongs to the bear family, and like the bear steps on +nearly the entire bottom of the foot, instead of the toes only, as do +the cats and some other animals, therefore, the footprint is usually +long and narrow, and the foot being bare on the bottom, the long, +slender toes show up distinctively. The animal has the loping method +of travel, like the mink and weasel, but shows the print of a hind +foot beside that of the front foot, the right and left alternating. +The prints of the hind foot will measure from three to four inches in +length, when the entire track is visible. + +One is not likely to mistake the track of the bear, as it is the +largest of the furbearing animals. As far north as Pennsylvania, its +tracks will occasionally be seen in the snow, but north of that tier +of states, the bears seldom move about after the coming of snow. The +tracks may sometimes be seen in the mud and wet moss of the northern +swamps, also on the shores of the lakes and along the streams. + +The bear has a shuffling mode of walking and turns its toes outward. +It is fond of walking on logs and will do so frequently, where fallen +timber is plentiful. The track of a large black bear will sometimes +measure eight inches in length, and that of the grizzly bear will be +much larger. + + [Illustration: Tracks of Game Animals.] + +Although the tracks are not often seen, other signs are to be found, +such as logs and stumps, torn open by the bear in its search for +ants, etc., small poplars broken down in order to secure the young +leaves, claw marks on chestnut and black gum trees, overturned rocks, +and those most noticeable signs, the marked trails, which are +mentioned in the chapter describing this animal. + +While the deer are not classed among the fur-bearing animals, they +are interesting to all trappers, and I have shown drawings of the +footprints of the common deer, the moose, the caribou, and the three +most common species of rabbits, namely; the common cottontail, the +snowshoe rabbit, or varying hare, and the jack rabbit. The tracks +shown in one-fifth size are of the cottontail. + +As will be noted in the drawings of the deer tracks, that of the hind +foot is narrower and more pointed than that of the front. The doe +also makes a smaller and more slender track. The average track will +measure about two and a fourth inches in length. The moose makes a +similar track, but it is much larger and will measure about four and +a half to five and a half inches. The track of the caribou will +average somewhat smaller than that of the moose and is of decidedly +different shape. It is not so pointed, and the hoof being split much +higher, it spreads out more, also the prints of the two small toes on +the back of the foot are to be seen in nearly all cases, while the +moose does not always show them. + +Almost everybody is familiar with the track of the rabbit, but I have +shown those of the three species mentioned, mainly to show the +difference in size. The feet being furred heavily, the prints of the +toes seldom show, except on hard snow. + +Some of these tracks were drawn from memory, but others were sketched +from the actual trails. On the whole, I think they will be found to +be accurate, at least near enough to enable anybody to distinguish +the trails of the various animals, and I think that the descriptions +and illustrations will be of value to the amateur trapper when +looking over his territory and locating the runways of the animals +that he proposes to catch. + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +HANDLING FURS. + +To know the habits and the nature of the various animals and to know +how to catch them is not all that is essential for success, but the +trapper must also know how to skin the various animals and how to +cure the skins and prepare them for market. + +The loss caused the trapper by the lack of this knowledge is +considerable; many skins because they have not been fully cured reach +the dealer in a tainted condition, others are not fully stretched and +are graded "small" and some do not have the proper shape. Some are +not cleaned of flesh and fat, do not have the tail bone removed, have +not been kept clean or have been badly damaged in killing or +skinning, all of which has a tendency to decrease their value. + +I have seen the skins of raccoon, killed before they were prime, and +stretched on the side of a barn where the glare of the sun burned the +life out of the skins, rendering them worthless. I have also seen +skunk and mink skins drawn over the end of a thick board roughly +fashioned with an axe, and hung up by the nose, the weight of the +board drawing the head out until it resembled the finger of a glove. +The trapper who handles his catch in that way can never expect to +receive full value for his furs. + +There are two ways of skinning fur-bearing animals, namely, "casing" +and skinning "open". The weasel, mink, marten, fisher, fox, opossum, +muskrat, civet, skunk, wild cat should be cased. The raccoon, bear, +beaver, badger, cougar, wolf, wolverine and coyote should be skinned +open. Some dealers prefer to have southern raccoons cased. + +To remove a skin by the first mentioned plan, cut it loose around the +feet and rip down the back of the hind legs, to and around the vent. +Peel the skin carefully from the hind legs and skin the tail by +slipping a split stick over the bone, when by gripping the stick with +the right hand with the bone of the tail between the second and third +fingers and holding the animal with the left hand, the skin may be +stripped off easily. Draw the skin downward from the body, keeping it +as clean of flesh and fat as possible. To facilitate this process the +animal may be suspended from the limb of a tree or other projection +by looping a strong cord around the hind legs after they have been +skinned. The skin should be drawn from the front legs and when the +ears are reached they should be cut off, cutting downwards towards +the head. The skin should be cut loose about the eyes and nose, and +it will then be in the form of a long pocket, fur side in. + +The weasel, mink, marten, fisher, fox, skunk, civet cat and wild cat +should be skinned in this way. The otter must have the tail ripped +open its entire length on the underside, and as they are a difficult +animal to flesh, it is best to skin them clean with a knife, leaving +no flesh or fat adhering to the skin. The muskrat and opossum should +also be cased, but as the tails of these animals have no fur they +should not be skinned, the skin being cut loose about the base or +where the fur ends. + +Some trappers do not use much care in removing the skin from the head +of the muskrat, but simply pull it off by main strength. This leaves +the flesh of the head remaining on the skin and a collection of such +skins will usually be graded low and the skins will average a few +cents less than when properly handled. + +To skin an animal "open", rip the skin on the belly from the point of +the lower jaw to the vent, down the back of the hind legs and on the +inside of the front legs across the breast to the point of the +brisket. Animals that are intended only as furs may have the feet cut +off, but bears, mountain lions, wolves and wolverines should have the +feet skinned out to the ends of the toes, leaving the claws attached +to the skin. This increases their value for mounting or for rugs. The +skin should be peeled from the body, using the knife whenever +necessary. + +In skinning the beaver, rip the skin from the point of the chin to +the vent and around the base of the tail and cut off the feet, but do +not rip the skin of the legs. Skin the animal perfectly clean using +the knife everywhere, as it is almost impossible to flesh a beaver +after skinning. Not a particle of flesh or fat should be allowed to +remain on the skin. + +After all burrs, lumps of mud and blood clots have been removed from +the skin it is ready for fleshing. For fleshing all cased skins +prepare a narrow tapering board of sufficient length to accommodate +the longest skins and plane it perfectly smooth, rounding the edges +slightly. Draw the skin over this board flesh side out and scrape all +flesh and fat from it, using some blunt instrument, such as a square +edged knife or a hatchet. Turn the skin occasionally and do not flesh +on the edges of the board or you may score the skin; be careful not +to damage it in any way. Always turn the fur side out before laying +it down, so as to keep it perfectly clean. + +Open skins, if they have not been skinned clean, are more readily +fleshed after they are stretched. + +A good supply of stretching boards of various sizes should be made in +advance of the trapping season. Soft pine, poplar, basswood, or cedar +boards are best, and old dry goods boxes make excellent stretching +boards. They should be free of knots and should be planed smooth so +that the furs may be removed easily after they are dry. + +For mink the boards should be from 26 to 34 inches in length and from +3 1/2 to 4 1/2 inches wide at widest part, and about 1/2 inch +narrower at the shoulders from which point it should taper gracefully +to the head and end with a rounded point. For marten, the boards +should be a trifle wider. For the average fox or fisher, the board +should be 4 feet long, about 5 1/4 inches wide at the shoulder and 6 +1/2 at the base. For the otter the board should be about 1/2 inch +wider and a foot longer. The average lynx will require a board about +7 1/2 inches wide at the shoulder and 9 1/2 inches at the base, by +about 5 feet in length. For large muskrats the board should be two +feet long by 6 inches wide at the base, 3/4 inches narrower at the +shoulder and with a flat iron shaped head, but more rounded at the +nose. One should have several smaller sizes also. For skunk and +opossum the boards should be about 6 inches wide at the shoulder and +7 1/4 inches at the base, 28 inches long. + +These dimensions are for the average animals, but it should be +remembered that the sizes vary greatly in the various parts of the +country. In the case of the skunk and the mink especially, there is a +great difference in size. + + [Illustration: Canadian Pattern Stretching Boards.] + +For convenience and good results I advise ripping with a saw, a +narrow wedge from the center of all boards except those intended for +muskrats. In this way one can stretch the skins to their full size +and they may be more easily removed from the boards, after the wedge +is withdrawn. For large boards to be used for lynx, otter and animals +of a similar size, I fasten two short strips to the base of one piece +of the board, as shown in the cut. This stiffens the stretcher and +prevents the pieces from turning in the skin. All boards should be +beveled on the sides, leaving the edges thin, round and smooth. The +boards shown are of the Canadian pattern used universally by the +Canadian trappers both Indian and white, and recommended and approved +of by such large dealers as the Hudson's Bay Co. The tendency among +trappers of more southern districts is to use a less tapered board +with a more rounded point. + +The skins should be stretched as soon as they are fleshed. In using +the three piece board slip the two halves into the skin, the flesh +side being out and fasten the hind legs with one or two small nails +in each, then insert the wedge and draw down all slack parts and +fasten with nails. Be sure to get the back on one side of the board +and the belly on the other. Draw up the skin of the lower jaw and +fasten with a couple of tacks or small nails. In the case of the lynx +it is advisable to slip a narrow board into each front leg and a +small incision should be made in the tip of the tail of all animals, +to allow the moisture to drain out and the tail to dry. + +The tail of the otter should be stretched out to its full width and +well fastened with small nails. Some trappers also split the tail of +the skunk for about one-half of its length and fasten it in the same +way. + +The proper way to stretch open skins is by lacing them with twine in +a hoop or frame. The beaver should be stretched round, and a hoop is +most convenient. My method is to fasten the skin in the hoop at four +points and then with a large sacking needle and strong twine stretch +out one quarter at a time. I use a separate twine for each quarter, +sewing thru the edge of the skin and around the hoop, tying the end +with a loose knot. In case I find that any part is stretched too much +or not enough, it is a simple matter to untie the string and give it +a little slack or take up a little as the case requires. + +The raccoon should be stretched nearly square and all other skins to +their natural shape. A square frame is most convenient, and the +method employed may be the same as for beavers. Open skins which +have not been fleshed, should have all of the flesh peeled off after +they are stretched and then it will frequently be found necessary to +re-stretch them but this is not difficult when using the twine. + +All furs should be dried or cured in a cool, airy place. They should +never be allowed near the heat of the fire as they dry rapidly and +become brittle and unfit for use. In camp they may be dried in some +corner, removed from the fire but they are likely to take on a dirty +yellow color from the smoke, and it is better to have a shelter for +them on the outside. + +Furs should not be allowed to remain a long time on the boards. As +soon as they are sufficiently dry to prevent shrinking or wrinkling +they should be removed. The lynx and all species and varieties of +foxes should be turned with the fur side out as soon as they become +dry enough, and if the skin has become too dry to turn, it may be +dampened slightly on the stiffer parts by placing a damp cloth over +it. A very little will suffice and one must be certain to allow the +skin to dry out thoroughly after turning. It is best to watch the +skins closely and not allow them to become too dry before turning. +Some trappers turn the skins of other animals, but with the exception +of those mentioned it is better to leave the fur side in. + +When shipping the furs they should be packed flat and bound tightly. +Those having the fur side out should be kept separate from the others +so that the fur will not become greasy. I sew the skins in burlap and +put a card bearing my name and address inside of the package; also +tie two shipping tags on the outside. Furs handled by the above +methods will always command good prices and I never have any cause +for complaint if I ship them to reliable dealers, but when furs are +badly handled, damaged in killing or afterwards, or unprime, one +cannot expect the highest market price. + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +STEEL TRAPS. + +In the preceding pages I have made frequent mention of the Newhouse +and other brands of traps and the work would hardly be complete +without a description of these traps. + +The Newhouse traps were designed by Sewell Newhouse, a resident of +Oneida Co., New York, sometime prior to the year 1840 and the first +of these famous traps were manufactured by the inventor in a little +blacksmith shop, all of the work being done by hand. + +These traps were traded to the neighboring Indians and gradually +became famous throughout the country. Early in the fifties, Mr. +Newhouse moved to Kenwood, in Madison County and established a larger +shop. It was at this time that he joined the Oneida Community and as +the demand for the goods soon exceeded the output, the firm decided +that the business must be enlarged and accordingly a small factory +was erected. + +The business proved prosperous and it was found necessary to enlarge +the plant from time to time in order to increase the output and +supply the demand which was increasing rapidly as the traps became +well known, and today these people are the largest manufacturers of +steel traps in the world. + +Great care is used in the tempering of the springs and it is a fact +well known to the users of this goods that the Newhouse spring is +more reliable and more durable than any other. + +The nearly perfect state of the Newhouse trap as it is made at +present, has only been reached after years of study and experiment +and many of the improvements have been brought about by the trappers +themselves, with whom this firm has a large correspondence. They are +always pleased to receive any suggestions for the improvement of +their traps. + +Although the Newhouse is a cheap trap, quality considered, it was +soon found necessary to manufacture a line of cheaper traps and +several styles were placed on the market. These were remodeled and +changed in various ways to meet the demands of the consumer, and the +names were changed with the style. + +Those made at present are known as the "Hawley & Norton," the "Oneida +Jump" and the "Victor". The Hawley & Norton is made in the same style +as the Newhouse, but is lighter. The Victor is also made in this +style and it is safe to say that it is the most popular trap on the +market. More of them are used than of any other brand and being so +cheap they are especially liked by the beginner and by those who do +not make trapping their leading occupation. In thickly settled +districts where traps are often taken by thieves, many trappers +prefer to use these cheaper grades of traps. + +The Oneida Jump trap is a distinct departure from the Newhouse +pattern. It is a high grade trap but very light and its shape allows +it to be placed where an ordinary trap could be set only with +difficulty. Instead of having the long bow spring as in the other +styles it has a short spring located inside of the jaws and under the +pan, and it is attached to one end of the bed plate of the trap. This +makes the trap very compact and it takes up very little room either +when set or sprung. The traps have been on the market a comparatively +short time but they have already become quite popular. + +All of these traps are made in sizes from No. 0 to No. 4 and the +Newhouse is made in additional sizes and in special styles as +described in the following pages. + + [Illustration: NEWHOUSE NO. 0 TRAP] + +Spread of Jaws, 3 1/2 inches. This, the smallest trap made, is used +mostly for catching the gopher, a little animal which is very +troublesome to western farmers, and also rats and other vermin. It +has a sharp grip and will hold larger game, but should not be +overtaxed. + + [Illustration: NEWHOUSE NO. 1 TRAP] + +Spread of Jaws, 4 inches. This Trap is used for catching muskrats and +other small animals, and sold in greater numbers than any other size. +Its use is well understood by professional trappers and it is the +most serviceable size for catching skunks, weasels, rats and such +other animals as visit poultry houses and barns. + + [Illustration: NEWHOUSE NO. 81 TRAP] + +Spread of Jaws, 4 inches. Occasionally animals free themselves from +traps by gnawing their legs off just below the trap jaws, where the +flesh is numb from pressure. Various forms of traps have been +experimented with to obviate this difficulty. The Webbed Jaws shown +above have proved very successful in this respect. + +Noting the cross-section of the jaws, as illustrated at the left, it +is plain the animal can only gnaw off its leg at a point quite a +distance below the meeting edges. The flesh above the point of +amputation and below the jaws will swell and make it impossible to +pull the leg stump out of the trap. + +The No. 81 Trap corresponds in size with the regular No. 1 Newhouse. + + [Illustration: NEWHOUSE NO. 91 TRAP] + +Spread of Jaws--91, 5 1/4 inches; 91 1/2, 6 1/4 inches. The double +jaws take an easy and firm grip so high up on the muskrat that he can +not twist out. A skunk cannot gnaw out either. + +These traps are especially good for muskrat, mink, skunk and raccoon. + +All parts of the No. 91 except the jaws are the same size as the +regular No. 1 Newhouse, while the 91 1/2 corresponds to the regular +No. 1 1/2. + + [Illustration: NEWHOUSE NO. 1 1/2 TRAP] + +Spread of Jaws, 4 7/8 inches. This size is called the Mink Trap. It +is, however, suitable for catching the woodchuck, skunk, etc. +Professional trappers often use it for catching foxes. It is very +convenient in form and is strong and reliable. + + [Illustration: NEWHOUSE NO. 2 TRAP] + +Spread of Jaws, 4 7/8 inches. The No. 2 Trap is called the Fox Trap. +Its spread of jaws is the same as the No. 1 1/2 but having two +springs it is, of course, much stronger. + + [Illustration: NEWHOUSE NO. 3 TRAP] + +Spread of Jaws, 5 1/2 inches. This, the Otter Trap, is very powerful. +It will hold almost any game smaller than a bear. + + [Illustration: NEWHOUSE NO. 4 TRAP] + +Spread of Jaws, 6 1/2 inches. This is the regular form of Beaver +Trap. It is longer than the No. 3 Trap, and has one inch greater +spread of jaws. It is a favorite with those who trap and hunt for a +living in the Northwest and Canada. It is also extensively used for +trapping the smaller wolves and coyotes in the western stock raising +regions. + + [Illustration: NEWHOUSE NO. 2 1/2 TRAP] + +Spread of Jaws, 6 1/2 inches. In some localities the otter grows to +an unusual size, with great proportionate strength, so that the +manufacturers have been led to produce an especially large and strong +pattern. All the parts are heavier than the No. 2 1/2, the spread of +jaws greater and the spring stiffer. + + [Illustration: NEWHOUSE NO. 3 1/2 TRAP] + +Spread of Jaws, 5 inches. The above cut represents a Single Spring +Otter Trap. It is used more especially for catching otter on their +"slides." For this purpose a thin, raised plate of steel is adjusted +to the pan so that when the trap is set the plate will be a trifle +higher than the teeth on the jaws. The spring is very powerful, being +the same as used on the No. 4 Newhouse Trap. The raised plate can be +readily detached if desired, making the trap one of general utility. + + [Illustration: NEWHOUSE NO. 21 1/2 TRAP] + +Single Spring. Same as No. 2 1/2 but without Teeth or Raised Plate. + +No. 31 1/2 NEWHOUSE TRAP. + +Single Spring. Same as No. 3 1/2 but without Teeth or Raised Plate. + +Spread of Jaws--No. 21 1/2, 5 1/4 inches; No. 31 1/2, 6 1/2 inches. +These Traps are the largest smooth jaw, single spring sizes that are +made. Professional trappers will find these especially valuable when +on a long trapping line, as they are more compact and easier to +secrete than the large double spring traps. The springs are made +extra heavy. + +Note.--The 21 1/2 is practically a single spring No. 3 and the 31 1/2 +a single spring No. 4. + + [Illustration: NEWHOUSE NO. 14 TRAP] + +Spread of Jaws, 6 1/2 inches. This Trap is the same in size as the +No. 4 Beaver, but has heavier and stiffer springs and offset jaws, +which allow the springs to raise higher when the animal's leg is in +the trap, and is furnished with teeth sufficiently close to prevent +the animal from pulling its foot out. + + [Illustration: CLUTCH DETACHABLE TRAP] + +Clutch Detachable--Trap can be used with or without it. + +Spread of Jaws, No. 23, 5 1/2 inches; No. 24, 6 1/4 inches. The +inventor of this attachment claims to have had wonderful success with +it in taking beaver. The trap should be set with the clutch end +farthest from shore. The beaver swims with his fore legs folded back +against his body, and when he feels his breast touch the bank he puts +them down. The position of the trap can be so calculated that he will +put his fore legs in the trap, when the clutch will seize him across +the body and hold him securely. + + [Illustration: NEWHOUSE NO. 4 1/2 TRAP] + +In response to a demand for a new model of the Newhouse Trap +especially adapted to catching wolves, the manufacturers have +perfected a trap which is numbered 4 1/2 and is called the "Newhouse +Wolf Trap." + +This trap has eight inches spread of jaw, with other parts in +proportion, and is provided with a pronged "drag," a heavy snap and +an extra heavy steel swivel and chain, five feet long, warranted to +hold 2,000 pounds. The trap complete with chain and "drag" weighs +about nine pounds. + + [Illustration: NEWHOUSE NO. 50 TRAP] + +Spread of Jaws, 9 inches. This trap is intended for catching small +sized bears. In design it is exactly like the standard No. 5 Bear +Trap, only that the parts are all somewhat smaller. Weight, 11 1/4 +pounds each. + + [Illustration: NEWHOUSE NO. 150 TRAP] + +Spread of Jaws, 9 inches. This trap is identical with No. 5 excepting +that the jaws are offset, making a space five-eighths inch between +them. This allows the springs to come up higher when the bear's foot +is in the trap, and thus secure a better grip. Also there is less +chance of breaking the bones of the foot. Weight, 11 1/4 pounds each. + + [Illustration: NEWHOUSE NO. 5 TRAP] + +Spread of Jaws, 11 3/4 inches. This trap weighs nineteen pounds. It +is used for taking the common black bear and is furnished with a very +strong chain. + + [Illustration: NEWHOUSE NO. 15 TRAP] + +Spread of Jaws, 11 3/4 inches. To meet the views of certain hunters +whose judgment is respected, the manufacturers designed a style of +jaw for the No. 5 trap, making an offset of 3/4 of an inch, so as to +allow the springs to come up higher when the bear's leg is in the +trap. This gives the spring a better grip. Those wishing this style +should specify "No. 15." + + [Illustration: NEWHOUSE NO. 6 TRAP] + +Spread of Jaws, 16 inches. Weight, complete, 42 pounds. This is the +strongest trap made. We have never heard of anything getting out of +it when once caught. It is used to catch lions and tigers, as well as +the great Grizzly Bears of the Rocky Mountains. + + [Illustration: BEAR CHAIN CLEVIS AND BOLT] + +This cut illustrates Bear Chain Clevis and Bolt, intended as a +substitute for the ring on the end of the trap chain, when desired. + +With this clevis a loop can be made around any small log or tree +without the trouble of cutting to fit the ring. The chain is made +five feet long, suitable for any clog, and the prices of bear traps +fitted with it are the same as with the regular short chain and ring. + + [Illustration: TRAP SETTING CLAMP] + +Every trapper knows how difficult it is to set a large trap alone in +the woods, especially in cold weather, when the fingers are stiff, +and the difficulty is greatly increased when one has to work in a +boat. One of these clamps applied to each spring will by a few turns +of the thumb-screws, bend the springs to their places, so that the +pan may be adjusted without difficulty. No. 4 Clamp can be used on +any trap smaller than No. 4 1 /2. No. 5 and 6 are strong clamps, +carefully made and especially adapted to setting the large traps Nos. +4 1/2 to 6. They dispense with the inconvenient and dangerous use of +levers. With them one can easily set these powerful traps. These +clamps are also useful about camp for other purposes. + + +END OF SCIENCE OF TRAPPING + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Science of Trapping, by Elmer Harry Kreps + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SCIENCE OF TRAPPING *** + +***** This file should be named 34098.txt or 34098.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/4/0/9/34098/ + +Produced by Linda M. Everhart, Blairstown, Missouri + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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