The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1886-01-20

Many Is the time tho trappcr will be
disappointed to find only a stump of q
leg in his trap or ono or two toes.
The muskrat's home, il the stream or
pond has high bank. is q little hollow
place under ground five or six feet from
the waters edge. Tho entrance is un-
der water The hallway. after IL has
penetrated the bank. will turn up above
the level Of the water, and there, in the
little dry subterranean chamber, he
spends the day in sleeping or Is busy
storing away food for winter. The
trapper is happy when he finds the on
trance to these houses. He will spend
time in poking with long stick under
the bank for these places. When found
he places the trap under water Just in
the entrance. II tho rat is caught he
will probably drown, as the weight of
the trap and his efforts to get away will
tire him, and finally, exhausted, he
sinks below water. In the small ponds
with low banks the muskrats often
build houses of cornstalks or grasses.
Whole families 1.-Two in these edices,
which are sometimes built several feet
above the level of the water. The en-
frances, and there are usually several
are under water. Inside they are fitted
up into chambcrs-cozy littlo places
lined with soft grasses. A favorito mode
of catching the rat In his own house Is
to cut off the top of his domicilc and
place the trap in one of the little rooms.
carefully covering it ovor with part OF
his soft bed. The rat when found alive
caught in a steel trap will fight furious
ly, and many blow on the head will
he receive before he will give up. He is
courageous, and on his own part will
make tho attack, rs young and old
trappers will testify When there is no
way of escape he immediately gets ready
to resist. A dash is made ut the trap
per's leg, and il he onoe strikes howl
ofpain will escape tho poor trapper.
while the long sharp teoth will hold on
with grip that would shame bull
dog. Too vonturcsomo amateurs some
time come home with fingers hanging
by shrods and big holes in their hands.
the result OF too much freedom with
their prey.
The box-trap is the favorite for
streams. rs it is easily made, and often
several rats are taken in one In n sim
gle night 1t consists of long, straight
box, rectangular in shape, made with
entrances at both ends large enough to
admit the rat comfortably. In tho ends
are placed gates made of stiff wire,
slanting toward the inside of the box,
so that it can be lifted up easily by the
rat going in. but cannot bo opened out
ward. Spaces are left between the wires
so that the water can run through ens-
lily. The box is sunk in tho middle Of q
stream and securely anchored with big
rocks. Then n row of stakes is driven
from the box to the shore firmly inn
bcdded in the bed of the stream. They
are usually run little up tho stream so
rs to form sort Of fence down to tho
trap. The rnt coming down tho stream
finds himself between two walls of
stakes and can not get through He
follows along to the trap; thon he dives
under in his efforts to get through tho
blockade. His nose comes in contact
with tho wire gate and 1t lifts easily; no
passes in and on through. AT the lower
end he meets the lower gate. which
slants in, and cannot open it. II he
turns back the same difficulty meets
him at the other ond. In . short time
he browns from lack Of air. Some
times, in stream thickly inhabited by
rats. the trapper will find his box full
in the morning whom he makes his
rounds. and tho next night no will
probably find more. In the spring,
when the rats are running and swim
ming long distances. the box traps will
yield large return for the capital ex-
pended. 1t is a job to keep them in re-
pair, however. and when big storms
come the stakes will likely be washed
ont by the floods and Derhans the tran
go floating down the stream. Here Is
where the hard work comes in.
Another manner Of getting the rats is
to flood them out A small box trap is
placed ut the entrance 70 house. and
just below tho stream damned up so
that the water will rise TO such height
Us to drown them out. As they attempt
to pass out the main entrance they get
in tho trap. or il the trapper is q good
shot he will kill the animals rs they
swim away Moonlight nights there
Is sport in shooting the muskrats rs they
are swimming in the ponds.