The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-07-24
CROW CLUTCHING.
The Novel Way the Hoosier Farmer had
ofTrapping the Cunning bird.

Indiana farmers in the back districts nave
a novel and effective way oftrapping crows.
10 trap in this way the trapper must hrst
catch crow alive, which is generally done
by Gripping one with fine shot Inc I'VE
crow is the trap. He il placed on his PACK
i'm the field and fastepod in that position by
diving forked stick deep In the ground
over each wing, near the body. The crows
feet have free play, and there Is no embargo
mt on his lungs. Any one who knows any
hing about crows knows that the moment
one is hurt or in trouble II makes the fact
known by loud and peculiar cries. There
NOV not have been another crow seen or
heard in the locality for hours, but IN less
than half minute after the injured crow
,,ivoa its cry of distress, crows will come
scurrying in from all points Of the compass,
answering the signals Of distress win
emphatic and assuring caws. The mo
mcnf the distressed crow is discovered 10y
the others they swOOp down upon IT, ana,
unless II Is held i'm duress by some trap or
cortrivance of the enemy so 10 can't be re-
moved. hear il away 10 place Of safety,
whore il is nursed back 10 sOundness and
health. Crows are not often deluded into
falling into ordinary traps, but once IN
while one will get his foot unawares into
steel trap set for something else. In an
swcr to his cries his resculng cOmfanes
have been known 10 get enough OF the
nock's beaks and claws 10 bear on the trap
10 carry it on with its prisoner How they
nave succeeded in releasing him from TINS
trap aftcrward no one knows,
The live crow fastened by his wings ON
mis- back 10 the ground becomes at once the
only sure and ncyeT-failing crow trap ever
tried He sends forth the most distressing
of cries. and along comes flock Of Yelling
crows i'm response 10 them. They pOunce
down upon the PROSTATE bird 10 rescue him.
The bound crows claws and legs are iree
10 play at the birds Will. In his despera-
ton me clutches the first crow that sweeps
within his reach. He not only clutches.
but he holds on like grim death.
some one is always in hiding near
nv and the moment the decOy crow
f3stens ON and makes a victim Of the crow
that would bcfricnd him. the watcher hur-
rie, 10 the scene and captures the captiye's
c3ptiye. This crow is in turn made decoy
i'm another part Of the field, and he isn't
/ long in fastening on TO victim from
amOng his wOuld-be rcscuers. In ten
minutes, after the first crow Is set, farmer
/ has mo- difficulty in getting half dozen
other traps i'm operation, all dong steady
and infallble work on their excited ana
/ ulllautlrOUlc DrcIucIh. me ldllh'i may
| SET as many crows as he likes, for
after getting his first one the supply Will
last as long as there is free crow
I'm the neighborh0od. but half dozen Of
these yelling and clutching traps, well set
will dcpopulate any average crow settle
mcnt i'm the course Of day or so. Cunning
as the crow is, be throws his cunning all to
the winds mt sight of a cOmrade I'M distress.
and even so far loses his head under such
circumstances as TO lly to the rescue Of "a
wing-bound crow i'm a field after having
been made a trap of himself, rs crow VIII
sometimes manage 10 work his iastenlngs
loose i'm the ground boy his struggles and
escape. one farmer Of this county SAYS
he has. with only five Of these traps caushl
ninety-siX crows in half day.
some at the IlOOsier small boys OF the fi-
rail districts acquire such deXtenty as crow
clutchers that they are able to earn BIZ
wages In their efforts 20 make the big black
bird extinct. Their method l. 10 lie close
alopg the side OF some old log at the ed4e Of
"a wood. covering all but their eyes and one
/ hand with leaves. Then, by remarkably
exact imitation Of a wounded crow, they
soon bring score or more OF the excited
/ bird, ,w0opng about the l0g. \ smart boy
can easily clutch a half dozen or more OF
! the crows before they discover him, ana
/ they are worth ten cents apiece 10 him.
| The New York sun.