The Opelousas courier., 1891-03-28
TRAPPING THE TERRAPIN.
VARIOUS METHODS OF CATCHING
THIS TOoTHSoME TURTLE.

toothed jaws and with meshes big
enough to permit the mud to pass
through as the continuance was dragged
along the bottom These nets ere used
on sloops and canoes that run about in
shallow water, and are more easily
handled than an oyster schooner or pun
gle. To insure catches the weather
must be cold enough to chill the water,
when the ~terrapins at once bury them
selves in the mud and become torpid.
Then they are literally plowed out by
the iron jaws of the turtle net as the ves-
sci, under sail, drags its terrapin de-
stroyer through the water.
The terrapin is a swift and strong
swimmer, and easily evades the gaping
net if he is not rendered sluggish by the
cold. In the fall, before the weather is
cold enough to make dredging profitable
and the terrapins are swimming and feed
ing, a trap is used. This device is not
unlike an immense lobster pot. Coarse
netting covers five hoops three feet in
diameter. The trap is between five and
six feet deep, with a funnel in each end.
Fish bait is hung in the centre. A pole
is driven firmly in the mud and the trap
is fastened to it in such d manner that
part of the net remains above the water.
This is ingeniously arranged SO that the
imprisoned terrapin can come up and
breathe air, without which he would
drown in a short time. There is an
opening in the side of the trap from
which the captive terrapin is taken out.
Then the trap has to be rebaited, as the
yoracious prisoner devotes his sole at
tention to ~devouring the fish until he is
lifted out. One fisher often has q dozen
traps under his eyes as he sits on tie
shore until n of the poles moves. Then
he knows a terrapin is dining in the net.
The hunting of ~terrapins with dogs is
chiefly practised about Roanoke and the
Chesapeake Bay. Ours are the best, and
six months is required to break one. A
well trained terrapin dog is valued at
300. Once broken the dogs develop
great sagacity for the chase. They are
only used in the spawning season in the
summer, when the terrapin leaves the
water to deposit its eggs. The dog is
taught to follow along the waters edge,
until he finds a terrapin track coming,
out Of the water. Then the canine must
determine whether it is a new or an old
one. Ii old he passes on. III fresh he
follows the trail to the terrapin's nest in
the sand under grass or bushes, perhaps
yards away. When the dog dis
covers his prize he places his foot m her
back and holds her while he banks. The
comes up, puts the terrapin in q net
bag and the dog starts off in search of
more game. As many as fifty terrapins'
have In this way been caught by one dog
In a single day. These terrapins are sold
to pound keepers, who keep them until
winter and then sell them.
In many places terrapin hunters in the
fail dig long, shallow bitches in the
marshes aud on flats. When the tide is
,ut they with brush scratch the muddy
to a paste. The tide packs It
Iome, but it remains soft long enough
or the terrapins to find and burrow In
think they have found a soft spot In
which to sleep through the cold winter.
When winter arrives the maker of these.
preserves goes hunting with q hay
BY long practice he can tell when
ne tines he is probing the mud with
trike q sleeping terrapin. Then he digs !,
{ out aud bags it.
An odd way of catching terrapins in
when they are embedded In
aud, under dead grass, cat-tails and
is to fire this vegetable matter.
- il burns the ground becomes heated,
the t~errapins, deluded by the
Warmth, think spring has arrived. They
burrowing out Of the soil and are
by the hunters. Hundreds have !
leen caught this way in d single day.
In Maryland and Virginia waters and
the Atlantic coast as far South as
Fear, countless turtles In the
ummer and autumn live ID deep holes
long the creeks aud thoroughfares.
'hrec hunters, in a canoe or skif, with
;oop nets and a small seine, stop noise
on the edge of one of these pools.
hey suddenly begin hammering on the
oat with heavy clubs OF wood. This
called .sbucking.o The curiosity Of
10 terrapins is aroused, and they come
the surface to see what it is all about.
hey are promptly ladled into the boat
it'll scoop nets. II none rise 10 the
lrface, but are so disturbed by the
bucking" that they a be seen swim
ing about d few feet below, the seine
hauled. During this work the abuck-
81 Is vigorously kept up.
In the summer, about nesting time,
en- catch many terrapins by marching
,er the fats at night beating a tin pan
id carrying a torch. The terrapins,
lzzled by the light and noise, move re-
ctantly, and are easily picked up by !
o hunters. Children and negroes hunt
all INNER.
Marketable terrapins are divided into
res grades according to size.
Counts heifers'' and ssbulls.p
Counts are those whose under shell
over six inches, ssheifersu hare !,
. under she'll between five and six
ches, and all those whose under shell
less than five inches are set down ID
Ills. :
Terrapin culture is only carried on !
ccesslully ut Roanoke, Va. The farm
IS started seven years ago. The terra
IS are raised in an immense pond built
q arranged for their habits. Througha =
protected with screens the tide J