Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1892-05-11
TRAPPING CROWS.
How the Somber Birds Are Caught
for Shooting Matches.
Pursuit That Calls for Great Skill ON
the Part of the Trapper-Meth-
DDS of Capturing the
Corn Stealers.

While the crow is regarded by most
people as black-coated thief, a scav-
enger, an enemy to the farmer, and
worthless bird generally, there are a
number OF people in and around Phila-
delphia to whom he is source of profit,
says the Record of that city. They are
the men who make business of trap
ping the birds for shooting matches.
The crow is very wary. and the traps
used in his capture must be of the most
simple construction and nicely hidden.
or he will never come near, no matter
how tempting the bait may be.
When the snow covers the ground and
everything is frozen up he sometimes
becomes bold because of hunger, and at
these times he is easily taken in great
numbers. The home of the crows
around Philadelphia is generally in the
most inaccessible pine forests of New
Jersey, and at night they congregate
there In great numbers, to arise at
dawn and wing their way to Pennsyl-
vanla in search Of food. They always
ny across at about the same place, and
the trappers place their bait on the line
OF their flight, sometimes feeding them
for several days before a pull is made.
The crows become accustomed to the
place and each day swarm on the bait
and devour it. The trap or net is then
put in position in the evening and ev-
erything made ready for a pull early in
the morning. 1t consists usually of a
net made Of light but strong Irvine and
quite small-meshed. Two hickory sap
hngs are cut and the large ends made
fast in the ground In such a position
that the small ends are only few
inches above the level Strong lines
are placed on the small ends. and the
saplings are pulled back until they bend
almost double. They are then hooked
on small cleats. These form the spring.
The net is made fast to the ground in
the rear of the sapling butts and the
other corners are placed on the
small ends of the saplings. The
net is carefully placed in small roll
and lightly covered with snow and lit
ter. The bait is placed directly in the
sweep of the net When the crows come
to eat, line that is fastened to the
cleat holding the springs leads some dis
lance away and into the hands of the
trapper, who is generally concealed in
small matched shanty. When the
bait is covered he pulls the cord and
the saplings released throw the net over
the crows. Lines that are on the ends
are then quickly pulled taut, and the
crows are captured. A heavy pair of
leather gloves is necessary to take the
birds from beneath the net, as with
their strong beaks and claws they fight
to the end. They are placed in large
boxes and are usually sold to shooters
at twenty-five cents pair.
Another method is to stretch the net
between two poles, their length being
just half the width of the net. The free
end is fastened to the ground, and small
blocks, on which the poles can be read
lily pulled over, are driven and the ends
OF the poles placed in them. Guy ropes
from the upper ends of the poles are
drawn tight and staked out in a line
with the lower end Two small lines
are run from the upper ends and are
spliced together short distance from
the net. From there the single line
runs to the trapper. A post, with a
pully at the top, is put in the ground
and the pull line run through in order
to get the nets to start easiiy..~ When !
the crows congregate on the bait a
quick, strong pull throws the poles over
on their pulleys and the loose net is
spread tightly over the struggling birds.