Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1897-05-12
FOR THE YOUNG TRAPPER.
How to Set Your Traps So AS to
Always Make Catch.
A western Boys Experience = Dig
Dirds-sometimes Found Flnpping
in the Traps Set for Coyotes
Quickness of Animals to Learn.
Copyright, 1871

If the WdTlutSS VI VI l'S "
rats and mice increased in proportion
to the size of the animal, it would
be impossible for man to catch beast
as large as a rabbit. Luckily for the
amateur trapper, however, some of the
larger creatures are refreshingly stu
pid. Yet nearly all wild animals are
quite sagacious enough to tax the in
renuity and skill of the average boy,
and the rapidity with which the hunted
creatures learn is not to be lightly con-
sidered; he who traps must have a
care to educate himself faster than he
teaches his prey.
The difficulty first presenting itself
to the youthful trapper is that of prop
erly planting the traps. My first ex-
perience was had in catching coyotes.
l was advised TO fasten my bait (of
waste meat, preferably the lungs of
sheep) to a rope, and drag 1t through
the brush from two different directions
to the spot where the traps were to be
placed. This 1 found TO be an excellent
plan, as it left q couple of trails which
the game could and did readily follow.
L Htu, lOl tlC llblJ itSSAA' wv D''iA''
were tried. One was to drive stake
into the ground. put the bait on top,
and plant the traps below, so that tho
eager coyotes would dance about and
get their feet in the tolls; the other was
to throw the bait between two bushes
and plant trap On each side of il.
This latter found to be the only feast.
IL 4. -. 1,,tt +l,n CT l-a
was utterly ignored, as too suspicious
to be given serious attention.
1 am speaking, of course, of steel
traps only. These are made with one
spring or two; for my purpose the
double spring was none too strong. TIC
the chain should be wired a heavy
weight of iron, fiat and thin is prefer
able because it is more easily planted.
This is much better than securing the
trap to anything rigid, for the captured
animal can drag the weight, and so has
less chance to jerk its foot away or
snap the chain; and it never cares to
GO far with the weight pulling on the
clamped paw.
l then dug shallow holes on either
side of the bait and completely covered
the traps with twigs and earth, the
pan" being just level with the ground.
Later, when l came to make an exam
ination, | saw the tracks of many crea-
lures around and even over the traps;
but neither had Sprung" though the
bait was gone. Again tried, with the
same result. On investigation l discov-
cred that the sand, used to cover the
traps, had filled the hollow underneath
to such an extent as to make it impos-
sible for the pan" to fall, even with
the weight of foot upon it. So took
a piece of common paper, tore it the size
of the square made by the open jaws
OF the trap, placeditovert the pan and all,
and sprinkled sufficient sand on top to
conceal it. Then my luck suddenly
changed, and one after another of the
clever coyote family gave up the per-
nicious habit of devouring the products
of the chicken house and pasture to be-
come respectable and handsome rugs
for the parlor floor.
In placing traps in the ground it is
always necessary to clear the soil of
"signs" as much as possible. With
some of the animals it is essential that
the hand should never touch the trap
or the earth about it, except with a
glove on, and then as little as possible.
The trapper often paints the soles of
his shoes with blood to avoid leaving
traces of human odor."
In the course of my trying for coy
otes, found, on several occasions,
such carion-eating birds as crows and
buzzards in the traps, vainly tapping
to escape, Badgers, porcupines, lynXcs
and wild cats not infrequently get
caught in the traps that are set in the
sagebrush of the west, and the two
spring trap is strong enough to keep
them till the arrival of the owner. For
bear, however, very mHch larger traps,
with saw-tooth jaws are necessary
and the sport of taking Mr.. Bruiu is
attended with dangers of a very lively
nature.
PHILIP VERRITI, MIGHFI &