The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-07-23
Good Craps for
Small Game,

This is the time of year that the boys
| are laying schemes and originating
traps to use later in the season for such
animals as muskrats. mink, opossumS
rabbits and even the skunk. And by so
doing they are anticipating an immense
amount of pleasure and profit. 1t ar
CUES pretty well to a boys credit to
have invented a good trap to catch any
/ one of these small animals; il makes
/ him stand well with all the other boys.
and the profit he gets from the sale of
skins makes merry juggling in his
pockets.
Muskrat skins are worth % cents
! apiece. and with as many as three
/ traps an energetic boy can catch in a
! day at least twenty. If he does not
care for their commercial value he will
| find them useful to have made into a
coat. cap. gloves or a robe for himself
A young boy of Long Island has all of
these things made of muskrats' fur
and very fine he feels and looks when
he is arrayed in them for skating or
sleighine. as they are the result III his
own eXertions and skill. With his large
experience, this same chap has discov-
cred that the best way to catch musk
rats-they usually run about the shore
or in places where there is water-is to
spring on to board. and place this
board in slanting position from the
shore into the water. The trap should
be well immersed. When the unsuspect-
ing muskrat, therefore. takes advan-
tage of the board to run up on 10 the
bank. he is caught, held fast and
drowned. This method of catching
them under water prevents their gnaw-
ing their legs off and escaping. as is
n < WI oar
on land.
In the winter, on the salt meadows
they build a regular house or hut of
mud, sticks and sea weed. Here they
bunk together and keep warm. 1t is
provided with five or six runways into
the water. A sharp eye is then re-
quired to keep track of them and guard
the entrances into their fertilization
The traps should be set over night and
a boy with the true sportsman's spirit
will be up at or 5 o'clock in the morn
ing to take in the spoils.
Mink are attracted by having bits of
raw meat fastened to the trap and
the board holding ii is placed on the
edge of the bank. Before setting steel
traps they should be boiled with a piece
OF raw meat. as these animals are par
keen about seeming the |
human touch. 1t is regarded as capital |
luck to catch a mink. They are |
rather scarce and their tail alone sells |
for from % to 80 cents. The whole skin, |
if a good one. brings considerably |
more.
Another original idea of the chap on |
Long Island is to pour few drops of |
into the holes of small ami
mails. The instant they scent it they /
naturally rush madly out in all direc-
ton, and are usually embraced by one
Of the traps set about the hole.
The same boy has also a simple and
ingenious contrivance for catching rab-
bits. He calls it a box trap" 1t is
made by taking a large apple box, or
,ne that is similar. and attaching the
over to one end of it by hinges. Knock
tut the bottom and place it upon the
tide of the box as are the hinges. and
enter of the box. Let it project some
distance on the outside. Whittle it
lown to a point and loop a string over
I, attaching the string, at the other
nd, to the lid, SO as to hold it in an
Upright position. To the end of the
tick within the box tie an ear of
orn. When the rabbit therefore, finds
he corn and begins to appease his ap-
'etite. the moose over the other end of
he stick becomes displaced and the
tring falls off, thereby letting the
over fall suddenly down and prevent
ng the escape of the victim
Another simple box trap is made by
lacing a pliable piece of a barrel hoon
n such position. from the center of
he box, that it will uphold the lid. The
dJusting of it must be very delicate.
IS the animal calmly nibbles at his