The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1910-12-21
TRAPS CATCH MEN
Present Statutes in Pennsylvania
Are Not Being Observed.
Accidents to Hunters In Keystone
State May Lead to Enactment OF
Law Prohibiting Use Of Any
But Old.Fashioned Traps.

But OId.F aShloneo Traps.
Williamsport, Pat looks as II the
steel bear trap. with its diabolical pos
sibilities, would have to 60. The hunt
ers are up in arms over the dangerous
devices. Several valuable dogs have
already been caught in them and their
hind legs broken, and one man In the
Kettle Creek region OF Potter county,
who walked into an unprotected and
practically unmarked trap, is now SUI
fering from blood poisoning due to the
ugly wound made by the jaws Of the
trap. Hunters says that If during the
great rush of hunters in the woods In
the 15-day deer season men are not
trapped and wounded 1t will be great
wonder.
Men who have been in the deep
woods where bear are wont to work
report that the number of steel traps
his increased so per cent. over former
years, and that many of them are be.
ing set and maintained in utter disre.
gard of the restrictions prescribed by
the game laws. Many of the men who
are engaging in the use of the traps
do not even know the law, and others
who seem to know that there is pre-
scribed way to set trap and forttfy
other hunters against it carry out the
precautions so indifferently that they
are of little help.
Grant Hoover, recognized deer
and bear hunter, who is the owner Of
three traps himself. declares that he
Is ready any day to throw his traps
away II the game authorities say so.
as he sees in them terrible menace
to men and dogs, simply because those
who set them pay no attention to the
matter of fixing guards or danger no
tees. 1t is prescribed by law, he
says. that an Enclosure two feet high
be maintained about a trap when it is
in position and set. so that the hunt
or can discern it easily at good dis
lance, and not only save himself from
coming in contact with it, but also
guard the movements OF his dog that
it is also insured against accidents.
Two local bird hunters in the Gray's
Run district recently were attracted
to q thicket by the suspicious move
ments of one OF their dogs, and on
making an examination found bear
trap in position, though the stakes
forming the Enclosure were only four
inches high, while there was no other
notice visible except three-inch blaze
on sapling, on which, in lead pencil.
were written the words: Bear trap"
The low stake Enclosure ran back
against log, at which part Of
beef's head lay as bait. 1t was the
meat that had aroused the dog,
though, fortunately, the animal had
not stepped into the Enclosure, in
which event he would surely have
been caught. as the trap was without
so much as it's nose showing above
the leaves.
The sentiment of the hunters In
this section is that all traps except
the old-fashioned log trap should be
prohibited. The increase in the num-
Der of bears has caused an increase
in the business of trapping. so that the
woods are full of the steel-jawed and
hidden traps, each one menace to
the safety of the hunter and to the
life of his dog. There is some likeli-
hood OF trapping becoming so widely
practiced that the bears will become
scarce, thus destroying variety OF
cunning that now promises to be
among the best sport in the Pennsyl-
vania woods. One trapper in the
Blockhouse section Of this and Tioga
county is reported to have trapped
eight bears this season thus far. SELL
ing hide and carcass for gain. An or.
binary sized bear at the edge OF the
woods will bring $25 any day, and If
the bear is extra large and the hide
exceptionally fine 335 is not an un-
usual price to be paid for the prize.
At this rate the Blockhouse trapper
has made at least $3.50 since the sea-
son opened. There Is also q senti-
ment growing in favor Of limiting any
one man from taking more than two
bears In any one season.
The outgrowth of the sentiment
against the steel bear trap will prob
ably be a memorial to the state game
commission, with the request that the
hidden trap be outlawed and that only
the old log trap be permitted. Last
year two men in Tioga county, during
the deer season, walked into and
sprang bear traps on their ankles. and
one of them sustained fracture OF
the bones. A man can generally re.
lease himself from bear trap, though
to be wounded by one Of them when
alone and far in the wods would be q
pitiable fate In the case of dogs that
are caught in them their legs are usu.
ally broken, and shooting Is always
necessary to end their misery.
c>,us m AAr Thnoeh