Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-08-25
CHAPTER XII.
Trapping and Woodcraft.

Marks in snow tell the trapper that
an animal has passed, but his knowl-
edge. gained from experience, allows
him a more complete understanding
and by it he can interpret the disturb
ances all along the trail.
BY observing the lay of the land the
experienced trapper who comes upon
underground and ferns understands
why the path is zigzagged.
He is able to tell what kind OF an
animal is ahead of him by the size Oh
the tracks and by the distance be-
tween the steps.
By studying the shrubbery the trap
per can determine what the animal mas
eaten, and if he knows what the Varl-
Gus animals feed upon it will be easy
for him to tell just what sort Of crea-
ture has preceded him without seeing
it at all
There is always some sign along the
trail, and the experienced man can
never go wrong Marks of antlers on
the bark of trees point out the direc-
ton a deer or moose has taken.
The man who knows the woods is
always at home in the forest. He al
ways knows north from south without
the aid of a compass. He is sure OF
himself in regard to direction, knowing
that moss always grows on the north
side of trees.
The woodsman also knows what the
situation of the sun means II he Is
forced to travel any distance on rainy
days the moss acts as his compass. The
moss was the only compass l had dur
ing my sixty mile tramp through the
wilderness to Canada.
If man is travelling through the for
est a number of miles to certain
point and he is acquainted with the
woods and wild life he does not always
travel in a perfectly straight line. He
allows himself to drift along the trails
of least resistance, keeping in his mind
all the while the point of the compass
he is headed for.
For instance. if he strikes a trail
that bears to the northeast and his des-
tination is directly north he can follow
this trail to the northeast for miles,
which goes partly in the direction he is
aiming for. Doing this, he is always
on the lookout for the next trail along
the line of least resistance bearing
straight north or even northwest. II
it is a northwest trail that turns up he
knows by following it along for some
distance that he has brought himself
back to his course or even crossed ii to
the westward north. Consequently he
knows that north is still to the east of
him. OF course under such circum-
stances he watches for trails as he
walks along which lead to the east or
north of the trail that he is following.
Thus by zigzagging through the for
est on the natural trails of the least
resistance he finally reaches the point
he started for.
In a country with which a man is
fairly we'll acquainted there is no diff
ficulty in finding water at any time.
Even at the time you need water you
are unconsciously walking along a
natural game trail that leads to water.
1t isn't necessary to go in a straight
course over the tops and underbrush
and through the tangles to find water.
Simply follow the natural game trails
in the forest, from the smaller to the
larger ones, and such a course will al
ways lead you to water or a camp.
Perhaps the question may arise:
Why do these big trails lead you to
water? And why do the trails get big
ger? Because these trails always lead
to something, and the constant fire.
quenting Of them by animals makes
them bigger. They lead the animals
to something, or there wouldn't be any
big trails there.
Anything that is good for the animal
is good for the human being. In a
word, all man has got to do in the
wilderness is to live in perfect har-
mony with his surroundings He hasn't
got to resist anything.
1t isn't necessary to walk into q
stream and wade up against the cur
rent. Build a crude craft and float
downstream with the current. You
will get a whole lot more out of it.
In building a fire always kindle it t
the lee Of your lean-to, so that the
smoke Of the fire won't pour into YOU
camp and smother you.
l would pick the site of camp il
the open. under the shelter of spruce
or cedar, or some other black growth
timber This is nerefct shelter for al