The Monte Vista journal., 1916-12-16
THE SECRETS OF TRAPPING
A. Il. Harding


that are poisoned are OF little or no
value for their fur, but as these ami
mails are SO destructive to stock they
are killed at all times. Whether
bounties do as much good as many
think is a debatable question. Colo
rado has paid no bounties since 1895
only where fifty freeholders have pc
titioned the county com missioners.
In such cases levy or tax to pay
bounty on coyotes, wolves and
mountain lions can be made. There
are probably more coyotes and VOL
YES in other of the Rock mountain
states than in Colorado. in face Of
the fact that they have paid liberal
bounties at all times Perhaps these
states are naturally better sections
for the animals
While wolf and coyote skins have
never commanded fancy prices to the
fur trade yet this season they are
ruling about as high as for years.
Fur dealers are sending more of
their price lists into the wolfy sec
tions this season than ever before.
Not only are the Denver dealers but
those of Kansas City, st. Louis, Chi
cago and New York making an extra
effort to obtain shipments of these
animal pelts Farmers and others
having furs to sell should take into
consideration the honesty of the
firm n Ia ,1,i
ing that it is not always the highest
quoter who returns most money for
the goods. There are two methods
of quoting known as the one price
and from and to-" The one price
quoter classifies as No. l, No. 2, No.
3, No. 4, naming one price for each
grade. The from and to- quotes
range of price for No. / say IS to
81 and makes more grades such as
extra large, large, medium, small.
Either way of quoting is all right so
long as the dealer is honestly in
clined.
The successful trapping depends
much upon ones knowledge of these
shrewd of shrewdest animals. While
there is considerable in scents to at
tract, it is not all of successful trap
ping by any means. Meat bats alone
are not of much value as these ami
mails usually kill all they want.
Beaver musk, castoreum, as well as
assafoetida probably have some
value when used in connection with
the sets. Wolf urine taken from the
bladder is used by trappers with fair
success. 1t is bottled and kept until
rancid or smells strong, then sprink-
led over the trap or traps The
urine of the female In the rutting
season is very attractive to males
during January and February. The
following is recommended by the
government: Place a half-pound of
raw beef or venson in wide
mouthed bottle and let stand for
several weeks or until it is decayed
with an offensive odor. Do not
place in the sun. When decomposed
add quart of some animal oil
lard Will do. Prairie dog oil is ex-
cellent and much better than lard.
Now add half ounce of assafoetida
dissolved in alcohol with an ounce
of beaver castor. Mix thoroughly
and bottle securely until used.
The steel traps mostly recon-
mended for timber wolves are the
Newhouse No. and Az. Both are
very strong traps. For the coyote n
size or two smaller will usually hold
If the drag is not too heavy. Good
coyote traps are also Victor No. 8
and and the Jump traps are often
seen where travellers have camped-
they seem to like to walk through
the ashes-looking for scraps.
Many trappers take advantage of
such places while others go over the
country building fires at likely
places and burning meat to attract
the animals. When the fire dies
down traps are set-one directly un-
der where the fire was and another
rev rect away. Both are carefully
set and the earth removed for the
trap so that when set and covered
with the same material removed II
Is difiicult to identify the spot where
the trap Is set 1t is well to throw
several pieces of burnt maat around