The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-02-05
WOMAN TRAPPER AT WORK.
Has to Overcome Dangers Feared by
Many Men

many men.
81 fail to see where my business is |
any more unusual than that of plumb
ing, blacksmithing or being police
said Mrs. Eleanor Thompson,
who earns livelihood trapping fur
bearing animals. ''When one is left |
alone to care for her family, it is some
times necessary to do many unusual
and unexpected things. And why
shouldn' t | be a woman trapper II
that is the thing l know best9 Furs
are used by people in all walks of life,
and, while the season is short, | gener-
ally have sufficient returns to carry me
through until next season.
= am independent, and the only
thing necessary for me to understand
is the habits of the different animals.
can do the work any time | choose
and not cause any trouble or discom-
fort for any one else. True, | have to
live out in the open most of the sea
son, but that, like all other things, be-
comes constant joy to one who IS
fond of nature and the exhilaration of
the sharp winter air. l like my work
better than anything else l know OF.
Along the brooks which trickle
through the Ramapo valley in New
Jersey and along the hillsides just
for this kind of work. Many dozens of
valuable pelts are taken each winter
in this vicinity, and here in some of
the most out of the way Businesses of
the hills one can find Mrs. Thompson
doing her work
You ask how it was / became a
trapper. Well, it is the same old story.
When | was younger my husband was
interested in trapping for a pastime.
When it became necessary for me to
do something / took it up. Often |
would go with him and assist him to
set the traps, then, again, when a
storm would be coming, | would start
out and help him gather the spoil.
Need of Consummate Art
! My work is interesting For one
reason, / must match my wits against
the keenest animal intelligence. The
sense of smell in all of these animals
| is extraordinarily developed. If you
handle your steel trap with bare hands
/ you cannot get one of them near II
until it has been buried for some time
/ Even stake driven into the ground in
their paths viii cause them to detour
-
by practicing the most consummate
art of concealment that it is possible
to deceive them.
Il . If trap is left uncovered tht
animals viii scent it long before they
reach it, and some of them viii ST
down and look at it, or walk very
daiRtily around it and examine it crit
ieally, and even though it is baitet
with something of which they are es
peeially fond, viii pass on and leav'
If for the less wary one. 1t seem
sometimes as though they actual,
smile as they sniff the scent of han,
upon it.
In preparing for trapping l hav
always found it advisable to go owe
what seems TO be favorable ground be
fore the cold weather starts. Mink
: and muskrats are always found nea
the water Minks usually stay alon
brooks or clear water ponds wher
they can burrow in the banks an
; build their nests Just above the leyt
of the water. The muskrat is foun
. III much the same places.
None but an expert can distinguis
, the difference between the burrows 0
Il the mink and the muskrat Usually tn
L mink S is a little smaller than tn
muskrat $ and while the muskra
sometime chooses hole to build IL
he generally goes out into the swan
and builds a cosy house of sticks al
n cattails and various other swan
growth.