The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-12-01

will be more or less hindered by SHOWS
and by freezing weather. Moles are
active all winter, however, and fire.
quently have been caught along grass
grown fence rows and in the deeper
runways of open fields when the
ground was frozen so hard as to ne
cessitate the use Of a pick in setting
traps.
The fur Of the mole is perhaps at
its best in the winter season, but it Is
classed as prime in midsummer also.
Less seasonal variation is found in
the condition OF the fur OF this bur
rowing mammal than in that Of the
fur-bearing animals that live mainly
aboveground. Nevertheless, during
the melting periods in spring and fall
there is a deterioration in the value OF
the mole's fur. Skins are considered
marketable no matter at what season
OF the year they are taken, but clear,
prime pelts command the better prices.
Mole Traps.
In Europe a great many moles are
taken by means of homemade sharing
devices. The trappers there also make
use of both wooden and metal traps
that are cheap and of simple con-
struction. All types of mole traps in
common use in America are made OF
metal and depend for their operation
on the same sort of trapping device
a trigger pan designed to rest on an
obstruction produced in the mole's
runway when the trap is set. The trap
is sprung when the mole follows its
natural instinct to reopen the run by
burrOwing through or upheaving the
obstruction. The entire mechanism OF
such traps is aboveground or con-
cealed in the loose soil, no part being
within the runway proper. 1t is a
waste of time. to try to catch moles
with ordinary steel traps, rat traps,
gopher traps, or like devices, for the
animal almost invariably burrows IN
der anything thus introduced into its
runs.
The catching and killing mechanisms
of American mole traps are Of three
types: ID Choker loops, (2) gripping
or scissors jaws, and (3) impaling
spikes. Several different makes Of the
impaling or harpOon trap are on sale.
particularly in the East and middle
West In actual use, however, they
are the least efficient of the three
types. They are large, clumsy de-
vices, record a low percentage of catch
and have the additional disadvantage
of injuring the skins of moIes that
are trapped for their fur.
No better tool for use in setting
mole traps can be found than a good,
strong garden trowel. Make the break
or opening in TO the burrow no larger
than is necessary to accommodate the
trap; otherwise the mole may deviate
from the original course and pass
without being caught Even when
placing the trap on one of the shallow
hunting paths. it will pay to dig into
the runway and adapt the setting to
known conditions, rather than to set
from the surface by simply forcing the
loops or the jaws into the soil. Some
times, also, in digging, three or four
forks Of the burrow are discovered,
and there is nothing to do then but
ill the break and try elsewhere.
The observations of the biological
survey seem to indicate that there is
no need to take such precautions as
to disturb the runway as little as pos
sible and wear gloves lest the animal
get the scent of human hands. The
location of one OF the shallow hunt
ing paths Of the mole is indicated
plainly by the surface ridges. To find
a deep runway from which a mound
Of earth has been pushed out, clear
away the latter and feel or prod for
the short passageway running oblique-
" down to the main tunnel. Follow
its course, usually only a few inches,
and place the trap on the main run.
Utilizing MoIes<ins.
As a rule the farmer boy or the |
trapper who has accumulated a lot Of !
moleskins will want to dispose OF them !
as he would any other kind of pelts, |
by selling to a reliable fur dealer. If /
local furriers do not handle this class ]
Of skins information concerning cur
rent prices and. methods CT shipping /
may be obtained by writing to estab- /
Hshments doing business by mail. In /
quiries in matters of this sort adj 4
dressed to the Bureau OF Biological
Survey. Washington, D. c., viii receive
prompt attention