Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1920-12-09

rats are going UP on top Of the houses.
All of the houses have at least one
sloping side and il it is being used
in this way, it will be wet and show
wear. Sometimes, there are two, three
or four distinct trails up the side OF
the house. In such eases the trapper
may set any number UP to four traps on
a house, one at the foot Of each trail
under about two inches OF water.
Each trap chain is fastened its full
length into deep water with long,
slender stake. The longer the stakes
the more easily they may be seen above
the flags, and as the stakes alone show
where the traps are, the trappers usual
ly select stakes seven feet long To
make the traps set level, the trapper
pulls up some decayed vegetable mat
ter from the bottom and builds little
shelf for the trap to rest on, and he
also turns the spring to the right, for
when thus adjusted. it will rest moro
firmly than with the spring in any
other position. On a good night il Is
nothing surprising to get two or three
muskrats at house.
Some Of the most expert trappers So
dom set traps on the houses for they
say that it frightens the inmates, and
they are more successful by trapping
on the trails. These paths show up
plainly and lead from house to house,
and from the houses to the feedina
places. The surface Of the water Is
everywhere covered with q dense
growth OF small, thread-like plants
which seem 10 draw their sustenance
from the suspended dirt in the water.
for the roots are very stout and the
plants drift before strong wind. The
leaves are very small, not more than an
eight Of an inch in length. Through
this plant growth the trails show up
plainly as dark streaks OF clear water.
A place is selected where the trail
leads between two clumps of flags and
here the trapper scrapes up bed OF
dirt, to bring the trap UP 10 within
a few inches Of the surface. Setting
the trap on this bed he stakes it full
chain length to one side. This is an
excellent and productive set.
II is an odd fact that the traps set
on half submerged logs produce high
per cent Of large muskrats. Such logs
are not abundant in the marsh, but are
found occasionally, and they invari-
ably carry a quantity Of the excremen,
of the animals. When the trapper
finds one of these logs he always set a
trap on it, cutting a notch il necessary
to make firm, fiat foundation and low
er the trap to the correct depth-two OF
three inches. or course the trap is
set at the place his good judgment and
trapping knowledge tell him is the spot
where the animals get onto the bog
from the water.
There are plenty Of feed beds among
the flags, which if fresh, make Ane
places for sets. II is convenient for the
animals to eat their food (Hags and
their roots) in the deep water, so they
select the nearest shallow spot, and the
rejected pieces of cat tail stems soon
accumulate to such q depth that they
reach the surface. Just in the edge OF
one of these beds the trapper plants his
little trap and he can count quite
strong on having a muskrat next day
if the night has been a good one. Blu.
the trapper must be absolutely sure
that the bed is fresh or his work will
be for naught.
In these marshes the muskrats build
new houses every year, and it is inter-
estlng to note how low and flat house
VIII become in twelve months time
1t is equally astonishing to see how
quickly family of muskrats can con-
struct new home. Often a new home
will appear in two or three days time.
Some of tthe houses are very small and
the trapper expects to catch only one
or two rats at one of these small
houses. Others are very large. seven
IT eight feet in diameter. These are.
in the trapper5' phraseology, eight
muSNrat houses Usually they rise
quite straight IN one side ana slope
away on tie other. The entrances
generally are III the straight side and
there may be anywhere fnm one to
four, dopenIing on the size OF the
structure Usually these openings do
not open through the walls of the house
itself, but lead into tunnels in the bed
of the marsh, and open out into the
water few yards distant.
these tunnels are very iinnnrtnrt 20