The Wrangell sentinel., 1938-03-18
SMALL WILDERNESS ANIMAL
 LIFE OBSERVED BY TRAPPER
lRX Otis .Sneerl

lBy Otis H. Speer)
 Out in the wilderness. many in- teresting things are quite often met with, when one has the eye to look for them.
 Far back on my trap line a year ago this season between spur roots of a large old hemlock snag-with broad pieces of shell-bark. I con strueted a little chubby house with in which was placed an ermine set results two ermine caught there
 When I returned again this sea son I found this little shelter hous still intact and to my amazement found that sometime during the spring and early summer, it had be- come a happy home.
 Sometime during those very en- chanting spring days. a mother grouse happened along and upon finding this nice little house, had decided that within those walls would be an ideal place to build her nest with it's excellent shelter for her (forth coming) little ones.
 Evidently. from the amount of matched out egg shells that remain ed, a very promising brood was brought forth.
 AS I gazed upon that perfectly formed little nest that fitted so snugly within that little shelter, I became aware that my time was we'll spent in it's building and re moving those ermine. But what 9 coincidence, as the ermine is one of the grouses most deadly enemies, although marten come a close second By trapping the ermine 1 had made the place safe for those young grouse.
 When alone in the wilderness, I quite often make friends with num- erous birds and animals. They are always interesting and often become a source of much company as well as amusement. For quite a while. during the long cold and snowy weather, two little birds practically came to live with me Although they roasted nightly in a large spruce tree that practically overshadowed my front yard. each morning as early as they were able to see their way around, they were out in the open wood shed near the front of my cabin looking for their break fast.
 Their favorite foods-and I gave them a variety. were corn meal and very fine oat meal with a side line of fine crumbs of raw deer tallow- and how they loved it all!
 would arrange two separate piles on clean boards with the tallow on the side. How very much like small children they were Often they became jealous fussing over their food, imagining the other had the best, exchanging places then very soon changing back again. Many al time my own breakfast scorched on the stove as I stood by the window enjoying their many maneuvers.
 Of all the animals, to me the lit tie red squirrel is the most amusing. He is so very swift, so lively and so gay. often marvel at his amaz- ing speed in getting around and his cunning ways of feeding on little spruce cones. Often he becomes quite tame. This season the v .ods gre fairly alive with them.
 I found out this winter that deer like onions. Often this winter would find tracks of a deer feeding back of my cabin coming quite near during the night. Then one noon in midwinter when the snow was deep and the weather cold and per haps he was hungry, he came around to the front door
 Under the extension roof five large wolf skins were hanging swinging gently in the breeze. Off to one side the deer, a lively con- ing two-year-old, became busy with a refuse pile of onions and potato peelings His meal finished he came up to within 20 feet of the wolf skins, and calmly looked them over as much as to say, "Why be afraid |? YOu have them well in hand o