LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. i|itp* ©]:[jii|twl|t f 0* Shelf. .H-^..., L137 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 1 -f ^rujay THE TRAPPER'S G-UIDE; MANUAL OP INSTRUCTIONS FOR CAPTURING ALL KINDS OF FUR-BEARING ANIMALS, AND CURING THEIR SKINS; WITH OBSERVATIONS ON THE FUR-TRADE, HINTS ON LIFE IN THE WOODS. AND NARRATIVES OF TRAPPING AND HUNTING EXCURSIONS. / By S. NEWHOUvSE, AND OTHER TRAPPERS AND SPORTSMEN EIGHTH {REVISED) EDITIOX. EDITED BY JOHN HUMPHREY NO YES. COMMTJNITY, N. Y.: ONEIDA COMMUNITY, Limited 1887. (h 1>\ ^^ \ Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1865. by J . H . N o Y E s . In the Clerk's Office of the Disti ict Court of the United States for tli« ftoutheru Piptrlct of New York. Copyright, 1887, By Oneida Community, Limited. All bights reserved. CONTENTS. INTRODUCTION. PAGE 7—12. Connection of Trapping with other Trades, 8. Observations on the Fur Trade, 9. Season for Trapping, 10. Statistics of the Fur Trade, 11. THE TRAPPER'S ART. PAGE 13—94. I. Preliminaries, 13—20. The Dead-fall, 13. Poisoning, 14. Shoot- ing, 14. Steel Traps, 15. Requisites of a good Trap, 15. The Spring- pole, 17. The Sliding-pole, 18. The Clog, 18. Rule for Baiting, 19. Proper Outfit of Traps, 20. Profits of Trapping, 20. II. Capture op Animals, 21—78. The Muskrat, 21. The Mink, 23. The Marten, 25. The Sable, 26. The Ermine, 28. The Fisher, 30. The Fox, 32. The Otter, 35. The Sea Otter, 41. The Beaver, 42. The Wolf, 47. The Bear, 48. The Raccoon, 50. The Badger, 51. The Wild Cat or Bay Lynx, 53. The Lynx, 56. The Cougar, 58. The Jaguar, 59. The Lion, 61. The Tiger, 62. The Wolverine, 66. The Opossum, 67. The Skunk, 67. The Coypu Rat, 70. The Chinchilla, 71. The Squirrel, 71 The Woodchuck or Marmot, 72. The Gopher, 72. The Rat, 74. The Deer, 74. The Moose, 77. III. Coring Skins, 79—83. General Rules, 79. Stretching Skins, 80. Board Stretcher, 80. Muskrat Stretcher, 81. Bow Stretcher, 82. Hoop Stretcher, 82. IV. Life in the Woods, 84 — 94. Outfit for a Campaign on Foot, 84. Outfit for an Excursion by Wagon or Boat, 86. Tent, 87. Stove and Fur- niture, 87. Bed and Bedding, 88. Camp Chest, 89. Cooking, 89. Jerked Meat, 91. Preparations against Insects, 91. Shanty, 92. Trapping Lines, 92. Conclusion, 93. THE TRAPPER'S FOOD. PAGE 95—107. The Deer, 95. The Buffalo, 96. The Rocky Mountain Sheep or Big- horn, 98. The Argali, 99. The Prong-horn Antelope, 100. Squirrel Hunting, 101. The Ruffled Grouse, 101. Pinnated Grouse, 102. Sharp- tail Grouse, 103. Cock of the Plains, 103. Dusky Grouse, 104. Canada sr Spruce Grouse, 104 White-tailed Ptarmigan, 105. Willow Ptarmi- gan, 105. European Grouse, 107. Water Fowl, 107. 4 CONTENTS. FISHING IN AUTUMN AND WINTER PAGE 108—110. • Spearing Fish, 108. Fishing through the Ice, 109. Net-fishing in Win- ter, 109. Notes on Trapping and Wood-Craft. By F. R., p. Ill — 121. Plan of a Trapping Campaign. By Peter M. Gunter, p. 122 — 125 EOAT-BUILDING, p. 126—129. Snow-Shoes, p. 130. Oil for Fire- Arms, p. 130. NAERATIVES. PAGE 131—205. An Evening with an Old Trappeu, 131—137. A Young Trapper's Experience, 138—142. The Deer Hunt, 143 — 145. Muskrat Hunt- [NG, 140 — 158. An Amateur in the North Woods, 159 — 174. Trav ELLiNG IN a Circle, 175—180. An Expedition to the Laurentian Hills, p. 181—205. APPENDIX. PAGE 20G— 216. History of the Newhouse Trap, 206-212 Description of the Newhouse Trap, 213—215. Conclusion. 216. FULL PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS. Portrait of S. Newhouse, Froutispiece. The Muskrat opposite page 21 Tlie Mink, " " 23 The Marten, " " 25 The Sable, " " 26 The Fisher, " " 30 The Red Fox, " " 33 The Otter, " " 35 The Beaver, " " 42 The Wolf, " " 47 The Grizzly Bear, " " 48 The Eaccoon, " " 50 The Badger, " '• 52 The Wild Cat, " " 54 The Lynx, " " 56 The Cougar, " " 58 The Opossum, " " 67 The Skunk, " " '58 The Coypu Rat, " - 70 The Chinchilla, " " 71 The Woodchuck, " " 72 The Rat, " " 74 Family of Deer, " " 76 Ml ose Yard, " " 78 Ml. Newhoiise's Tent and Stove, " " 84 Log Shanty, " " 93 Deer Breaking Cover, " " 95 The Ruflfed Grouse " " 101 The Wild Goose, " " 107 Canoes, " " 126 Snow-Shoes and mode of wearing them, " " 130 Community Works, Willow Place, Oneida, N. Y.. " " 206 ILLUSTRATIONS IN THE TEXT. The Otter Slide, page 37. The Claw Trap, 37. The Deer Trap, 7«. Board Stretcher, 80. Muskrat Stretcher, 81. Shelter Tent, 85 Various rizes of the Newhouse Trap, 213-215. PREFACE TO THE EIGHTH (REVISED) EDITION. This is a new and revised edition of the " Trapper's Guide," by S. Newhouse and other hunters and sportsmen. Its character as a standard book on woodcraft has been shown by its steady sale for over twenty years. It is the work of practical men, assisted by careful editors. Its di- rections for catching game are those in actual and success- ful use. Its narratives of hunters' and trappers' life are simple, truthful, and charming. It tells how to trap all kinds of fur-bearing animals ; how to cure their skins ; how to live in the woods ; how to build boats and catch fish in winter ; how to destroy the pests of the farm and poultry yard ; how to hunt deer, buffalo, and other noble game. It is a book for lovers of woodcraft, for excursionists, and for boys. INTRODUCTION. BY THE EDITOR. Tins book was not originally designed for amateur sports* men or for the reading public generally, but for practical workingmen who make or propose to make trapping a means of livelihood. The plan of it was suggested by a business necessity in the following manner : Mr. S. Newhouse, a member of the Oneida Community, having become widely known as the maker of an excellent kind of steel-traps, and it being generally understood that the practical perfection of his traps is owing to the wisdom in wood-craft which he gained in early life by actual experience in trapping, he has often been applied to by his customers and others for information in regard to the best methods of capt- uring various animals. The most convenient way to answer such applications seemed to be to put his wisdom in print, and let it go abroad with his traps. In preparing for publication the material furnished by Mr. Newhouse for this purpose, the editors found new facts, inquiries, and written contributions relating to trapping and kindred pursuits crowding upon them, till the original idea of a small technical pamphlet swelled to the dimensions of the present work. The objects which they have finally aimed at have been, on the one hand, to furnish all the information needed in order to qualify a mere novice in trapping to enter upon the business intelli- gently and successfully ; and on the other, to make an inter- esting book for all lovers of wood-craft, and for the reading public at large. The character of the work, however, will be found to be 8 INTRODUCTION. mainly in accordance with its original practical design ; and it might properly be dedicated to poor men who are looking out for pleasant w&rk and ways of making money ; and especially to the pioneers of settlement and civilization in all parts of the world. As honesty is always good poHcy, it is best also to confess here that the author and editors of this work are exten- sively engaged in the business of making steel-traps, and have an eye to their own interests, as well as to the interests of others, in this effort to help the business of trapping. And here perhaps is the place to say something of the mutual relations of the several trades immediately concerned in the subject of this book, and of their importance in the machinery of universal business. CONNECTION OF TRAPPING WITH OTHER TRADES. Trapping, in the business series, is the intermediate link between trap making and the fur-trade. The trapper buys of the trap-maker and sells to the fur-dealer. The first furnishes him with weapons, and the second buys his spoils. Through the first, he is related to the manufacturers and merchants of iron and steel, who furnish materials for his traps, and to the hardware men who bring them to his door. Through the second, he connects with the fur-manufacturer, the hatter, and the clothes dealer, and sends supplies of com- fort and luxury to the world of wealth and fashion. Trapping and trap-making are directly subservient to the fur-trade. They may be said to be branches of it, or even to be its foundations. The fur-business expands as they pros- per, and, vice versa, they prosper as the fur-business expands. The trapper and trap-maker watch the prices of furs, as the sailor watches the winds and the currents. When furs are high, trapping becomes active, and the trap-maker has his hands full of business. When furs are low, trapping declines, and the trap-maker has to dismiss his workmen. The importance of the subservient trades, trapping and trap-making, can best be judged by looking at the statistics of the great fur-market for which they work. The fur-trade, INTRODUCTION. 9 everybody knows, is an immense business. The making of the weapons and the figliting may be out of sight, but the spoils of the war are seen by all. Many a colossal fortune, like John Jacob Astor's, has been founded on peltry ; and many a frontier city, like St. Paul's, has been built u|) by the traffic that originates in the enterprise of the trapper and trap- maker. OBSERVATIONS ON THE FUR-TRADE. The following statements are made on the authority of members of large fur-dealing firms in the city of New York. The yearly production of raw furs in the whole world is worth from seventeen to twenty millions of dollars, and the M-hole amount of the fur-trade, including manufactured goods, reaches a value of not less than one hmidred millions. The whole number of Muskrat skins alone, taken annually, is estimated at five or six millions ; of which three millions are used in Germany. Raw furs are divided by American dealers into two classes. viz., shipping furs, ^'. e. furs that are to be sent abroad ; and home furs, or furs for use in this country. The leading arti- cles among shipping furs are the Silver, Red and Cross Fox, Raccoon, Fisher, Wildcat and Skunk. Among home furs are the Mink, Opossum, House Cat, Wolf, and Marten. The Muskrat and other furs are classified under both heads. Prices for shipping furs are regulated by the foreign de- mand. The great fur-marts in Europe, are London, Leipsic, and Nijni Novgorod. At these points semi-annual sales (or fairs as they are termed), take place. The spring sales are most important. Here the representatives of the leading fur-houses from all parts of Europe meet to make their purchases during the months of March, April, and May. The fur-trade of Leipsic is estimated at six and a half mill- ions of dollars annually. Raccoon fur is the great staple for Russia ; Red Fox for Turkey and the oriental countries ; Skunk for Poland and the adjacent provinces ; Muskrat for Germany, France, and England. 10 INTRODUCTION. New York is the great fur-mart in this coiuitry, and is the main depot of the shipping trade. There are no organized fur-companies at the present time. Tlie business is carried on bv private firms of large means and long experience. The New York Directory gives the names of more than one hun- dred furriers and fur-merchants, thirty of whom are wholesale dealers. The leading fashionable fur for this country is the Mink ; but the furs that are within the reach of the masses, and most worn, are the Muskrat and tlie Opossum. The wearing of furs in this country is very little affected by climate, but is regulated almost entirely by fashion. In Eu- rope, on the other hand, the state of the elements determines the extent of the call for furs as articles of clothing. Hence, notwithstanding the winters on both continents are growing milder, the demand for furs is continually increasing in this country, while in Europe it is falling off. The more thickly settled parts of the United States show a large decrease in the " catch " of furs ; but new territories are continually opening to the trapper ; and though he moves from year to year farther north and west, the supply steadily keeps pace with the demand. SEASON FOR TRAPPING. All furs are best in winter ; but trapping may be carried on to advantage for at least six months in the year, i. e. any time between the first of October and the middle of April. There is a period in the warm season, say from the first of May to the middle of September, when trapping is out of the question, as furs are worthless. The most trapping is done late in the fall and early in the spring. The reason why furs become worthless in summer is, that all fur-bearing a;iimals shed their coats, or at least lose the finest and thickest part of their fur as warr^ weather ap- proaches ; and have a new growth of it in the fall to protect them in winter. This whole process is indicated in the case of the Muskrat, and some other animals, by the color of the inside ])art of the skin. As summer approaches, it becomes INTRODUCTION. 11 brown and dark. That is a sign that the best fur is gone. Afterwards it grows h'glit-colored, and in winter when the- fur is in the best condition it is altogether white. When the pelt is white it is called prime by tiie fur-dealers. The fur is then glossy, thick, and of the richest color, and the tails of such animals as the Mink, Marten, and Fisher are full and iieavy. Beavers and Muskrats are not thoroughly prime till about the middle of winter. Other animals are prime about the first of November. There is probably some variation with the latitude, of the exact period at which furs become prime, the more northern being a little in advance. Trappers are liable to begin trapping too early in the season, conse- quently much poor fur is caught, which must be sold at low prices, and is unprofitable to the trapper, the fur-buyer and. the manufacturer. STATISTICS OF THE FUR-TRADE. The following estimates of the annual production of all the fur countries in the world, were given in a volume on the fur-trade, published in 1864, by Heinrich Lomer, one of the principal fur-dealers of Leipzic. The total value is somewhat less than we have given on a previous page and is. probably within the truth. YEARLY PRODUCTION OF FURS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. NameB of Furs. Sable Mink Pine Jlarten . . Stone Marten . . Fitch Kolinsky or Tartar Marten . . . Ermine .... Squirrels . . . Mu.skrat .... German Marmot . Chinchillas . . . Silver Fox . . . Cross Fox . . Blue Fox . . . White Fox . . . lied Fox . . . . •la =< U c l| 3 •g- o •<2 s fcS.=i CS^O H > Gray Vox .... 25,000 25,000 26,000 Kit Fox .... 80,000 10,000 40,000 40,000 Raccoou ... 600 000 600,000 600,000 Fi.sher or Pekan 12,500 12,500 100,000 Skuuk-5 100,(X)0 100,000 80,000 Opossum .... 250,000 30,000 280,000 80,000 Marmot or Wood- ) chuck . . . . ) 40,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 55,000 11,050 Bears . . 1,700 15,000 2,300 19,000 195,000 Lynx . . ... 15,000 2*3,000 9,000 50,000 175,000 Wolf 6,000 500 12,500 6,000 25,000 40,000 Buffalo . ... 60,000 60,000 480,000 AVolverene . . 300 2,500 700 3,500 10,600 Badger .... 30,000 2,000 23,000 55,000 41,000 Beaver .... 80,000 130,000 160,000 575,000 Sea-Otter . 1,200 300 1,500 200,000 Otter . . 4,000 12,000 20,000 9,000 45,000 305,000 F'ur-Seals 25,000 30,000 55,000 280,000 Seal . 130,000 20,000 ( 20,000 1 500,000 830,000 1,000,000 1,000,000 Coypu 3,000,000 3,000,000 400,000 Hares 2,000,000 1,300,000 1,200,000 4,600,000 1,030,000 Rabbits . . 4,420,000 £80,000 5.000,000 800,000 Cat 250,000 5«),000 45,000 205,000 1.000,000 2a5,000 Lambskins .... 700,000 2,000,000 330,000 3,030,000 1,325,000 Monkey 40,000 40,000 50,000 Lien and Tiger . . 500 500 5,000 32,050,500 17,456.650t t Value in American coin, $12,724,152.50. Since the above table was prepared, Buffalo have almost entirely dis- appeared from the Western Plains, and the collection of skins has ceased. Mink are much less valuable. The production of Fur Seals has greatly increased, esj^ecially in Alaska. The other estimates in the table are probably as ap]3roximately correct as any now, in 1887, available. THE TRAPPER'S ART. By S. NEWHOUSE. I. PRELIMINARIES. Wild animals are taken for various reasons besides the value of their furs. Some are sought as articles of food ; others are destroyed as nuisances. In these cases the meth- ods of capture are not essential. Animals that are valuable for food may be run down by dogs, or shot b}'^ the rifle or fowling-piece ; and nuisances may be destroyed by poison. But for the capture of fur-bearing animals, there is but one profitable method, namely, by steel-traps. Other methods were much used by trappers in old times, before good steel- traps were made ; and are still used in semi-barbarous coun- tries, where steel-traps are unknown, or cannot be had. I will briefly mention two or three of these methods, and the objections to them, and after that give my views of the true method. THE DEAD-FALL. This is a clumsy contrivance for killing animals, which can be made anywhere, with an axe and hard work. It con- sists of two large poles (or logs when set for bears and other large animals), placed one over the other and kept in place by four stakes, two on each side. The upper pole is raised at one end high enough above the lower to admit the entrance of the animal, and is kept up in that position by the familiar contrivance of the stick and spindle, or " figure four." A tight pen is made with sticks, brush, &c., on one side of this structure, at right angles to it, and the spindle projects ob- 14 THE TRAPPER'S ART. liquely into this pen, so that the bait attached to it is about ■eight inches beyond the side of the poles. The animal, to reach the bait, has to place his body between the poles and at right angles to them, and on pulling the spindle, springs the •" figure four," and is crushed. The objections to this contrivance are, first, that it takes a long time to make and set one, tlius wasting the trapper's time ; and second, that animals caught in this way lie exposed to the voracity of other animals, and are often torn in pieces before the trapper reaches them, which is not the case when ;animals are caught in steel-traps, pro))erly set, as will be shown hereafter. Moreover, the dead-fall is very uncertain in its ' operation, and woodsmen who have become accustomed to good steel-traps, call it a " miserable toggle," not worth bait- ing when they find one ready made in the woods. POISONING. Animals are sometimes poisoned with strychnine. I have myself taken foxes in this way. I used about as much strych* nine as would be contained in a percussion-cap, inclosed firmly in a piece of tallow as large as a chestnut, and left on the fox's bed. After swallowing such a dose, they rarely go more than three or four rods before they drop dead. The objection to this method is, that it spoils the skin. Furriers say that the poison spreads through the whole body of the animal, and kills the life of the fur, so that they can- not work it profitably. Poison is used very little by woods- men at the present time. SHOOTING. This method of killing fur-bearing animals, is still quite prevalent in some countries. It is said to be the principal method in Russia, and is not altogether disused in this coun- try. But it is a very wasteful method. Fur-dealers and manufacturers consider skins that have been shot, especially by the fowling-piece, as hardly worth working. The holes that are made in the skin, whether by shot or bullets, are but a small part of the damage done to it. The shot that enter PRELIMINARIES. 15 the body of the animal directly, are ahnost harmless compared with those that strike it obliquely, or graze across it. Every one of these grazing shot, however small, cuts a furrow in the fur, sometimes several inches in length, shaving every hair in its course as with a razor. Slits in the skin have to be cut out to the full extent of these furrows, and closed up or new pieces fitted in. Hence when the hunter brings his stock of skins to tiie experienced furrier, he is generally saluted with the question, '' Are your furs shot, or trapped ? " and if he has to answer, " They were shot," he finds the dealer quite indif- ferent about buying them at any price. The introduction of good steel-traps into Russia would probably add millions of dollars annually to the value of the furs taken in that vast territory. STEEL-TRAPS. The experience of modern trappers, after trying all other methods, and all kinds of new-fashioned traps, has. led them almost unanimously to the conclusion, that the old steel-trap, when scientifically and faithfully made, is the surest and most economical means of capturing fur-bearing animals. Some of the reasons for this conclusion are these: Steel -traps can be easily transported ; can be set in all situations on land or under water ; can be easily concealed ; can be tended in great numbers ; can be combined by means of chain and ring with a variety of contrivances (hereafter to be described) for se- curing the animal caught from destruction by other animals, and from escape by self-amputation ; and above all, the steel- trap does no injury to the fur. And here I think it my duty as a true friend to the trapper, to give him the benefit of my experience and study in regard to the form and qualities of a good steel-trap, that he may be able to judge and choose the weapons of his warfare intelli- gently. REQUISITES OF A GOOD TRAP. The various sizes of traps adapted to different kinds of animals, of course requii-e different forms and qualities, which will be spoken of in the })roper places hereafter. Rut several of the essentials are the same in all good traps. 16 THE TRAPPER'S ART. 1. The jaivs should not he too thin and sharp-cornered. Jaws made of sheet-iron, or of plates approaching to the thinness of sheet-iron, and having sharp edges, or, still worse, sharp teeth, will almost cut off an animal • leg by the bare force of the spring, if it is a strong one, and will always materially help an animal to gnaw or twist off his leg. And it should be known, that ne;irly all the animals that escape, get away by self-amj)ntation. 2. Tlie jKtn should not he too large. A large pan, filling nearly the whole space of the open jaws, may seem to increase the chances of an animal's being caught, by giving him more surface to tread upon in springing the trap. But there is a mistake in this. When an animal s[)rings a trap by treading on the outer part of a large pan, his foot is near the jaw, and instead of being caught, is liable to be thrown out by the stroke of the jaw ; whereas, when he treads on a small pan, his foot is nearly in the centre of the sweep of the jaws, and lie is very sure to be seized far enough up on the leg to be well secured. o. The spring should he strong enough. This is a uj'xtter for good judgment, that cannot well be explained here ; but it is safe to say that very many traps, in consequence of false economy on the part of manufacturers, are furnished with springs that are too weak to secure strong and desperate animals. 4. The spring should be tempered scientifically. Many springs, in consequence of being badly tempered, "• give down " in a little while, i. e., lose their elasticity and close together ; and others break in cold weather, or when s*^t under water. 5. The spring should he correctly proportioned and tapered. Without this, the stronger it is and the better it is tempered, the more liable it is to break. t). The form of tJ^e jaws must he such as to give the hoiv of the spring a proper inclined plane to work upon. In many traps, the angle at the shoulder of the jaws is so great, that even a strong spring will not hold a desperate animal. 7. The adjustment of the spring and jaws must he such. PRELI^^NARIES. 17 that the jaws tvill lie flat when open. Otherwise the trap can- not well be secreted. 8. The jaws must worlc easily in the posts. For want of attention to this, many traps will not spring. 9. The adjustment of all the parts and their actual working should be so inspected and tested that every trap shall he ready for use — ■ ''• sure to go^'' and sure to hold. In consequence of the unfaithfulness of trap-makers in inspecting; and testing their work, many a trapper, after lugging a weary back-load of traps into the Avilderness, finds that a large portion of them have some '•' hitch " which either makes them worthless or requires a tug at tinkering before they can be made to do the poorest service. German and English traps are almost universally liable to criticism on all the points above mentioned ; and most of the traps made in this country fail in one or more of them. In addition to the foregoing requisites, every trap should be furnished with a stout chain, faitlifully welded, with ring and swivel. And let the trapper look well to the condition of the swivel. Many of the malleable iron swivels used by second-rate, careless manufacturers, will not turn at all ; and many an animal escapes by twisting off chains that have these dead swivels. In treating of the capture of particular animals, I shall have occasion to refer frequently to several contrivances that are used in connection with the fastening of steel-traps. I will therefore describe those contrivances here, once for all. THE SPRING-POLE. In taking several kinds of land animals, such as the mar- ten and fisher, it is necessary to provide against their being devoured by other animals before the trapper reaches them, and also against their o-nawino; off their own leo-s, or breakino- the chain of the trap by violence. The contrivance used for this purpose is called a spring-pole^ and is prepared in the fol- lowing manner : If a small tree can be found standing near the place where your trap is set, trim it and use it for a spring 18 THE TRAPPER'S ART. as it stands. If not, cut a pole of sufficient size and drive it firmly into the ground ; bend down the top ; fasten the chain- ring to it ; and fasten the pole in its bent position by a notch or hook on a small tree or a stick driven into the ground. When the animal is caught, his struggles, pulling on the chain, unhook the pole, which flying up with a jerk, carries him into tlie air, out of the reach of prowlers, and in a con- dition that disables his attempts to escape by self-amputation or other violence. The size of the pole must be proportioned to the weight of the game which it is expected to' lift. THE SLIDING-POLE. Animals of aquatic habits, when caught in traps, invariably plunge at once into deep water ; and it is the object of the trapper, availing himself of this plunge, to drown his captive as soon as possible, in order to stop his violence, and keep him out of the reach of other animals. The weight of the trap and chain is usually sufficient for this purpose in the case of the muskrat. But in taking the larger amphibious animals, such as the beaver, the trapper uses a contrivance Avhich is called the sliding-pole. It is prepared in the following man- ner : Cut a pole ten or twelve feet long, leaving branches enough on the small end to prevent the ring of the chain from slipping off. Place this pole near where you set your trap, in an inclined position, with its small end reaching into the deep- est part of the stream, and its large end secured at the bank by a hook driven into the ground. Slip the ring of your chain on to this pole, and see that it is free to traverse down the whole length. When the animal is taken it plunges desperately into the region towards which the pole leads. The ring slides down to the end of the pole at the bottom of the stream, and, with a short chain, prevents the victim from rising to the sur- face or returning to the shore. THE CLOG. Some powerful and violent animals, if caught in a trap that is staked fast, will pull their legs off, or beat the trap in pieces ; but if allowed to drag the traj) about with a moderate PRELIMINARIES. 19 weight attached, will behave more gently, or at least will not be able to get loose for want of purchase. The weight used in such cases is called a clog. It is usually a pole or stick of wood, of a size suited to the ring of the trap-chain, and to the size of the game. As the object of it is to encumber the animal, but not to hold it fast, the chain should be attached to it near one of its ends, so that it will not be likely to get fast among the rocks and bushes for a considerable time. The usual way is to slip the ring over the large end of the pole and fasten it with a wedge. RULE FOR BAITING. There is one general principle in regard to baiting animals that may as well be recorded and explained here, as it is ap plicable to all cases. It is this : Never put bait on the pan of a trap. The old-fashioned traps were always made with holes in the pan for strings to tie on bait ; and many if not most novices in trapping imagine that the true way is to atti'act the animal's nose straight to the centre of action, by piling bait on the pan, as though it were expected to catch him by the head. The truth, however, is, that animals are very rarely taken by the head or the body, but almost always by a leg. When an animal pulls at a bait on the pan of a trap, he is not likely even to spring the trap, for he lifts in the wrong direc- tion ; and if he does spring it, the position of his head is such, especially if the bait is high on the pan, that he is pretty sure to give the jaws the slip. Besides, bait on the pan calls the attention of the wary animal to the trap ; whereas he ought to be wholly diverted from it, and all signs of it obliterated. Bait should always be placed so that the animal in attempting to take it shall put a foot on the pan. This can be done in several ways, all of which will be explained in detail here- after. But this general direction may be given for all cases that are not otherwise prescribed for : Place the bait either on a stick above the trap, or in an inclosure so arranged that the animal will have to step over the trap to reach it. 20 THE TRAPPER'S ART. PROPER OUTFIT OF TRAPS. In preparing for a trappino; excursion, the novice naturally inquires how many traps he shall take along. If the question were simply Jiow many traps he could tend^ I should probably say from one to two hundred. But the main question really is, iiow many traps can he carry? If he is going on a marsh, lake, or river, where he can travel by boat, or into a region where he can carry his baggage by horse and wagon, he may take along all the traps he can tend, — the more the better. But if he is going by overland routes into the rough, woody regions where most game abounds, and consequently must carry his baggage on his back, he will probably find that seventy-tive small traps, or an equivalent weight of large and small ones, will be as much as he will like to carry. PROFITS OF TRAPPING. Tlie provident candidate for 'wood-craft will want to know what wages a man is likely to make at trapping. I will give him a few instances of what has been done, and then he may judge for himself. I have cleared seven dollars per day for a five weeks' trip. A man that once trapped with me, caught fifty-three muskrats in one night, which at present prices would be worth fifteen dollars and ninety cents. I know several men in Jefferson county (New York), who paid for good farms with furs that they caught within eight miles of home. It is not inicommon for two men to make five hun- dred dollars in a trapping season. But too much reliance must not be placed on these specimens. Good weather, good trapping-grounds, good traps, good judgment, and good luck must be combined, to secure good profits. % Ail ^'■';'i;i!:,ii' -"'■ '" II. CAPTURE OF ANIMALS. It will be useful to the inexperienced trapper to have some account of the appearance and habits of each animal in con- nection with instructions for capturino; it. Such information is often indispensable as the basis of plans and contrivances for capture. I shall confine myself to brief descriptions in common language, not attempting any thing scientific ; and I shall avail myself of the help of books where my own obser- vation and experience fail. THE MUSKRAT OR MUSQUASH. This is an animal of amphibious habits. Its head and body are from thirteen to fifteen inches in length. The tail is nine or ten inches long, -two-edged, and for two thirds its length rudder-shaped, and covered with scales and thin, short hair, the edges being heavily fringed. The hind feet are slightly webbed ; so that it can " feather the oar," as boatmen say, when they are brought forward in swimming. The color is brown above and ashy beneath. Muskrats are nocturnal in their habits ; but are frequently seen swimming and feeding in the day time. They are excellent swimmers, and can go from ten to fifteen rods under water without breathing. Their natural food is grass and roots; but they will eat clams, mus- sels, flesh, corn, oats, wheat, apples, and many other vegeta- bles. In open winters they sometimes find their w^.y into farmers' cellars through drains, and make free with whatever they find in store. They thrive best in sluggish streams or |,onds bordered with grass and flags. The roots of these plants are their chief support, and from the tops they con- struct their abodes. These structures are dome shaj)ed, and 22 THE TRAPPER'S ART. rise sometimes to the height of five or six feet. The entrances are at the bottom, under water ; so that the inside of the houses are not exposed to the open air. The Muskrats live in them in winter, gatherino; into famihes of from six to ten members. Hundreds of these dwelhngs can be counted from a single point in many large marshes. Muskrats have a curious method of travelling long distances under the ice. In their winter excursions to their feeding- grounds, which are frequently at great distances from their abodes, they take in breath at starting and remain under the water as long as they can. Then they rise up to the ice, and breathe out the air in their lungs, which remains in bubbles against the lower surface of the ice. They wait till this air recovers oxygen from the water and the ice, and then take it in again and go on till the operation has to be repeated. In this way they can travel almost any distance, and live any length of time under the ice. The hunter sometimes takes advantage of this habit of the Mnskrat, in tlie following manner : When the marshes and ponds where Muskrats abound are first frozen over and the ice is tiiin and clear, on striking into their houses with his hatchet for the purpose of setting his traps, he frequently sees a whole family plunge into the water and swim away under the ice. Following one of them for some distance, he sees him come up to renew his breath in the manner above described. After the animal has breathed against the ice, and before he has had time to take his bubble in again, the hunter strikes with his hatchet directly over him and drives him away from his breath. In this case he drowns in swimming a few rods, and the hunter, cutting a hole in the ice, takes him out. Mink, otter, and beaver travel under the ice in the same way ; and hunters have frequently told me of taking otter in the manner I have described, when these animals visit the houses of the Muskrat for prey. In summer, Muskrats live mostly in banks and in hollow trees that stand near a stream ; and sometimes, for want of suitable marshes and ponds, they i-emain in the banks and trees through the winter. They are very prolific, bringing CAPTURE OF ANIMALS. 23 forth from six to nine at a birth, and three times a year. The first kittens also have one litter, which attain to about the size of house-rats in September. They have many enemies, such as the fox, wolf, lynx, otter, mink, and owl. They are found from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and from the Rio Grande to the Arctic Regions. But they do not inhabit the alluvial lands of Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and Florida, though in other regions they live much further south. The modes of capturing the JNIuskrat are various. One of them we have already seen. Another is by spearing, of which a fine example will be given in a subsequent article by Mr. Thacker. These methods are good at certain seasons and in certain conditions of the ice, &c. ; but for general serv- ice there is no means of capture so reliable as the steel-trap. Traps should be set in the principal feeding places, play- grounds, and holes of the Muskrat, and generally about two inches under water. Bait is not necessary except when game is scarce and its signs not fresh. In that case you may bait with apples, parsnips, carrots, artichokes, white flag-roots, or even the flesh of the muskrat. The musk of this animal will sometimes draw effectually at long distances. The bait should be fastened to the end of a stick, and stuck over the trap about eight inches high, and in such a position that the animal will have to pass over the trap to take the bait. Care should be taken to fasten the trap to a stake in such a position that the chain will lead the captive into deep water and drown him. If he is allowed to entangle himself or by any means to get ashore, he will be very likely to gnaw or twist off a leg and get away. THE MINK. The Mink is found in the northern parts of America, Eu- rope, and Asia. Its fur is very valuable, and in this country of late years has been the most popular kind. The Mink is carnivorous, and belongs to the mustelidce or weasel family. It resembles the ferret and ermine. It is not amphibious like the muskrat, yet lives on the banks of streams and gets much of its food from them. It is of a dark brown color , has short legs, a long body and neck, and a bushy tail. In this 24 THE TRAPPER'S ART. country there are two varieties, which some naturahsts have supposed were distinct species ; one small, dark-colored, com- mon in the Northern and Eastern States and Canada ; the other larger, with lighter-colored, coarser, and less valuable fur, common in the Western and Southern States. The dark- colored variety measures from eleven to eighteen inches in length from the nose to the root of the tail, and has a tail from six to ten inches in length. The European and Asiatic Mink is a distinct species. Mink are ramblers in their habits, except in the breeding season. They feed on fish, frogs, snakes, birds, mice, and muskrats ; and the hen-roost frequently suffers from their dep- redations, Tiiey are very fond of speckled trout, and pretty sure to find out the streams where those fish abound. Their breeding season commences about the last of April, and the females bring forth from four to six at a litter. The young are hid by the mother till they attain nearly half their growth, as the males of this species, as well as of the marten, fisher, weasel, panther, and most carnivorous animals, destroy theii yoiuig when the}' can find them. Mink can be taken in steel-traps, either on land or in the water. Experts generally prefer to take them on land. The trap should be set near the bank of a stream. If one of their holes cannot be found, make a hole by the side of a root or a stump, or anywhere in the ground. Three sides of the cavity should be barricaded with stones, bark, or rotten wood, and the trap set at the entrance. The bait may be fish, birds, or the flesh of the muskrat, cut in small pieces ; and it should be put into the cavity beyond the trap, so that the animal will have to step over the traj) in taking the bait. The trap should be concealed by a covering of leaves, rotten vegetation, or, what is better, the feathers of some bird. In very cold weather the bait should be smoked to give it a stronger smell. Mink can be attracted long distances by a scent that is pre- pared from the decomposition of eels, trout, or even minnows. These fishes are cut in small pieces, and put into a loosely- corked bottle, which is allowed to hang in the sunshine for two or three weeks in summer, when a sort of oil is formed pu, capturf: of animals. '2't which emits a very stron