SCENT METHODS.
In sections where the wolves and coyotes can obtain an abundance of
food, they do not care for meat bait and scent sets are recommended,
especially for grey wolves. Such sets are also successful in summer
when meat baits soon become tainted and lose all power of attraction.
There are many ways of using scent, depending much on the kind that
is used, and also on other things. One of the simplest as well as one
of the best is the following:
Having found the route of travel of a band of wolves, one may be
certain that he has found the proper place to set a number of traps,
for the wolves are sure to come around that way again. A pass through
the hills is an excellent place and as cattle, sheep and game animals
are almost certain to be traveling that way at certain seasons, one
is sure to find a trail of some sort traversing the pass. Having
located such a trail find a spot where same is well defined and
select a place for the trap, several feet to one side of the trail,
where it may be placed between bunches of brush, cactus, rocks or any
other obstruction that will guide the wolf over the trap. The
obstruction must be a natural one as the wolf is certain to detect
any artificial arrangement, and avoid it.
The trap should be fastened to a drag of some kind, which should be
buried and the trap must be set and covered as explained in another
chapter. In setting, the chain should be stretched out to its full
length so that the drag may be buried as far as possible from the
trap, and the disturbance of the soil is less likely to be noticed.
The scent should be applied to the grass, weeds or ground at the back
of the set, and so placed that in trying to reach it, the wolf or
coyote must walk over the trap. It should not be placed too near the
trap as the first impulse of the animal is to roll over the scent.
Mr. Vernon Bailey in his instructions for trapping describes this set
as follows:
"The trap, chain and stone drag should be buried out of sight close
to a runway, where the wolves follow a trail or road, cross a narrow
pass, or visit a carcass, with the trap nearest the runway and flush
with the surface of the ground; to keep the earth from clogging under
the pan, the pan and jaws should be covered with an oval piece of
paper and over this should be sprinkled fine earth until the surface
is smooth and all traces of paper and trap are concealed.
The surface of the ground and the surroundings should appear as
nearly as possible undisturbed. The dust may be made to look natural
again, by sprinkling water on it. Touching the ground or other
objects with the hands, spitting near the trap or in any way leaving
a trace of human odors near by, should be avoided. Old, well-scented
gloves should be worn while setting traps, and a little of the scent
used for the traps should be rubbed on the shoe soles. A piece of old
cowhide may be used on which to stand and to place the loose earth in
burying drag and trap.
"A narrow trail may be made by dragging the stone or scraping the
foot from across the runway to the trap. A slender line of scent
should be scattered along this drag mark or cross trail and more of
the scent placed around the trap and 6 inches beyond it, so that the
wolf will follow the line directly across the trap, stopping with its
front feet upon it. With old, experienced and suspicious wolves,
however, it is better not to make the drag mark, but to set the trap
with great care, close to the side of the trail and put the scent
just beyond it. If possible, place the trap between two tufts of
grass or weeds, so that it can be readily approached from one side
only."
[Illustration: Caught in a Scent Set.]
Traps may also be set with bait and some scent used to advantage, in
fact many of the decoys are to be used in that way. Two brothers who
trap in partnership give the following method of trapping with scent
and bait:
"This is one way of catching coyotes: We find all the horse meat we
can, we even ask people if they know of any dead horses, or sheep or
cattle. But the horse flesh is the best bait for them, then comes the
sheep, that they like almost as well. Rabbits are also excellent bait
for them, by putting a little pucky for scent along the side of the
rabbit bait. We also tell how to make this 'pucky.'
"Secure all the small fish you can from three to four inches long.
Trout is the best if you can secure them, but other varieties of fish
will do; clean but leave the heads on, because you will find more oil
in the head than in any other part. Cut them up so they will go into
a bottle; stuff them in very tight, up to the neck of the bottle;
then put a thin cheese cloth over the top of the bottle and let it
stay there for about two weeks. It will begin to work good about that
time, then cork it up tight, and in a few days it is ready for use.
"Now, taking the horse meat, sheep or rabbits, you have for bait,
find a good place to lay the bait so the coyotes cannot get to it
from all sides. Never make your trap stationary but wire the chain to
a small log, a stick of wood about four feet long and three inches
thick, leave a few knots sticking out on the log, and they will help
tire the coyote out, by digging in the ground; wire the chain about
in the middle, as it will drag harder for the coyote.
[Illustration: Traps Set with Bait and Scent.]
"Now dig a hole the same shape of your trap, where you want it to
set, also bury the clog. Put your trap in its place and have it so it
will be about one-fourth of an inch below the surface of the ground,
not any lower. Put a piece of wool under the pan so birds and rabbits
won't spring it; then take a piece of paper big enough to cover the
jaws of the trap, take some dirt and put over the paper until level
with the surrounding place, if anything a little sunken, just so you
can notice it. Now set your trap about the length of the coyote from
the bait and one more a little farther out, both in the same way as I
said. Be sure and put your bait in such a place as to make them come
around in front.
"If you have to set traps at a dead horse out in the open, put one
just behind the hips, and one in between his feet where he lays. Set
them as I have told you and you will get them. If you find a dead
animal, that is, bait, I mean, also set your traps in triangle around
him. Put your traps about one foot and a half from bait. Study them
carefully and you will soon learn to set right. Try it.
"Some trappers say, don't let the traps touch your clothes, smoke and
bury your gloves; and even say bury your shoes after each trip. We
think all of this unnecessary for we tie our traps around us, wear
warm German socks and overshoes, just as everybody else should do in
winter. Set our traps with our gloves on or off, don't matter; when
through, brush over with a small brush and leave it. Don't make any
more tracks around your traps than possible. We made one freak of a
catch, two coyotes at one setting in one night. One had a stub foot
having been caught before."
A very good method is to find a large clump of cactus (prickly pear)
with even, well defined edges, and set several traps near the edge
and at varying distances. Use all possible care in setting, following
the instructions given elsewhere. It is best to leave the setting
some three or four days before placing the scent; that will give
plenty of time for the human and other scents, that have been left
there, to pass away and the ground which has been disturbed, will
have taken on a smoother appearance by that time. Then go on
horseback and saturating a lump of earth with the decoy, drop it in
the center of the cactus bed. Do not dismount from the horse when
placing the decoy. This is an exceptionally good set for coyotes.
While they can not reach the scent, they will walk all around the
cactus bed and are almost certain to step in one of the traps.
Another successful mode of setting is to place the trap in a trail
where it leads through a clump of sage or greasewood and put some
decoy by the side of the trail a rod or two away. The bank set which
is described in another chapter may also be used without bait by
placing some scent on the edge of the bank.
One of the Montana trappers uses this method: "Take your traps and
boil them in lye water. Do not handle them with your bare hands but
be sure and use clean buckskin gloves, and handle them as little as
possible. Find a place where they run pretty regular, like an old
road that is not used or a cow path or trail. Find a place that is
sandy if you can, and set your traps lengthwise with the trail. Of
course, you must dig out where you put your traps.
"Now cover your traps with a piece of deodorized paper and about
one-half inch of sand. Get some water and sprinkle along the trail
and over your traps to make it all look alike. You must not leave a
lot of loose and lumpy dirt lying near your traps. Leave as little
sign as possible. Wait two days before you go there again, and then
go with a saddle horse and drop six or eight drops of good scent bait
between your traps, and await results. Do not get off your horse when
you go to put out the scent bait, for I know of no animal that is any
more sly than the old grey wolf.
"Now I don't claim that this will work in all localities, but I have
had fairly good luck with this set. I always use two traps at a
setting for wolf or coyote."