Produced by Linda M. Everhart, Blairstown, Missouri
DEADFALLS AND SNARES
[Frontispiece: A GOOD DEADFALL.]
DEADFALLS AND SNARES
A Book of Instruction for Trappers
About These and Other
Home-Made Traps
Edited by
A. R. HARDING
Published by
A. R. HARDING, Publisher
106 Walnut Street
St. Louis, Mo.
Copyright 1907
By A. R. HARDING
CONTENTS.
I. Building Deadfalls
II. Bear and Coon Deadfall
III. Otter Deadfall
IV. Marten Deadfall
V. Stone Deadfall
VI. The Bear Pen
VII. Portable Traps
VIII. Some Triggers
IX. Trip Triggers
X. How to Set
XI. When to Build
XII. Where to Build
XIII. The Proper Bait
XIV. Traps Knocked Off
XV. Spring Pole Snare
XVI. Trail Set Snare
XVII. Bait Set Snare
XVIII. The Box Trap
XIX. The Coop Trap
XX. The Pit Trap
XXI. Number of Traps
XXII. When to Trap
XXIII. Season's Catch
XXIV. General Information
XXV. Skinning and Stretching
XXVI. Handling and Grading
XXVII. From Animal to Market
XXVIII. Steel Traps
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
A Good Deadfall
The Pole Deadfall
Small Animal Fall
The Pinch Head
Board or Pole Trap
Bait Set Deadfall
Trail Set Deadfall
Bear or Coon Deadfall
Otter Deadfall
Marten Deadfall
Marten Trap Triggers
Another Marten Deadfall
High Built Marten Deadfall
Tree Deadfall
More Marten Trap Triggers
Flat Stone Trap
Stone Deadfall Triggers
The Invitation--Skunk
Killed Without Scenting
Right and Wrong Way
Bear Pen Trap
Bear Entering Pen
Den Set Deadfall
Portable Wooden Trap
The Block Trap
The Nox-Em-All Deadfall
Illinois Trapper's Triggers
Trip Triggers
Animal Entering Trip Deadfall
Trip Trigger Fall
Canadian Trip Fall
The Turn Trigger
Two Piece Trigger Trap
String and Trigger Trap
Trail or Den Trap
Spring Pole and Snare
Small Game Snare
Wire or Twine Snare
Snare Loop
Path Set Snare
Trip Pan or Plate
Double Trail Set
Trail Set Snares
Path Snare
Rat Runway Snare
Underground Rat Runway
Runway and Cubby Set
Log Set Snare
Cow Path Snare
Lifting Pole Snare
Bait Set Snare
The Box Trap
The Coop Trap
The Pit Trap
A Good Catcher
Single and Three Board Stretcher
Some Stretching Patterns
Dakota Trappers Method
Holder for Skinning
Wire Coon Method
Wire and Twig Coon Method
Size of Stretching Boards
Pole Stretchers
Fleshing Board
Stretching Frame
Skin on Stretcher
Hoop Stretcher
Small Steel Traps
No. 81 or Web Jaw Trap
No. 91 or Double Jaw Trap
Mink and Fox Traps
Otter and Beaver Traps
Otter Traps with Teeth
Otter Trap without Teeth
Offset Jaw Beaver Trap
Clutch Detachable Trap
Newhouse Wolf Trap
Small Bear Trap
Small Bear Trap with Offset Jaw
Black Bear Trap
Regular Bear Trap with Offset Jaws
Grizzly Bear Trap
Bear Chain Clevis
Steel Trap Setting Clamp
[Illustration: A. R. HARDING.]
INTRODUCTION.
Scattered from the Arctic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico and from the
Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean are thousands of trappers who use
deadfalls, snares and other home-made traps, but within this vast
territory there are many thousand who know little or nothing of them.
The best and most successful trappers are those of extended
experience. Building deadfalls and constructing snares, as told on
the following pages, will be of value to trappers located where
material--saplings, poles, boards, rocks, etc.--is to be had for
constructing. The many traps described cannot all be used to
advantage in any section, but some of them can.
More than sixty illustrations are used to enable the beginner to
better understand the constructing and workings of home-made traps.
The illustrations are mainly furnished by the "old timers."
Chapters on Skinning and Stretching, Handling and Grading are added
for the correct handling of skins and furs adds largely to their
commercial value.
A. R. Harding.
DEADFALLS AND SNARES
CHAPTER I.
BUILDING DEADFALLS.
During the centuries that trapping has been carried on, not only in
America, but thruout the entire world, various kinds of traps and
snares have been in use and taken by all classes of trappers and in
all sections the home-made traps are of great numbers. The number of
furs caught each year is large.
The above was said by a trapper some years ago who has spent upwards
of forty years in the forests and is well acquainted with traps,
trappers and fur-bearing animals. Whether the statement is true or
not, matters but little, altho one thing is certain and that is that
many of the men who have spent years in trapping and have been
successful use the deadfalls and snares as well as steel traps.
Another trapper says: In my opinion trapping is an art and any
trapper that is not able to make and set a deadfall, when occasion
demands, does not belong to the profession. I will give a few of the
many reasons why dead falls are good.
1. There is no weight to carry.
2. Many of the best trappers use them.
3. It requires no capital to set a line of deadfalls.
4. There is no loss of traps by trap thieves, but the fur is in as
much danger.
5. Deadfalls do not mangle animals or injure their fur.
6. It is a humane way of killing animals.
7. There is no loss by animals twisting off a foot or leg and getting
away.
8. Animals are killed outright, having no chance to warn others of
their kind by their cries from being caught.
9. Trappers always have the necessary outfit (axe and knife) with
them to make and set a deadfall that will kill the largest animals.
10. The largest deadfalls can be made to spring easy and catch small
game if required.
11. Deadfalls will kill skunk without leaving any scent.
12. Deadfalls are cheap and trappers should be familiar with them.
It is a safe proposition, however, that not one-half of the trappers
of today can build a deadfall properly or know how to make snares,
and many of them have not so much as seen one.
First a little pen about a foot square is built of stones, chunks, or
by driving stakes close together, leaving one side open. The stakes
should be cut about thirty inches long and driven into the ground
some fourteen inches, leaving sixteen or thereabout above the ground.
Of course if the earth is very solid, stakes need not be so long, but
should be so driven that only about sixteen inches remain above
ground. A sapling say four inches in diameter and four feet long is
laid across the end that is open. A sapling that is four, five or six
inches in diameter, owing to what you are trapping for, and about
twelve feet long, is now cut for the "fall." Stakes are set so that
this pole or fall will play over the short pole on the ground. These
stakes should be driven in pairs; two about eighteen inches from the
end; two about fourteen farther back. (See illustration.)
[Illustration: THE POLE DEADFALL.]
The small end of the pole should be split and a small but stout stake
driven firmly thru it so there will be no danger of the pole turning
and "going off" of its own accord. The trap is set by placing the
prop (which is only seven inches in length and half an inch thru)
between the top log and the short one on the ground, to which is
attached the long trigger, which is only a stick about the size of
the prop, but about twice as long, the baited end of which extends
back into the little pen.
The bait may consist of a piece of chicken, rabbit or any tough bit
of meat so long as it is fresh and the bloodier the better. An animal
on scenting the bait will reach into the trap--the top of the pen
having been carefully covered over--between the logs. When the animal
seizes the bait the long trigger is pulled off of the upright prop
and down comes the fall, killing the animal by its weight. Skunk,
coon, opossum, mink and in fact nearly all kinds of animals are
easily caught in this trap. The fox is an exception, as it is rather
hard to catch them in deadfalls.
The more care that you take to build the pen tight and strong, the
less liable is some animal to tear it down and get bait from the
outside; also if you will cover the pen with leaves, grass, sticks,
etc., animals will not be so shy of the trap. The triggers are very
simple, the long one being placed on top of the upright, or short
one. The long triggers should have a short prong left or a nail
driven in it to prevent the game from getting the bait off too easy.
If you find it hard to get saplings the right size for a fall, and
are too light, they can be weighted with a pole laid on the "fall."
[Illustration: SMALL ANIMAL FALL.]
I will try and give directions and drawing of deadfalls which I have
used to some extent for years, writes a Maine trapper, and can say
that most all animals can be captured in them as shown in
illustration. You will see the deadfall is constructed of stakes and
rocks and is made as follows: Select a place where there is game; you
need an axe, some nails, also strong string, a pole four inches or
more in diameter. Notice the cut No. 1 being the drop pole which
should be about six to seven feet long. No. 2 is the trip stick, No.
3 is string tied to pole and trip stick, No. 4 is the stakes for
holding up the weight, No. 5 is the small stakes driven around in the
shape of letter U, should be one foot wide and two feet long. No. 6
is the rocks, No. 7 is the bait.
Now this is a great trap for taking skunk and is soon built where
there are small saplings and rocks. This trap is also used for mink
and coon.
* * *
The trapper's success depends entirely upon his skill and no one can
expect the best returns unless his work is skillfully done. Do not
Attempt to make that deadfall unless you are certain that you can
make it right and do not leave it till you are certain that it could
not be any better made. I have seen deadfalls so poorly made and
improperly set that they would make angels weep, neither were they
located where game was apt to travel. The deadfall if made right and
located where game frequents is quite successful.
Another thing, boys, think out every little plan before you attempt
it. If so and so sets his traps one way, see if you can't improve on
his plan and make it a little better. Do not rush blindly into any
new scheme, But look at it on all sides and make yourself well
acquainted with the merits and drawbacks of it. Make good use of your
brains, for the animal instinct is its only protection and it is only
by making good use of your reasoning powers that you can fool him.
Experience may cost money sometimes and loss of patience and temper,
but in my estimation it is the trapper's best capital. An old
trapper who has a couple of traps and lots of experience will catch
more fur than the greenhorn with a complete outfit. Knowledge is
power in trapping as in all other trades.
This is the old reliable "pinch-head." The picture does not show the
cover, so I will describe it. Get some short pieces of board or short
poles and lay them on the stones in the back part of the pen and on
the raised stick in front. Lay them close together so the animal
cannot crawl in at the top. Then get some heavy stones and lay them
on the cover to weight down and throw some dead weeds and grass over
the pen and triggers and your trap is complete. When the animal tries
to enter and sets off the trap by pressing against the long trigger
in front, he brings the weighted pole down in the middle of his back,
which soon stops his earthly career.
[Illustration: THE PINCH HEAD.]
This deadfall can also be used at runways without bait. No pen or
bait is required. The game will be caught coming from either
direction. The trap is "thrown" by the trigger or pushing against it
when passing thru. During snowstorms the trap requires considerable
attention to keep in perfect working order, but at other times is
always in order when placed at runways where it is used without bait.
The trap can also be used at dens without bait with success. If used
with bait it should be placed a few feet from the den or near any
place frequented by the animal or animals you expect to catch.
Of course we all admit the steel trap is more convenient and
up-to-date, says a New Hampshire trapper. You can make your sets
faster and can change the steel trap from place to place; of course,
the deadfall you cannot. But all this does not signify the deadfall
is no good; they are good and when mink trapping the deadfall is
good. To the trapper who traps in the same locality every year, when
his deadfalls are once built it is only a few minutes' work to put
them in shape, then he has got a trap for the season.
I enclose a diagram of a deadfall (called here Log Trap) which, when
properly made and baited, there is no such a mink catcher in the trap
line yet been devised. This trap requires about an hour to make and
for tools a camp hatchet and a good strong jackknife, also a piece of
strong string, which all trappers carry.
This trap should be about fifteen inches wide with a pen built with
sticks or pieces of boards driven in the ground. (See diagram.) The
jaws of this trap consist of two pieces of board three inches wide
and about three and a half feet long, resting edgeways one on the
other, held firmly by four posts driven in the ground. The top board
or drop should move easily up and down before weights are put on. The
treddle should be set three inches inside level with the top of
bottom board. This is a round stick about three-fourths inch thru,
resting against two pegs driven in the ground. (See diagram.) The
lever should be the same in size. Now put your stout string around
top board. Then set, pass lever thru the string over the cross piece
and latch it in front of the treddle. Then put on weights and adjust
to spring, heavy or light as desired. This trap should be set around
old dams or log jams by the brook, baited with fish, muskrat, rabbit
or chicken.
[Illustration: BOARD OR POLE TRAP.]
I herewith enclose a drawing of a deadfall that I use for everything
up to bear, writes a Rocky Mountain trapper, I hate to acknowledge
that I have used it to get "lope" meat with, because I sometimes
believe in firing as few shots as I can in some parts of the
Mountains.
[Illustration: BAIT SET DEADFALL.]
Drawing No. 1 shows it used for bait; a snare can be used on it at
the same time by putting the drop or weight where it isn't liable to
fall on the animal. Put the weight on the other side of tree or make
it fall with the animal to one side. In this case a pole must be
strictly used. A good sized rock is all right for small animals. The
closer spikes 1 and 2 are together and the longer the tugger end on
bottom, the easier it will pull off.
Fig. 1.--Spike driven in tree one-half inch deeper than spike No. 2
(Fig. No. 2) to allow for notch.
3--Bait on end of trigger.
4--Heavy rock or log.
5--Wire, fine soft steel.
6--Trigger with notch cut in it.
7--Notch cut in trigger Fig G. Spike No. 2 must have head cut off and
pounded flat on end.
In setting it across a trail a peg must be driven in the ground. In
this peg the spikes are driven instead of tree as in drawing No. 1.
The end of brush stick in between peg and trigger end and when an
animal comes either way it will knock the brush and it knocks out the
trigger. Good, soft steel wire should be used In setting this
deadfall along river bank a stout stick can be driven in bank and
hang out over water. This stick will take the place of a limb on
tree. One end of a pole held in a slanting position by weighing one
end down with a rock will do the same as limb on tree. If a tree is
handy and no limb, lean a stout pole up against the tree and cut
notches in it for wire to work on.
[Illustration: TRAIL SET DEADFALL.]
1--Trail.
2--Log.
3--Trigger same as for bait on top deadfall drawing.
4--Stake driven in ground with spikes driven in it same as above in
tree.
5--Spikes same as above.
6--Wire.
7--Tree.
8--Brush put in trail with one end between trigger and peg to knock
off trigger when touched.
This deadfall has never failed me and when trapping in parts of the
country where lynx, coyote or wolverine are liable to eat marten in
traps, use a snare and it will hang 'em high and out of reach. Snare
to be fastened to trigger.
Of course a little pen has to be built when setting this deadfall
with bait. In setting in trail it beats any deadfall I have ever used
for such animals as have a nature to follow a trail. A fine wire can
also be tied to the trigger and stretched across trail instead of a
brush and tied on the opposite side of trail. I like it, as the
weight can be put high enough from the ground to kill an elk when it
drops.