THE BEAR PEN.
I will give a description of a bear pen, writes a Canadian trapper.
The bottom of the floor is made first of two logs about (1-1) nine
feet long and nine or ten inches thick. They are placed side by side
as shown in cut and two other logs (2-2) nine feet long and eighteen
inches in thickness are placed one on each side of the bottom logs.
Then cut two short logs about twelve or fourteen inches thick and
long enough to reach across the pen and extend about six inches over
each side. Notch these down, as shown in cut (3-3) so that the top of
the logs are about three or four inches higher than the sides.
Cut notches in the top of these logs so that when logs 4-4 will lay
solid on top of the other side logs. If they don't lie solid enough
bore holes in the ends of the short logs and drive wooden pins in the
holes. The top of the short logs and the inside of the long logs
should be flattened and a short block (5) fitted loosely in one end,
and the other end should be closed by a block driven down in notches
cut in the sides of 4-4, as shown in small cut. The top of the block
(6) should be about five inches lower than the top of the side logs.
Notches are next cut in the side logs, directly over this block, so
that when the roller (7) is in place, it will fit down snugly on this
block. The roller is about five inches thick and should turn easily
in the notches.
[Illustration: BEAR PEN TRAP.]
The next step is to make the lid. It should be made of two logs of
such a size that they will entirely close the top of the trap. They
are notches down and pinned onto the roller and block 5. These logs
should project over rear end of pen about four or five feet. Before
pinning these logs in places, a hole should be made for the bait
stick, half of it being cut in each log. Pins should be driven in the
side logs, over the roller, so that the bear cannot raise the lid.
Two crotches are then cut and set up at the sides of the trap and
spiked solid to the sides. A short pole is then placed in the
crotches and a long pole, running lengthwise of the trap, is fastened
to the lid at one end with wire and the other ends fits into a notch
in the bait stick when the trap is set. The bait stick has a spike
driven thru it on the inside of the trap to keep it from pulling
thru.
To set the trap, pile stones on the end of the lid until it will tip
easily, then put a pole thru under lid and go inside and fasten the
bait on the bait stick. Then pull the long pole down and hook it into
the notch in the bait stick. Remove the stones from lid and take the
pole from under it and the trap is set and ready for the first bear
that comes along. If the lid does not seem heavy enough, pile stone
on it. A trap of this kind may be made by two men in half a day and
will be good for a number of years.
* * *
The log trap is one of the very best methods of taking the bear, it
beats the deadfall all to nothing, says an old and experienced Ohio
bear trapper. It is a sure shot every time; I have never known it to
fail except where the pen had stood for a number of years and become
rotten. In a case of that kind the bear would have no difficulty in
gnawing his way out. This trap or pen, as I shall call it, has been
time tried and bear tested. My father used to make these traps and
many is the time when a boy I have ridden on horseback upon a narrow
path, cut for the purpose of letting a horse pass along and on
nearing the pen heard the growling and tearing around of the bear in
the pen and the hair on my head would almost crowd my hat off.
Go about building it this way: First select the spot where you have
reason to believe that bear inhabit; now having made your selection,
get a level place and on this spot lay a course of logs with the top
flattened off; this may be eight by three feet. This being done,
commence to lay up the house of logs six to eight inches in diameter.
Three sides of each log should be flattened; these will be the top,
bottom and the inside. It is necessary this be done, for they must
fit closely together in order that the bear cannot get a starting
place to gnaw. This is why I suggest that the inside of the log be
flattened. It is a well-known fact that you can put any gnawing
animal into a square box and he cannot gnaw out for he cannot get the
starting point.
Lay a short log first, then a long one, notching each corner as you
go so the logs will fit closely together. Now for the front corners;
drive a flattened stake into the ground, letting the flattened side
come against the logs. Now as you proceed to lay on a course of logs
pin thru the stake into each log. Now go on up until you get a height
of about four feet, then lay on, for the top, a course of short logs
commencing at the back end.
Between the second and third logs cut out a little notch and flatten
the under side of this log around the notch; this is to receive the
trigger, which is made of a small pole about three inches thick. Put
this into the hole and let it come down within ten inches of the
floor. Then cut a notch in the side facing the front of the pen and
so it will fit up against the under side of the leg with the notch
in; now you may make a notch in the trigger about six inches above
the top of the pen and on the same side of the trigger that the first
notch was made. Now the trigger is ready except adjusting the bait.
[Illustration: BEAR ENTERING PEN.]
Next lay a binder on top of the pen and upon either end of the short
course of logs; pin the binders at either end so the bear cannot
raise the top off the pen. You may also lay on three or four logs to
weight it down and make it doubly sure. You may pin the first short
top log in front to the side logs to keep the front of the pen from
spreading. Now we have the body of the pen complete.
The door is the next thing in order. The first or bottom log ought to
be twelve feet long, but it is not necessary for the balance of them
to be that length; flatten the top and bottom of each log so they
will lie tight together, also flatten off the inside of the door so
it will work smoothly against the end of the pen. Lay the logs of the
door onto the first or long log, putting a pin in each end of the
logs as you lay them on. Go on this way until you have enough to
reach the height of the pen and fully cover the opening.
Another way of fastening the door together is to get the logs all
ready, then lay them upon the ground and pin two pieces across the
door. Either way will do. Now the door being in readiness, put it in
its place and drive two stakes in the ground to keep the animal from
shoving the door away. If these do not appear to be solid enough to
support the door against an onslaught, you may cut a notch in the
outside of the stake near the top; get a pole eight feet in length,
sharpen the ends, letting one end come in the notch of the stake and
the other into the ground; this will hold the door perfectly solid.
Cut a slight notch in the top log of the door for the end of the
spindle and the next move is to raise the door to the proper height.
Set a stud under the door to keep it from falling. Get your spindle
ready, flatten the top of either end a little, then cut a stanchion
just the right length to set under the spindle on the first top log.
Tie your bait onto the lower end of the trigger, one man going inside
to put the trigger in the proper place. To facilitate the springing
of the trap, lay a small round stick in the upper notch of the
trigger, letting the end of the spindle come up under the stick and
as the bear gets hold of the meat on the bottom of the trigger the
least pull will roll the trigger from the end of the spindle.
However, it will spring very easily as the stanchion under the end of
the spindle is so near the end.
This kind of trap can be made by two men in one day or less, and it
often happens that the hunter and trapper wants to set a trap for
bear a long way from any settlement or road. The carrying of a fifty
pound bear trap a distance of twenty or thirty miles is no little
task. Then again, this trap costs nothing but a little time and the
trapper's whole life is given over to time. One man can make this
trap alone and set it, but it is better for two to work together in
this work, for in case the door should spring upon him while he was
inside he would be forever lost. I have caught two wildcats at once
in this pen, but it is not to be expected that you will get more than
one bear or other large animal at a time.