SOME TRIGGERS.
During my trapping experiences I remember of visiting an old
trapper's deadfalls and at that time I had never seen or used any
trigger other than the figure 4, but this trapper used the prop and
spindle. I looked at several of his traps; in fact, went considerably
out of my way to look at some eight or ten of them. Two of these
contained game--a skunk and opossum. I had often heard of these
triggers, but was skeptical about them being much good. I now saw
that these triggers were all right and on visiting my traps again set
a few of them with these triggers. Since that time I have never used
the figure 4.
The prop and spindle I know will look to many too hard to "go off,"
but they can be set so that they will go off fairly easy. It is not
necessary that the trap be set so that the least touch will make it
go off. It is best to have the trap set so that mice nibbling at bait
will not throw it.
Trappers who have never used the deadfall will, no doubt, find that
after they use them a short time and become better acquainted with
their construction and operation that they will catch more game than
at first. This is only natural as all must learn from experience
largely, whether at trapping or anything else.
The prop is a straight piece about seven inches long and about
one-half inch in diameter. The spindle, or long trigger, is about the
size of the prop, but should be sixteen or eighteen inches long with
a prong cut off within two inches of the end to help hold the bait on
more securely. See cut elsewhere showing these triggers and of the
figure likewise. These illustrations will give a better idea of how
the triggers are made to those who have never seen or used them.
* * *
I saw some time ago where a brother wanted to know how to make a
deadfall, writes an Illinois trapper. I send a picture of one that I
think is far ahead of any that I have seen in the H-T-T yet, that is,
the triggers. I have seen deadfall triggers that would catch and not
fall when the bait was pulled at, but there is no catch to these.
Trigger No. 1 is stub driven in the ground with a notch cut in the
upper end for end of bait. Stick No. 5 to fit in No. 3 is another
stub driven in ground for bait stick No. 5 to rest on top. No. 3 is a
stick, one end laid on top of bait stick outside of stub No. 2, the
other end on top of lower pole. No. 4 is the prop stick. One end is
set on stick No. 3 about one inch inside the lower pole the other end
underneath the upper pole. The X represents the bait. When the bait
stick is pulled out of notch in stub No. 1, the upper pole comes down
and has got your animal.
[Illustration: ILLINOIS TRAPPER'S TRIGGERS.]
If you find your bait is caught between the poles you may know the
bait is not back in the box far enough. If you find the trap down and
bait and bait stick gone, you may know that the bait is too far back.
The animal took his whole body in before he pulled the bait.
I have tried to describe this trap for the ones that don't know how
to make a deadfall.
Somebody wants to know how to make a good deadfall. Well the plans
published in back numbers of H-T-T are all right except the figure
four sticks and bait. Make your sticks like this, and you will be
pleased with the way they work, says an experienced trapper.
[Illustration: TRIP TRIGGERS.]
No. 2 flat view. The trigger sets in the slanting cut in side of No.
2. Don't put bait on trigger. Put it in back end of pen and pin it to
the ground. Turn trigger across opening slanted slightly in, then you
get them by neck or shoulders. The longer the slot in the trigger,
the harder they will trip. Set as straight up as possible.
Make 1 and 2 of hard wood. Saw a block 3 1/2 inches long and split
into 3/4 inch squares. Make cuts square with a saw and split out the
part you don't want. Bevel ends with a hatchet. Make trigger of green
hard wood stick with bark on.
* * *
I cut a tree from 8 to 10 inches in diameter and cut off 7 feet long.
Split the piece open and bury one piece on a level with the
earth--split side up--and place the other half on top. I hew off any
bumps and make a perfect fit. Then I cut out bushes the size of my
arm, and drive them down on each side of my fall and leave them an
inch or two higher than I expect my top log to be when set. Be sure
to begin far enough at the back to force the animals to go in at the
front. I use the figure four triggers and tie the bait to the long
trigger.
Another trigger is made as follows: Cut two forks and lay pole across
just in front of the log on top of the forks. Take another piece of
timber about four feet long, tie a string to each end and let one end
have a trigger and the other be tied on your top log. I drive a nail
in the top log and tie the string to it, and I call this my Fly
trigger. It acts as a lever, for when the fly comes up over the piece
on the forks and the trigger goes over half way back by the side of
the log, and the trigger about a foot long--straight and thin, and
sticks under the log--have a short trigger tied to the fly pole and a
forked sapling the size of your finger and long enough to stick in
the ground to hold the trigger. Put the bait on long trigger and
catch the short trigger through the fork and let it catch the long
trigger. This trigger leaves the fall open in front and is the one I
prefer.
Take two small logs about 10 or 12 feet long, large enough to break a
coon's back, and make a pen about midway, or one-third from front
end, to put the bait in, and the trigger. Two foot boards, or
saplings will do, and make the pen so that the animal will have to
step across the bottom log and take the bait, and be sure to set so
that the top log will fall across the mink, coon, skunk, or opossum,
as they are the animals I kill with the fall. Use fly pole triggers
as above, for this deadfall.
I make these falls near the runways of the animals I wish to catch.
When I am sure to stay at a place, I build my falls in the summer and
by the trapping time they look old and natural.