WHERE TO BUILD.
In determining where to set deadfalls or locate snares if you will
keep in mind the dens where each winter you have caught fur-bearing
animals, or their tracks have often been seen in the snow or mud, and
build your traps and construct snares at or near such places you are
pretty sure to not go astray.
The location, of course, depends largely upon what kind of game you
are trying to catch. If mink or coon, there is no better place than
along streams where there are dens. If there should be a small branch
leading off from the main stream, at the mouth of this is often an
excellent place to locate a trap. It should not be too near the water
as a rise would damage or perhaps float off at least part of your
trap. Sometimes farther up this small stream there are bluffs and
rocks; at such places, if there are dens, is just the place to build
deadfalls. If there are several dens, and the bluff extends along
several hundred feet, it perhaps will pay to build two or three traps
here.
In cleared fields, woods or thickets skunk are found anywhere that
there are dens you can construct a trap. While, as a rule, the thinly
settled districts are the best trapping sections, yet skunk, muskrat
and red fox are found in greatest numbers in settled sections, while
opossum, raccoon and mink are found in fairly well settled districts.
It is therefore not necessary that you should go to the wilderness to
make fairly good catches. While the trapper in the wilderness has the
advantage of no one disturbing his deadfalls, yet he has
disadvantages. The trapper who means business need not go hundreds of
miles away, but if he will build a line of traps along some stream
where there are mink, or in the thickets and along rocky buffs for
skunk, raccoon, opossum, etc., he will be surprised at results.
In some sections land owners may not allow trapping, but usually they
will, especially if you take the pains to ask before you commence
building or setting your traps.
The fact that you have your traps scattered over a large territory
gives you better chances of making good catches, for most animals
travel quite a distance from night to night. You may have traps at
some stream that is eight or ten miles from your home and a mink may
come along that does most of its seeking for food miles farther up or
down this stream, nearer, perhaps, where it was raised, and you get
him. Thus you see by going only ten miles away you may catch animals
that really live twenty. Just how far a mink may travel up or down a
creek or river I do not know, but it is certain that they go many
miles and traps may make a catch of a mink that lives many, many
miles away. Of course along small streams they may not go so far.
Often, however, they continue their travels from one stream to
another.
If you are an expert trapper you can very easily detect, if you are
in a good locality, especially if in the fall--September and October.
These are the two months when the most prospecting is done. Going
along streams at this season tracks are plainly seen and in the
forests at dens signs, such as hair, bones and dung. Often you will
come upon signs where some bird has been devoured and you know that
some animal has been in the locality. Old trappers readily detect all
these signs and new ones can learn by experience.
It is not absolutely necessary to build traps at or near dens. Some
years ago, I remember when doing considerable trapping in Southern
Ohio, I came upon a deadfall built near a small stream that ran thru
a woods. I looked around for dens, but saw none. Why this trap had
been built there was a puzzle to me. One day I happened upon the
owner of the trap and asked him what he expected to catch in that
trap.
In reply he pointed to a bush some rods distant in which hung the
carcasses of two opossum and one coon--caught in the trap. While
there were no dens near, it was a favorite place for animals to cross
or else they came there for water. This same trap was the means of
this old trapper taking two or three animals each winter, while other
traps at dens near caught less. There is much in knowing where to set
traps, but keep your eyes open for signs and you will learn where to
build traps and set snares sooner or later.
* * *
Yes, boys, the deadfall is a splendid trap if made right, says an
Arkansas trapper. I will tell you how to make one that will catch
every mink and coon that runs the creek. Take a pole four feet long
and four inches through, next get a log six inches through and eight
feet long. Use eight stakes and two switches. Use the figure four
trigger, but the notches are cut different. Both of the notches are
cut on the top side of the long trigger and a notch cut in the
upright trigger and down the long trigger. The paddle part is sixteen
inches long. When the trap is set the paddle wants to be level and
one-half inch higher than small logs, then your two switches comes in
this to keep the paddle from hitting the bark on side logs.
[Illustration: TRAIL OR DEN TRAP.]
Next is where to set. If along a creek, find a place where the water
is within three feet of the bank, set your trap up and down the creek
at edge of water, dam up from back end of paddle to bank with brush
or briars, then from front end into water three or four feet. You
will find the upright trigger has to be a good deal longer than the
notch trigger. You can use round triggers if you want to by nailing a
shingle five inches wide on the long trigger stick. Be sure and have
your paddle muddy if setting along creeks. You want to put a little
stone back beyond paddle, so when the trap falls it will not burst
paddle. Now you have a trap easy made and sure to catch any animal
that steps on paddle, which is five inches wide and sixteen long. You
don't need any bait, but you can use bait by throwing it under
paddle. This trap is hard to beat for small game.
* * *
I make a deadfall that sets without bait, writes an Illinois trapper.
It is made like any other only different triggers. Set it across
path, over or in front of den or remove a rail and set it in the
corner of a fence where game goes thru. Use thread in dry weather,
fine wire for wet. Two logs for bottom is better than one, make
triggers high enough to suit the animal you wish to catch; if he hits
the string or wire he is yours.