TRAPS KNOCKED OFF.
If you find that your traps are "down" each time you visit them and
the bait gone, the pen is perhaps too large and the animal, if a
small one like a mink, is going inside to devour bait. Animals
usually stand with fore feet upon lower log and reach into pen after
bait, but at times they have been known to go inside. In this case
the animal is not in danger as when the "fall" comes down the animal
is not under it. If such is the case, that is, the animal entirely
inside the pen, the trigger will be caught under the fall and the
trapper knows that whatever is molesting his trap is doing so from
the inside. All that the trapper has to do is lessen the size of the
pen. This can be done by placing small stones or chunks on the inside
of the pen or by driving stakes on the inside. By doing this the
outside appearance is not changed.
If, on the other hand, the trigger, that is the long one or spindle,
not the short prop, is pulled out each time and often carried several
feet, the trap is set too hard to "fall" and should be set easier. If
the prop, or upright piece, is cut square across the top, take your
knife and round off the edges so that the trigger will slip off
easier. Again the pen may be torn down and the animal takes bait from
the rear. Here is where it pays to build traps substantial. In such
cases rebuild the pen, making it stronger. Should it be torn down on
subsequent visits, the game is perhaps a fox. Of course if the pen
has been torn down by some trapper or passing hunter, you can readily
detect same by the manner in which it has been done. If the trapper
is satisfied that it is an animal that is doing the mischief, he
wants to plan carefully, and if he is an expert trapper, a steel trap
or two will come into good play and the animal will be caught in the
steel trap. The pen will not be torn down again.
When traps are down note carefully the condition that they are in;
see that the "fall" fits on the lower pole closely, and by the way,
when building this is an important thing to notice--that the fall
fits snugly on the lower or under pole.
If a snare or spring pole is up but nothing caught, simply reset.
Should many snares be up "thrown" and no catches, the trouble should
be located at once. The noose is probably too large or small or made
of limber or too stiff string or wire, or maybe it is too securely
fastened. When resetting, note all these carefully and experience
will sooner or later enable you to set just right to make a catch. If
a certain snare is bothered continually, it will do no harm to set a
steel trap where you think chances best of taking the animal. It
matters but little to the trapper how the animal is caught, as it is
his pelt that is wanted.
In using the trip triggers with or without bait, the trapper should
fasten the bait by either driving a peg through it and into the
ground or tieing.
In most instances the animal will throw the trap before getting to
the bait, but it is well to take this precaution in case, for any
reason, the animal should not step on the trip trigger at first.
Sometimes a small animal may jump over the trip trigger in order to
get the bait and in its endeavor to get bait will strike the trigger.
The animal does not know that the trigger is dangerous, but now and
then either steps or jumps over. Generally they step on the trigger,
for if the trapper is "onto his job" the bait and trigger are so
placed that the animal thinks the trip trigger is the place to put
his foot.
In using without bait the trigger is so arranged that the animal rubs
or steps on the trigger when entering or leaving the pen or if at a
trail or runway when passing along.