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William Hamilton Gibson - Camp Life in the Woods and the Tricks of Trapping and Trap Making

W >> William Hamilton Gibson >> Camp Life in the Woods and the Tricks of Trapping and Trap Making




An experienced trapper soon discovers natural openings between
rocks or trees, which may be easily modified, and by the addition
of a few logs so improved upon as to answer his purpose as well as
a more elaborate enclosure, with much less trouble. Any arrangement
whereby the bear will be obliged to tread upon the trap in order
to secure the bait, is, of course, all that is required. The bait
may be hung on the edge of a rock five feet from the ground, and
the trap set on a smaller rock beneath it. He will thus be almost
sure to rest his forefoot on the latter rock in order to reach
the bait, and will thus be captured.

Another way is to set the trap in a spring of water or swampy
[Page 172]
spot. Lay a lump of moss over the pan, suspending the bait beyond
the trap. The moss will offer a natural foot-rest, and the offending
paw will be secured.

Bears possess but little cunning, and will enter any nook or corner
without the slightest compunction when in quest of food. They are
especially fond of sweets, and, as we have said, are strongly attracted
by honey, being able to scent it from a great distance. On this
account it is always used, when possible, by trappers in connection
with other baits. These may consist of a fowl, fruit, or flesh of
any kind, and the honey should be smeared over it. Skunk cabbage
is said to be an excellent bait for the bear; and in all cases a
free use of the Oil of Anise page 152, sprinkling it about the
traps, is also advisable. Should the device fail, it is well to
make a trail (see page 153) in several directions from the trap,
and extending for several rods. A piece of wood, wet with Oil of
Anise, will answer for the purpose.

The general method of skinning the bear consists in first cutting
from the front of the lower jaw down the belly to the vent, after
which the hide may be easily removed. The hoop-stretcher page 275,
will then come into good use in the drying and preparing of the
skin for market.


THE RACCOON.

Although allied to the Bear family, this animal possesses much
in common with the fox, as regards its general disposition and
character. It has the same slyness and cunning, the same stealthy
tread, besides an additional mischievousness and greed. It is too
common to need any description here, being found plentifully throughout
nearly the whole United States. The bushy tail, with its dark rings,
will be sufficient to identify the animal in any community. Raccoon
hunts form the subject of many very exciting and laughable stories,
and a "coon chase," to this day is a favorite sport all over the
country. The raccoon, or "coon," as he is popularly styled, is
generally hunted by moonlight. An experienced dog is usually set
on the trail and the fugitive soon seeks refuge in a tree, when
its destruction is almost certain. Hence the term "treed coon," as
applied to an individual when in a dangerous predicament. Besides
possessing many of the peculiarities of the fox, the "coon" has
the additional accomplishment of being a most agile and expert
climber, holding so firmly to the limb by its sharp claws as to
defy all attempts to shake it off.

[Page 173]
The home of the raccoon is generally in a hollow tree; the young
are brought forth in May, and are from four to six in number.

In captivity this animal makes a very cunning and interesting pet,
being easily tamed to follow its master, and when dainties are in
view becomes a most adroit pickpocket. Its food is extensive in
variety, thus making it quite an easy matter to keep the creature
in confinement. Nuts and fruits of all kinds it eagerly devours,
as well as bread, cake and potatoes. It manifests no hesitation
at a meal of rabbit, rat, squirrel, or bird, and rather likes it
for a change, and when he can partake of a dessert of honey or
molasses his enjoyment knows no bounds. Frogs, fresh water clams,
green corn, and a host of other delicacies come within the range
of his diet, and he may sometimes be seen digging from the sand
the eggs of the soft-shelled turtle, which he greedily sucks. We
cordially recommend the coon as a pet. He becomes very docile,
and is full of cunning ways, and if the young ones can be traced
to their hiding-place in some hollow tree, and secured, if not
_too_ young, we could warrant our readers a great deal of real
sport and pleasure in rearing the little animals and watching their
ways.

In cold climates the raccoon lies dormant in the winter, only venturing
out on occasional mild days; but in the Southern States he is active
throughout the year, prowling about by day and by night in search
of his food, inserting his little sharp nose into every corner,
and feeling with his slender paws between stones for spiders and
bugs of all kinds. He spies the innocent frog with his head just
out of the water, and pouncing upon him, he despatches him without
a moment's warning. There seems to be no limits to his rapacity, for
he is always eating and always hungry. The print of the raccoon's
paw in the mud or snow is easily recognized, much resembling the
impression made by the foot of a babe.

The best season for trapping the coon is late in the fall, winter,
and early spring, or from and between the months of October and
April. During this time the pelts are in excellent condition. Early
in the spring when the snow is disappearing, the coons come out
of their hiding places to start on their foraging tours; and at
this time are particularly susceptible to a tempting bait, and
they may be successfully trapped in the following manner:--

Take a steel trap and set it on the edge of some pool, or stream
where the coons are known to frequent: let it be an inch
[Page 174]
or so under the water, and carefully chained to a clog. The bait
may consist of a fish, frog, or head of a fowl, scented with Oil
of Anise, and suspended over the traps about two feet higher, by
the aid of a sapling secured in the ground. (See title page at
the head of this section.) The object of this is to induce the
animal to jump for it, when he will land with his foot in the trap.
Another method is to construct a V shaped pen set the trap near
the entrance, and, fastening the bait in the angle, cover the trap
loosely with leaves, and scent the bait as before with the anise.
The trap should be at such a distance from the bait that the animal,
in order to reach it, will be obliged to tread upon the pan, which
he will be sure to do, his greed overcoming his discretion. Any
arrangement whereby the animal will be obliged to tread upon the
trap in order to reach the bait will be successful.

[Illustration]

The beaten track of the coons may often be discovered in soft ground,
and a trap carefully concealed therein will soon secure its victim.
Another method is to set the trap near the coon tracks, spreading a
few drops of anise on the pan and covering the whole with leaves.
The coon, attracted by the scent, will feel around in the leaves for
[Page 175]
the bait, and thus "put his foot in it."

In the South they construct a coon trap from a hollow log, either
having the ends supplied with lids, which fall just like the Rat
trap page 100 as the animal passes through, or else constructed
with nooses, similar to the Box-snare, page 56. Box traps of a
style similar to that described on page 103 are also excellent, and
a strong twitch-up, of any of the various kinds we have described,
will be found to work admirably.

Many of the suggestions in trapping the mink, page 190, will be
found equally, serviceable in regard to the coon.

The skin of this animal should be removed as recommended for the
fox, and similarly stretched. It may also be skinned by first ripping
up the belly, and spread on a hoop stretcher. page 275.


THE BADGER.

The American Badger is mostly confined to the Northwestern parts
of the United States, and it is a curious little animal. In size
its body is slightly smaller than the fox. Its general color is
grey, approaching to black on the head and legs. There is a white
streak extending from the tip of the animal's long nose over the
top of the head and fading off near the shoulders. The cheeks are
also white, and a broad and definitely marked black line extends
from the snout back around the eyes ending at the neck. The grey
of this animal is produced from the mixture of the varied tints
of its fur, each hair presenting a succession of shades. At the
root it is of a deep grey; this fades into a tawny yellow, and
is followed by a black, the hair being finally tipped with white.
The fur is much used in the manufacture of fine paint brushes, a
good "Badger blender" being a most useful accessory in the painter's
art. The badger is slow and clumsy in its actions, except when
engaged in digging, his capacities in this direction being so great
as to enable him to sink himself into the ground with marvellous
rapidity. The nest of the animal is made in the burrow, and the
young are three or four in number. His diet is as variable and
extensive as that of the coon, and consists of anything in any
way eatable. Snails, worms, rats, mice and moles, seem to have
a particular attraction for him; and he seems to take especial
delight in unearthing the stores of the wild bees, devouring honey,
wax and grubs together, and caring as little for the stings of the
[Page 176]
angry bees as he would of the bills of so many mosquitoes, the thick
coating of fur forming a perfect protection against his winged
antagonists. The badger is very susceptible to human influence, and
can be effectually tamed with but little trouble. Although his general
appearance would not indicate it, he is a sly and cunning animal, and
not easily captured in a trap of any kind. He has been known to set
at defiance all the traps that were set for him, and to devour
the baits without suffering for his audacity. He will sometimes
overturn a trap and spring it from the under side, before attempting
to remove the bait. Although not quite as crafty as the fox, it is
necessary to use much of the same caution in trapping the badger,
as a bare trap seldom wins more than a look of contempt from the
wary animal.

[Illustration]

The usual mode of catching the creature is to set the trap size
No. 3 at the mouth of its burrow, carefully covering it with loose
earth and securing it by a chain to a stake. Any of the methods
used in trapping the fox will also be found to work admirably.
The dead-fall or garrote will also do good service. Bait with a
rat, mouse, or with whatever else the animal is especially fond,
and scent with Oil of Anise or Musk. In early spring, while the
ground is still hard, badgers are easily captured by flooding their
burrows. After being satisfied that the animal is in its hole,
proceed to pour in pailful after pailful of water at the entrance.
[Page 177]
He will not long be able to stand this sort of thing, and he may
be secured as he makes his exit at the opening of the burrow.

The skin should be removed whole, as in the case of the fox, or
as described for the beaver, and stretched as therein indicated.


THE BEAVER.

The Beaver of North America has now a world-wide reputation for
its wonderful instinct and sagacity. The general appearance of
this animal is that of a very large muskrat with a broad flattened
tail, and the habits of both these animals are in many respects
alike. The beaver is an amphibious creature and social in its habits
of living, large numbers congregating together and forming little
villages, and erecting their dome-like huts like little Esquimaux.
The muskrat has this same propensity, but the habitation of the
beaver is on a much more extensive scale. These huts or "Beaver
lodges," are generally made in rivers and brooks; although sometimes
in lakes or large ponds. They are chiefly composed of branches,
moss, grass and mud, and are large enough to accommodate a family
of five or six. The form of the "lodges" is dome-like, and it varies
considerably in size. The foundation is made on the bottom of the
river, and the hut is built up like a mound, often twenty feet
in diameter and projecting several feet above the surface of the
water. The walls of this structure are often five or six feet thick,
and the roofs are all finished off with a thick layer of mud laid on
with marvellous smoothness. These huts form the winter habitations
of the beavers, and as this compost of mud, grass and branches
becomes congealed into a solid mass by the severe frosts of our
northern winter, it can easily be seen that they afford a safe
shelter against any intruder and particularly the wolverine, which
is a most deadly enemy to the beaver. So hard does this frozen mass
become as to defy even the edges of iron tools, and the breaking
open of the "Beaver houses" is at no time an easy task. Beavers
work almost entirely in the dark; and a pond which is calm and
placid in the day time will be found in the night to be full of
life and motion, and the squealing and splashing in the water will
bear evidence of their industry. Lest the beavers should not have
a sufficient depth of water at all seasons, they are in the habit
of constructing veritable dams to ensure that result. These dams
display a wonderful amount of reason and skill, and, together with
the huts, have won for the beaver a reputation
[Page 178]
for engineering skill which the creature truly deserves. In constructing
these ingenious dams the beavers, by the aid of their powerful teeth,
gnaw down trees sometimes of large size, and after cutting them into
smaller pieces float them on the water to the spot selected for
the embankment. In swift streams this embankment is built so as
to arch against the current, thus securing additional strength,
and evincing an instinct on the part of the animal which amounts
almost to reason. In cutting down the trees the beaver gnaws a
circular cut around the trunk, cutting deepest on the side toward
the water, thus causing the trunk to fall into the stream. The
first step in constructing the embankment is to lay the logs down
cautiously in the required line of the dam, afterwards weighting
them with heavy stones, which the beavers by their united efforts
roll upon them. The foundation of the embankment is often ten feet
in width, and is built up by continued heaping of branches, stones
and mud, until it forms a barrier of immense strength and resisting
power. In many cases, through a lapse of years, and through a
[Page 179]
consequent accumulation of floating leaves, twigs, and seeds of plants,
these embankments become thickly covered with vegetation, and, in many
cases in the Hudson Bay country, have even been known to nurture trees
of considerable dimensions. The broad flat tail of the animal serves a
most excellent purpose, in carrying the mud to the dams or huts, and
in matting and smoothing it into a solidity.

[Illustration]

The entrances to the various huts are all beneath the water, and
they all open into one common ditch, which is purposely dug in
the bed of the river, and is too deep to be entirely frozen. In
the summer time the huts are vacated, and the beavers make their
abode in burrows on the banks of the stream, which serve as a secure
retreat at all times, and particularly in winter when their houses
are molested. The Indians of the Northwest are aware of this fact,
and turn it to good account in the capture of the animals.

When the beaver's village is in a small creek, or brook, it is
first necessary to stake the water across both above and below
the huts. The next thing is to ascertain the exact spots of the
burrows in the banks, and when we consider the river is covered
with ice, this seems a rather difficult problem. But this is where
the Indian shows his skill. He starts upon the ice, provided with
an ice chisel secured to a long, stout handle. With this he strikes
upon the ice, following the edge of the stream. The sound of the
blow determines to his practiced ear the direct spot opposite the
opening of the burrows, and at this point a hole a foot in diameter
is made through the ice. Following the edge of the bank he continues
his search, and in like manner cuts the holes through the ice until
all the retreats are discovered. While the expert Indians are thus
engaged, the "squaws" are occupied in the more laborious work of
breaking open the houses, and the beavers, alarmed at the invasion of
their sanctums, make for the banks, and the ready huntsmen stationed
at the various holes, watch for their victims beneath the openings,
until a violent motion or discoloration of the water betrays their
passage beneath. The entrance to the holes in the bank are then
instantly closed with stakes and the beaver is made prisoner in
his burrow. When the depth of the burrow will admit, the arm of
the hunter is introduced, and the animal pulled out, but otherwise
a long hook lashed to a pole is employed for this purpose. Scores
of beavers are sometimes taken in this way in a few hours. Spearing
is also often successfully resorted to, and when the ice is thin
[Page 180]
and transparent the beavers may be clearly observed as they come
to the surface, beneath the ice, for air.

The general color of the animal is reddish brown, this tint being
imparted principally by the long hairs of the fur. There is an
inner and softer down of a grey color, which lies next the skin,
and which is the valuable growth of the fur. The total length of
the animal is about three feet and a half, the flat, paddle-shaped,
scale-covered tail being about a foot in length.

The young are brought forth in April or May, from three to seven
at a litter, and take to the water when a month old. The first
four years in the beaver's life is spent under the "maternal roof,"
after which period they shift for themselves. To trap the beaver
successfully, requires the utmost caution, as the senses of the
animal are so keen, and he is so sagacious withal, that he will detect
the recent presence of the trapper from the slightest evidences.
The traps should be washed clean and soaked in ley, before using,
and thereafter handled with gloves, as a mere touch of the finger
will leave a scent which the acute sense of the beaver will easily
perceive. All footprints should be carefully obliterated by throwing
water upon them, and some trappers say that the mere act of spitting
on the ground in the neighborhood of the traps has been known to
thwart success.

Almost the only bait used in trapping the beaver is the preparation
called "barkstone" by the trappers, or "castoreum" in commerce.
This substance is fully described on page 150 under the head of
"Scent Baits."

To the barkstone the trapper is mostly indebted for his success,
and the effect of its odor on the beaver is something surprising.
Our best trappers inform us that these animals will scent this
odor for a great distance, and will fairly "squeal with delight,"
not being easy until the savory bait is discovered, which almost
invariably results in capture.

Taking advantage of this curious propensity, the trapper always
carries a supply of castoreum in a closed vessel.

There are various ways of trapping the beaver, of which we shall
present the best. An examination of the river bank will easily
disclose the feeding place of the beavers, as evinced by the absence
of the bark on the branches and trunks of trees. At this spot,
in about four inches of water, set your trap, which should be a
Newhouse No. 4. Weight the end of the chain with a stone as large
as your head, and, if possible, rest it on the edge of some rock
projecting into deep water, having a smaller rope or chain leading
from the stone to the shore. A small twig, the size of your little
[Page 181]
finger, should then be stripped of its bark, and after chewing or
mashing one end, it should be dipped in the castoreum. Insert this
stick in the mud, between the jaws of the trap, letting it project
about six inches above the water. The beaver is soon attracted by the
odor of the bait, and in reaching for it, his foot is caught in the
trap. In his fright he will immediately jump for deep water, thus
dislodging the stone, which will sink him to the bottom, and thus
drown him. The smaller chain or rope will serve as a guide to the
trap, and the victim may be drawn to the surface. Another plan is
to set the trap in about a foot of water, chaining it fast to a stout
pole securely driven in the mud further out in the stream, and
near deep water. Bait as before. The trap being thus fastened will
prevent the efforts of the animal to drag it ashore, where he would
be certain to amputate his leg and walk off. There is another method,
which is said to work excellently. The chain is secured to a very
heavy stone, and sunk in deep water, and the trap set and baited
near shore, in about a foot of water. This accomplishes the same
purpose as the pole first described, and is even surer, as the animal
will sometimes use his teeth in severing the wood, and thereby make
his escape. In the case of the stone a duplicate rope or chain
will be required to lift it in case of capture.

The trap may be set at the entrance to the holes in the banks,
two or three inches under water, implanting the stick with the
castoreum bait directly over the pan, a few inches above the water.
If the water should be deep near this spot, it is an excellent plan
to weight the end of the chain with a large stone with a "leader"
from it also, as already described. Insert two or three sticks in
the bank beneath the water, and rest the stone upon them.

When the beaver is caught he will turn a somersault into deep water,
at the same time dislodging the stone, which will sink him. No sooner
is a break ascertained in the dam than all the beavers unite in
fixing it, and this peculiarity of habit may be turned to account in
trapping them. Make a slight break in the dam, five inches across,
beneath the water. On the under side of the break, and of course,
on the inside of the dam, the trap should be set. The beavers will
soon discover the leak and the capture of at least _one_ is certain.
The trap may be also set where the beavers are wont to crawl on
shore, being placed several inches below the water in such a position
that they will step on it when in the act of ascending the banks.
Where the weighted stone is not used, the sliding pole page 145
[Page 182]
should always be employed, as it is necessary to drown the animal,
to prevent amputation and escape.

The food of the beaver consists chiefly of the bark of various
trees, together with aquatic plants. The fur is valuable only in
the late fall, winter, and early spring.

In skinning the beaver, a slit is made from the under jaw to the
vent, after which it is easily removed. It should be tacked to a flat
board, fur side in, or stretched by means of a hoop, as described
on page 275.


THE MUSKRAT.

The muskrat, or musquash, is very much like a beaver on a small
scale, and is so well-known throughout the United States that a
detailed description or illustration will hardly be necessary.
Reduce the size of the beaver to one foot in length, and add a
long flattened tail, instead of the spatula-shaped appendage of
this animal, and we will have a pretty good specimen of a muskrat.
The body has that same thick-set appearance, and the gnawing teeth
are very large and powerful. Like the beaver, the muskrat builds
its dome-like huts in ponds or swamps, which it frequents; and
although not as large as those of the beaver they are constructed
in the same manner and of the same materials. Muskrats are mostly
nocturnal in their habits; they are tireless swimmers, and in the
winter travel great distances beneath the ice; all of which
peculiarities are like the beaver. Their food is quite variable,
consisting of grass and roots, oats, corn and other grain, apples
and nuts, and even tomatoes, turnips, carrots, mussels and clams,
whenever these can be found.

The muskrat is a native of all of the Eastern, Western, and Middle
States and also the Southern States, with the exception of Georgia,
Alabama and Florida. They are also found in Canada and the Arctic
regions, and in the North-west. They are hunted and captured as
a means of support to the native tribes of Indians who sell or
trade the furs to Eastern dealers. The fur somewhat resembles that
of the mink in texture, although not as fine, and the color varies
from dark brown above to grey beneath. It is in its best condition
during the winter, especially in March. The animal possesses a
musky smell, from which it takes its name. It is said by many that
the flesh of the animal, when carefully prepared, becomes quite
palatable food.

Their houses are so nearly like those of the beaver that a
[Page 183]
second description is scarcely necessary. They are often five or
six feet in height, and the entrances are all under water. Dozens
of these huts may often be seen in ponds and marshes, and sometimes
they exist in such numbers as to give the appearance of a veritable
Esquimaux village. These houses are used only in the winter season.
In general the muskrat lives in burrows, which it excavates in the
banks of ponds or streams, bringing forth its young, from three
to nine in number, in the nest, which it forms at the end of the
tunnel. They are very prolific, producing three litters a year. Like
the beaver, otter and mink, the muskrat can travel long distances
under the ice with only one supply of fresh air, and its method
is certainly very interesting. Before plunging beneath the ice
the animal fills its lungs with air, and when under the water it
swims until it can no longer hold its breath. It then rises up
beneath the ice, empties its lungs, the air remaining in bubbles
beneath the ice. In a short time this air absorbs sufficient oxygen
from the water and ice as to be life-sustaining, when the animal
again inhales it and proceeds on its journey. It is by this means
that the beaver, muskrat and mink are enabled to travel such great
distances beneath unbroken ice, and it is certainly a very novel
and interesting method. Where the ice is thin and transparent these
animals are sometimes captured through the means of this habit.
A heavy stroke on the frozen hut will drive its occupants to the
water, and their course may easily be followed through the ice.
If one of them is tracked, he will presently be seen to stop at
the surface of the water for fresh oxygen, as already described.
The bubbles will soon appear, and if the hunter immediately strikes
with an axe or heavy stick directly on the spot, the submerged
animal will be literally driven away from its breath, and will
of course drown in a very few minutes. A short search will soon
reveal the dead creature, after which he may be taken out through
a hole cut in the ice. Otter and mink are sometimes taken in the
same way. In many localities great numbers of muskrats are also
captured by spearing, either through the ice or through the walls
of their houses. In the latter case, two are often taken at once.
This method is quite uncertain and unreliable, as the walls of
the hut are often so firmly frozen as to defy the thrust of the
hardest steel, and a fruitless attempt will drive the inmates from
their house at once. The spear generally used consists of a single
shaft of steel about eighteen inches in length and half an inch
in diameter, barbed at the point, and is feruled to a
[Page 184]
solid handle five feet long. In spearing through the hut the south
side is generally selected, as being more exposed to the heat of
the sun. Great caution is necessary, as the slightest noise will
drive out the inmates. The spear should be thrust in a slanting
direction, a few inches above the surface of the ice. Where many
houses exist it is well to destroy all but one. Into this the whole
tribe will centre, and by successive spearing they may all be captured.
When the spear has been thrust into the house, it must be thus
left until a hole is cut with a hatchet, through which to remove
the game. Spearing through the ice is a better method, but for
general service there is no means of capture more desirable than
by trapping. The steel trap No. 1 or 2 is the size particularly
adapted for the muskrat, and may be set in various ways. The most
common method is to set the trap under two inches of water on the
projecting logs or stones on the border of the streams where the
"signs" of the animal indicate its recent presence. The trap should
of course be secured by a chain, ringed to a sliding pole, page
145, which will lead the animal into deep water when captured,
and thus effect its speedy death by drowning. In this case bait is
not necessary. If their feeding grounds can be discovered, or if
their tracks indicate any particular spot where they crawl ashore
at the water's edge, at this point a trap may be set with good
success. In this instance it is well also to set it under water,
baiting with a piece of turnip, parsnip, apple, or the like, suspended
a few inches above the pan of the trap. Late in the fall, when
collecting their building material, they often form large beds of
dried grasses and sticks, and a trap set in these beds and covered
with some loose substance, such as grass, chaff, or the like, will
often secure the animal. The trap, in this case should be attached
to a spring-pole, page 145 as the muskrat is a wonderful adept
at self-amputation, when its escape depends upon it.

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