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

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In the North the moose is hunted on snow-shoes by the natives,
and in summer they are shot like the deer. They are often very
dangerous and terrible creatures to hunt, and the utmost care and
skill, as described in regard to the deer, is required on the part
of the hunter in order to avoid detection through the exquisite
sense of smell which the animal possesses. The moose is easily
trapped. The Newhouse, No. 6, is especially adapted for the purpose,
and it should be chained to a clog of stone or wood of over fifty
pounds in weight. Set the trap in the "yard," or beneath the snow
where the moose frequents, or in the summer, or fall seasons, as
described for the deer, using the same methods in regard to baiting,
etc.

Skin after the manner of cattle, and stretch the hide on a
hoop-spreader. Page 275.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN SHEEP.

These creatures are natives of the entire range of the Rocky Mountains,
and are especially prized on account of the superior quality of
their flesh as food. They are much larger and more powerful than
the domestic sheep, and the ram is provided with enormous curved
horns. The wool of the animal is intermixed with coarse grey hairs,
and the general appearance of the fur is russet grey, with the
exception of the rump and under parts, which are of a dirty white
color. The animal is generally very wary and retiring, and inhabits
the most secluded and inaccessible mountain regions and rocky cliffs.

They are easily captured by the steel trap (No. 5) set in their
haunts. The dead-fall is also used in some instances. Remove the
skin as described for the deer.

THE BUFFALO.

The Buffaloes or Bison of the Western plains is too well known
to need description. They travel in migrating herds of thousands,
and are found from Texas to British America. Their food
[Page 221]
consists chiefly of grass, of which the "Buffalo grass" is their
great delight. They graze and travel through the day and rest by
night. They are more the game of the hunter than the trapper, although
the largest side Newhouse would effectually secure one of the animals.
The Buffalo is generally hunted on horseback, the usual method
being that of stealing into the drove while grazing, always moving
against the wind in order to avoid being scented. The flesh is
palatable and by many much relished. The Buffalo skins of commerce
are furnished by the cows. The bull skins are almost devoid of fur
on the hinder parts, the hair being confined to the huge heavy
mass on the hump and mane. Skin the animal as described for the
Moose.

THE PRONG HORN ANTELOPE.

This sole American representative of the Antelope tribe we believe
is seldom trapped; but as it is a well-known animal on the Western
plains, a short mention of it is required here. In general shape
this creature bears considerable resemblance to the deer, the form of
the horn being its chief peculiarity, each one of which is provided
with a single prong, from which the animal takes its name, of Prong
Horn. The color of the body is brownish-yellow, with the exception
of the rump and belly which are almost white. The Antelopes generally
travel in herds, and are much hunted by the Indians who surround
them and destroy them with heavy clubs. Like the deer, their sense
of smell is especially keen and the same caution is required in
hunting them. In size they are about the same as the Virginian
Deer. They are wonderfully graceful in all their movements, and
are even more fleet of foot than the deer. These Antelopes inhabit
the Western Prairies and wooded borders from New Mexico northward,
and their flesh is much esteemed as an article of diet. They may
be caught in their feeding places, as recommended for the deer,
using the same sized trap.

The dead fall is also efficacious in their capture, and they are
also sometimes taken in large pit-falls covered over with light
sticks and leaves, to resemble the natural surroundings. On this
false covering, the bait, consisting of green corn or other vegetables,
is strewn and a high wall of logs or stones is erected around it,
in order that the animal will be obliged to _jump_ slightly in
order to reach the bait.

Remove the hide as recommended for the deer.

[Page 222]
SHOOTING AND POISONING.

Until the introduction of the steel-trap, shooting was a common
method of taking fur bearing animals, and even to the present day
it is quite prevalent in some localities. Anyone who has had any
experience with the fur trade must have learned that furs which
are "shot," are much affected in value. Some furriers will not
purchase such skins at any price; and they never meet with any
but a very low offer. "Trapped furs" and "shot furs" are terms of
considerable significance in the fur trade, and anyone who wishes
to realize from a profitable sale of his furs, should use his gun
as little as possible. A shot grazing through the fur of an animal
cuts the hairs as if with a knife, and a single such furrow is
often enough to spoil a skin. It is these oblique grazing shots
which particularly damage the fur, and an animal killed with a
_shot gun_ is seldom worth skinning for the value of its pelt. If
firearms are used, the rifle is preferable. If the animal chances
to be hit broadside or by a direct penetrating bullet, the two
small holes thus made may not particularly effect the value of its
skin, although even then the chances are rather slight.

Trapped furs are of the greatest value.

The use of poison is objectionable as a means of capture in animals
especially desired for their fur. Strychnine is the substance generally
employed, and unless its victim is skinned _immediately_ after
death the pelt becomes considerably injured by the absorption of
the poison. It has the effect of loosening the fur and the hair
sheds easily.

The poison is principally used in the capture of Wolves and animals
considered in the light of vermin. For a wolf or fox, the poison
is mixed with lard or tallow and spread on pieces of meat, or a
small amount of the powder is inclosed in an incision in the bait.
The amount sufficient for a single dose may be easily held on the
point of a knife blade, and death ensues in a a very few moments
after the bait is taken. For a Bear the dose should be a half
thimbleful, and it should be deposited in the centre of a piece
of honey comb, the cells being emptied of their honey for that
purpose.

Other animals may be taken by proportionate quantities of the poison,
but for general purposes we discourage its use.

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[Illustration: THE CAMPAIGN.]

[Page 225]
BOOK VII.

CAMPAIGN LIFE IN THE WILDERNESS.

[Illustration: I]t has been the author's object in the preparation
of this book not simply to content the reader with a mere superficial
knowledge of so-called "Amateur trapping," but to carry him further
into the art professionally considered, and for this reason we
present in the following chapter a full catalogue of the trapper's
outfit, containing detailed descriptions of all the necessaries for
a most thorough campaign, including boats and canoes, log cabins,
shanties and tents, snow shoes and camp furniture of all kinds,
together with numerous and valuable hints on trapper's food.

PLAN OF CAMPAIGN.

The first thing to be considered in reference to a campaign is
the selection of a trapping ground, and it is always desirable
to choose a locality where travel by water can be resorted to as
much as possible. Otter, mink, beaver and muskrat are among the
most desirable game for the trapper, and as these are all amphibious
animals, a watered district is therefore the best on all accounts.
Lakes, ponds, and streams, bordered by wild woods, form the best
possible grounds for general trapping, and the mountain lakes of the
Adirondacks and Alleghenies, and all similar regions are especially
desirable on this account. Almost any wild country, intersected
with streams, lakes, and rivers, is apt to abound with game, and
some trappers confine their labors to the borders of a single lake,
and adjoining forest. This plan is especially to be recommended to
the amateur, as much of the travelling to and fro can be done by boat,
[Page 226]
the labor being thus much lightened. Having decided upon the seat
of operations, the young trappers should immediately set to work
at building their shanties and boats. The home shanty is of the
greatest importance, and should be constructed first. Select some
flat bit of land near the water and clear it of brush wood, or
other rubbish and proceed to work as described on page 242. A good
axe is the only tool required by an experienced trapper in the
construction of such a shanty. Should the trapping lines be very
extensive, additional _bark_ shanties, page 245, will require to
be made at intervals along the line, for sleeping stations and
shelters in case of storm. The professional trapper generally attends
to the building of his shanties and boats before the trapping season
commences, and thus has everything in readiness for his campaign.
If in a birch bark country the Indian canoe, page 260, is the most
desirable craft, on account of its lightness and portability. The
dug-out, or bateau, described on page 259, will also do good service.

The trapping season begins in October, and everything should be
in readiness at this time, so that the trappers may devote all
their time strictly to business.

The route of the professional trapper often extends over fifty
miles, and the number and weight of traps and provisions which
these rough-and-ready individuals often carry as personal luggage
is most astounding. Fifty or sixty pounds apiece is considered a
_fair_ burden, and they deem no one a fit physical subject for a
campaign who cannot at least manage thirty pounds with comparative
ease. The number of the trapping party generally consists of from
two to four. A few days prior to the opening of the trapping season,
the party start out, laden with their burden of traps and provisions,
and deposit them at intervals along the line, the provisions being
mainly kept in the "home shanty." Several trips may be necessary to
complete these preparations, unless the trapping ground is readily
accessible by wagon or boat, in which case the transportation is
much easier.

The "home shanty" is generally built only when the trapping grounds
are far in the wilderness, miles away from civilization. If the
line extends from the outskirts of some town or village, such a
hut may be dispensed with. It is used principally as a storehouse
for furs, provisions, ammunition, tools, and other valuables, and
also serves as a point of rendezvous, or a home, for the trappers,
one of the number being generally left in charge to "keep shanty"
while his companions are on their tramps in search of game. If
desired, a boy may be taken
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along for this especial purpose. In every case, some such guardian
is very necessary, and particularly in wild districts, abounding in
wolves and bears, as these animals have an odd trick of breaking
into unguarded shanties, and often make sad havoc with its stores.
Steel traps are almost exclusively used by the professional trapper,
and the supply for a single campaign will often exceed one hundred
and fifty. Many of the traps described in the early part of this
work are also used, and for the amateur who has not the ready cash
to layout in steel traps, are decidedly to be recommended and will
be found very efficient. From thirty to fifty traps would be a fair
number for an ordinary amateur trapping season, and the probable
cost of such a lot would be from $15 to $25. The sizes of the traps
will depend upon the game sought, No. 2-1/2 being a good average.
With this supply, relying somewhat on dead-falls, twitch-ups, and
the various other devices described in our early pages, we can
guarantee lively sport, of course, presuming that good judgment has
been used in the selection of a trapping ground. In later articles,
under the proper headings, we give full details concerning food
and cooking utensils, shelter and bedding, as well as many other
requisites for the trapper's comfort. To complete the list he should
provide himself with a good sharp axe, and hatchet, and if the
log canoe is in anticipation he will also require the other tools
mentioned on page 259 an oilstone being carried in order to keep the
various tools in good repair; an auger, saw, and some large nails are
also to be desired, and a small parcel containing needles, thread,
pins, scissors, etc., will be found indispensable. "Cleanliness is
next to Godliness," and there are no more luxurious necessities
in camp life than a piece of soap and a clean towel. For light it
is advisable to carry a supply of candles, or a lantern with a can
of oil. The latter is, of course, more bulky, and for a campaign
wholly on foot is hardly to be recommended on this account.

Each trapper should be provided with a stout jack-knife, pocket-compass,
and a supply of matches, a number of these being always carried on
the person to provide for the emergencies to which the hunter is
always subject.

One of the party should carry a double-barrelled shot-gun and another
a rifle, or both may be combined in a single weapon. A revolver
is also a desirable acquisition. Purified neats-foot oil should
be used on the fire-arms, and in lieu of this, some trappers use
the melted fat of the grouse for the same purpose. A good supply
of fishing tackle is almost indispensable, and
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with these valuable equipments the young trapper may defy the wilderness
with all its hazards. With his traps, gun and rod, together with his
store of provisions, he may look forward to a larder well stocked
and may calculate on an appetite which will do it justice.

The list of portable provisions and cooking utensils best adapted
for a campaign are given under their proper title, and will be
found to cover all the wants of the most fastidious. The stove
is the most cumbersome article, but trappers generally dispense
with its use altogether, looking at it rather in the light of a
luxury as well as a nuisance. The open camp fire will answer every
purpose, both for cooking and for comfort in cold weather.

For clothing it is desirable to carry at least two suits, in order
to have a "change." They should be of woolen, and from the _hunter's_
point of view, should be of a sombre shade, so as to be as inconspicuous
as possible. The use of high-top boots is to be deprecated, as they
are tiresome and unwieldy. Short boots, with thick, iron-pegged
soles, are generally preferred by trappers, and in order to render
them soft, pliable, and waterproof they may be soaked or smeared
with a hot mixture, composed of one part rosin, two parts beeswax,
and three parts tallow. Simple tallow, or even the fat of the deer,
is sometimes used for the same purpose.

Calculating on a successful campaign, a supply of board-stretchers,
page 273, will be needed for the curing of the skins, and if our
adventurous enthusiasts should extend their experience along into
the winter, the toboggan and snow-shoes will come into good use
for convenient winter travel.

The trapping season properly commences in October and ends in April.
The pelts of fur bearing animals are in their best condition during
this time, and in the winter are in their prime. The various modes
of setting and baiting traps for all our leading animals are clearly
set forth in another part of this volume. And in the accompanying
engravings will be found life like representations of each species.

In a trapping campaign it is an excellent plan to select a central
point for the home shanty, extending the trapping lines in several
directions therefrom, following the borders of the lakes or streams
for the otter, beaver, mink and muskrat; and setting a few lines
inland for the capture of martens, racoons, foxes, etc.

For an amateur campaign this a most excellent and convenient
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arrangement, the lines may extend all the way from one to five miles
each, and connect at their edges, the whole ground plan resembling the
form of a wheel, the shanty corresponding to the hub, and the trapping
lines the spokes, the tire representing the circuit connecting the
various lines. Where the latter extend over many miles it is well
to construct bark shanties at the limits. Let each trapper take
a certain "spoke," and follow it to its terminus, returning on the
adjacent line. On his arrival at the shanty he should immediately
set to work skinning the animals taken, and stretching their furs.
Full directions for skinning the various game are given under their
respective titles, and the curing of skins is treated in detail
in another chapter of this work. We also present a table of the
comparative values of the various American furs at the present
date of publication. Of course these values are constantly varying,
but the table will serve at least to gauge the relative values
of common and scarce furs. Great care should always be used in
removing the skins from the various animals, as the final value
of the fur much depends upon this. They should not be removed from
the stretchers until perfectly dry, and should then be laid in a
cool, airy place. When near a village or settlement it is advisable
to send "into town" every few days with a batch of furs for safe
keeping, and particularly so when the skins are valuable, and in
cases where the home shanty is left unguarded. The value of prime
otter or mink pelt is a matter of no small importance, and a good
trapping ground furnishes a rare field for light fingered prowlers
who are well posted on the market price of raw furs, and who are
constantly on the lookout for such prizes, either in the shape
of the prepared skin, or on the back of the live animal. These
"trap robbers," or poachers, are the pests of trappers, and many
have learned from dear experience the advisability of placing their
choice furs beyond the reach of the marauders.

The hut in which they are stored is nearly always kept guarded,
and, where this is impracticable, the skins are hid in hollow trees,
or carried to some near settlement, as we have already mentioned.

If the campaign proves successful and promises well for another
season, it is customary to hide the traps beneath rocks, thus saving
the labor of a second transportation. In order to keep the traps
from rusting, it is well to cover them with oat or buckwheat chaff.
The rock should be first rolled from its resting place, and a bed
of the chaff made beneath it, in which the traps should be covered,
the rock being afterwards replaced. In a few such
[Page 230]
places all the traps may be effectually stored away, and they will
be found in prime order and ready for business on the following
season.

In the months of September and October trappers are much annoyed by
gnats and mosquitoes, and, as a preventive against the attacks of
these pests, we give on page 255 some valuable receipts, which have
stood the test of time, and are still the most effective remedies.
The "smudge," consisting of a smouldering pile of birch bark is
also used where the insects infest the tents or shanties by night.
The bark should be dry, and should not be allowed to blaze. The
smudge is generally placed at the entrance of the tent, and the
trapper may then take his choice between smoke or mosquitoes, both
cannot exist together, and a tent infested with the blood-thirsty
pests may be effectually cleared in a few minutes by the introduction
of smoking brand for a few seconds. If the tent is now closely
buttoned and the smudge kept burning directly outside, there will
be no further trouble with the mosquitoes, and the odor of the
smoke is, after all, but a slight annoyance and to some is even
enjoyable after being once accustomed to it. When the home shanty
is infested, it may be cleared in the same way, and by the aid of
two or more smudges on the windward side may be kept free from
the insects.

FOOD AND COOKING UTENSILS.

The professional trapper on a campaign depends much upon his traps
for his food, and often entirely contents himself with the subsistence
thus gained. We _encourage_ and _believe_ in "roughing it" to a
certain extent, but not to that limit to which it is often carried
by many professional "followers of the trap" throughout our country.
The course of diet to which these individuals subject themselves,
would often do better credit to a half civilized barbarian than
to an enlightened white man, and when it comes to starting on a
campaign with no provision for food excepting a few traps, a gun, and
a box of matches, and relying on a chance chip for a frying-pan, he
would rather be "counted out." In ordinary cases we see no necessity
for such deprivation, and, on the other hand, we decry the idea of
transporting a whole kitchen and larder into the woods. There is
a happy medium between the two extremes, whereby a light amount
of luggage in the shape of cooking utensils and closely packed
portable food, may render the wild life of the trapper very cozy
and comfortable, and his meals a source of enjoyment, instead of a
[Page 231]
fulfilment of physical duty. What with the stock of traps, necessary
tools, blankets, etc., the trapper's burden is bound to be pretty
heavy, and it becomes necessary to select such food for transportation
as shall combine the greatest amount of nutriment and the least possible
weight, and to confine the utensils to those absolutely necessary
for decent cooking.

The trapper's culinary outfit may then be reduced to the following
items, and in them he will find a sufficiency for very passable
living.

One of the most nutritious and desirable articles of food consists
of fine sifted Indian meal; and it is the only substantial article
of diet which many trappers will deign to carry at all.

By some it is mixed with twice its quantity of wheat flour, and
is thus used in the preparation of quite a variety of palatable
dishes. One or two pounds of salt pork will also be found a valuable
addition; boxes of pepper and salt and soda should also be carried.
With these simple provisions alone, relying on his gun, traps and
fishing tackle for animal food, the young trapper may rely on three
enjoyable meals a day, if he is anything of a cook. Pork fritters
are not to be despised, even at a hotel table; and with the above
they can be made to suit the palate of the most fastidious.

Indian meal is a valuable accessory with cooks generally, and to
the trapper it often becomes his great "staff of life." If our
young enthusiast desires to try his hand at roughing it to the
fullest extent, compatible with common sense and the strength of an
ordinary physical constitution, he may endeavor to content himself
with the above portable rations; but with anything less it becomes
too much like starvation to arouse our enthusiasm. For cooking
utensils, a small frying-pan and a deep tin basin are indispensable;
and a drinking cup is also to be desired. The kind known as the
telescope cup, constructed in three parts, which close within each
other, when not in use, possesses great advantages on account of
its portability. With these one can get along pretty decently.

[Illustration]

The pork fritters already mentioned form a favorite dish with trappers
generally, and can be made in the following
[Page 232]
way; have at hand a thick batter of the Indian meal and flour;
cut a few slices of the pork, and fry them in the frying-pan until
the fat is tried out; cut a few more slices of the pork; dip them
in the batter and drop them in the bubbling fat, seasoning with
salt and pepper; cook until light brown and eat while hot. The
question now arises, "What shall we eat them with?" If you are
"roughing it," such luxuries as plates and knifes and forks are
surely out of the question; and you must content yourself with
a pair of chop sticks "a la Chinee," or make your jackknife do
double purpose, using a flat chip or stone as a plate. A small
tin plate may be added to the list of utensils if desired, but
we are now confining ourselves to the "lowest limit" of absolute
necessities. That wholesome dish known as "boiled mush," may come
under the above bill of fare; and fried mush is an old stand-by
to the rough and ready trapper. In the first case the Indian meal
is slowly boiled for one hour, and then seasoned as eaten. It is
then allowed to cool, and is cut in slices and fried in fat. Indian
meal cakes are easily made by dropping a quantity of the hot mush
in the frying-pan, having previously stirred in a small quantity
of soda, and turning it as soon as the lower side is browned. A
Johnny cake thus made is always appetizing, and with the addition
of a little sugar, it becomes a positive luxury. Hoe cakes, so
much relished by many, can be made by mixing up a quantity into
a thick mass, adding a little soda. Bake in the fire on a chip or
flat stone. The trapper's ground is generally in the neighborhood
of lakes or streams, and fresh fish are always to be had. They
may be cooked in a manner which would tempt a city epicure; and
when it comes to the cooking of a fresh brook trout, neither a
Prof. Blot nor a Delmonico can compete with the trapper's recipe.
The trout is first emptied and cleaned through a hole at the neck,
if the fish is large enough to admit of it; if not, it should be
done by a slit up the belly. The interior should be carefully washed
and seasoned with salt and pepper; and in the case of a large fish,
it should be stuffed with Indian meal. Build a good fire and allow
the wood to burn down to embers; lay the fish in the hot ashes
and cover it with the burning coals and embers; leave it thus for
about half an hour, more or less, in proportion to the size of the
fish (this may be easily determined by experiment); when done,
remove it carefully from the ashes, and peel off the skin. The
clean pink flesh and delicious savor which now manifest themselves
will create an appetite where none before existed. All the delicate
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flavor and sweet juices of the fish are thus retained, and the trout
as food is then known in its perfection.

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