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Figure 36. — A favorite muskrat trap set 

 in many northern marshes is under the 

 ice at the entrance of the lead into the 

 feeding shelter. 



or shelter, and the larger dwelling 

 house. Under frozen conditions 

 one of the most productive sets is 

 made by cutting through the ice 

 into a lead to a feeding hut and 

 setting the trap so that the pan is 

 tripped as the muskrat enters the 

 hut (fig. 36). 



Sloping-board and shelf sets are 

 used in some areas for trapping un- 

 der ice. The length of the board 

 depends on the depth of the water. 

 In the sloping-board set, the trap is 

 held in place by a small cleat and 

 an arrangement of two or three 

 nails about halfway up the board. 

 A piece of bait, such as carrot, ap- 

 ple, or parsnip, is nailed to the 

 board 2 or 3 inches above the trap. 

 The board is then shoved through a 

 hole in the ice at about a 45° slant 

 until its lower end rests in the mud. 



The shelf set is made by setting 

 the trap on a right-angled shelf 

 nailed to an upright board and 

 shoved downward through the ice 

 until it sticks firmly in the mud and 



both trap and bait are under water. 

 Another under-the-ice set can be 

 made by placing a trap in the crotch 

 of a willow or dogwood sapling. 

 When the spring break-up arrives, 

 these methods are abandoned for 

 the floating-board or other open-, 

 water sets. 



Skinning Methods 



It is advisable to skin muskrats 

 as soon as possible after catching 

 them. Skinning is more easily done 

 while some body heat remains, and 

 both skins and carcasses keep better 

 if handled at once. Removal of the 

 pelt requires careful cutting and 

 pulling; and with a little practice 

 it can be done quickly. 



There are several methods of 

 holding a muskrat while skinning 

 it. Some trappers hold the animal 

 in their laps; others place it on a 

 board resting between their legs. 

 Another method in common use is 

 to start the skinning operation and 

 then suspend the muskrat by its tail 

 with a looped cord (fig. 37). In 

 Delaware, a short, lengthwise slit is 

 usually cut in the tail which is 

 forced over a nail to suspend the 

 muskrat. An old swivel-type No. 1 

 jump trap, nailed to a board, makes 

 an excellent device for holding the 

 animal firmly during skinning — 

 the tail gripped in the steel jaws 

 (fig. 38) . A rather unique but sur- 

 prisingly quick and efficient method 

 is that of holding the muskrat by 

 the tail under the heel of the boot 

 and cutting from an underhand po- 

 sition (fig. 39). 



In skinning, the muskrat should 

 not be opened along the belly but 

 should be cased, flesh side out, with 



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