line with the slanting hole. Be sure there is no 

 debris under the trap pan to prevent its function- 

 ing. Place a "trap pad" (a piece of light canvas 

 cut to fit inside the spread jaws) over the pan, 

 and sift fine dirt over the entire trap until it is 

 completely covered. 



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Make the ground over the trap look as natural 

 as possible; then place the bait in the hole, and 

 remove the ground cloth along with tools and 

 excess dirt. Remember that most animals are 

 critical observers and may become suspicious of 

 unnatural objects. 



Traps should be checked in the earl}^ morning 

 since most of the animals are active at night. 

 The sets should be visited each day, but should 

 be observed from a distance so as not to disturb 

 the area. 



WATER SET 



The water set is especially good for mink and 

 raccoon, and should be made in 2 or 3 inches of 

 water along the banks of a stream where the 

 animal is likely to travel. Natural objects such 

 as sticks, stumps, or logs can be so placed as to 

 direct the animal over the trap. 



The trap should be set under the surface of the 

 water and covered with debris and leaves from 

 the bottom of the stream, with care being taken 

 to get none of this material under the pan. For 

 raccoons, a bright object like aluminum foil, a 

 clam shell, or a bottle cap wired to the pan will 

 act as an attractant. To avoid leaving signs, the 

 trapper sliould stand in the water when setting 

 the trap. 



An effective water set for fo.xes can be made by 

 ])lacing bait on a rock or liummock a foot or two 

 out of a stream or lake. The trap is placed mid- 

 way between the bank and the bait, with the pan 

 barelv out of the water and covered with moss or 



leaves to resemble a solid object. The fox will 

 use this as a stepping stone to readi the bait. 



BLIND SET 



The blind set depends on the normal travel of 

 the animal, rather than a bait or scent, to bring 

 the animal to the trap. Sets should be made in 

 natural travel routes, such as trails, openings in 

 the brush, or holes in fences, or at the end of 

 hollow logs. The trap is placed in the ground, as 

 in the dirt-hole set, and its success depends upon 

 careful selection of the site and good concealment. 



A blind set can be made more effective by plac- 

 ing a stick in front of the trap and one behind it, 

 to break the animal's stride and cause it to step 

 on the pan. The distance from the stick to the 

 trap depends on the stride of the animal to be 

 caught. A pole placed across the trail a foot or 

 two above the set will usually prevent large 

 animals from springing the trap. 



CUBBY SET 



The cubby set is an old standby of professional 

 trappers, and works well for mink, weasels, rac- 

 coons, and other small animals. If covered, it is 

 especially good in winter because the set is pro- 

 tected from snow. Its size should permit easy 

 entry of the animal to be trapped, and it may be 

 built of twigs, old weathered boards, old pieces of 

 drain tile, or small rocks. It should look natural. 

 The best type of cubby is merely a hollowed out 

 place at the base of a brush pile or rock pile, or a 

 brush-covered space between two small logs, or a 

 hollow at the base of a tree. 



6AIT 





