268 Stone, Winter Crozv Life in Delaware Valley. f j^^ 



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tion and that if not positively beneficial he is at least " on the 

 fence. " Where the law does not stand in the way, however, man 

 usually tries every path that leads to wealth and some enterprising 

 individuals have, from time to time, made a fair profit by trapping 

 these poor hungry winter crows to be used in lieu of pigeons in 

 trap shooting contests. 



In severe weather, when the ground is white with snow, the 

 crows have a harder time than ever to secure a living, and hunger 

 makes them comparatively tame, so that they fearlessly approach 

 barn-yards, refuse dumps, and any apparent source of food. It is 

 at such times that the trappers successfully ply their trade. 



A piece of ground conveniently near a strip of woodland or fence 

 row, and sufficiently cleared and open to attract the attention of the 

 crows and allow free use of the net, is selected. A rough shelter 

 is constructed for the concealment of the trapper, and near by a 

 spring-pole about fifteen feet in length, is planted at such an 

 angle that the free end is only about four feet from the ground. 

 A similar pole is planted about forty yards off; between these and 

 some distance behind them a row of stakes is driven into the 

 ground, to which the net is attached. These are also provided 

 with trigger releases which restrain the free edge of the net until 

 the spring poles are liberated. The net is an ordinary shad sein, 

 fourteen yards long and thirteen feet wide, and is attached to the 

 spring poles at either end. When set for action the spring poles 

 are bent back and the net is restrained by the triggers. It is then 

 quite inconspicuous and can be almost entirely concealed by a 

 sprinkling of grass. Pieces of horse flesh, which is preferred for 

 bait on account of its toughness, are now scattered along between 

 the poles and at the proper time the triggers and poles are simul- 

 taneously set free by a jerk on a rope that is held by the trapper, 

 and the feeding crows are immediately covered and entangled in 

 the meshes of the net. 



Trapping is begun in November and continued until March 

 whenever the conditions are favorable ; one man often secures as 

 many as five hundred birds in a season, and it is estimated that 

 at least two thousand crows have been killed in one year to test 

 the marksmanship of Philadelphia's trap shooters. The birds are 

 sprung singly from ordinary pigeon traps at twenty to twenty-five 



