336 WESTERN GRAZING GROUNDS AND FOREST RANGES 



a V, or in a trail where it passes between two stumps 

 or stones, so that the animal must under ordinary con- 

 ditions pass over it. If a bait is used do not place it on 

 the ground ; hang- it up so that the animal as it approaches 

 will naturally be looking up and thus take no notice of 

 what has been placed so cunningly for it to step into. 

 For bait a freshly-killed rabbit or young chicken, prairie 

 dog or almost any wild bird split open and hung over 

 the trap will be satisfactory. Many trappers use no bait 

 at all but depend entirely on scent to bring the animal 

 to the trap. The scent excites them and they paw and 

 dig about the trap and finally get caught. 



Set the trap flush with the ground, burying the chain 

 and everything of a metal nature so as not to be visible. 

 Spread a small piece of paper or a few leaves over the 

 pan of the trap, and then sprinkle enough soft dirt care- 

 fully over it to cover it. A handful of soft grass will 

 answer the purpose also. Leave everything about the 

 trap in as near its original condition as possible. Don't 

 spit on the ground, smoke or throw cigarette stubs about 

 the vicinity. 



If the trap is set near to the house see that the dogs 

 are tied up carefully; also the house cats. It is astonish- 

 ing how far afield these domestic animals will go, espe- 

 cially in the country. I once knew the pet milk cow at 

 a ranch to be caught by the tongue in a huge trap set 

 for a mountain lion. A handful of grass was strewn over 

 the trap and it is supposed she was attracted by the 

 scent used or by the grass, and in licking about the spot 

 her tongue touched off the trap and she was captured. 

 The chase she led the boys with the trap fast to her 

 tongue and a twenty-five pound club dragging over the 

 ground and the fight that followed when they tried to 



