CHAPTER XXIV. 

 A Few Words on Deadfalls. 



OMRADES, as I have been asked to give my idea on the 

 deadfall as a practical trap in taking the fur bearing 

 animals, will say that I do not consider it a useless con- 

 trivance as some of the boys of the trap line claim. On 

 the contrary, I consider it to be a very successful trap in taking 

 many of the fur bearers such as will readily take bait including 

 the skunk, mink, coon, opossum, rabbit, muskrat, etc. 



It is not to be supposed that the fox, coyote, -wolf, etc., can be 

 taken in the deadfall; neither is it supposed to be as convenient 

 or as successful a trap as the steel trap. Yet, under favorable conr 

 ditions I prefer it to the steel trap in trapping some animals, and 

 it is certainly a little more humane in its operation as it usually 

 kills its prey almost instantly, therefore it saves the animal much 

 suffering. 



Now there are many kinds of deadfalls, the most of which 

 have been shown from time to time in Hunter-Trader-Trapper. 

 Were I up on drawing, I would illustrate some of the deadfalls 

 which I consider the most successful, but I am not, so inclose 

 photo. I will mention some of the deadfalls which I have seen 

 in use in different parts of the country, some of which were good, 

 but the majority I have seen in general use I did not like mostly on 

 account of the length of time that it took to construct them, and 

 the manner in which it was necessary to place the bait. 



I prefer a deadfall so constructed that several .different kinds 

 of bait can be used at the same time, therefore the trap is ready 

 for more than one kind of an animal and also a trap that is readily 

 constructed. In the South we see many deadfalls. The most com- 

 mon deadfalls used are those made by placing a bottom log about 

 six or eight inches in diameter and five or six feet long. The 

 drop was about the same size as the bottom log, only much longer 



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