94 FIFTY YEARS A HUNTER AND TRAPPER. 



of the trap from the bank. A fox does not like new things. 

 You see this trap is set for mink, coon or fox, whichever may 

 happen along." 



"What is the trap fastened to?" 



"See that limb that has moss all grown over it. The trap is 

 stapled to it." 



"Can't a fox or coon drag it away?" 



"Yes, but not far. See the chain is stapled about the middle 

 of the limb, and the animal would not go far before it got fast. 



"Fred, you get that rabbit out of the knapsack that we took 

 out of the snare, and we will put some fresh bait in the pen for 

 this is getting too stale; mink and coon do not like rotten meat. 

 Cut it into several pieces so that the animal can not get it all 

 at once. There, that is all right, and let us hurry on to the 

 next trap. Here it is and a mink in it and drowned." 



"Where is the pen? I do not see it." 



"We do not always have a pen. You see that notch in that 

 log where the water runs over? That is where the trap was set. 

 See this hay wire that is fastened to the trap chain and which is 

 fastened to that stone out in the deep water? The mink could 

 not go toward the bank so it went into the deep water and was 

 drowned." 



"Why did you set a double spring trap here?" 



"Well, Fred, an otter might happen along and that is just 

 the place to catch it. You see above the log I have fixed to gage 

 the water as at the other trap. I do this so the water will not 

 wash the covering from the trap, or get so deep over the trap that 

 the animal will not spring it when going over it." "I see that 

 you have got those brush on either side of the trap with just 

 enough space for the animal to pass through over the trap." 

 "That is correct, you are catching on, Fred, all right." 



"Don't you use bait where you set a trap in this way?" 



"Not often; sometimes I fasten a fish with a horse-hair with 

 a hook fast to it so that you can hook it to the lower jaw and 

 fasten it in the water just above the trap; water keeps it mov- 

 ing and attracts the animal. We have got this trap set all right and 



