FIFTY YEARS A HUNTER AND TRAPPER. 



the foot and for more space for the bear to place his foot well 

 between the jaws, will say there is plenty of room in the New- 

 house No. 5 trap, if the trap is properly set. I also see that some 

 trappers want the swivel in the trap chain 8 or ten inches from 

 the bed piece, or the point of fastening. Now I am somewhat 

 puzzled as to an explanation in this matter, as it seems to me 

 that the swivel will be far less liable to become useless by being 

 twisted or wound around saplings, etc., where the swivel is close 

 to the bed piece than it would be if placed eight or ten inches out 

 in the chain. I prefer to have the swivel in my trap chain placed 

 as close to the trap as possible. 



Another thing that I have but little use for is a trap from 

 which the animal must take the bait in order to spring it, for 

 often the animal will go up close enough to a trap to inspect the 

 bait but will hot touch it. 



I do not think that there should be a latch on any trap, as 

 I think that often the animal's foot is thrown free from the trap, 

 or at least causes many catches by the tips of the toes and the 

 animal escapes, becoming a hard animal to catch thereafter. The 

 animal having a part of the foot resting on the latch and the toes 

 striking the treadle sufficient to unlatch the treadle, the released 

 jaw will throw the latch with the portion of the animal's foot rest- 

 ing on the latch, free from the trap, or at least may often cause 

 a slight catch of the toes or other part of the foot. All that is 

 necessary is to leave an extension to the arm or heel of the treadle 

 to catch over the jaw of the trap. The trap may be made *to 

 spring hard or easy by simply raising the pan slightly higher or 

 lowering it to catch farther on to the jaw of the trap more or 

 less as desired. 



Now boys, I have given a few of my ideas as to traps, and 

 if any of you have any suggestions to make as to improvements 

 on the animal steel traps, let us hear from you through the col- 

 umns of the H-T-T. I believe that manufacturers of animal or 

 game traps would be glad to make any improvements on their 

 traps could they be convinced that the suggested improvements 

 were really of any value. 



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