HOW TO CATCH THE FOX. 15 



trap and went to bed, pretty sure of catching Mm. I 

 went out quite early the next morning, and to my sur- 

 prise, there lay my trap bottom side up and not sprung, 

 but entirely naked. This same thing occurred many 

 times, and after turning it over the fox would dung in it 

 into the bargain. Old hunters said my trap was not clean, 

 or the fox would not be able to smell it and know where 

 it was. Being at Avork in a blacksmith's shop, it was sug- 

 gested to me to take a piece of rusty iron and to place it 

 near my trap in the bed. This I did, and when I went 

 out next morning my trap was gone. I found it on top 

 of a garden fence with a beautiful gray fox in it. He had 

 dragged it this far, and here got stuck fast. In after years 

 I learned more about the fox. 



HOW TO BAIT THE FOX PEEYIOUS TO SETTIXG THE TE.'OP. 



Go into the field some distance from the house or barn, 

 and make what wo call a hed^ three feet in diameter, or 

 thereabout. Wood ashes will do, but hay chaff is best. 

 Oat chaff is good, wheat chaff is better, and buckwheat 

 chaff better still. Make it deep enough to cover the trap, 

 and have some under the trap to keep it off of the ground 

 or snow. Make it smooth and level, and put some beef 

 scraps on it and throw some around it. This will induce 

 the fox to come up to the bed, and after a few trials he 

 will step into it and pick up the scraps, and perhaps turn 

 it bottom side up to see what there is in it. When you 

 have got hiiu coming regularly and taking the bait, wash 



