

The only essential being that the chain ring of the 

 trap will travel down freely, to its base, being held 

 by the clog or stone. When the animal is caught 

 it leaps or drags the trap with it into the water and 

 the ring sliding down the pole, chain or wire pre- 

 vents him front rising or returning thus drown- 

 ing him and preventing its flesh or hide being torn 

 or discovered by his enemies or even frightening 

 others. The other device is called 



No. 3. "The Drag- or Clog" This is used 

 mostly for land animals, either small ones or those 

 of huge and tremendous strength, such as the 

 Bear, etc. For these animals (in fact for no ani- 

 mal] must the trap ever be staked fast. Most 

 people erroneously believe that traps (large ones 

 especially) must be staked fast so as their prey 

 will be held there. This is wrong. For if this is 

 done they will either chew or pull their legs off or 

 beat the trap to pieces. But, if on the other hand, 

 they are only encumbered with the drag or clog 

 of say equal weight (or even less) than their own, 

 they will only drag it about or vent their spite on 

 it, and its object is only to encumber the animal so 

 as he cannot run off; far care should be taken not 

 to fasten the chain at the center (of a log or heavy 

 stick of wood) best 'near of its ends, lest it catch 

 and thus permit him to tear himself out. The 

 best way being to slip the chain around the heavi- 

 est, widest part of the clog and secure it there with 

 a wedge; many cutting a recess for the chain so as 

 to more securely hold it besides. 



These are all the essentials for almost any trap- 

 ping outfit and together with other items that I 

 shall now describe complete all the necessaries 

 for an extended trip. 



The Trappers' Outfit 



Like all other things, no man can excel in any 

 art unless he makes a study of it. He must be- 

 come familiar with the habits and haunts of ani- 

 mals, so as to locate them. Armed with such 

 knowledge his outfit need not be extensive, and a 

 dozen good traps in the hands of any careful trap- 

 per would equal a hundred with a shiftless one. 

 As to what is needed is for the trapper himself to 



