under the log as a second meal. "Then," said he, 

 "it worked like a charm." Still another was to 

 bore with a two inch auger a hole in a log and to 

 fill it with scented baits. The animal would use 

 its paws to dig it out after it had licked out all it 

 could (this was done first in many places.) Then 

 when signs appeared that some animal had been 

 at zYhis trap was laid and rarely without securing 

 something. One of the best ideas is when a hol- 

 low log is found (or even a partly rotten one) is to 

 scoop out a portion as though some animal had 

 done it, baiting the interior and hiding a trap or 

 two under the rotten wood that seems to have 

 been scratched out. A trail was then lead to this 

 log by several routes and a chance animal locat- 

 ing it would follow to the log and scenting- the bait 

 inside, would readily enter it, in the belief that a 

 feast or a part of one was inside. The result was 

 one of the several traps hidden secured him. 



Such things as these are what count in the art of 

 "trappers woodcraft," for it's mostly brains against 

 cunning. The simpler the method, the .easier the 

 success. Trapping is a science, for it is devoid of 

 sport. Probably none of my readers have ever 

 heard before of the most simple yet effective small 

 trap known today (unthought of years ago) is ar- 

 ranged by boring holes in billets of wild woods 

 and inserting around them sharp pointed horse 

 shoe nails leaving sufficient room for the head and 

 shoulders of a small animal to pass through be- 

 fore it reaches bait concealed behind its points. 

 As the animal cannot pass through after securing 

 the bait, by its attempt to withdraw, it is pierced 

 by the sharp points of the horse shoe nails and 

 held there until the billet is split so as to remove 

 it. And as these small animals serve as bait, leav- 

 ing the larger traps free to be used for valuable 

 ones, it is obvious that the plan is most excellent 

 as a trapper's aid in securing fresh bait. 



Oftimes old trappers preserve all droppings 

 (manure) they find. Likewise remnants of feasts, 

 feathers, etc., which they use with success to cover 

 and hide their traps. Besides this they smear 

 them with blood to prevent the scent of iron and 

 causing the animal to paw in its vicinity as though 

 some buried game was there. Where baits are used 



104 



