124 PRACTICAL TRAPPING. 



out into the water again. In building their dams beaver al- 

 ways choose a location at the head of rapids, where they can 

 have open water in winter. Bank beaver generally build their 

 habitations along the sides of rapids. 



Beavers in travelling on land generally have one particular 

 path which they follow ; therefore, if you set a trap at each 

 end of the path you are quite sure to capture them. The 

 trap should be set a little on one side of the middle of the path, 

 and three or four inches under water. In a single trap, set 

 in this way, I have caught two otters, four beavers, and seven 

 muskrats, during one trapping season. 



The otters' haunts are detected by their slides, and the 

 freshness of their works on the slides. 



Mink, marten and fisher, have no particular signs except 

 their foot-prints and droppings, generally where they cross 

 from one stream to another. Minks have certain run-ways 

 the same as deer. On these run-ways they always stop in 

 some old root or hollow log. When you find one of these 

 places, you can tell whether it is a mink-haunt by their drop- 

 pings. Set your trap in or near these holes and you are sure 

 to catch any mink that passes. I have caught four minks in 

 one season, in one hollow log, without using any bait. If 

 there are deer run-ways on your hunting grounds, marten and 

 fisher will follow those paths, in order to pick up provisions. 

 In these places the wolf is the marten's and fisher's provider. 

 Nearly all the deer that are killed by wolves, are killed on the 

 run-ways, and the marten and fisher follow the wolf to pick up 

 the fragments he leaves. Hence, whenever I cross a deer's 

 run-way I set a trap or two, and generally with success. 



During the last five years I have been trapping in partner- 

 ship with Mr. Robert Holland, an accomplished deer-hunter 

 and trapper, and by way of conclusion to this article I will 

 give the results of our labors for three years. Our method is 

 to carry on farming during the summer months, and trap in 

 the fall, winter, and early spring. In 1863 we caught ninety- 

 eight minks, fifty-two martens, fourteen fishers, ten otters, fifty- 

 three beavers, five wolves, thirteen raccoons, seven foxes, and 

 two hundred and eighty muskrats. In 1864 we caught eighty- 



