PROFIT FROM THE MUSKRAT  .85 
practiced eye can often trace them into shallow 
water. Sink the trap in the trail, partly in the 
mud or sand where the water is two or three 
inches deep, and fasten the chain to a stake, or, 
better still, to a slender pole, reaching into deep 
water. Fasten the bait to a stick set.in the 
mud, so that the bait is about a foot above the 
pan of the trap. The animal in reaching for 
the bait sets the hind foot upon the pan and is 
caught more securely than if taken by the fore 
foot. It immediately plunges into deep water, 
sliding the chain along the pole as far as it will 
go, and soon drowns. If the chain is fastened 
to a stake, it should be planted in water a foot 
or more in depth, so that the animal will drown. 
Besides this water-set for the steel trap, 
other situations will suggest themselves to the 
intelligent trapper. One of the best is in the 
opening of the animal’s burrow in the bank. 
Here no bait is required. Sometimes a spade 
is needed to cut out a piece of turf and make 
room for the trap, the top of which should be 
at least two inches under water. 
When ponds are frozen over, traps are often 
set in the muskrat houses, the trapper going 
