FUR FACTS 93 



You must make your places to trap them before it freezes up. Go 

 along the stream, and at all bluff banks set a row of stakes out in the 

 water several feet. Just under water, square down the bank with 

 a hatchet, leaving six inches between the bank and the stakes, cut 

 some brush and stick in the bank, letting the tops lay over the stakes 

 for mark. In this way you can have several hundred sets ready on 

 different streams for winter trapping. After streams are frozen up 

 solid you will find the water has fallen, and leaves a space under the 

 ice at shore. Here the mink lives through the cold weather. As 

 they work up and down the edge of the water they must go between 

 the stakes and the bank. To set traps, cut a hole in the ice one foot 

 from shore and one foot below the stakes. Set traps between the 

 stakes and the bank. If the water is too deep, fill up; if too shallow, 

 dig down. If the traps are likely to freeze up put a hand full of salt 

 around them. You can pick your set to have them in running water. 

 Stake in the hole you have cut and cover with ice and snow. If 

 trapping on swamp, where rats build their houses, mark all runs in 

 banks made by rats. To set here, cut a hole through to run, and set 

 trap, as they live here through cold weather. Set at all holes where 

 they have cut through the house, cut a hole in side of house and set 

 trap. Drop a rat carcass down the hole so the mink will have to 

 pass over the trap to reach the bait. Another set — Cut out a strip 

 six inches deep across the top of house and set trap here, covering 

 all traps smoothly. 



Spring Trapping — ^This is the time to catch them in holes, as 

 they dodge into every one they come to. Locate all the dens you 

 can through summer and fall. Make holes by driving a sharpened 

 stick slanting into the bank. Cut away the dirt at mouth of the 

 hole so the trap will set level with surface of the ground. Cover 

 the trap nice and smooth with dry grass or leaves; make the same 

 set at all dens and holes. At this time of the year use no bait. 

 All you want is the musk from another mink. Put some of this 

 scent on a small stick; drop in hole in front of the trap, and 

 you are sure of every mink that comes along. It will also draw 

 them, as they can smell it a long distance. Set at all bridges and 

 tiles and holes in rat runs around swamp, using the same scent, I 

 also recommend the Funsten Animal Baits; they are good and re 

 liable." 



C. S. Brewer 



