FUR FACTS 203 



Winning Method for Marten 



"I will give my ideas and methods of trapping marten. I will 

 first, tell what I have learned about the nature of the marten on the 

 Pacific Coast. 



They most always frequent the north and east side of a mountain 

 that is pretty heavily timbered. About the 10th of December is the 

 time to commence to trap, as the fur is fully prime by that time, and 

 stays good until about the latter part of February. Marten should 

 never be caught earlier or later than that on this Coast. Last year 

 I commenced to trap the 21st of December and quit the middle of 

 February, and caught forty-one marten. 



I use a No. or No. 1 Newhouse trap, as they are plenty large 



and strong to hold the biggest marten, and much lighter to carry 



around. I always take a supply of Funsten Animal Bait and Trail 



Scent with me. Run your trap line around a mountain, keeping in 



the thick timber. Make your sets about two hundred yards apart. 



When signs are thick, set closer, as a marten is missing in the keen 



scent that a fox or other animals have. I always make a set near 



a dead snag or old log, for marten are great mousers. Fasten your 



bait on the side of a tree or snag, with a single staple or nail, about 



twelve inches from the ground, place some bark ot boughs in the snow 



on each side to force him in; if in the snow, place a wide leaf or bough 



on the snow, about eight inches from the bait, set the trap on the 



bough and cover with fine leaves or boughs. Put a few drops of 



Fimsten's Bait on meat or whatever you use. Take a piece of meat 



about as large as your two fists, and cut several slits in it. Fill the 



slits with Funsten's Trail Scent, and drag behind you with a long 



string every time you go around to your traps. When the scent 



wears off, put on a few drops more. I never had a marten cross my 



trail but what he stopped and followed it one way or the other to a 



trap. I have had them follow the trail after six or eight inches of 



snow. It beats anything that I ever tried. I most always use a 



piece of duck or bird for bait. Use plenty of Fimsten Bait in cold, 



freezing weather. To kill a marten, I always hit him a tap on the 



head with my hatchet handle, to stun him, and then get hold of him 



just back of the forelegs and smother him to death, for a marten is 



hard to kill by striking him on the head. I have cut holes in the 



hide by striking them too hard. Always skin them as soon as caught 



and they skin much easier. Be sure and flesh the hide well, and 



don't stretch too tight. Leave them on the board about four days 



and then take off." 



John P. Frame. 



