52 



THE GAME BREEDER 



GAME ENEMIES. 



By M. J. Newhouse. 



Method of Trapping Hawks and Owls 

 and Crows. 



As is well known, both hawks, owls 

 and crows generally alight on some high 

 point like a tree-top, high posts or pole 

 and sometime the ridge-pole of a barn 

 either to survey the surroundings or to 

 eat what they have caught. 



In our experience the most successful 

 way of catching them is to use a long 

 stake or hop-pole, saw off the small end 

 so as to have at least lyi inches in diam- 

 eter. This gives ample room for a staple 

 large enough for a No. 1}^ or No. 2 

 Oneida Jump Trap. The staple can be 

 made from common stove-pipe wire with 

 a pair of pHers. No pointing of staples 

 required as they drive readily into end 

 wood. 



Drive the staple into the end of pole, 

 leaving only room enough to insert the 

 end of the cross piece as shown in illus- 

 tration. The chain hangs quite close to 

 the pole and wedge on end of chain 

 can be driven into pole so low down 

 on the pole that the bird would be un- 

 able to regain the end of pole when 

 caught. 



This way of placing the trap is far 

 more satisfactory than nailing a small 

 board on the end of the pole as a bench 

 for the trap which often shakes off the 

 table in a wind by the constant sway- 

 ing back and forth. By using the staple 

 the weight of the over-hanging trap 

 holds it firmly in place, but is instantly 

 released by any exertion of a bird when 

 caught. 



With a high pole and bench or table 

 the trap has to be tied on, but with a 

 staple is easily handled when placing 

 pole in a fence corner or lashing same to 

 a fence post or stake. 



[While we were looking at the draw- 

 ing illustrating the placing of the hawk 

 and crow trap, Mr. J. H. Wise, a ca- 

 pable game keeper, came in the office of 

 The Game Breeder. He suggested cut- 

 ting the top of the pole so the trap could 





Abtuat 



Size 



of 



Oneida Jump Trap. Showing method of setting on post. 



be inserted in the cut and said he had 

 found the traps very effective when so 

 placed.— Editor.] 



Trapping Turtles. 



I have been experimenting with traps 

 of various styles and have settled on 

 either our California pocket gopher trap 

 with some modifications, which I think 

 would fill the bill both for turtles and 

 water snakes, or our No. 12 Jump Trap. 



I am not certain in the case of water 

 snakes whether or not they strike at 

 bait as a turtle does. If they do not 

 the pan should be made to operate 

 either way. I have been experimenting 

 with a trap which had this double ac- 

 tion, so that a reptile like a turtle or 

 snake lifting on the bait would spring 

 the trap, but in order to make this dou- 

 ble action on the No. 12 the expense 

 would be so great that we would not 

 care to handle it unless we felt sure of 

 having a sale of at least 100 dozen. 



All things considered, I think the 

 pocket gopher trap with the alterations 

 which I would make would fill the bill, 

 although this trap is made of wood 

 largely. I think it could be used with- 



