THE OREGON SPORTSMAN ] 4 1 



reducing their numbers. This has led to a feeling that the game 

 laws have put an obstacle in the way of people who would trap 

 these animals. 



As an illustration of this feeling, two trappers were arrested 

 on the headwaters of the Molalla river on December 22, 1914, 

 and fined for killing deer. The "Molalla Pioneer" in reporting 

 the case intimated that such action was questionable, claiming 

 they killed one deer only and were trapping to exterminate wild- 

 cats, cougar, etc. But as a matter of fact they were trapping 

 for the mone}^ they could derive from pelts, and for any animal 

 that would produce a pelt of commercial value. As to the actual 

 disposition of this deer referred to : they threw the hide in the 

 river ; had part of the meat in camp and were using it ; had taken 

 part out to their home near Scotts Mill; were feeding it to their 

 dog, and had baited their traps with what was left. This is a fair 

 example of what w r ould be done with a good many deer if the 

 practice of baiting traps with game was permitted. Besides, a 

 greater part of the trapping such men do is not for wolves or 

 cougar, but for otter, mink, marten and other small fur bearing 

 animals which are more numerous and more easily caught. Many 

 of them are incapable of catching an animal as elusive as the wolf 

 or cougar, even if they did use an unlimited supply of deer meat 

 for bait. If such a practice was allowed trappers would soon be 

 a menace to the game of the woods and mountains. It is only 

 fair to say that a good many trappers are willing to obey the law 

 on this point; but there are others that have neither regard for 

 the game or the laws for its protection. 



As to the necessity of using deer meat for baiting for the 

 wolf, cougar and others, any one that has had long experience 

 with these animals knows that when hungry they will eat the 

 flesh of almost any kind of animal, either domestic or wild, so 

 long as they do not smell or see signs of man around to make 

 them suspicious or afraid. That point alone is the difficult one, 

 and not the kind of meat used. Many of the best trappers do not 

 use bait, but depend on prepared scents, and "blind sets." 



The law in question is a good one and should be enforced. 



