THE MUSKRAT. 



27 



and the 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 

 2 or 3 inches deep, and fasten the chain to a stake, or, better still, 

 to a slender pole reaching into deep water. The pole, upon which 

 the ring of the chain is to slide, should have a fork at the outer end 

 to prevent the ring from slipping farther, and the other end should 

 be stuck firmly into the bank. 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 immedi- 

 ately 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 sug- 

 gest 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 re- 

 quired. 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 2 inches 

 under water. 



When ponds are frozen over, traps are often set in the muskrat 

 houses, the trapper going to them on the ice; but this practice de- 

 stroys the houses and is not to be commended. Trapping near the 

 houses in open water is far better, although it is not always possible 

 to use a boat in the shallow marshes to which the muskrat resorts. 

 When the houses are not far from the bank, a long plank about 

 5 or 6 inches wide may be used advantageously as a support for traps. 

 It is moored to the shore by a wire passed through a staple driven 

 into one end of the plank, while the other end projects into the pond 

 or rests against the side of the muskrat house. Light cleats are 

 nailed to the upper side of the plank at intervals, with space enough 

 between them to hold a trap when set. The ring at the end of each 

 trap chain is fastened to the plank by a staple. A plank will hold a 

 trap for each foot of its length. Baits of carrot or apple may be 

 scattered along the plank; but they are not necessary, since the ani- 

 mals use such a plank as a highway to reach the shore. An animal 

 venturing upon the plank is almost sure to be caught. In this way 

 most of the occupants of a house may sometimes be taken on one 

 plank in a single night. A floating log, or one extending out into 

 the water, may be used in a similar way as a support for traps. 

 Shallow notches wide enough to hold the traps may be cut into it, 

 and the traps covered lightly with fine leaves or grass. 



The box trap is a favorite with some trappers. They use a long 

 wooden box whose cross section inside is about G by G inches and 



396 



