D^cbmbbb, 1919 
FOREST AND STREAM 
fill 
TRAPPING IN SOUTHERN PENNSYLVANIA 
SOME PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIENCES WHILE FOLLOWING A TRAP 
LINE FOR THE COMMON FUR BEARERS IN THE TUSCARORA V^iLLEY DISTRICT 
M ost trappers during the last sea- 
son experienced much keener com- 
petition than formerly. At least 
this was the case in that part of Pennsyl- 
vania where I trapped. Due to the ad- 
vance in prices of pelts, country men and 
boys in countless numbers and here and 
there even girls went after the fur bear- 
ers. 
Notwithstanding the fact that hundreds 
of trappers were serving the colors, it is 
the opinion of fur dealers that more peo- 
ple trapped during the season of 1918-19 
than ever before. 
It is a significant fact, however, that 
even with this increase in the number of 
trappers, only the skunk collection seemed 
to equal that of former years. 
All other.s, particularly muskrat, mink, 
coon and red fox were smaller and, as 
compared with five and ten years ago, 
showed a very marked decrease. 
With prices as they have been during 
the past two seasons it is probable, how- 
ever, that trapping is as profitable and 
perhaps more profitable than formerly, 
when the catch was larger. 
But it is more necessary now than ever 
before for the trapper to know his trade. 
The harder a district is trapped the 
scarcer and warier become the animals 
and consequently more skill is required 
of the trapper if he would succeed. 
The great majority of those who trap, 
the country boy, the farmer, and the out- 
doors man, do so on a small scale near 
their homes. As a class they use very 
little science and obtain only mediocre re- 
sults. 
But in most districts where trapiung is 
worth white one will liiid men wlio go at 
the things in real earnest. They are thor- 
oughly familiar with the game and fur- 
h'-nrers in their seclion and depend on 
their catch of the latter for partial sup- 
port. 
These are the professional trappers of 
the more settled states, and it is to thnni 
we look for informannn as to the best 
methods of trapping in their respective 
sections. 
As the habits of animals vary under dif- 
ferent conditions so do the methods em- 
ployed for their capture. 
In the North, for instance, where foc-1 
i.s scarce in the cpld weather, bait sets are 
very successful. 
In the South food is nio,"e plentiful at 
this season and bl'iid sets are usually hot- 
ter, 
^'ountaln trapping Is different from 
that of the plains: western from casten. 
and that of the wilderness from that of 
the settled districts. 
ilardships to I).-' encouTitered in Ihe 
foriU'W are not met with in the latter, 
while many vexations ami annoyances 
v/hlch go to hamper success are encoiin- 
by t. mac THRAITE. 
John B. Miller, a veteran on the trail. 
tored much more frequently in civilized 
parts than in the wilderness. 
Take ihe trapper who has always 
worked in one dislrict, put him in an- 
other where conditions are totally differ- 
ent, and he will probaltly, for a v/hile at 
least, make a mighty poor sliowing. 
Every district should be thoroughly un- 
dersiood to get good results. 
A beginner sliould try to get some good 
man to tcaeh him. If he can go along 
will! an experienced trapper mi his trap 
line and see how he works during the 
diffc-rent seasons and get him to explain 
(ho various sets and the seasons for using 
them and can .get him to point out tracks 
and signs which are encountered, he vvill 
learn more in one seasn than years of in- 
dividual experience vronld teach him. But 
very few traiipers would care to do this, 
and particularly so where competition is 
keen. ^ 
It is deplorable, but nevertheless a fact, 
Oiat trap thievin.g in niany liistricts is one 
of the mo.st serious iiandicaps to success 
that the trapper has to eimeunter. I'^or 
Ibis veaseu lie I'm.eioys every precaution 
I'ossible to Ic'cp the location of his line a 
rccret. ,Au inadvertent remark by his 
most infimaue friend might ruin his sea- 
son's pro: l)ect«, 
Tt seems remarirafale that such an iin- 
l.'ortant industiyr as Irapolug m not .given 
the protection it has a right to command. 
I trust the day is not far-distant when 
trapping licenses will he required in ev- 
ery state. I should also like to see special 
laws made to protect the trapper. | 
Licenses and just laws would place 
trapping on a staple basis. 
Present conditions, however, are what f 
we have to consider. , 
W ITH the idea in view of explain- ' 
ing conditions and trapping meth- ^ 
ods used in a specific district I 
shall endeavor to give some personal ex- 
Iieriences and observations while follow- | 
ing a trap line during the past season in 
the Tuscarora "'/alley district in Southern 
Pe^-nsylvania. 
The state in this section is rolling and 
mountainous. The valleys are cultivated. t 
The mountains and ridges are mostly cov- 
ered with second growth timber of consid- ■ 
erahle size. Small saw-mills are scattered ■ 
throughout the district and cutting paper 
wood and making railroad ties constitute ,; 
an important sourse of revenue. 
From an eastern standpoint game Is ' 
plentiful. It consists of deer, rabbit, 
squirrel, tmkey, pheasant and some f 
quail. The fur heavers are red and gray f 
fox (mostly the latter), skunk, coon, 
muskrat, mink with an occasional bay ‘ 
l.\'ux, opossums up to two years ago were 
plentiful. The past two seasons they ,; 
seemed to he very scarce for some reason. v 
During the open season almost all the :■ 
natives hunt. Besides, many non-resi- i 
dent hunters came into the district. It is 
is 
therefore inadvisable to put out the full i- 
line until the season is over. But many 
carefully placed sets, particularly blind ;■ 
sets, will not he observed and may be ? 
handled successfully while bunting is on. 
During (his period the trapper, particu- '■'! 
larly if he is a stranger, can put in his ' 
spare time to good advantage prospecting 
and preparing locations for sets. I will 
give a word of advice to those who have 
not had such ex- 'idence: In going into a 
strange district it is absolutely necessary 
to take along some sort of note or form of 
endorsement or introduction. If one does ,' 
not he will almost invariably he regarded 
with suspicion, perhaps “sized up" as a 
game warden or some sort of an officer 
of the law. 
This was my experience, alihough T had 
a note of introduction to a prominent citl- ^ 
zen. A 
Game wardens are not usivally ipnpuiar 
and in some localities their lot is a de- 
cidedly risky one. Southern Fulton C 
County, for example, as attested 1o by 
the experience of the last two who eu- 'y 
deavored to patrol that district too thor- 
otighly. 
If a stranger, you will nrobahly get vi 
more infoT-inatiou from the ho^'s than any 
other source. There is a world of infer* y 
a''* 
h. 
