that compasses are no 
good. The average man 
should never go into the 
woods without one. We 
believe a man shouldn’t 
put too much _ confi- 
ence, or rather too 
much reliance, in his 
compass. He _ should 
learn, from the start, 
to acquire real woods 
lore which amounts to 
a sixth sense. But 
while acquiring this 
knowledge the proper 
use of the compass is 
a great help. 
It is a good plan to 
blaze your prospective 
traplines; not heavily 
the first time over, but 
enough so you can re- 
trace your steps. Later 
the route can _ be 
changed if it needs such 
attention. Don’t hack 
trees all up with your 
blazes, a neat slice 
from the bark is amply sufficient as 
a mark of direction, though of course 
one can make a special mark to indi- 
cate the approximate location of a trap. 
Blaze so that the face of the mark 
points directly to the line traveled, not 
at any old angle for this is confusing. 
If you are traveling east, blaze the 
east side of the trees as well as the 
west side, this will enable you to re- 
trace your steps with no trouble. 
T HERE is a simple rule which, if 
followed closely, will help a great 
deal in retracing one’s steps in rough 
timbered country where there is no 
sign of a trail and where one has not 
taken the trouble to blaze. This rule is 
—watch your back track! Going 
straight ahead through a strange coun- 
try various scenes are photographed on 
the mind; peculiar trees, odd-shaped 
rocks, small glades, etc., etc., will all 
be remembered IF one should happen 
to travel that exact route in the same 
direction again. But if you were to re- 
trace your steps all these various ob- 
jects are looked at from an entirely 
different angle and are so different you 
will not recognize them as landmarks. 
But if you look 
and again, the re- 
turn trip will not 
be so confusing. 
A man natur- 
ally travels in 
circles the exact 
diameter or cir- 
cumference of 

Beaver cuttings. 
back over the 
route you are. 
traveling, now 
photo was taken 
which depends on the man and the con- 
ditions. A compass is a good thing for 
helping to straighten the route now and 
again, but don’t travel with the thing in 
your hand, or if wearing it on your coat 
don’t keep your face bent to it like a 
mother with her firstborn. It is not 
essential nor even advised that one 
should travel in a straight line for 
many detours must be made in the 
woods, however, you must learn to keep 
a general direction or you will never 
get anywhere. This can best be ac- 
complished by keeping distant objects in 
line, that is, if you see a tree that 
stands out distinct from its surround- 
ings and is about or near where you 
wish to pass, keep that in mind and 
work toward it and when you are near 
it, select another object in the distance 
and repeat the performance. By and 
by you will get so accustomed to the 
woods you can travel as the wild things 
do, instinctively. 
FEW more hints in regard to blaz- 
ing: Blaze mostly on trees of the 
evergreen variety for when the bark 
is peeled ever so slightly the exposed 
trunk shines brightly, is easily seen 
from a distance and the sap action tends 
to keep it fresh looking for years. A 
blaze on a cottonwood, poplar, willow 
or birch will remain fresh only a com- 
paratively short time and in time will 
become overgrown. Make your blazes 
fairly high up in mountainous country 
and if the snow gets too deep you’ll 
have to raise them. 
When you have got your lines all 
marked out, make a map of the whole 
outlay and keep a fairly close account 
The partially felled tree in the center was down the morning after this 

of the traps set on each stub line and 
the animals taken from each line. The 
writer always did this because of the 
interesting points in connection. It 
helps to learn the habits of the wild 
creatures; the time and general direc- 
tion each travels. 
HEN one has satisfied himself or 
when two are convinced (in the 
case of a partnership) that certain ter- 
ritory will yield handsome returns in 
peltry, the most favorable location for 
the head camp is selected and a com- 
fortable cabin erected. This location 
depends entirely on peculiar circum- 
stances. For instance, if one has had 
his stuff packed into the wilds on 
. horses he can unload most anywhere 
and his main camp can be placed where 
he wants it. But if you raft your stuff 
downstream you will have to backpack 
it in and you won’t want your head- 
quarters many miles from that stream. 
A twelve by sixteen foot cabin is 
plenty large enough unless there are 
more than two men in the party. It 
should be as warm as possible, of a 
sufficient height for standing erect any- 
where in it, provided with some means 
for light and a moderate sized close- 
fitting door. In a country where moun- 
tain rats are plentiful one should take 
particular care in fitting the logs to- 
gether so as to exclude the pests as 
much as possible. 
The erection of the main camp will 
take two weeks hard work for two men, 
longer if these men are novices with 
an axe. Your axes should be sharp and, 
being sharp, are dangerous. When 
swinging your axe overhead be sure 
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