SCIENCE OF TRAPPING DESCRIBES THE FUR BEARING ANIMALS. THEIR NATURE, HABITS AND DISTRI- BUTION, WITH PRACTICAL METHODS FOR THEIR CAPTURE. By E.KREPS. Published by A. A. HARDING, Publisher 106 Walnut Street St. Louis, Mo. Copyrieht. 1909. By A. R. HARDING PUB- CO. CONTENTS. CHAPTER PAGE I. The Trapper's Art 15 II. The Skunk 32 III. The Mink 43 IV. The Weasel 52 V. The Marten 58 ' VI. The Fisher 66 VII. The Otter 74 VIII. The Beaver 88 IX. The Muskrat 103 X. The Fox 110 XI. The Wolf 126 XII. The Bear 141 XIII. The Raccoon 148 XIV. The Badger 154 XV. The Opossum 160 XVI. The Lynx 166 XVII. The Bay Lynx or Wild Cat 173 6 CONTENTS. CHAPTER PAGE XVIII. The Cougar 178 XIX. The Wolverine 184 XX. The Pocket Gopher 190 XXI. The Rabbit 196 XXII. Tracks and Signs 203 XXIII. Handling Furs 220 XXIV. Steel Traps 230 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE The Author with a Catch of Furs Frontispiece Trap Set in Correct Position at Den 22 The Balance Pole 25 The Skunk 31 The Mink 42 Mink Set under Log 47 The White Weasel 51 The Marten 57 A Marten Set 62 The Fisher ....' 65 The Otter 73 Otter Trap Set under Ice 82 The Beaver 87 Trap, Set for Beaver 94 Beaver Trap Set under Ice 98 The Muskrat 102 The Red Fox............ 109 Water Set for Fox 114 Dry Land Set for Fox 117 The Coyote or Prairie Wolf 125 7 8 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE Scent Set for Wolf 132 Bank Set for Wolf and Coyote 136 The Grizzly Bear 140 The Raccoon 147 The Badger 153 The Opossum 159 The Lynx 165 The Wild Cat or Bay Lynx 172 The Cougar 177 The Wolverine 183 The Pocket Gopher 189 Burrow of Pocket Gopher 191 The Rabbit 195 Rabbit Snares 200 Tracks of Furbearing Animals *....... 205 Tracks of Furbearing Animals 210 Tracks of Furbearing Animals 214 Tracks of Game Animals 217 Canadian Pattern Stretching Boards 225 Steel Traps 233 THE AUTHOR WITH A CATCH OF FURS. INTRODUCTION. the many outdoor occu- pations, trapping the furbear- ing animals is perhaps the most pleasant and in many in- stances is also very profitable. Although trapping was one of the earliest industries of this country, the occupation has not passed away, along with the vanishing wilderness, for there is more trapping done today than at any time during the past. Scattered all over North America, in both the thickly settled portions and the more remote districts are thousands of trappers who are each season deriving both pleasure and profit from this unique calling. Trapping in itself is an art. Many of the wild creatures are exceedingly wary and the trapper must match his reason against the instinct, the natural wariness and the acquired knowledge of the animals. This wariness alone has 11 12 INTRODUCTION. saved some species of animals from ex- tinction, and although man is superior to all brute life, such intelligent ani- mals as the fox and the wolf frequently prove a match for the most expert of trappers. In order to be successful, one must know the wild animals as a mother knows her child. He must also know and use the most practical methods of trapping, and it is my object to give in this work, the most successful trapping methods known. These modes of trapping the fur- bearing animals have for the most part been learned from actual experience in various parts of the country, but I also give the methods of other successful trappers, knowing them to be as good as my own. I am personally acquainted with some of the most expert trappers in North America and have also fol-' lowed the Indians over their trap lines and in this way have learned many things which to the white man are not generally known. E. KREPS. SCIENCE OF TRAPPING 13 PPER^S SCIENCE OF TRAPPING. CHAPTEK I. THE TRAPPER'S ART DURING past ages many of the wild crea- tures of the forest and stream were hunted and captured in various ways by the inhabitants of the wilderness, the flesh of these animals being the principal food of many tribes of savages and the skins being used for clothing; but it was only after furs became a staple article of wearing apparel among civilized nations and the traders had learned of the profits to be made in the fur trade that wholesale and systematic trapping began. For many years after the commencement of the fur trade in this country, the occupation of trapping was monopolized by the native inhabi- tants, but later some of the bolder of the white race pushed into the wilderness and learned the trapper's art. To-day there are thousands of trappers scat- tered over the United States, Canada, Alaska and Mexico and the catching of wild animals for profit is no longer considered to be an occupa- 15 16 -SCIT5N- TRAPPING. tion fitting only for the savage, for there is scarcely a farmer, ranchman or other person whose calling brings him close to nature who is not more or less interested in the fur-bearing animals. WUd animals are not all hunted for the sake of their furs. There are some such as the wolf, coyote, mountain lion a.nd wild-cat which have become positive nuisances because of their destruction of stock and for such the gov- ernment and in many cases the stockmen pay a bounty. The capture of wolves and coyotes es- pecially has become a profitable business. As to the promts to be derived from this oc- cupation, there are professional trappers in the North, South and West whose catches amount to from five hundred to two thousand dollars or more each season, but the number who do as well as that is comparatively small. By far the great-, er number of trappers are those who follow other occupations and devote only their spare time to the capture of wild animals and they are for the most part farmers and country boys who in this way add considerable to their yearly income. It is not at all necessary to go into the wilds in order to do successful trapping, and almost any farming section will be found to be a paying trapping ground. Indeed, the country man or boy will in most cases do far better in his own home district than he would by going into some THE TRAPPER'S ART. 17 / . place with which he is not familiar even though the fur-bearing animals be more plentiful there than at home. In his own territory he will learn the haunts of each kind of fur-bearing animal, its route of travel, the dens, etc., and this know- ledge will be of great value when the actual trap- ping commences. Of course all of the various species of ani- mals will not be found in any one section but where one is missing there will be some other found in fair numbers. Muskrats are most nu- merous as a rule in the settled parts of the coun- try and wherever the muskrat is found there the mink is also. Skunks are found almost every- where and the ease with which they may be cap- tured makes the trapping of them a lucrative business. Foxes are found in most of the hilly sections and while they are not so easily cap- tured, one can make a success of it if he gives the matter careful study and uses sufficient care in setting and attending the traps. In many parts of the South the raccoon is found in abundance as is also the opossum and the otter, the wild cat and other animals are found more sparingly in many parts of the country. The trapper no matter where lie is located is certain to meet with many hardships but it is a pleasant calling for all of that and there is a cer- 2