How To Make Steel Traps For Hunters & Trappers

General Remarks

Advantages of the Steel Trap - Its extensive use in the business of Trapping - Hints on the Selection of Traps

REQUISITES OF A GOOD STEEL TRAP -

The Newhouse Trap - Various sizes - Rat Trap - Muskrat Trap - Mink Trap - Fox Trap - Otter Trap - Beaver Trap - "Great Bear Tamer" - Small Bear Trap

HINTS ON BAITING THE STEEL TRAP -

The Staked Pen - Old Method of Baiting - Its Objections - Advantages of the New Method

THE SPRING POLE -

Its Service to the Trapper

THE SLIDING POLE -

Advantages of its Use in the Capture of Aquatic Animals

THE CLOG -

Objections against Securing the Steel Trap to a Stake - Method of Attaching the Clog -

THE GRAPPLING IRON

THE SEASON FOR TRAPPING -

Best condition for Furs

THE ART OF TRAPPING -

Antiquity of the Sport - Necessary Qualifications for Successful Trapping - The Study of Natural History a source of pleasure and profit - The Professional Trapper's most serious Obstacles - Marvellous Cunning of many Animals - Necessity of the Study of their Habits

"Practical Natural History"

Trapping Without Bait - Run-ways or By-paths - How Utilized by the Trapper - How Detected - Favorable Localities for the Setting of the Steel Trap - Natural Advantages - Entrapping animals through their Sense of Smell - Remarkable Power of Scent Baits - Their great value in the Capture of the Beaver - Caution in Handling the Steel Trap - Effect of the Touch of the Hand - Buckskin Gloves a Necessary Requisite

MEDICINES, OR SCENT BAITS -

Their Great Importance in the Art of Trapping

CASTOREUM OR BARKSTONE -

How Obtained - Castoreum Composition - Recipe for Making - How Used

MUSK—ASSAFŒTIDA - OIL OF RHODIUM - FISH OIL -

Its General Use in the Capture of Aquatic Animals - Valuable Recipe for its Manufacture -

OIL OF SKUNK -

How Obtained - How Eradicated from Hands or Clothing

OIL OF AMBER - OIL, AMBERGRIS - OIL, ANISE -

Its General Use as a "Universal Medicine"

SWEET FENNEL-CUMMIN-FENUGREEK-LAVENDER-COMPOUND MEDICINE

THE TRAIL -

Its Object - and Value - Various Modes of Making

HOW TO TRAP

THE FOX

The Black or Silver Fox - The Great Value of its Fur - The Prairie Fox - The Kit or Swift Fox - The Gray Fox - Similarity in the General Characteristics of the Various Species - How to trap the Fox - Preparation of the Trap - "Baiting" the Bed Necessary - Precautions in Setting the Trap - The "Tricks of the Trapper" Illustrated - How to Proceed in case of Non-Success - Various Modes of Setting the Trap - Common Mode of Skinning the Fox - Directions for Stretching Skin

THE WOLF

The Gray Wolf - The Coyote or Common Prairie Wolf - The Texan Wolf - Caution Required in Trapping - How to Trap the Wolf - Preparation of Trap - Various Ways of Setting the Trap - The Dead Fall and "Twitch-up" as Wolf Traps - Directions for Skinning the Wolf and Stretching the Pelt -

THE PUMA

Various Traps Used in the Capture of the Puma - The Gun Trap - The Bow Trap - The Dead Fall - Trap for Taking the Animal Alive - Log Coop Trap - The Pit Fall - The Steel Trap - Common Mode of Setting - Selection of Locality for Trapping - How to Skin the Puma - Directions for Stretching the Pelt

THE CANADA LYNX

The Dead Fall as a Lynx Trap - Peculiar Manner of Construction for the Purpose - The Gun Trap - The Bow Trap - The Twitch-up - Value of its Fur - The Steel Trap - Various Methods of Setting - Directions for Skinning the Animal and Stretching the Pelt

THE WILD CAT

How to Trap the Wild Cat - The Twitch-up - Its Common Use in the Capture of the Wild Cat - Other Successful Traps - Various Baits for the Wild Cat - Directions for Skinning the Animal, and Stretching the Pelt

THE BEAR

The Grizzly - Its Enormous Size and Power - Description of the Animal The Black Bear or Musquaw - Its General Description - Bear Hunting - Danger of the Sport - The Flesh of the Bear as Food - "Bears' Grease" - Traps for the Bear - The Dead Fall - Pit-fall - Giant Coop - Gun Trap - The Steel Trap - The Clog and Grappling-Iron - Their Advantages - How to Trap the Bear - Various Methods of Adjusting Traps - Skinning the Bear - Directions for Stretching the Pelt

THE RACCOON

The "Coon Chase" How the Raccoon is Hunted - The "Tree'd Coon" - Season for Trapping the Coon How to Trap the Coon - Various Modes of Setting the Trap - Other Traps for the Animal - Directions for Removing the Skin, Stretching Pelt

THE BADGER

How to Trap the Badger - Various Baits - Capture of the Animal by Flooding its Burrow - How to Skin the Badger - Directions for Stretching the Pelt

THE BEAVER

How Beavers are Hunted - How to Trap the Beaver - The Necessary Precautions - Various Methods of Setting the Trap - Use of the Sliding Pole - Directions for Skinning the Animal and Stretching the Pelt

THE PRONG HORN ANTELOPE

Flesh of the Antelope a Food - How the Animal is Trapped - Various Traps used in their Capture - The Dead-fall - Pit-fall - How to remove the Hide of the Animal

THE MUSK-RAT

How it is Killed by being Driven Away from its Breath - Spearing the Musk-Rat - Construction of the Spear - How to Trap the Musk-Rat - Use of the Sliding Pole - Various Modes of Setting Trap - The Spring Pole - Various Devices for Capturing the Musk-Rat - The Barrel-Trap - The Trail - Skinning the Musk-Rat - How to Stretch the Pelt

THE OTTER

The Otter as a Pet - Fishing for its Master - The Otter "Slide" - How Utilized by the Trapper - How the Animal is Trapped - Various Modes of Setting Trap - The Sliding Pole - The Spring Pole - Necessary Precautions - How to Skin the Otter - Directions for Stretching the Pelt

THE MINK

How to Trap the Mink - Various Methods of Setting the Trap - The Sliding Pole - The Runways of the Mink - How Utilized in Trapping - The Trail - Various Traps Used in the Capture of the Mink - How to Skin the Animal

THE PINE MARTEN

Various Traps Used in the Capture of the Marten - Baits for the Marten - The Steel Trap - Several Modes of Setting - Directions for Skinning the Animal

THE FISHER

How the Animal is Trapped - Various Methods - The Spring Pole - Baits for the Fisher - Principal Devices Used in its Capture - The Skin – How it's Removed and Stretched

THE SKUNK

The Skunk as a Pet - How to Trap the Skunk - Various Traps Used - The Steel Trap - Different Modes of Setting - Baits - The Dead Fall - Modifications in its Construction - The Twitch-up - Its Peculiar Advantages for the Capture of the Skunk - Directions for Removing and Stretching the Skin

THE WOLVERINE

How to Trap the Wolverine - Baits - The Gun Trap and Dead Fall - The Steel Trap - Various Modes of Setting - How the Skin should be Removed and Stretched

THE OPOSSUM

How the Opossum is Hunted - How Trapped - Various Devices Used in its Capture - Scent Baits - How the Skin is Removed and Stretched

THE RABBIT

Various Devices Used in Trapping the Animal - Necessary Precautions in Skinning the Rabbit

THE WOODCHUCk

How the Animal is Trapped - The Steel Trap - The Spring Pole - The Twitch-up - How the Woodchuck is "Drowned Out" - The Turtle as a Ferret - Smoking the Burrows - Directions for Skinning the Animal

THE GOPHER

How to Trap the Animal - How the Skin is Removed

THE MOLE

Mole Traps - Various Species of the Mole - The Mole of the Cape of Good Hope - Marvellous Beauty of Its Fur -

SQUIRRELS

How Squirrels are Trapped - Various Traps Used in their Capture - Removal of Skin

THE MOOSE

How the Moose is Trapped - Directions for removing the Skin of the Animal

ROCKY MOUNTAIN SHEEP

How the Animal is Trapped

THE DEER

How the Deer is Trapped - Peculiar Construction of the Trap - Various Methods of Setting the Trap - The Clog - Dead Falls - How the Deer is Hunted - "Still Hunting" - "Night Hunting" - Hunting the deer with dogs - Hunting from a Scaffolding - Head Lantern - How made - How used - Seasons for Deer Hunting - How to skin the Deer

THE BUFFALO

How the Animal is Hunted and Trapped - Buffalo flesh as Food - Buffalo skins

SHOOTING AND POISONING

"Shot furs" "Poisoned furs" “Trapped furs" Their relative Value in the Fur Market - Effect of grazing shot on fur - Effect of Poison on Fur - Remarks on the use of Poison - Strychnine – Poisoning wolves - Recipe for mixing the Poison - Poisoning the Bear - How the Dose is Prepared.