Science of Trapping

be met with in most of the wilder parts of North America. The northern or Canadian otter is the most common, but there are other vari

the sea otter. This animal is considerably larger than the fresh

down on the sides of the head. The fur is of two kinds, the under fur being fine, soft and wavy, and of a light silvery color; while the outer fur or guard hairs, are longer, coarser, and usually straight, the color varying from brown to almost black. The fur of the tail and under parts is shorter

eir favorite food; but they also feed on muskrats, clams, frogs, a

entering their houses and

rances to these burrows are under the water and it is my belief that they inhabit them only during

miles on a single trip. Apparently he is always in a great hurry to reach a certain place, some lake or pond,

anding places on the banks of streams and on logs projecting into the water, where they go to roll in the grass and leaves, or to li

erever the water is deep enough to allow of their passage. The otter's legs being very short, he has a peculiar method of traveling on the ice or snow.

ch, you will find a well-defined trail in such a place. Where two streams lie close together, they sometimes have a trail from o

there are a number of families of beavers in the same locality, the otter will spend nearly all of its time with the beavers, visiting from one family to another. Wherever he finds beaver cuttin

first of December, and commence to shed from the first to the fifteenth of April. The fur of the otter is valuable, the dark, straight haired ones being worth the most. Occasio

ntiful in some parts of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine; also in the wilds of Labrador, Ungava, Quebec, Ontario, Yukon, Mackenzie and Alaska. The most

2 Newhouse; the Nos. 3 and 4 Hawley & Norton; and the No.

t I speak from my own experience, and from the experience of many expert trappers with whom I am acquainted. If one will use a little judgment he will readily understand why human scent is alarming to many wild animals. Man is the natural enemy of all wild animal life, and all wild creatures realize this fact.

rness are more afraid of human scent than those found in the settled countries, they are just as easily trapped. The more wary animals found in settled parts, are always looking fo

, in the upper end of this passage. Narrow down the passage to about eight inches, by driving a few old stakes on each side of the trap. The trap may be staked, but it is better, if the water is deep enough, to use a sliding pole, so that the captured animal will drown. No covering is needed on the trap, but after it is set, the entire setting should be drenched wi

ty, but wherever otters are found traveling on small

nks. The trap may be staked but it is better to fasten to a clog. Cut a small sapling of such a size that the ring of the chain will just pass over the butt of the sapling. Slip the ring over the clog and fasten it by splitting the butt and drive a wedge in the split, or by driving a staple over the ring. The clog may b

l across the point, set the trap in the water, at the end

ch of dead brush or a chunk of rotten wood on each side of the trail, so as to leave only a narrow passage and cut a clog and lay it in place. The otters seldom visit these places in the fall, so there is no danger of frightening them. In the spring, before the snow is all gone

t the traps just the same, washing the scent away by sprinkling with w

ap Set U

ides. Post a piece of the dried oil castor of the beaver on a stick, behind the trap, and about ten inches high. The ordinary beaver castor is also good. The oil castor is very attractive to the

in the water, making the pen about nine inches wide, by twelve or fifteen inches deep. Now take a fish and fasten it to a stick, in the back of the pen, and set the trap in the entrance, staking it securely. Drive the stake about ten inches in front of the pen, and directly in front of the trap. The object in this is to cause

per who caught one in this way by baiting with a white door knob, a

e water and the ice. In such a case, cut a hole through the ice at the edge of the water, placing a pi

re found on nearly all lakes. In such places the water is always shallow, and a trap may be set on the bottom directly under th

p, so that it will set about two inches deep, and place some mud in the notch so as to hide the fresh cutting.

re the animal lands on the bank to visit the slide

or trapping otters on their slides. The trap should be set at the

d it is usually advisable to set

ong the stream more than necessary. In looking at the traps

only with rifles. The methods employed in hunting them have been very su

being from four to eight feet apart, according to the "sliding conditions". When two or more are traveling in company, they will usually all run in the same trail. Their tracks are as a rule, only seen on

Be