8
Trapptnoona Texas Farm
A I>xa« Trapper write* for Kami
«nd Ranch: During tm expeience iv
trapping I Could not fail to ucte the
anxiety of the fat mini; cla%* to know
more about methods of capturing the
animals that roam through the forest,
field and prairie, as evinced by the
many question* asked me. I never re
fused to impart the desired information
when the time was at command.
This method is therefore adopted to
uive Information to all readers of Farm
ami Kauch who mat feel interested In
the subject.
The expert trapper knows that
through the late fall, winter and early
opting month*' there is a sure source of
revenue »o reward his industry. The
winter coats of the otter, beaver, mink,
'coon, *po»>»um, wildcat, skunk, wolf,
etc. arc iv demand in the markets, ami
the farmer mho has learned the lesson
of economy in so many way*, and who
looks to erery resource, small as well
large, that Mimumd him. has failed to
contribute his part to the supply of
laMiiouable fur*, except such supplies I
as have been obtained from animals
seen red by means of the gun and dog.
or Mich rude ct»*«lrivancea* the wooden
dead-fall.
Besides the animals that are valuable
for their fur*, many others should be
destroyed a* positive pc»l*.
By following the direction* herein
given any person of ordinary intelli
gence, living iv a comitry like Texas,
may add several dollar* to hi* wealth
amtuaUy without going from home.
Direction* for properly preparing the j
furs for market will be given further
on.
To begin with, the *tecl trap is the
effective instrument to be employed.
A *mall family of 'coon* witn free ac
cess to your curu field, will quickly de*
stroy the value ot a dozen good trap-.
and every one knows the wild havoc a
Military mink can play in lh± poultry
yard in oue night. But not every one
knows the 'coons may be readily cap
tured and be made to contribute from
25 cents to 51.25 each to your purse,
and that the minks should net on an
average about 51.00 each. And it is
just as uece**ary to know how to treat
the pelt* at* it is to know how to cap
ture the animal. I have -ecu many a
"dollar bill*' tacked to a tree or nailed
to a house, exposed to lljcfcun>huicaud
%torm. doomed to absolute destruction.
or at best to bring but a trifle at the
country store.
Xow. I would say to the farmer: If
there are fur-bearing or pettiferou* an
tmaU on or around your ranch or plan
tation, get a supply of *t eel- trap*. If
you do not care to handle them, some
of the boys will become interested
through the sport alone that will be
f on iid in the pursuit. Thi« is not an
adt.-ertisemetit.but the following makes
and 'sizes of traps are recommended:
For large wolves, the No. 4 Newhouse;
fur prairie wolves, the No. 3 Newhouse.
and the %Atne for beaver; for otter. No.
2 NrwJi-.tu.cr fur fox, 'coon, wildcat attd
'possum, the No. 2 Victor; for smaller
animals the No. 1 Newhouse, or No.
1 '? of other make*. No. Ois the proper
sire for squirrels, prairie dogs, rats and
hawks. The traps will co»t you from
51.00 per dozen up. according to size
and the kind of profit the merchant
charges you. You can well afford the
price.
Following are directions for captur
ing the wolf.
The different varieties of wolf (canis
lupus) are the hardest of all animals
to capture, and the amateur need not
get discouraged because of the some
what intricate methods employed to
outwit the wolf's sagacity. Other an
imals, barring the fox, probably, are
much more easily taken.
It is positively known that the wolf's
sag-achy has increased with each sue
ccaiing generation until he possesses
an intelligence atnu>st human, mid in
some localities such is his shrewdness
that he will refuse the most tempting
tail that has been poisoned. It i« also
believed that ihejr have the power of
Informing each other of their various
eiperieuce*.
The setting for the wolf is best made
from a wagon in which should be car*
ried the trap*, bait, (consisting of
firth antelope, deer, calf, burro or oth
er animal known to be satisfactory to
'his appetite), a bucket of blood from
some freshly slaughtered animal, a
blanket or piece of canvas, tools for
removing the soil from tne setting,
and a wooden clog for *ach trap, weigh
ing about thirty pound*. Buckskin
gloves should also be provided as the
trap* should never be handled with
the naked hands.
A trail or trails leading to a water*
iug place affords a good setting. It
will nut do to fasten the trap too
stake. a» the captured animal in it*
violence i« apt to tear off a leg or
break the trap or chain. So a clog is
u*ed which the animal may drag but
[not get away with. There should lie
claw*, or hook* of iron, on the chain,
which will (ear the ground and vege
tation and leave a trail that may be
followed. Asafeotida or scent bait*
are be*t avoided in trapping for the
wolf, although many trapper* still use
them. The writer believes that scent*,
except that of fresh blood or roasting
meat, only make the wolf suspicion*.
When you have made everything
ready for the setting, attach a beef
head, rabbit or piece of some other
kind of animal to a rope and fasten to
the hind end gate of the wagon, so the j
meat will drag the ground. Thisi
makes a trail that will be followed by
any wolf that strikes it and lead into
the trap if they arc properly *et.
The trail *eltintr should be made in
a place that is well defined, but nut
worn deep, as the animal* like to
travel a path that is smooth. It is
: best to Act three or four traps in a
cluster iv the trail, some two or three
feet apart. When the wagon has been
driven past the place for the setting,
remove the blanket from the wagon
and spread by the trail, dip the traps,
boots and gloves in the bucket of blood.
Remove the dirt from the trail where
the trap i» to be >et . deep enough that
the trap when placed will be a half
inch below the surrounding surface of
I the trail. Remove the sod and dirt
from the side of the trail where the
clogs are to be buried, placing all on
the blanket. When the trap-* and
clogs have been placed, cover the
I trap* carefully with Hue soil, so they
! will be level with the trail. Leave, the
dirt smoother right over the pan of the
I trap than elsewhere. Before covering
: the trap, it should be padded under the
; pan with moss, or other springy sub
stance to keep the dirt from getting
under the pan and preventing the trap
from springing. Replace the sod, if
any, over the clog* very carefully,
brush the trail smooth with a rabbit or
'cow's tail, remove the blanket with
the surplus dirt to a distance of fifty
yard*, from the trail. Scatter pieces
of fre»h meat around the traps and
proceed to another setting.
Where there is timber, a good sel
ling is to bury fresh meat between two
trees about two feet apart and set a
trap on each side. Follow same <lircc
tinns for removing soil, etc., as given
above. A spot partially surrounded
by weeds, bushes, rocks 01 other nat
ural obstacle makes a good setting.
Bury the bait in the center and set
traps iv all the entrances. Be careful
to not touch the weeds or trees so as to
leave the least taint of human scent.
Leave everything about the trees
looking perfectly natural. A setting
every mile or two is sufficient. Where
an animal has been killed and partially
destroyed, it should be surrounded by
traps set about fourteen inches from
the carcass.
Remember you will have to trail the
wolf from where he is caught. Skin
the wolf just like you would skin a
beef. Stretch the hide in an oblong
shape, remove surplus flesh, etc., from
the pelt and cure in the shade.
These directions closely followed
will bring success.
IMPKKIAI* I'RKSS
White's Cash Store
OppoMllo F»rlntlnfK Offffluo
Ctroceries, Dry (Joods, Indies' mid Chlldrens' Shoes, Notions
and General Merchandise at reasonable prices
General Freighting for tfio Public
Special attention paid to freight for settlers. Leave onlers at store
Imperial. California.
Geo. A. Carter 6t Co.
Lumber and all Kinds of Building Material
Contracting, Freighting, etc.
IMPERIAL, ::::.:::: : CALIKOKNIA.
Gko. a. CARTER Oi K. HEBBR J. B. lIEOER
Imperial May and Grain Co.
HAY AND GRAIN
SEED GRAINS IMPLEMENTS
IMPERIAL, — - — CALIFORNIA.
%Kerckboff*Cuzmr \
1 mm & Lumber <£ i
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# WHOLCSALC ... | I I IWI PCD °°gu", 88 N 00 S 88 * 8H - (
RETAILDEALERSIN L.WIVILJL.II ... MILL WORK (
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**Jr YARDS AT
»an PBoito. wMoisssta Main Office Cor. Alameda&MacySts <
~gfr LOB ANGELES, Main Orricu i
POMONA. PASADENA. | m AN A I (
3* LAMANOA. AZUSA. COVINA. L.OS ANGELES, UAL. '
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| i j?f CommQ this way? |
%tMI t Chen you are interested &
p {++++« in knowing bow to read) S
| "" Imperial Settlement, 1
i™New River Country!
i Take the 5. P. train |
H to Flowing We 115.... 1
Jr At this point you get first class accommodations at the McCAUL- Hft
|$| LEV HOUSE. G. W. McCaullcy, the proprietor, runs a regular Q|
MS stage line from that place to Imperial, leaving Flowing Wells at rig
SB 7:30 a. m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, returning the follow- £S
«\ Special teams and rigs arc also kept in readiness for any other day, jjj
SR and will take you to any part of the country. H*
|j| 5 The only direct route to the Carriso Creek oil fields west of Flowing
|! Wells. This stage line is equipped with rigs and teams that are O&
x | unexcelled. m\