The Platform Snare
Categories: TRAPS FOR FEATHERED GAME.This odd invention will be found to work capitally as a game trap,
and the only extra requisite necessary consists of a slab or light
board about seven inches wide, and a foot in length. Having selected
the spot for the trap, proceed to cut a stiff
switch about five feet in length, and having sharpened the larger
end to a nice point, insert it firmly into the ground in a slanting
direction as our drawing illustr
the sapling, and resting one end of the board on the ground, catch
the tip of the switch against the other end, as our illustration
also shows. A little experimenting will soon determine the right
place for the board, after which two pegs should be driven in the
ground at its edge to hold it against the pressure on the opposite
end. This being done fasten a wire noose to the tip of the switch,
after which the pen is the only thing required. This should be
built of simple little twigs arranged around three sides of the
board, leaving the front end open. To set the snare, lower the
switch and raising the board slightly at the back end, catch the
tip of the springer behind it, afterwards arranging the noose over
the platform, and scattering the bait inside. If the trap has been
constructed properly and set fine it will take but a very slight
weight on the platform to lower it from its bearing, the weight of
an ordinary bird being sufficient, and the springer thus released
will fly forward either catching its victim by the neck or legs,
as the case may be. It may sometimes be found necessary to cut
a slight notch in the end of the springer to receive the board,
but in every case it should be tried several times in order to
be sure that it works sensitively.
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The Figure Four Trap
One of the most useful as well as the most ancient inventions in the way of traps is the common Figure Four Trap, which forms the subject of our next illustration. It is a very ingenious contrivance, and the mechanism, consists merely of three st... The Fisher
This animal is classed among the martens, and is principally to be found in Canada and the Northern United States, where it is known as the black cat, or woodshock. In our natural histories it is described under the name of the pekan. In general ... The Fool's Cap Trap
Of all oddities of the trap kind, there is, perhaps, no one more novel and comical than the Fool's Cap crow-trap, which forms the subject of our present illustration. Crows are by no means easy of capture in any form of trap, and they are generally ... The Fox
Foremost in the list of animals noted for their sly craft, and the hero of a host of fables and well-authenticated stories, in which artful cunning gains the advantage over human intelligence, Reynard, the fox, reigns supreme. There is scarcely a pr... The Garrote
There is another variety of trap, somewhat resembling the dead-fall, but which seizes its prey in a little different manner. This trap, which we will call the Garrote, is truly represented by our illustration. A pen is first constructed, similar to... The Gopher
This remarkable little animal somewhat resembles the Mole in its general appearance and habits. It is also commonly known as the Canada Pouched Rat, and is principally found west of the Mississippi and northward. It is a burrowing animal, and like t... The Grappling Iron
This answers the same purpose as the above, and is often used instead. It is manufactured in connection with the larger steel traps, and is attached to the chain by a swivel joint. Its general shape is shown in an engraving, and it offers a serio... The Gun Trap
After a Puma has succeeded in capturing his prey, and has satisfied his appetite by devouring a portion of its carcass, he leaves the remainder for a second meal, and his early return to a second banquet is almost a matter of certainty. Where such a... The Hawk Trap
Our illustration represents a hawk in a sad plight. The memory of a recent feast has attracted it to the scene of many of its depredations: but the ingenious farmer has at last outwitted his feathered foe and brought its sanguinary exploits to a... The Hook Trap
Our second example is one which we are almost tempted to exclude on account of its cruelty, but as our volume is especially devoted to traps of all kinds and as this is a variety in very common use, we feel bound to give it a passing notice. Our ... The Hoop Stretcher
This consists of a hoop made from one or more flexible switches tied together so as to form a circle. In order to be adapted to this mode of stretching, the skin should be flat, i. e. taken off as described on page 172, the initial cut extending fro... The Humming Bird Trap
One of the most ingenious uses to which bird lime is said to have been applied with success, is in the capture of humming-birds. The lime in this instance is made simply by chewing a few grains of wheat in the mouth until a gum is formed. It is said... The Improved Springle
The accompanying cut illustrates an improvement on the last mentioned trap, whereby it can be used for the capture of larger game, and with most excellent success. In place of the spreader a crotched stick is used, the crotch of which catches aro... The Indian Or Birch-bark Canoe
Where the white birch grows in perfection, and the trees attain a large size, the chief material of the birch bark canoe is at hand; and although we ordinary mortals could not be expected to attain to that perfection of skill which the Indians exhib... The Jar Trap
In place of the wire cage, a glass preserve-jar was substituted. A few bits of cheese were then dropped inside, and the top of a funnel inserted into the opening above. This completed the trap, and it was set on the floor near the flour barrel. On t... The Log Coop Trap
This is commonly set for bears, although a deer or a puma becomes its frequent tenant. As its name implies it consists of a coop of logs, arranged after the principle of the Coop Trap described on page 67. The logs should be about eight feet in leng... The Mink
This animal, as will be seen by our illustration, has a long, slender body, something like the weasel, to which scientific family it belongs. It inhabits the greater part of North America, and is also found abundantly in Northern Europe. The color o... The Mole
Of all the mammalia the Mole is entitled to take the first place in the list of burrowers. This extraordinary creature does not merely dig tunnels in the ground and sit at the end of them, as is the case with many animals, but it forms a complicated... The Mole Trap
If there is anyone subject upon which the ingenuity of the farmers has been taxed, it is on the invention of a mole trap which would effectually clear their premises of these blind burrowing vermin. Many patented devices of this character are on the... The Moose
We have already given so much space to the hunting of the deer that we shall be obliged to cut short our remarks on the Moose, particularly as it is a representative of the same family. This animal is the largest of the Deer tribe, being seven or ei... The Muskrat
The muskrat, or musquash, is very much like a beaver on a small scale, and is so well-known throughout the United States that a detailed description or illustration will hardly be necessary. Reduce the size of the beaver to one foot in length, and a... The Net Trap
The lion and tiger are often taken in a net, which is secured to a frame work and suspended over a tempting bait. When the latter is touched the net falls, and the victim becomes entangled in the meshes and is securely caught. So far as we know, thi... The Old-fashioned Springle
This is the variety of snare which has been in very common use for ages, and has always been the one solitary example of a noose trap which our boys' books have invariably pounced upon for illustration. For the capture of small birds it works ver... The Opossum
The opossum is found more or less throughout nearly all the United States. In size it equals a large cat, the tail being about fifteen inches long, very flexible and covered with scales. The general color of the fur is grayish-white, slightly tin... The Otter
The fur of this animal is of such exquisite softness and beauty as to be in great demand for commercial purposes, bringing a very high price in the fur market. The otter cannot be said to be a common animal, although it is found throughout the... The Pendent Box Trap
This invention is original with the author of this work, and when properly made and set will prove an excellent device for the capture of small birds. The general appearance of the trap, as set, is clearly shown in our illustration. A thin wooden... The Pine Marten
This animal belongs to the tribe of weasels, and is closely allied to the celebrated sable, which it greatly resembles. The pine marten is so called because it inhabits the northern climates where pine forests abound, and spends much of its life in ... The Pit-fall
The tiger is the scourge of India and Southern Asia and some sections of these countries are so terribly infested with the brutes that the inhabitants are kept in a continual state of terror by their depredations. Many methods are adopted by the na... The Platform Snare
This odd invention will be found to work capitally as a game trap, and the only extra requisite necessary consists of a slab or light board about seven inches wide, and a foot in length. Having selected the spot for the trap, proceed to cut a sti... The Poacher's' Snare
Our next example represents one of the oldest and best snares in existence,--simple in construction, and almost infallible in its operations. It is the one in most common use among the poachers of England, hence its name. The pieces are three in num... The Portable Snare
This is simply a modification of the snare just described, but possesses decided advantages over it in many respects. In the first place, it requires little or no protection in the shape of an enclosure. It can be set in trees or in swamps, or in sh... The Prong Horn Antelope
This sole American representative of the Antelope tribe we believe is seldom trapped; but as it is a well-known animal on the Western plains, a short mention of it is required here. In general shape this creature bears considerable resemblance to th... The Puma
The puma, commonly known also as the panther or cougar, is the largest American representative of the Cat tribe, and for this reason is often dignified by the name of the American Lion. It is found more or less abundantly throughout the United State... The Quail Snare
That quails are sociable in their habits, and that they run together in broods in search of their food, is a fact well known to all sportsmen. A most excellent opportunity is thus afforded the hunter to secure several at one shot, and the same adva... The Rabbit
The rabbit or cotton tail, as he is familiarly termed, is too well-known to need any description here. From Maine to Texas our woods abound with these fleet-footed little creatures, of which there are several American species. They are the swiftest ... The Raccoon
Although allied to the Bear family, this animal possesses much in common with the fox, as regards its general disposition and character. It has the same slyness and cunning, the same stealthy tread, besides an additional mischievousness and greed. I... The Scow
The bateau we have above described is built so as to allow for considerable speed in the water, either in rowing or sculling; but where this speed is not especially desired the pointed bows may be dispensed with, and the sides of the boat made perfe... The Season For Trapping
The business of trapping for profit must be confined to the season between the first of October and the beginning of May, as furs of all kinds are worthless when taken during the other months of the year. The reason for this is obvious. A prime fur ... The Self Setting Trap
One of the oldest known principles ever embodied in the form of a trap is that which forms the subject of the accompanying illustration. It is very simple in construction, sure in its action; and as its name implies, resets itself after each intrude... The Sieve Trap
This device certainly possesses one great advantage:--it is not complicated. Any one possessed of a sieve and a piece of string can get up the trap at two minutes' notice, and provided he has patience, and can wait for his little bird, he is almost ... The Simplest Snare
This is one of the most ingenious and effective devices used in the art of trapping; and the principle is so simple and universal in its application to traps in general as to become a matter of great value to all who are at all interested in the sub... The Skunk
This disgusting animal has won the unenviable but deserving reputation of being the most foul-smelling creature on the face of the globe. He belongs to the weasel tribe, and all these animals are noted for certain odors which they possess, but the s... The Sliding Pole
The first impulse with almost every aquatic animal when caught in a trap, is to plunge headlong into deep water. With the smaller animals, such as the mink and muskrat, this is all that is desired by the trapper, as the weight of the trap with th... The Spring Net Trap
Although slightly complicated in construction, our next illustration presents one of the prettiest bird traps on record, and may be made in the following manner, and by frequently referring to the picture, our explanation will be easily understood. ... The Spring Pole
This is nearly always used in connection with the steel trap, in the capture of the smaller land animals. It not only lifts the creature into the air, and thus prevents its becoming a prey to other animals, but it also guards against the escape o... The Toboggan Or Indian Sledge
For winter traffic over deep snows there is no better sled in the world than the Indian toboggan. To the trapper during a winter campaign it is often an indispensable convenience, and without it the Indian hunters of the North would find great diffi... The Trail
The object of the trail consists in offering a leading scent which, when followed, will bring the animal to the various traps, and when properly made will be the means of drawing large numbers of game from all quarters and from great distances, wher... The Trap Cage
Among bird-catchers generally, this is the favorite and most universal trap; and, where a decoy bird is used, it is particularly successful. The cage is arranged in two compartments, one above the other,--the lower one being occupied by the call... The Trapper's Shelter
The life of the professional trapper is a life of hardship and severe exposure, and a man not only requires considerable courage, but also great bodily vigor, in order to combat successfully the dangers of such a wild, adventuresome existence. Th... The Twitch-up
Our next example of the snare, we imagine, is one which all our boy-readers will immediately recognize; for it would certainly seem that any country boy who does not know the Twitch-up must be far behind the times, and live in a locality where there... The Upright Net Trap
The following is another novelty in the way of a bird-trap, somewhat similar to the one we have just described, in its manner of working. Procure two pieces of board about a foot square. Nail one to the edge of the other, as represented in our eng... The Wild Cat
This animal is one of the most wide-spread species of the Cat tribe, being found not only in America, but throughout nearly the whole of Europe as well as in Northern Asia. In many parts of the United States, where the wild cat was wont to flourish,... The Wild Duck Net
Following will be found two examples of traps in very common use for the capture of wild ducks, and in the region of Chesapeake bay, immense numbers of the game are annually taken by their aid. The first is the well known net trap, so extensively us... The Wild Goose Trap
In our northern cold regions, where the wild geese and ptarmigan flock in immense numbers, this trap is commonly utilized. It consists merely of a large net fifty feet in length, and fifteen in width, arranged on a framework, and propped in a slanti... The Wolf
The United States are blessed with several species of this animal. The Grey Wolf, which is the largest, and the smaller, Prairie Wolf or Coyote, being the most commonly known. There are also the White Wolf, Black Wolf and the Texan or Red Wolf. In o... The Wolverine
This, one of the most ferocious as well as detestable of American animals, is principally found in British America and the upper portion of the United States. It has won a world wide reputation for its fierceness and voracity, and on this account is...