Steel Traps Part 3

[Ill.u.s.tration: NO. 21 1/2, WITHOUT TEETH.]

Single Spring No. 21 1/2 has a spread of jaws of 5 1/4 inches. This trap is the same as No. 2 1/2 but is without teeth or Raised Plate as some trappers prefer it in this style.

No. 31 1/2 Newhouse Trap is also a single spring being same as No. 3 1/2 but without Teeth or Raised Plate. Spread of jaws 6 1/2 inches.

These traps, Nos. 21 1/2 and 31 1/2, are the largest smooth jaw, single spring sizes that are made. Professional trappers will find them especially valuable when on a long trapping line, as they are more compact and easier to secrete than double spring traps. The springs on these traps are made extra heavy.

The No. 21 1/2 is practically a single spring No. 3 and the No. 31 1/2 a single spring No. 4. These traps are used for such animals as otter, beaver, wolf, wolverine, fisher and have been known to catch and hold Mountain Lion.

[Ill.u.s.tration: OFFSET JAW BEAVER TRAP.]

This trap is known as No. 14 and has a spread of jaws of 6 1/2 inches. This trap is the same in size as No. 4 Wolf but has heavier and stiffer springs and offset jaws, which allow the springs to raise higher when the animals leg is in the trap, and it is furnished with teeth sufficiently close to prevent the animal from pulling its foot out. The weight of this style is about 3 1/2 pounds each.

[Ill.u.s.tration: DETACHABLE CLUTCH TRAP.]

This trap is known as "Detachable Clutch Trap." The trap can be used with or without it. It is made in two sizes Nos. 23 and 24. No. 23 known as the "Otter Clutch" has a spread of jaws of 5 1/2 inches; No.

24 known as the "Beaver Clutch" has a spread of jaws of 6 1/4 inches.

[Ill.u.s.tration: NEWHOUSE SPECIAL WOLF TRAP.]

This trap is known as the No. 4 1/2 or "Newhouse Special Wolf Trap."

It was put on the market to meet the demands of trappers for a new model of the Newhouse Trap especially designed for capturing the large timber wolves and mountain lions of the stock raising sections of the West.

This trap has a spread of jaws of 8 inches. It is substantially made thruout and is provided with a p.r.o.nged "drag," a heavy snap, an extra heavy steel swivel and a chain, five feet long, warranted to hold 2,000 pounds. This trap complete with chain and "drag" weighs about 9 pounds.

[Ill.u.s.tration: SMALL BEAR TRAP.]

This trap is known as No. 50, spread of jaws 9 inches. It is intended for catching small sized bears. In design it is exactly like the standard No. 5 Bear Trap, only that the parts are all somewhat smaller. Weight, 11 1/4 pounds each. This trap is also used for catching Mountain Lion.

[Ill.u.s.tration: SMALL BEAR TRAP WITH OFFSET JAWS.]

This trap is known as No. 150, spread of jaws, 9 inches. It is similar to No. 50, excepting that the jaws are offset, making a s.p.a.ce five-eights inch between them. This allows the springs to come up higher when the bear's foot is in the trap and thus secure a better grip. The chance of breaking the bones in the foot are also lessened.

Weight, 11 1/4 pounds each.

[Ill.u.s.tration: STANDARD BEAR TRAP.]

This trap is known as No. 5 or Black Bear. The spread of jaws is 11 3/4 inches. Weight of trap 19 pounds. It is furnished with a very heavy and strong cable chain.

Bear trappers whether in the Canadian Wilds, the Swamps of the Southern States or among the Rocky or Appalachian Mountains, speak of the No. 5 as the Standard Trap. They are used princ.i.p.ally for catching the Black Bear.

[Ill.u.s.tration: REGULAR BEAR TRAP WITH OFFSET JAWS.]

This trap is known as No. 15, spread of jaws 11 3/4 inches. To meet the views of certain trappers whose judgement is respected, the manufacturers designed a style of jaw for the No. 5 trap, making an offset of 3/4 of an inch so as to allow the springs to come up higher when the bear's leg is in the trap. This gives the spring a better grip. This trap weighs about 19 pounds.

[Ill.u.s.tration: GRIZZLY BEAR TRAP.]

This is known as the No. 6 or Grizzly Bear Trap and has a spread of jaws of 16 inches. It weighs complete, 42 pounds. This is the strongest trap made. The manufacturers say they have never heard of anything getting out of it when once caught. It is often called "the Great Bear Tamer."

This trap is also used in Asia and Africa for catching lions and tigers. In fact the trap will hold any animal with the exception of the elephant and it will hold even that animal excepting possibly the larger ones.

[Ill.u.s.tration: BEAR TRAP CHAIN CLEVIS.]

This cut ill.u.s.trates Bear Trap Chain Clevis and Bolt, intended as a subst.i.tute for the ring on the end of the trap chain, when desired.

With this clevis a loop can be made around any small log or tree without the trouble of cutting to fit the ring. The chain is made five feet long suitable for any clog and the prices of bear traps fitted with it are the same as with the regular short chain and ring.

[Ill.u.s.tration: STEEL TRAP SETTING CLAMP.]

There is danger attached to setting the large traps when alone in addition to its being rather difficult, especially in cold weather, when the fingers are stiff. Should the trapper be in a boat the setting is still more difficult.

A clamp (as shown) applied to each spring will, by a few turns of the thumb-screws, bend the springs to their places, so that the pan may be adjusted without difficulty. No. 4 clamp can be used on any trap smaller than No. 4 1/2. No. 5 and 6 are strong clamps, carefully made and especially adapted to setting the large traps Nos. 4 1/2, 50, 150, 5, 15 and 6. They do away with the inconvenience and dangerous use of levers. With clamps a trapper can easily and safely set these powerful traps. These clamps also come handy about the camp for other purposes.

CHAPTER VII.

DOUBLE AND WEB JAW TRAPS.

No trapper should go into the woods without providing himself with an outfit of traps to meet any of the varying emergencies that are likely arise. For instance, along a deep stream it is generally easy to arrange a common trap so that by drowning the animal it will answer every purpose, but in a very small or shallow stream this is sometimes a difficult thing to accomplish. In such a case if the trapper has provided himself with a Webbed or Double Jawed Trap his chances of finding the game awaiting him on his return will be greatly increased.

For a dry land set, especially on skunk, the Double Jaw will be found very effective. The fact that it catches very high up and also entirely prevents self-amputation is greatly in its favor.

For foxes, which are often taken by the dry land method, the Double Jawed of a size corresponding to the regular No. 1 1/2 is getting to be a very popular trap.

So, as we said before, each trapper, tho relying mainly on the old and well tried lines, should provide himself with a few of these odd styles and thus add greatly to his versatility of resources, that he may compete successfully with the ever increasing cunning of the many four-footed fur bearers of stream and forest.

Trappers for years have contended that certain animals would gnaw out of traps, especially where the bone was broken by the jaws and the flesh had become numb from the pressure or from cold.

It is known that skunks especially will gnaw at that portion of the foot or leg below jaws of trap. Where trappers have a long line of traps and cannot visit them every day they thus lose a number of animals.

The Webbed and Double Jaw prevent the gnawing out from the fact that the animal can only gnaw to the lower jaw or web and is not able to get at the flesh between the jaws or under the web.

Another animal that these traps are especially adapted for is the muskrat. This animal's legs especially the front ones, are very tender (both bone and flesh). A trap that breaks the bone, (unless the animal is soon drowned) may escape by the flesh of the leg twisting off in its endeavors to get free. Muskrats do not gnaw off their feet as some suppose.

[Ill.u.s.tration: NO. 81, OR WEBBED JAW TRAP.]

This, the Webbed Jaw, known as No. 81 has spread of Jaws of four inches. This is one of the Newhouse makes and corresponds in size to the regular No. 1 Newhouse.

If trappers will observe the cross section of the jaws, as ill.u.s.trated at the left, it is plain the animal can only gnaw off its leg at a point quite a distance below the meeting edges of the jaws.

The flesh above the jaws as well as below will swell making it impossible for the animal to pull the leg stump out of the trap.

[Ill.u.s.tration: NO. 91, OR DOUBLE JAW TRAP.]

This, the Double Jaw, is manufactured in two sizes; namely, 91 with spread of jaws of 5 1/4 inches; No. 91 1/2 with spread of jaws of 6 1/4 inches. The No. 91 correspondent in size to the regular No. 1 Newhouse, while the No. 91 1/2 corresponds to the regular No. 1 1/2 Newhouse with the exception of the jaws.

The Double Jaw traps are so constructed that they catch the animal high up on the leg. It is no uncommon occurrence for the trapper to find mink and other small animals dead when caught in this trap by the fore foot. It is supposed that the circulation of blood thus r.e.t.a.r.ded stops the action of the heart.

These traps are set the same as other steel traps, and directions given elsewhere apply to these as well.