FOX TRAPPING

Out Of The Past

“To see a nice tail waving before you get to a trap sends a thrill nearly equal to some you get in deer hunting.”

WRITTEN BY ORLA A. HAYNER HUNTER-TRADER-TRAPPER 1924

After spending considerable time in the wild part of Michigan, where fox are plentiful, studying their habits and the various modes of trapping, I feel myself prepared to speak with some authority on this subject. To me fox trapping is one of the most interesting sports and if carefully and persistently done will yield a fair amount of profit as well as pleasure. The main point that makes it interesting is that you are matching your wits against a very wise and cunning animal and besides there is always the chance of catching a nice Cross or possibly a Black or Silver, which in the past has been considered quite a prize.

It is certainly fun to start out on a good line of well set traps, picturing to yourself what may be doing at each trap, until you get so interested you can scarcely wait to get over the line. To see a nice tail waving before you get to a trap sends a thrill nearly equal to some you get in deer hunting.

Outside of the wolf, the fox is perhaps one of the most sly, cunning, and suspicious of all animals. They are also imbued with a feeling of curiosity which is their weak point. Anything out of the ordinary, no matter along what line, will arouse their suspicion as well as curiosity. However if their curiosity can be made to overcome their suspicion, partially at least, they are easily caught.

Anything, like a large bait, a feather, or a piece of cloth will cause them to sidestep and walk around for hours before getting very close, sometimes never. One old trappers method is to place a large bait of some kind and then a few feet away on a high place put a trap or two. The fox will get on the high spot to look the bait over and be caught. The theory is all right in a great many fox sets you see in print, but they do not work out in practice due to the fact that they are not well made. Successful fox trapping depends on three things: first, selecting a good place to set; second, properly making the set; and third, destroying human scent.

Herewith will be found a picture of nine beautiful “Reds” caught by the author in Crawford Co., during the last two weeks in October 1923, as follows: I use an automobile to tend my traps going as close as possible in each case to the trap. If possible to set from the running board so much better as no human tracks are left and a fox is not suspicious of an auto track.

I use the Victor No 2 double spring trap and stake solid. A fox once caught will seldom get out of a No 2 and a stake is more easily concealed than a clog. I make my sets in old paths, roads, on dirt mounds, sand banks, saw dust piles, or in fact any place where I find fox are working. I set my traps underground and drive the stake out of sight, making everything look as natural as possible.

I use what I call a “Jackel” for my traps, made out of oil-cloth. Owing to the fact that it takes several pencil sketches to illustrate it it is impossible to do here. However, I suppose any arrangement that will allow a trap to remain set through rain etc., and still spring will answer the purpose. The underground set destroys human scent to a great extent, the rest being done with artificial scent.

I think it matters very little what kind of artificial scent you use around a trap so long as it is strong and lasting. If everything looks natural and there is a peculiar odor the fox will investigate to a certain extent at least, depending perhaps on whether it appeals to him or not. I experimented quite a little with scents and finally found one which seems to work very well in all kinds of weather. I cannot give it here due to the peculiar way in which it is obtained.

Summing the whole thing up “Fox Trapping” is simply setting the trap in the right place in the right way. 

More than 300 pages, Published in 2020 GET YOUR COPY TODAY!

FUR SHED CORNER