A very effective skunk trap may be made from an old barrel. The barrel is pivoted to a pair of stakes, driven firmly into the ground along a bank or hillside, where skunks are found, and the bait is fastened on the bottom of the inside of the barrel. This trap is shown plainly in the illustration. It will be apparent to all that when the skunk, in approaching the bait, passes the center, where it is hinged to the stakes, the barrel tips over, and it will be impossible for the animal to escape.
Muskrats are sometimes taken with a wire net. To hunt them successfully in this way, two persons are required. While one holds the net over the mouth of the den, the other hunter drives the inmates from the burrow by prodding the ground with a pointed pole. A wire cage with a cover must be used to carry the captured animals, and each individual must be shaken into the cage as soon as captured, and the cage closed immediately to prevent their escape.
Barrel Trap for Catching Animals Alive.
When box traps are used, no difficulty whatever will be encountered in transporting the animals, as trap and catch may be carried into the enclosure before the animal is liberated. Even the skunk may be carried along in this way without any danger of scenting. The trap should be handled carefully—not thrown about.
Muskrats may be handled with perfect safety if grasped by the end of the tail and held at arm's length.
Trappers, as a rule, know just what time of year the young of each species of animal are born and I would advise, when trapping animals for breeding purposes, to catch them before this time, or at such a length of time after the birth of the young, that there will be no danger of their starving in case they are not captured along with the mother. Even if the very young animals are taken from the den, there is danger of them suffering from careless handling, or from not receiving proper care. It is better to catch the female animals before the young are born.
Another box trap that is a good one, is described by an Illinois trapper as follows:
"I here enclose a sketch for making a trap for catching mink which I have used for years, and think it can't be beat. Make a box 22 inches long, 5 inches wide, and 6 inches high out of inch lumber; bore a hole at the back for the string (D) to pass through, which is tied to a bait at (E) and fastened at the other end to a heavy wire (C), on top of the box, which holds the sliding door (A), when set. A couple of strips (B) are nailed on each side to hold the door in place. This is a good trap for mink that are afraid of steel traps. For bait use a rabbit's head tied securely to the string, also a few drops of good scent put on the bait, and set near the mouth of some tiles or wherever mink abound."