Care in Details
In trapping, attention to simple details is essential. Though the mountain-lion trapper need not be so cautious about human scent as the trapper of wolves or coyotes, it is well, when placing a trap, for him to stand or kneel on a setting cloth, if for no other reason than convenience. This cloth may be about 3 feet square and made of canvas, slicker-coat material, or the skin of a sheep or calf. It will also help to avoid disturbing the ground about the trap set. Excavated soil can be placed on it, and that not needed in completing the work can thus be easily removed. In addition, at the completion of a set, the trapping equipment can be rolled up in it and carried away. Minor trapping details include removing rust from traps, boiling them in water to eliminate the conspicuous fresh odors noticed when they come from the manufacturer, carefully repairing traps with faulty springs, taking care that the trap pan moves freely on its post, and seeing that the jaws are adjusted to close snugly and rapidly. Without attending carefully to minor details, no farmer or stockmen can expect success in trapping America's prince of predators—the mountain-lion.
U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1933
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D. C. – – – – – Price 5 cents
Transcriber Notes
Illustrations positioned so as to avoid splitting paragraphs. All occurrences of "mountain lion" were changed to "mountain-lion".