r, as it seems to me that the swivel will
be far less liable to become useless by being twisted or wound around
saplings, etc., where the swivel is close to the bed piece than it
would be if placed eight or ten inches out in the chain. I prefer to
have the swivel in my trap chain placed as close to the trap as
possible.

[Illustration: WOODCOCK AND HIS STEEL TRAPS.]

Another thing that I have but little use for is a trap from which the
animal must take the bait in order to spring it, for often the animal
will go up close enough to a trap to inspect the bait but will not
touch it.

I do not think that there should be a latch on any trap, as I think
that often the animal's foot is thrown free from the trap, or at
least causes many catches by the tips of the toes and the animal
escapes, becoming a hard animal to catch thereafter. The animal
having a part of the foot resting on the latch and the toes striking
the treadle sufficient to unlatch the treadle, the released jaw will
throw the latch with the portion of the animal's foot resting on the
latch, free from the trap, or at least may often cause a slight catch
of the toes or other part of the foot. All that is necessary is to
leave an extension to the arm or heel of the treadle to catch over
the jaw of the trap. The trap may be made to spring hard or easy by
simply raising the pan slightly higher or lowering it to catch
farther on to the jaw of the trap more or less as desired.

Now boys, I have given a few of my ideas as to traps, and if any of
you have any suggestions to make as to improvements on the animal
steel traps, let us hear from you through the columns of the H-T-T. I
believe that manufacturers of animal or game traps would be glad to
make any improvements on their traps could they be convinced that the
suggested improvements were really of any value.

* * *

As I get many letters from trappers who are beginners in the business
making inquiries about camping and the necessary traps, guns, etc., I
will try to give a few practical hints to those who have had but
limited experience of trapper's life. While, like the setting of a
trap, there is no single code of rules that will answer for all
localities and conditions, I will give a few general rules.

The trapper should first try and inform himself of the nature and
conditions of the locality where he intends to trap. If the waters
are of such a size that a boat can be used to advantage, then the
boat