mal to enter the trap without effort; but once inside, escape is
impossible, as the gate cannot be pushed out, and even if the captured
animal should raise the gate and attempt to creep under it, the pointed
wires will catch in its back and prevent escape.

They are set in the dens, under water, and if the mouth of the den is
too large, the space around the trap should be closed with sods. Set in
this way, it will catch any muskrat that attempts to leave the den, and
I have caught three at one time in such a trap.

While muskrats caught in this way are always drowned, other animals,
such as: mink, skunk and opossum, may be taken alive by setting the trap
in the mouth of the den, blocking up all side openings. The width of the
trap as shown in the cut, is considerably out of proportion, when
compared with its length--it being drawn this way to show more clearly
the working of the swing gate.

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.

[Illustration: 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,