Camping and woodcraft - Scoutmastercg.com

4o6CAMPING AND WOODCRAFTof wire, it can be held in place by drawing it lightlyinto the cleft end of a stub, as at Ej or a splitstick stuck in the ground for that purpose. If cordis used, hold it in place with little twigs or withblades of grass bent round it and drawn back intonicks made with a knife in the stakes at each side,as at F. No bait is needed.This is also a good snare to set at the mouth ofa den or burrow.As for baited snares, there are many Ingeniousways of rigging them.^ One example will suffice.The bait itself will depend, of course, upon thekind of animal to be caught. For rabbits it maybe succulent roots or wild fruits. The 'coon, 'possum,and skunk have a varied diet: grasshoppers,crickets, beetles, grubs, mussels, fish, crayfish, frogs,snakes, lizards, birds, eggs, nuts, fruits, roots; andlots of other things. The wildcat and the lynx arelured by any kind of meat, particularly if it is bloody.If the bait is so small or so delicate that it cannot beFig.^.//^191.— Baited snaretied to the bait-stick,make for it a little panof bark fastened to thestick. All wild animalsare passionately fond ofsalt, and, if you haveany of it, a pinch of saltrubbed on the bait willmake it all the more en^ticing.The snare shown inFig. 191 is easy to rig,requires only a shortlength of wire or cord,and goes off like a hairtrigger. Its dimensions will depend on the size ofthe animal it is set for. The idea is to have theloop only large enough for the prey to stick itshead through without touching on more thanone. side, if any, and just high enough from the