You should now be halfway through Chapter Three and wondering how Chogan trapped his animals. Perhaps you noticed Chogan uses three types of snares, depending on the animal he is trying to catch. Each snare will be explained in detail, but first it should be pointed out that Chogan trapped animals for food so his family could survive. He didn’t kill animals for fun, and we shouldn’t either. In most states, animal snares such as the ones Chogan used are no longer ethical and are also illegal.
Hunting and fishing is normally a job for men or boys and not for a girl like Kanti. But Kanti is not your normal girl. She thinks she can do everything her bigger brother can do, and perhaps better. She is quickly learning the ways of the woods.
Simple Snare
The simple snare is the easiest snare to set up and is good for catching grouse, turkeys, and ducks, but is useless for catching animals with teeth. They will quickly chew through the noose and free themselves.
With the simple snare, a noose made with a slip knot is secured to a tree or stake. The loop of the noose is held open using small twigs as in the picture at the left. The lower edge of the noose should be chest-high to the animal. If a ruffed grouse were to walk into the snare, its head would catch in the noose. The more the grouse struggles the tighter the noose will become. Although bait can be used with this type of snare, Chogan prefers to place simple snares on trails ducks or grouse often use. He also likes to place stakes at an angle along the sides of the snare to funnel animals into the snare.
Whip Snare Trigger
As the name implies, the whip snare uses a tall sapling as a whip to catch and hold its prey. There are many trigger mechanisms that can be used for whip snares, but the one at the right is Chogan’s favorite. The rope holding down the sapling is tied to a short stick. The stick is then hooked under a cross bar attached between two stakes or small trees. A trigger stick holds the lower end of the short stick in place and prevents the sapling from swinging free. Once the trigger stick is dislodged, the sapling pulls up on the noose, which is also tied to the sapling. It is not always necessary for a whip snare to pull an animal into the air. Sometimes just lifting the front or rear legs off the ground will keep the noose tight and prevent the animal from chewing its way free.
Log drop with boulder added for weight
The log drop is used for heavier animals such as beaver and fox. The upright on the left is actually a stake imbedded in the ground for stability. The upright on the right side is free standing and angled slightly backward to counterbalance the forward push from the logs. The crossbeam is balanced over the two uprights. When an animal tugs on the bait attached to the branch of the freestanding upright, the frame collapses and the logs fall on the animal. Stakes placed along the sides prevent the animal from jumping out of the way. When two or more logs are used, they are lashed together so they will fall as a unit. Chogan often added large stones to the top of the logs for additional weight.
Now that we understand how Chogan traps his animals, we can get back to the book. Later in Chapter Three Chogan and Kanti discover some wapatoo along the shore of Wagosh Lake. When they do, let’s meet back here and I can explain how to harvest wapatoo and how to cook it properly.