The Lost Traps

Taught by Grandfather to Tom Brown
by Dan Stanchfield

The lost traps are three variations on the paiute trap that you learned in the standard class. Why would you need to use them? Well, each one is increasingly harder to set, which means that each one is increasingly more sensitive, which means that each one is faster. This logic comes from a quote from Tom Brown, "The harder to set a trap is, the more sensitive it is."

So why is faster more preferred? It's not, if you want to miss the animal or just catch it by the leg and let it suffer. If you need food and you are dealing with fast and tricky animals then you have to use faster traps.

I eat very little because my ancestors were supposedly agrarian based, and since animals store more of the toxins from the ever increasing pollution than plants. But if I did have a need for meat, I'd want to be able to provide for myself, family, and friends. Also, I am fascinated by traps or any primitive skill that may soon become "lost."

I learned these all from Tom Brown, Jr. in January of 1998. I am writing this article for two reasons. One is to give credit and appreciation to Tom for passing on this knowledge to me and thus, me to you.

The second reason is so you can all have fun experiencing the frustration of setting these meat traps. Please work with these traps instead of just talking about them. I do enough talking for all of us. Knowing and doing are two different things. Trap mice or use boxes instead of deadfalls on your pets; just do it one way or another. And have fun.

The next article will include a stringless paiute trap that Grandfather invented and some tips on why you want your diagonal at 45 degrees.

Keep Tracking, Daniel S.