Making the Coon Trap

Page 56

     "Now," he said, "you go down along the river where there are a lot of coon tracks. Find a good solid log close by and bore a hole down about six inches. Drop one of the bright pieces of tin down in the hole, and be sure it's laying right on the bottom." . . . . .

     He took four of the horseshoe nails from the sack. With the thumb and forefinger of his left hand he made a small "o" about the size of the bit, which was an inch and a half in diameter.

     "Now, we'll say this is the hole you bored in the log," he said "About an inch apart, drive these nails in on a slant opposite each other."

     Holding one of the nails in his right hand, he showed me the right angle.

     "The ends of the nails will enter the hold about halfway between the top and the piece of tin," he continued. "Leave an opening between the sharp points big enough for the coon to his paw through." . . . .

     "When his paw closes on the bright object it balls up, and when he starts to pull it from the hole, the sharp ends of the nails will gouge into his paw and he's caught."