Fur Trapping, Winter 1790 and 1791
My brother and myself spent most of the time that winter in trapping beaver up on Licking still having our home at the station. We were considered the best trappers ever on Licking except the John Bradley, before spoken of. [Bradley] could catch two beavers to any other’s one that might be trapping with us, The tail of the beaver contained an excellent marrow and used to be eaten. …..
"We had four beaver traps (more commonly known as steel traps) about eight inches across in the jaws when extended, and costing from $6 to $8 a piece. Our bait was from the belly of the animal itself. Under the belly of all beavers is a cavity about 2 ½ inches long containing in two separate apartments what are called the oil and the bark stone behind it. The fluids from these two stones, smelling a good deal like asafetida are put together in some tight vessel…..I kept mine in a horn……They compose about ½ gill. I kept some in a horn, the small end unopened and the larger end fitted with a bottom, having a piece of leather sewed around it, so as to make it tight, and a string to draw it out by, the whole so small that I could get it in my shot pouch. The produce of the beaver would make bait enough to last two years but I generally renewed it with the first one I would catch in the spring. Some put asafetida with their bait. But this I thought would injure it. A little whiskey perhaps did some good. The bait was a little twig about as long as your finger with little splints made at the end, and this dipped into the horn. This would be stuck in the side of the bank near the water over where the trap was concealed.
Stakes were driven all around so that the beaver could approach only one direction. The trap was fastened by chains…….When the whole is done, trappers dip this his hand into the water and getting farther along the stream, washes away his sent as he goes till he gets entirely out of the reach of the trap. Some set their bait unskillfully so that the beaver can get at it from the bank and avoid the trap. They are said to be attracted by a ½ or ¾ or even a mile by its sent.”
