ibe this trap for every boy
who works a trap line knows how to make them. The trap is made by
using a bottom log three or four feet long and a drop log of the same
size, but much longer. If the trap is not heavy enough of its own
weight, place logs on the drop log until it is sufficiently heavy to
kill the animal. Four stakes are driven, two on either side of the
log and close to the bottom log and about two feet apart and driven
so that the top or drop log will work easily between the stakes. Two
of the stakes, the ones driven on the side where the bait pen is, had
a crotch or fork and a stick was placed in these crotches. A string
was tied to the drop log and to a stick of the proper length so that
when the drop log was raised up eight or ten inches from the bottom
log and the string passed over the stick in the crotches, one end of
the trigger stick would rest against the stick placed in the
crotches. The other end would slightly catch onto another stick, laid
directly under the one that rests in the crotches and resting against
the forked stakes and about two inches from the bottom log. This
stick is called the treadle, as the animal going into the bait pen to
get the bait must step on this treadle, pushing it down, which will
release the trigger spindle and allow the drop log to fall.

The bait pen is usually made by driving stakes in a circle from one
of the trap stakes to the other stake on the same side of the bottom
log. This style of a deadfall is alright as to handling bait, but I
do not consider it a sure trap, as often the animal will set off the
trap before it is far enough under the drop to make a sure catch. I
prefer a trigger that will cause the animal to get at least one fore
leg over the bottom piece before the trap is sprung.

In making this style of a deadfall it is not necessary to use a
string and the forked stakes with the cross stick in the forks; all
that is necessary is to have two upright standards, one locked on to
the other by just a notch cut in the standard that the drop rest on
and catch the other end of the standard resting on the bed place.
This standard is made slightly wedge shape so as to rest firmly in
the notch in the upper standard. The notch should be about two-thirds
the distance from the lower end of the stick up and just long enough
to come down and rest against the side of the crossbar or treadle,
which, as before stated, should be about two inches above the bed
piece.