My first whatzit

[captain Jack]

This is the first thing other than straight trash I have found. Probably because I am just starting to get a hang of the researching end of the hobby. Anyhow, my wife and I found what we believe to be a trench near the james river here in Richmond, Va. Although we didn't get to detect the whole thing, we did find two of these at the base of the "trench" about halfway through. They are definitely iron, and were about 5-6 inches down. They were right next to one another so we were thinking it was something that may have been changed in pairs. Something on horses? We really have no idea. Dispite the rust I am fairly certain after a little cleaning that they do not say anything on them or have any markings to tell me anything. Any help is much appreciated. -Jeff

 

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[Bigcypresshunter]

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[blurr]

You're right on Blur, Captains traps look like No.1 Victors and being found 3 to 4 inches under ground sure looks like a couple of gopher traps got lost. I've trapped a bunch of them too for the bounty, but in the late 40's it was 10 cents and of course you need both fronts to bring to the Township clerk for pay. Fix em' up and hang em' on the wall, Captain they'll bring back fine memories to some ex-farm boys. Now you have a thatzit.

You got it! Anyone who grew up on a farm knows what that is. Had to make sure to cover the hole up really good, or the stupid things would just plug up the hole.

John

 

[Ant]

When I lived in an area that was worth trapping I did my share of trapping fur bearing animals.

I use the paper the trap is sitting on to judge its size. It is missing a long spring and the round pan with the V on it. It’s called a leg hold trap.

To catch gophers we use body griping traps that are designed to kill, not leg hold traps which are not designed to kill.

On muskrats we use conibear traps of the appropriate size. They’re designed to kill to. I could tell you more but people don’t like trapping now days, so let’s not make this thread to graphic.

This is waht a common gopher trap looks like. There are other types of gopher traps but not leg hold traps, at least if you plan on catching one.

 

[gord]

You're right on Blur, Captains traps look like No.1 Victors and being found 3 to 4 inches under ground sure looks like a couple of gopher traps got lost. I've trapped a bunch of them too for the bounty, but in the late 40's it was 10 cents and of course you need both fronts to bring to the Township clerk for pay. Fix em' up and hang em' on the wall, Captain they'll bring back fine memories to some ex-farm boys. Now you have a thatzit.

You got it! Anyone who grew up on a farm knows what that is. Had to make sure to cover the hole up really good, or the stupid things would just plug up the hole.

John

Stupid things? They were smart enough to plug the hole! That's better than a lot of people I know.
Gord

 

[blurr]

You're right on Blur, Captains traps look like No.1 Victors and being found 3 to 4 inches under ground sure looks like a couple of gopher traps got lost. I've trapped a bunch of them too for the bounty, but in the late 40's it was 10 cents and of course you need both fronts to bring to the Township clerk for pay. Fix em' up and hang em' on the wall, Captain they'll bring back fine memories to some ex-farm boys. Now you have a thatzit.

You got it! Anyone who grew up on a farm knows what that is. Had to make sure to cover the hole up really good, or the stupid things would just plug up the hole.


True enough.

John
John

Stupid things? They were smart enough to plug the hole! That's better than a lot of people I know.
Gord

 

[blurr]

When I lived in an area that was worth trapping I did my share of trapping fur bearing animals.

I use the paper the trap is sitting on to judge its size. It is missing a long spring and the round pan with the V on it. It’s called a leg hold trap.

To catch gophers we use body griping traps that are designed to kill, not leg hold traps which are not designed to kill.

On muskrats we use conibear traps of the appropriate size. They’re designed to kill to. I could tell you more but people don’t like trapping now days, so let’s not make this thread to graphic.


You are right about the types of traps, but when you are twelve years old the "death" traps, as we used to call them aren't as easy to use as the leg traps. By the way, the whole purpose in trapping gophers is to collect the feet for the bounty. If you don't check the traps each day, you don't get the bounty (you get paid by the set, not for each foot).

John

This is waht a common gopher trap looks like. There are other types of gopher traps but not leg hold traps, at least if you plan on catching one.

 

[misplacedrednek]

I think that's a Florida mosquito trap.

 

[diggummup]

It's just a very cruel instrument designed to kill small animals by starvation or force them to chew off their own limbs to bleed to death. A very low point in man's accomplishments. Every one of them should be destroyed.

You a member of P.E.T.A. or something? Don't forget,we are all hunters and gatherers.Lefty's! :P

I woke next to gal and chewed my own arm off keep from wakin' 'er up. Man, I would love to have been caught in that trap instead....

Been there,(almost) done that! You wonder why I quit drinking?

 

[silverswede]

Thought I might add a little more on the fine art of gopher trapping and why the two traps were under ground. Small single spring No. 0 and No. 1 leghold traps were the common traps used because we also trapped weasel, mink and muskrat. It was a farm kids only source of income many times and any farmer will tell you the benefits of removing the pocket gophers and the mounds of dirt they created from the fields. A set with a leghold was made by probing around the gopher mound with a rod or sharpened stick until you located their tunnel. You then dug about a 6 to 8 inch diameter hole down to it. This was usually about 8 to ten inches deep. Then the trap was set on the bottom of the tunnel with the chain and loop brought up out of the hole and staked with a stick to mark the set. Next a flat rock or piece of Sod was placed over the hole and covered with dirt to block out all light. You usually had your gopher within hours, removed him and the trap, whacked it with a stick, removed the front feet and Viola 10 cents profit. Now a days a buck or two. Then you filled the hole, leveled the mounds and had a happy farmer. It would happen sometimes that you would lose track of a set and lose a trap for some Md'er to find many, many years later. Now why not the killer traps that are pictured. My experience was they had to be set just just inside an open tunnel and once a catch had been made your trap and gopher was available to every winged and furred predator which left you no feet. Here's a long winded bunch of information that will not be useful to 99% of you folks but times may get tough again.
S.S.

 

[Night Stalker]

Nice old trap....

 

[Monty]

As a PETA member I resent some of the inflammatory remarks on this thread! People Eating Tasty Animals is a fine organization! Monty

 

[Blackjack77]

good one Monty!!- LOL
Had Me going for a second......

 

[misplacedrednek]

As a PETA member I resent some of the inflammatory remarks on this thread! People Eating Tasty Animals is a fine organization! Monty

I agree. If God didn't want us to eat animals he wouldn't have made them out of meat.

rednek

 

[dkw]

At first I had decided against it, but what the heck. Here goes

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

At first I had decided against it, but what the heck. Here goes

That picture may be from Australia, where rabbits are a problem and also a non-native destructive species. Where did you get it?

 

[dkw]

http://www.tonyrogers.com/humor/peta_rabbits.htm

I assumed they were good ole American jackrabbits. I doubt it would be Australia(or Kalifornia) based on the weapons the hunters are holding.

 

[digdug_rita]

Oh my, that is a lot of interesting information off an old gopher trap......have several of them set on my backyard. Pesky little varmits are a royal pain in the badonka-donk. Ever watch Caddyshack?? , my sentiment exactly. Good find and good luck with returning to the river bank.