NATIVE AMERICAN DEADFALLS TO CATCH ANIMALS

ANIMAL TRAPPINGS IS ONE OF THE FIRST METHODS USED TO HUNT. NEOLITHIC HUNTERS USED TRAPS TO CAPTURE ANIMALS BEFORE 5000 B.C. A TAOIST PHILOSOPHER DESCRIBES CHINESE METHODS USED FOR TRAPPING ANIMALS DURING 4TH CENTURY B.C. THEY CAUGHT FOXES AND SPOTTED LEOPARDS.

NATIVE AMERICANS TRAPPED ANIMALS WITH PITS, DEADFALL AND OLD FASHIONED SNARES. A DEADFALL IS A HEAVY ROCK ON LOG TILTED ON AN ANGLE AND HELD WITH SECTIONS OF BRANCHES, AND ONE OF THEM SERVES AS A TRIGGER. WHEN AN ANIMAL TOUCHES THE TRIGGER WITH BAIT THE ROCK OR LOG CRUSHES THE ANIMAL. THE PAUITE DEADFALL HAS THREE LONG STICKS PLUS A SHORTER STICK ALONG WITH A CORD OR FIBER MATERIAL TAKEN FROM THE BUSH TO INTERCONNECT THE MUCH SHORTER STICK.

EUROPEANS LEARNED HOW TO TRAP ANIMALS FROM NATIVE AMERICANS. BEAVER WAS ONE OF THE MAIN ANIMALS OF INTEREST TO THE TRAPPERS AS THE FUR WORE WELL INTO COATS AND HATS. BEAVER HATS BECAME POPULAR IN THE EARLY 19TH CENTURY, AND THEN THE BEAVER BECAME SCARCE. THE BEAVERS WERE OVER HARVESTED. SO THE GOVERNMENTS PUT A REGULATORY LAW ABOUT OVER HUNTING CERTAIN ANIMALS. MANY NATIVE AMERICANS AND EUROPEANS HUNTED BUFFALOES AND THEY TOO BECAME SCARCE.

NATIVE AMERICANS TRAPPED ANIMALS TO EAT THEIR FLESH AND USED EVERY PART OF THE ANIMAL. FUR FOR CLOTHING OR TIPIS AND NAILS FOR CEREMONIAL DECORATIONS. MANY ANGLO FUR TRAPPERS TRAPPED ANIMALS ONLY FOR THEIR FUR. AND THEY TRADED BETWEEN NATIVE AMERICANS AND OTHERS SETTLERS. TRAPPING CONTINUES TO BE A PROFESSION IN MANY AREAS AROUND THE WORLD, PROBABLY ON A PART TIME PROFESSION. COMPETITION FROM FUR FARMING HAS DECREASED MANY WILD ANIMALS AND TRAPPING IS A MINOR INDUSTRY,



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