On page 80, Schneider lists the typical items that a trapper might carry when heading off on an excursion chasing the ever dwindling game in the Adirondacks. The items, "gun and ammunition, hatchet, knife, flint, steel, tinder and compass...teapot and tea, frying pan, salt, and cornmeal, " (plus some rum) seem quite limited by modern standards. Despite what the name "trapper" would imply, "each trapper could reasonably carry [only] three beaver traps if on foot or snowshoe." This gear list suggests something about the trappers beyond the brutal and slightly dumb characterization that they are given by Schneider's tall tales regarding their exploits.
For instance, there is no mention of shelter, or any special clothing, in this list, and the only source of warmth is a flint and steel. Perhaps the furs gradually acquired by the trappers would provide some sort of shelter, but they also must have learned how to orient their camps and to make snow caves in order to remain in decent health. There is little food mentioned, so a trapper would have to catch things in order to eat, living off the land just as the farmers who would come later would learn to do. They used what few (and heavy) tools they brought to make their home in the woods, rather than bringing all of the elements of home along with them as is the modern practice. In addition to hunting large game with their guns, they also had to be very good at building snares and traps along the way to catch smaller animals. In brief, they were many of the things that modern woodsmen aspire to be.
Also, anybody who hasn't checked out the picture database from the Adirondack Museum totally should. I'm not sure if we're allowed to post pictures directly from it yet, but the link to the search is right here:
http://adirondack.pastperfect-online.com/31694cgi/mweb.exe?request=ks
and if you type in "bear trap" or just "trap" you will get some cool pictures!
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