Eastwood by Mike Sheridan

Author:Mike Sheridan [Sheridan, Mike]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: BA
Published: 2017-06-02T23:00:00+00:00

***

Under Clete’s guidance, Cody soon built three more traps. Once he’d gotten the hang of it, he was amazed how quickly they could be made. First, he found a length of wood to carve out the windlass sticks, and hammered a nail through each one. The peg triggers were trickier, but after a few unsuccessful attempts, he finally got the hang of them too.

The hardest part was the actual setting of the trigger. At first, he found it impossible to get the bait stick to balance on the post stick; it kept sliding off. Clete instructed him to rough up the bottom of the sticks so that there was enough friction to keep them from slipping. Soon after, he was up and running, and found that by balancing the bait stick at about a twenty-five-degree angle, he could position the windlass on top of the post stick easily.

During the process, Clete taught him a few more tricks, like to make sure to use extra bank line to fasten the windlass securely; if an animal didn’t die instantly, you didn’t want it to destroy the trap and escape. Also, how to build a funnel using stones and dead wood around the trap so that the animal approached it head on. Everything he taught was logical and simple, learned from decades of hunting experience. Every trick, every refinement, improved the percentage chance of trapping an animal.

Finally, baiting all four traps with peanut butter, they set off back to the camp. It was 8 a.m., and they wanted to get back in time to see Pete, Ralph, and Maya off before they left on their recruitment mission. That evening, they would check the traps. In the summer heat, any dead animal would go bad quickly.

“You done good, kid,” Clete said as they hiked back up the hill. “Never saw someone figure out how to make those peg triggers as quick as you. You got a God-given talent for this shit.”

Grinning, Cody said, “Only ‘cos I’ve got a great teacher.”

Clete chuckled. “Better wait till we catch something before you say that. Next time I’ll show you how to make a box trap for catching pheasant. Mmm-mmm! I just love me some roast pheasant!”

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