Iron traps question

[Older The Better]

I was looking through a book of fur trade artifacts and I saw an iron trap. I’ve found two similar ones but I didn’t think they were trade era. To my knowledge this area was part of the osage hunting area. So I was wondering what you guys thought. Do you think a group out on a buffalo hunt would bring iron traps along? Seems like extra weight to me and I would imagine they could make traps out of the available local materials if need be.


I’m thinking these are more like early 1900’s but pictures always make these threads better

 

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[Arkansaw]

Neat. My grandfather has a ton of those in his barn

 

[firemanphob]

they are victor traps (notice v on pan) still make them today. can't say about the date for sure'

 

[releventchair]

Victors started in 1886. After the peak of the fur era out west. Though trapping continued , and a trap still works while you are sleeping and may produce not only fur , but something to eat.

Your pictured chain and it's end components hints of recent (well ,recent in history's eye) production.

Context /environment matter in the traps breaking down. It would be good fortune to find the oldest traps still intact.

I recovered one last made in the 19-20's or 30's (I forget now) from an eroded bank about three feet down (seasonal spring flooding and sediment deposits) that crumbled in my hand except for a jaw and a half.
Another recovered from a creek had been tripped way back when and was so encrusted only a vague D shape and the frame below the pan told of a trap.
Gifted it to a fried who still trapped as a novelty and one day it was dropped , and it shattered.


[Oneida traps were first produced by a religious commune in 1852. Their traps were named after one of their best blacksmiths, Sewell Newhouse. They began producing the "Victor" line of traps in 1886, and by 1910 they reported sales of seven million traps. The history of Oneida traps is documented in an exhibit organized by the Oneida Community Mansion House, Sherrill Manufacturing Inc., and trap collector Edward Knobloch. Nearly100 traps from Knobloch's collection are on display in the historic Sherrill factory complex where the traps were made. The exhibit is called "Oneida Game Traps, 1852-1925: The Edward J. Knobloch Collection." ]

 

[Older The Better]

So do you think a very mobile group like plains Indians would bother with iron traps or were they more for settled groups

 

[releventchair]

So do you think a very mobile group like plains Indians would bother with iron traps or were they more for settled groups

Some might have taken found sets. Stakes or markings for a trapper to locate their sets to check them could have been spotted.
A trapper working an area could arouse suspicion or curiosity. A friend could be left alone , but a rival could be relieved of traps.
Others may have acquired them for the metal. (Trap springs make good knife blades).
And perhaps some used steel traps as designed , but knew better methods.

Plains tribes were people. And other folks had short and long term contact or involvement with them. And some people trapped for companies. And who knows who was actually on/working the site your traps were recovered from over time?

 

[old digger]

It was the mountain men that ventured in to the west to trap the beaver, and I am sure that it wouldn't have been possible without the metal trap. I wouldn't doubt that any of the early mountain men that lost their traps to the local Indians were in turn reused by the Indians. And in turn the pelts were then traded to the fur companies.

 

[newnan man]

A sickening way to capture an animal.

 

[releventchair]

A sickening way to capture an animal.

Those I've released to walk off on all fours got over it.
Those I've skinned did too.

 

[Older The Better]

I hadn’t really thought about them being opportunistic and raiding them for material. I didn’t think mine were that old. I didn’t think victor was that old. I’m going to stick with early 1990’s

So as far as trade era traps I guess wether or not they took traps with them initially they could have easily wound up with them.

 

[Trezurehunter]

I still have a few boxes of those from when I trapped in the early 70's.

 

[Older The Better]

Yeah i guess to clarify I’m going early 1900’s because it’s been family land since the 1880’s and to my knowledge nobody in my family trapped so it would have to be my great grandpa or before

 

[Tnmountains]

I have found many old sets when setting new sets. Right now my conibears are under flood water. Makes sense that they would be taken for the spring steel in them.

 

[iowa trout]

A sickening way to capture an animal. what's sick about it ? Beer, blondes ,bullets, and beaver pelts built this country.

 

[DizzyDigger]

You've got a pair of Victor #1 Long spring traps. Probably more
of those sold than any other trap on the market. Very commonly
used for muskrat, mink and martin.

Can you make out any writing on the pans?

 

[Older The Better]

Sort of def victor

 

[DizzyDigger]

The bottom pic looks like it says "Oneida Community" above the V.

 

[Older The Better]

I can see that now. Interesting I’ll have to look into when they changed their marks around