Sardine can nailed to tree and possible cache location near old homestead cabin

[joya_dorado]

Yesterday I was looking around the site of an old 1800's log home (home now gone) and I was searching around the bases of several larger oak trees within a short distance of the cabin. The largest tree had something unusual about it. About 4-5 feet off the ground, on the side facing the cabin, someone had nailed an old style can of sardines to the tree with a single large galvanized nail. The can was unopened at the time of nailing so it must have begun to stink after a few days. The nail was weathered but relatively modern, being galvanized, and the can looked to be maybe 30-40 years old. This just seems odd. I MD'ed around the base of the tree and directly under the can about 2 feet from the trunk I got a strong iron signal at about 7 inches deep so I'm thinking a mason jar or coffee can with coins type stash. Or maybe just an old sardine can, who knows? With the small pick I had I could not penetrate the tangled oak roots to uncover the object. So whatever it is, it's been buried for several decades. Now this is on an old ranch road that went behind the cabin between the cabin and a hill. On the hill is an old Spanish mine that has been worked off and on for 250 years. So you can imagine my curiousity. Any thoughts as to what the sardine can might represent or been used for would be welcome. I do plan on further digging of the signal of course but just thought I would get some input from you guys.

 

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[Jeffro]

Yeah- dig and dig deep! I haven't found any sardine cans, but I have found a nail or two tacked on the underside of a branch. A string dropped straight down from the nail is a good marker- until the tree gets cut down.

 

[mtntrekr2]

You said the can was full when it was put there. Maybe it was a
trap set to attract a bear for a hunter. But getting a signal in the
spot I would dig even if it meant getting an ax to cut a few roots.
Joe

 

[joya_dorado]

You said the can was full when it was put there. Maybe it was a
trap set to attract a bear for a hunter. But getting a signal in the
spot I would dig even if it meant getting an ax to cut a few roots.
Joe

No bears in this part of texas since the late 1800's. But I thought maybe it was to attract a racoon or bobcat or similar sardine loving critter. But why such a huge nail? It's almost a spike about 1/4 inch thick. I've seen a lot of odd things nailed to trees but never a sardine can. I'm taking an axe out next weekend and will be doing some chopping for sure.

 

[Gypsy Heart]

Sardine cans were nailed to trees as bobcat or big cat bait.....maybe what you are hitting is the trap?

 

[Ratman]

It could be a boundry marker for a mining claim .

 

[joya_dorado]

Sardine cans were nailed to trees as bobcat or big cat bait.....maybe what you are hitting is the trap?

Now THAT makes sense. It explains why can was unopened, the use of a large nail to secure it to the tree and possible presence of a leg hold trap beneath the tree.
Still gonna dig it but may have to chew my foot off to get away if I spring the trap :P

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

[=Ratman ]
It could be a boundary marker for a mining claim .
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ya got it rat guy. Common practice.

Verify be seeing if there is still any trace of paper inside.

However at times it was used to locate the snow level at that time. Later the state used unissued licence plates doubled into a "V: and nailed at he exact level. This not only gave the snow height but when.

I favor the claim location marker.

Don Jose de La Mancha - Till Eulenspiegel

 

[Gypsy Heart]

[=Ratman ]
It could be a boundary marker for a mining claim .
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ya got it rat guy. Common practice.

Verify be seeing if there is still any trace of paper inside.

However at times it was used to locate the snow level at that time. Later the state used unissued licence plates doubled into a "V: and nailed at he exact level. This not only gave the snow height but when.

I favor the claim location marker.

Don Jose de La Mancha - Till Eulenspiegel

Jose dear pal......the only thing inside that sardine can was sardines.....remember he said it was unopened at the time of nailing.....stinky stinky stinky.......I am home this week so I have all week to pick on you!
And how high does the snow get in Texas?

Some senorita has been plying you wine again hasnt she?

 

[joya_dorado]

[=Ratman ]
It could be a boundary marker for a mining claim .
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ya got it rat guy. Common practice.

Verify be seeing if there is still any trace of paper inside.

However at times it was used to locate the snow level at that time. Later the state used unissued licence plates doubled into a "V: and nailed at he exact level. This not only gave the snow height but when.

I favor the claim location marker.

Don Jose de La Mancha - Till Eulenspiegel

Senor Jose I would agree if this were anywhere else but Texas. "Claims? We don't need no stinkin' claims..." LOL You see this is all private land and only a few areas in Texas have ever been open to claim-staking. I favor the stink bait cat trap theory personally.

 

[TORPEDOX]

Yea, I bet you find a trap, My family has a ranch in central Oregon, and the county trapper would do the same thing on juniper trees to trap coyotes. he would nail up a can of sardines. he said that the juice would ooz out over a long period of time and they can smell it for miles. he would set 3 traps in a triangle around the tree. when the coyote comes up and circles the tree,,,,,,,,,,SNAP........
I bet it would work for lots of nuisence critters.

 

[joya_dorado]

Yea, I bet you find a trap, My family has a ranch in central Oregon, and the county trapper would do the same thing on juniper trees to trap coyotes. he would nail up a can of sardines. he said that the juice would ooz out over a long period of time and they can smell it for miles. he would set 3 traps in a triangle around the tree. when the coyote comes up and circles the tree,,,,,,,,,,SNAP........
I bet it would work for lots of nuisence critters.

Yep... it makes sense. Not sure i want to chop and dig thru 7 inhes of oak roots to uncover a rusted trap :P

 

[IndianaSmith]

I would also agree it beint used as lure/bait by a trapper. Sardines (and Jack Mackerel) is still a popular coon (and skunk) bait today. If you discover it to be a steel trap, remove it gently (if possible to even remove it at all) as certain traps are extremely valuable. And, if infact it does happen to be a trap, please post a pic of it.

Good luck
Smitty

 

[silverswede]

I agree, also that it would be a bait set for furbearers. I've made alot of them and if it turns out your signal is indeed the trap it would have been set about two feet back from the bait and probably staked down with a metal stake. The stake, chain, and trap would have been covered lightly with dirt and leaves. If long enough ago roots may have grown around it. Sure hope you can get whatever it is out and give us a story and picture.

 

[IndianaSmith]

I agree, also that it would be a bait set for furbearers. I've made alot of them and if it turns out your signal is indeed the trap it would have been set about two feet back from the bait and probably staked down with a metal stake. The stake, chain, and trap would have been covered lightly with dirt and leaves. If long enough ago roots may have grown around it. Sure hope you can get whatever it is out and give us a story and picture.

Good to see another trapper Some the old Oneida/Victors & Blake & Lambs came with a "spike" attached to the ring on the end of the trapchain, it's purpose was to anchor the trap by "nailing" the spike into the tree, so it may have been staked by this spike to the tree itsself.

Smitty

 

[SwampHunter]

I figure bait for cats but could have done it to keep flies away from the front door too.



If you gross out easy don't read any further. It has to do with flies and attracting them.




Way back when I used to fish with my Grandpa he taught me a trick. If we caught a gar(an unwanted fish) we would hang it from a tree limb. Within a day the flies would blow it. About the third day the fun began. We would fish downwind from the suspended gar and wear the fish out. Basically the maggots would start falling into the water and get the fish gathered up under the gar for an easy meal.
Any more if we use this trick we use a can of dog food, but have used sardines or tuna.

 

[desertfox]

Good luck on what ever it is you find down there. At best, a stash of coins, at worst, trash.... Either way be carefull digging until your sure what you have. And by all means keep us posted! You mght say you have us hook line and sinker right now. HH all

Desertfox

 

[wildpig]

We used to bait coons and bobcats for trapping by nailing a sardine can on a tree, with a trap hidden by leaves below it .

 

[RustyGold]

Yep. Bait lure for trapping.