AN ARCTIC SAFARI
With Camera and Rifle in the Land
of the Midnight Sun
Richard Sutton
1932
In the yard, if one might so designate the fore-
land of Rennes Peninsula, we found a number of
trap guns, peculiar and dangerous contrivances for
the slaughter of hungry and inquisitive animals. A
wooden box, or chute, with an open mouth, was se-
curely fastened to a platform, two feet high. In
the rear end of the box an old .50 caliber Rem-
ington rifle action, without a stock, and with all but
a foot of the barrel sawed off, was so placed that
when the weapon is fired, the bullet will pass out
at the open end of the box. Twelve inches from
the muzzle of this cunningly contrived and mur-
derous little engine, a piece of meat, attached to a
string which passed, in turn, through a wire eye in
the rear of the box, and then to the trigger, was
loosely fastened. When a "trap" is completed,
the gun is loaded, and cocked, the prowling animal
does the rest, and receives a bullet through his head
for his pains. These gun traps were well marked,
and of little danger to human visitors. But some-
times they are not, and our guide assured us that
many serious and even fatal accidents had resulted
from their use. ,
With Camera and Rifle in the Land
of the Midnight Sun
Richard Sutton
1932
In the yard, if one might so designate the fore-
land of Rennes Peninsula, we found a number of
trap guns, peculiar and dangerous contrivances for
the slaughter of hungry and inquisitive animals. A
wooden box, or chute, with an open mouth, was se-
curely fastened to a platform, two feet high. In
the rear end of the box an old .50 caliber Rem-
ington rifle action, without a stock, and with all but
a foot of the barrel sawed off, was so placed that
when the weapon is fired, the bullet will pass out
at the open end of the box. Twelve inches from
the muzzle of this cunningly contrived and mur-
derous little engine, a piece of meat, attached to a
string which passed, in turn, through a wire eye in
the rear of the box, and then to the trigger, was
loosely fastened. When a "trap" is completed,
the gun is loaded, and cocked, the prowling animal
does the rest, and receives a bullet through his head
for his pains. These gun traps were well marked,
and of little danger to human visitors. But some-
times they are not, and our guide assured us that
many serious and even fatal accidents had resulted
from their use. ,
