I was listening to the lawyer and wife survival podcasters. The lady mentioned how it is hard to snare animals, so she gave it up.
I've seen some successful snaring. But it was by professional trappers, old time trapper from the 1980's. They don't make snares out of a piece of paracord or some stripped bark turned into string. They use one-way snaring cables with a cam lock. The cable keeps tightening around the animal as it is pulled...but won't loosen up unless the lock is released.
The snare loop is suspended and placed in a way where the animal goes through it to get to the bait. Multiple snares would be used sometimes to trap different parts of the animals.
Watching pro trappers work is fascinating. The amount of work they do to set traps and work their trapline is something.
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Snare cable
I am an old time fur trapper from the 1960s and 70s.
I started out using old and rusted long spring traps purchased at farm sales by my dad, then added newer coil spring traps, and body grip traps (conibears). Ultimately I have accumulated around 200 traps featuring long spring, coil spring, body grip, cable snares, and cage traps. Dog proof raccoon traps have been designed more recently, and I plan to test out a couple before reccommending them, but many trappers love them.
Here is a decent write up on trap selection. While they vary a great deal in terms on size, weight, and durability, every type of trap has its place.
Steel Traps Available Today:
The Weasel Trap
The Number 0 long spring (3 1/2" Width) is the smallest size of steel foothold trap, and is intended for such small animals like Pine Martens, Squirrels, Rats, and Weasels. If the spring is of fair strength as is in the higher grades they may also be used for muskrat. They are used extensively by marten trappers in Alaska and the Rocky Mtns.
The Muskrat Trap
The Number 1 long spring (4" Width) is known as the muskrat trap and is the best size for this animal. It is available as a stop loss or with double jaws to prevent twist offs. It is also used for Mink, Possum, Rabbits, Skunk, Squirrel, and Woodchuck.
The Mink Trap
The Number 1 ½ coil spring (4 7/8" Width) is a very popular trap and their size and strength adapt them for general use in water sets. Known as the Mink trap, it is also used for Fox, Muskrat, Opossum, Raccoon and Skunk, and similar animals.
The Fox Trap
The Bridger Number 1 3/4 coil spring (5 1/8" Width) was designed in response to the range expantion of Coyotes to farm country. Only slightly bigger than the 1.5 Coil, it offers a reinforced frame, center mounted chain, offset jaws, and can be fitted with extra coil springs. Designed for Fox, Mink, and Raccoon, the larger size and strengh also makes it suitable for Badger, Bobcat, and Coyote.
The Coyote Trap
The Number 2 coil spring (5 1/2" Width) round jaw was designed as a dry land predator trap. It has a strong frame and jaws, and is wide and strong enough to handle the large feet of Badger, Bobcat, Coyote, Fisher, and Red Fox.
The MB 550 RC coil spring is a new trap designed by Minnesota Trapline Products. The heavy offset cast jaws have the same (5 1/2") jaw width as the #2 coil and a greater jaw length (6 1/4"). This allows the use of an oversized Paws I Trip Pan and a night latched dog. The frame is double thickness and fitted with a center mounted chain, and crunch proof swivels. The amount of pan force needed to trigger the MB 550 can be easily adjusted by bending the dog, making this trap suited for Badger, Bobcat, Coyote, Fisher, Fox, and Raccoon.
The Otter Trap
The Victor Number 3 coil spring (5 7/8" Width) has been named the Otter trap, and it is the proper size to use for this animal. Like the MB 550, the jaws are longer than they are wide and this allows room for an oversized pan. It is available with forged offset jaws, a center mounted chain, and four coil springs. It is also well suited for Badger, Bobcat, Coyote, and Fisher: and other dry land predators.
The Sleepy Creek Number 3 double long spring (6" Width) is a widely used as a late season Bobcat and Coyote trap. It is the proper size and it's spring design allows it to function under freeze/thaw conditions. It is a very strong trap, and is suited for Beaver, Bobcat, Coyote, and Otter.
The Beaver Trap
The Bridger/Northwoods (B/NW) Number 3 Coil Spring (6 1/2" Width) have reinforced base plates, a center mounted chain, crush proof swivels, and is available with offset jaws, and two additional coil springs. They are widely used for Beaver, Bobcat, Coyote, and Otter, and are strong enough for Panther and Wolves.
The MB Alpha #3 coil spring is a new trap designed by Minnesota Trapline Products. The heavy offset cast jaws have the same jaw width as the MB 650. This trap uses a new dogless pan system. The frame is double thickness and fitted with a center mounted chain, and crunch proof swivels. The size and rugged construction of this trap makes it suited for Beaver, Bobcat, Coyote, Lynx, Otter, Panther, and Wolves.
The Wolf Trap
The MB 750 Wolf coil spring (7 1/2" Width) is a new trap designed by Minnesota Trapline Products. it features heavy offset jaws and a special dogless pan system that locks down both jaws. The frame is double thickness and fitted with a center mounted chain, and crunch proof swivels. The size and rugged construction of this trap makes it one of the premier traps for Panthers, and Wolves.
Body Grip Traps:
A third type of trap, the body grip, was designed by a Canadian man named Frank Conibear. It is a open square frame of heavy steel rods and is designed to capture the target animal by clamping down using a scissor action on the body, neck, and the head, effectively killing the animal out right. These traps are favored for water sets and will capture a swimming animal.
These Conibear traps were first produced and marketed by the Onieda Victor company and Victor brand body grip traps still bear the name of the original designer. Body grip traps produced by other companies are also commonly called Conibears, as a testimony to the genius of the original design. Body grip traps sizes range from the Number 50 to Number 330.
Number 110 (4.5" x 4.5") Marten, Mink, Muskrat, Opossum, Rabbit, Skunk, Squirrel, Large Fish.
Number 150 (5" x 5") Mink, Muskrat, Nutria, Opossum, Rabbit, Skunk.
Number 160 (6" x 6") double spring, Fisher, Nutria, Raccoon.
Number 220 (7" x 7") double spring, Badger, Bobcat, Fisher, Raccoon.
Number 280 (8" x 8") double spring, Badger, Beaver, Lynx, Otter, Wolverene.
Number 330 (10" x 10") double spring, Beaver, Lynx, Otter, Wolverene.
Dog Proof Raccoon Traps:
This is a new category of steel trap featuring a fully enclosed trigger. It is designed to take advantage of the raccoon's tendency to reach into holes and pull out food items. But since domestic dogs lack this ability, it is almost completely dog proof. A wide variety of these trap designs are being developed and marketed. Most of them resemble a metal pipe or a discarded metal can.
Raccoon Dagger - Overall design of the Raccoon Dagger is okay. I am not particularly fond of how the jaw of the trap is exposed on half of the trap.
Freedom Brand FB1 - I LOVE how easy this trap is to set. Just squeeze the solid plate in to the body of the trap and "click" its set. These traps may need a little tweaking to get them to fire correctly, but with a little adjusting they can be made to fire very easily.
Z-Trap - By far my favorite dog proof trap that I tested last season. These traps are very similar in design to the Dukes. The trigger portion is round, and that makes the trap so much easier to fire than if it were squared off.
Cable Snares
Cable Selection - There are many different types, sizes, constructions and lengths of cable to choose from.
Type of Cable: There are many different types of cable out there, all with different qualities, characters, and uses. When the Old Timers were first exploring the land they used whatever was available to them; vines, horse hair, etc, but times have changed and there are a lot better options out there for the trappers of the new century!
Galvanized Aircraft Cable - This is a steel cable that has been galvanized. Galvanized is a process that puts a thin layer of protecting zinc on the cable, this zinc retards the rusting process and give the cable a sort of shiny appearance. Galvanized Aircraft Cable (GAC) is the most popular type of cable used in the snaring industry today
7x7 – Made for use when extreme flexibility is not necessary. It can be used in aircraft and automotive controls, agriculture applications, etc. In snaring, this cable is the most popular. Trappers use it for snares, extension cables, drowners, to connect earth anchors, etc.
Cable Diameter:
1/32” - Squirrel, Pine Marten, etc
3/64” - Mink, Squirrel, Rabbit, etc
1/16” - Bobcat, Fox, Rabbit, Ground Hog, Opossum, etc
5/64” - Bobcat, Fox, Raccoon, Coyote (1x19), etc
3/32” - Raccoon, Coyote, Fox, Beaver, Badger, Wolf (1x19)
7/64” - Coyote, Bear Cub, Small Alligator, Wild Hog, Wolf
1/8” - Coyote, Bear, Alligator, Wild Hog, Wolf
Cable Length:
30” - Mink, Squirrel, Rabbits, etc
33 ½” - Beaver or fox.
42” - 48” - Raccoon, Fox, Bobcat, Badger, Rabbit, Opossum, Ground Hog
60" - Raccoon, Fox, Beaver, Coyote
84" - Coyote, Beaver, Wild Hog
Loop Size when Set:
Groundhog, Opossum 5-6” diameter loop 2” off the ground
Fox 8” diameter loop 8” off the ground
Bobcat 8" diameter loop 8" off the ground
Raccoon 6-8” diameter loop 3-5” off the ground
Coyote 10-12”diameter loop 10-12” off the ground
Wolverine 8" diameter loop 8" off the ground
Beaver 10”diameter loop 2-3” off the ground
Wild Hog up to 18" diameter loop 10-12" off the ground
Wolves 18" diameter loop 10-12" off the ground
Snare Lock – All snares must have some sort of locking mechanism to work. Whether it is a bent washer lock, mechanical lock, or a knot in the cable, a lock is what closes down on the snared animal and holds it there. Check your state’s regulations, some states have restrictions on what type of lock you can snare with.
Support Collar – The support collar is the device that attaches your snare to the support wire. The wire can then be adjusted to the proper height and position in the trail.
