Trapping

[Sniper-T]

I see this as a great way to procure meat and/or hides at present, and will be even more valuable post SHTF. it is effective, quiet, and passive. Meaning, it doesn't take a lot of time, and make a lot of noise that could garner unwanted attention.

I have a couple of articles, that I got from somewhere, but I cannot recall where to credit the original authors.

If this is a violation, Mods, please delete..:o

PLAGERIZED:


There is nothing more soothing to the soul then quietly enjoying a stroll through the woods, forests, and outdoor areas of this great countryside. And having a rifle or shotgun over your shoulder for the chance opportunity at a squirrel, deer, dove, or pheasant is nothing short of perfection for many of us. However, in a survival situation, a hard day of hunting with nothing to show for it is not only depressing but can be downright dangerous. A person in a survival situation must conserve their energy at all costs. Any activity that doesn't produce something towards the goal of food and water is a risk of losing all of that energy with no way to replace it.

There is only one way to maximize your effort for the return that it provides: trapping. This skill is as old as we are. And as such there has been more knowledge lost to the world than is currently written down. Of course there are still people who have a vast knowledge of what it takes to be successful as a trapper. And surprisingly this has become a fairly recent job skill. In the last 10 years the Urban Wildlife Nuisance Removal Technician has become a much more in demand career. With more and more people not able to handle things for themselves, and local Animal Control Departments being overworked on domesticated animals such as dogs and cats, this has left a large demand for men and women who can trap nuisance wildlife out of homes and commercial buildings.

I was fortunate enough to spend a few years after college working for a company that provided nuisance animal removal services to the metro area of Atlanta. While there, I was able to hone my skills in not only urban trapping but in rural areas also. Since that time I have continued trapping recreationally and occasionally for friends and neighbors who have had problems that needed help. This is not always an easy task but the rewards are many.

Trapping in its essence is time efficient. Traps work even while you are sleeping. Or working on other things. You can also add trapping to a hunting trip or vice-versa. Moving from one trap location to the next can always be used as hunting time, so you are maximizing your effort towards the main goal of surviving. Trapping is typically going to be best served in a long term situation. If your lost in the woods for a few days before rescue, or forced out of your home because of bad weather, trapping just may not be needed. But after 2-3 days it starts to become very important to look for the food sources that trapping can provide.

Let's look at a typical overview of trapping and the systems that are typically applied to its use. The first thing to understand is that trapping for food is all about numbers. The more traps you have out, the more effective they will be. Each trap placement is referred to as a "set". This describes the area you have prepared and the trap that is placed in that area. Multiple sets are described as a "line". Trap lines can have as few as two sets and as many more as you can fit in an area. Although I have found that more than 20 makes it difficult to check daily in a survival situation. And that is an important point. Do not over set an area to the point where you can't check all of your traps daily. Leaving animals suffering, or making them easy targets of predators is not only unethical it is wasteful. If coyotes, hawks, badgers, or weasels are stealing and eating your caught prey, then you don't get to. Also if you know you will not be able to check your trap lines for a few days then it is best to go and leave them unset until you have the time to regularly rechecking them.

Anything that moves can be trapped, but I will be mainly focused on the most common types of traps and the general animals that are targeted. Everyone has their own specialties and preferences when it comes to trapping. And every situation needs to be adapted to. The following information is designed as a starting point to get you some success and help improve the odds of getting that first meal when needed.

Before looking at types of traps we must begin with baits. Baits can make your set a lot more enticing to an animal. And with minimal preparation you can have a great bait ready to go. This is the recipe I have used for years with great success on everything from skunks to field mice and most everything in between. Even coyotes and other predators can be lured in with it. This should make approximately two [quart] jars about 3/4ths full. If stored in a cool dry place it will last for years. And one jar can easily be used for months worth of trapping. It does not require very much to draw an animal in and often a lesser amount will work better than big globs of bait.


Multi-Species Trap Bait Ingredients and Instructions:

1 [quart] jar peanut butter (crunchy works also)

1 handful birdseed with sunflower seeds

3 tablespoons of Vanilla Extract

3 pieces of bacon

2 pieces of white bread

2-5 tablespoons of maple syrup

To make this bait you may need to warm all wet ingredients in a pan to combine.

Fry bacon until very well done. Save grease to add and crumble bacon

Cut up bread slice into very small pieces

Mix all ingredients together and stir well.

Add maple syrup until the consistency is a very thick paste

If you do not have time to prepare a bait blend, you can use a lot of other options. Naturally available seeds, berries, and nuts can be used. Also, other animal carcasses can be used. The guts and entrails from a fish is very effective on raccoons and other scavengers. Strips of hide from a road kill or previously trapped animal can attract a host of animals as well as insects which also can draw in birds. The key to using baits is adaptability and presenting it in a way that entices your prey to investigate. And of course some types of sets require no bait, but these are difficult and can take a long time to eventually have success.

There are four main types of commercially made traps. The leg hold, conibear, box trap, and the snare. Each one has its advantages so lets examine each one and the types of sets they can be used for.

Leg hold: This trap is one of the oldest styles and in larger versions have been called bear traps. The two metal arms are opened and put under tension by a spring. The trigger is a lever or flat plate in the center of the trap. Older models use metal straps folded over as springs, and newer ones have actual springs under the levers. Both styles are effective. These traps come in several sizes but a good selection would be those with a 4-6 inch opening.This opening will then close or snap shut on an animals leg and hold it firmly. This will handle most anything short of big game animals in North America. I have found antique ones at yard sales for just a few dollars and even new ones can be had for under $10 on many web sites. I would suggest having 10-15 of this type for any long term survival situation you are preparing for.

Setting these are very simple and after a few tries you should be proficient in their use. Actually making a set to catch an animal is another story altogether. And something I will discuss at the end of this article.

Conibear: These traps are essentially two squares of heavy gauge metal wire connected to act like a scissor action. One or both sides may have coil springs to give it the strength to close on the intended animal. These also come in different sizes and small to medium will work well for food gathering. Although at least one larger one for beaver, fox, and coyote may be desirable. An important note on this style of trap is that on the larger models the springs can be very hard to depress by hand and may require a "setting tool" which acts like a pair of large pliers to compress the springs. This tool will be required if you are trying to set these larger ones by yourself. Other than that this trap is extremely adaptable as the animal crawls through it to trigger the mechanism and it will humanely kill them instantly which also prevents the animal from escaping. Anything from squirrels to beavers can be easily harvested with this style of trap.

Box trap: You will find this trap routinely used to catch and release animals such as cats, dogs, and other wildlife that does not need to be killed. Many Animal Control companies use this style because of the humane removal and relocation of the trapped animal is preferable to their customers. But they are more expensive and very bulky so for survival needs they are not as efficient as the other styles.

Snare: This is probably the easiest to carry and make or buy. Either made from scratch or purchased this trap is one of the oldest traps ever conceived. And works off of the animals own force to close around the legs or neck. Snares can be very effective in skilled hands, however for a beginner it is unwise to count on snares to be productive. If it is all you have then you better be a quick learner, have some good bait, or a lot of patience to wait for success.

Miscellaneous Traps: There are also pitfall traps, deadfalls, whipstick traps and many other styles that can be used but without practice and a true knowledge of trapping these will do nothing more than waste your time and frustrate you to no end. But I would highly recommend you research these styles and if you have the time to give them a try before you may need them.

Now that we have covered the basic traps you can use it is time to move onto sets. There is no way to give you every type or style of set in a short article and in fact many books have been written on just this subject alone. So I will attempt to give you some helpful ideas on how and where to set your traps. Your first decision is what will you be trapping for. This is the most important because just "trapping" will leave you with very little game on the table. Try to learn what animals may be around. Try checking for sign such as prints, feces, holes, fresh diggings, et cetera. When you locate fresh sign but are not sure what it may be then you can start with multiple sets from a few feet to a dozen yards apart. Try adding bait to some and some just in an open spot. You do want to avoid disturbing the area whenever possible. And multiple sets may take a few days to produce if the animal becomes wary of your presence.

For leg holds you can try to set 2 or 3 in a 2 foot area, lightly sprinkle leaves, loose dirt, or pine needles over them to hide their outline. Then hang a pinecone smeared with a good peanut butter bait about 3 feet off the ground above the traps. As the animal comes in to investigate it is looking up at the lure/bait and is less likely to see the traps until he steps in one and then the others. This set will work for many types of animals. Another bait option is a can of dog or cat food wired above the traps with a hole poked in it to allow the juice to drip out. I have seen a raccoon actually jump into the air to lick the can only to fall back onto two leg holds I had set under some leaves.

A good set for a conibear is to place over a fresh den hole. As the animal comes out it will trigger the trap and instantly kill it to prevent it from going back down. Or you can dig a hole slightly smaller then the traps opening, then leave some bait in the hole, place trap over hole, and as an animal sticks his head into the hole to smell or eat the bait the trap will be set off. This set is extremely effective for carnivores such as raccoons, coyotes, skunks, and possums, if you have guts or rotten meat to use as bait. This trap is also great for beaver. The best set I have used is to find a beaver dam and kick out a hole just big enough for the trap to sit down in. Stake both sides down through the springs and leave overnight. Beavers will always repair their dams and as they poke their noses in to the break to see what needs to be fixed the trap is waiting for them.

Box style traps are best if baited to lure an animal in. To make an effective set the cage needs to be hidden under natural materials like leaves and sticks. The best tip for this trap is to lay a nice amount of soil, moss, leaves, or sand in the bottom so as the animal walks into the trap they do not feel the metal wire of the cage on their feet. This can increase your catch rate dramatically. A good bait set in the back behind the trigger will have the best result.

Snares can be used in a lot of different ways, but essentially you are trying to get them to either step into the loop or walk into it to tighten around the animals neck. Setting along game trails, den openings, narrow gaps can eventually pay off. A great set is to either lay a log over a creek or use an existing one and set snares at both ends. These logs are high traffic areas and sooner or later an animal will use it to cross. Another good set if you have squirrels around is to use a fine wire snare and attach to a tree limb leaned up against a tree known to have squirrels. They will sometimes climb down the stick and snare themselves.

One rule for all of these traps is to securely attach them with wire, cable, or chain to something solid. A tree trunk or large rock will work. Using rope can be a hazard as the animals will try to chew through it and drag your traps off with them. And also remember that most states require your name and address to be attached to your trap using metal tags. You must study your local and state laws regarding trapping and any required licenses, tags, markings, and various trapping season dates before heading out to practice. Also there are some very well-done trapping videos on YouTube. And of course as with most outdoorsmen, if you meet a trapper they usually would be happy to help you get into the game and let you learn some tricks from them.

A final survival hint is for those of you preparing your bug out bags. Why not add 4 or 5 of the larger snap traps used for rats? They take up very little room, and with a little bit of peanut butter can catch small rodents and birds very effectively. You could set out 5 every day/night and I am willing to bet that most mornings you would have a tasty meal waiting for you in the morning.<

[Sniper-T]

and the other...

PLAGERIZED:

A fast moving storm moved across the mountains, dumping heavy wet snow. The eight Mountain Men had made an almost fatal error. They stayed too long in the high country. Now cut off from retreating from the mountains they must survive and winter in this valley high in the mountains in what is today Wyoming. The pass was filled with eight feet of wind drift snow that no man or beast could enter or leave until the Spring thaw. The eight men decide to spend the week hunting for food to store for winter. At the end of the week only one small deer was taken. All the hunting parties reported the same thing, the valley was empty of large game. At the end of the second week there food was completely out and the men were hungry and cold. Finally one man suggest that they trap the beaver for food. Throughout the winter they caught enough to survive. Not enough to make and easy living but enough to pull through the brutal winter. A early spring thaw in March open the pass and a small of herd of 11 buffalo enter the valley. Soon the buffalo were turned into steaks and roasts. The men had survived the winter of 1804-05.

I read this account years ago and it has effect my life in many ways. Many lessons are taught in this short story. The unprepared can die. Counting on harvesting large game is not always possible. When hunting fails their traps saved their lives. Today we have more modern equipment lightweight snares that can catch and hold the animals. How to set these snares is simple. First you need to understand the basic parts. On one end is swivel. This so the animal can twist without breaking the cable. The next part is called a support collar it looks like a small piece of spring. The support collar job is to hook on to the support wire to hold the snare at the correct height. Next is the self-locking snare lock. There are different types of snare locks. Some such as the cam lock are designed to kill the animal. Others are designed to relax once the animal is caught, like a choke collar.

Say that you want to snare the raccoon that is coming into a corn field. You walk the edge of the woods and find the trail entering the field. Normally the coons will leave sign on what trail they are using like pieces of corn stalk and if you follow the trail in sometimes you find a pile of rocks or log with pile of corn cobs around it. The coons do this a lot in coyote areas. They are vulnerable to coyote attacks in the open so they learn to grab a corn cob and enter the woods climbing on a rock pile so they can watch for coyotes as they eat. On this trail you will find a place to set the snare where the trail is narrow down. Like between two small trees or under a fallen branch, limb, or tree. You can anchor the snare with 1/2" steel rebar stake. Or go around a tree feeding the snare lock through the snare swivel. Open the snare to an 8 inch loop and set it three inches off the ground. You can use light wire like 14 gauge wrap around the tree with a small piece coming off. Bend this over at the end and feed it into the support collar. That is it. When the coons comes down the trail he walks into the snare and is caught.

Snaring is literally that simple. No big secret trick to it. Now using scent lure to help increase your odds of catching animals. Lure are designed to attract the animal to the snare or trap. Normally lures are made out of 4-to-6 different ingredients. The difference between us and animals is that animals smell so much better, so they can tell each different part of the lure. Animals just like people have different taste. You might like Pizza Hut and your friend would prefer McDonalds. By having the different ingredients you cover a wider choice for the animals. Basically you cover something that will cause the vast majority of the animals to come visit the set. The lures are high concentration and designed to last for years and years. When using snares it is a good idea to place a small amount on a cotton ball on each side of the snare. Not real close to the snare about 2-3 feet on either side of the snare. This increases the odds that the animal will take the trail your snare is on.

Now when using a conibear trap you normally want the lure on the other side or behind the trap so the animal is trying to pass through the trap to get to the lure. My bucket set (as seen in my Beginning Trapping DVD) and some raccoon lure placed on a cotton ball. Toss the cotton ball behind the trap. This has caught thousands of coons for my students. One real good friend caught a 39 pound coon using this system. When other folks ask what he uses for bait and lure, he says that he "...can't remember." Like a fishermen, he told me, he has kept his lure secret so he could catch more animals.

Just like any fast moving storm you too may be caught in a life or death struggle. Remember the old Mountain Man story the traps are why they survived the winter. Today, other factors can be just as fatal as being trapped in a mountain valley for the winter. Today it could be the Bird Flu, terrorist attack, economic collapse, etc. The old Boy Scout motto applies: always be prepared because as we have seen, being unprepared could be a fatal mistake.

[Grumpy Old Man]

Sniper, do you trap on a regular basis? I would think that the fur you harvest up north might be a good supplemental income.

[Sniper-T]

There isn't much money to be made in trapping part time. People who have a registered line, and run it every day as their fulltime job can make some decent coin, but for the most part, the fur prices aren't that great. I do it mainly for nuisance control and for the excersise. rather than selling the hides, I generally make things out of them, of give them to friends.

Each year, I add a couple few traps to my collection and try to do a little bit more, but often it depends on time and work commitments. I don't put out any more than I can check on a daily basis, and considering for a good portion of the winter, I leave the house for work long before daylight, and don't return until well after dark, the last thing I want to be doing is wandering around the bush picking up animals covered in blood, with a jar of bait, and come across a timberwolf 5 feet away chowing down on a raccoon in a trap (again).

I do like to test my skills, in trapping, skinning, tanning, sign and scent recognition, and tracking, as I believe these are great skills to have for life, not just for SHTF.

I have an uncle who lives in the bush by himself all winter and runs a large RTL, he does ok, but he is getting to the age that he needs a snomobile to run it everyday, which drastically cuts down on his profit (fuel/maintenance)

[faster]

being SEEN, after shtf, is probably going to mean being shot-at! Making noise is going to call in your killers. Traps and nets, if they show recent activity at all, are an ideal place for a desperate man to lay in ambush for you, too.

[Sparrow]

FYI Sniper ... it isn't PLAGERIZED when you cite your source! Just say ... From: (link to website, write book info., etc ...) Hope that helps :)

[Sniper-T]

Yup, know that Sparrow... but the articles, like most that I have saved, don't have the author, nor the source websites listed. I've been involved with many different boards over a number of years, and I save different articles that pique my interest, or I feel would be good reference material. Lately I have been saving them with their sources, but I have several thousand like this one.

I mainly sniped them for my own resourses over the years, but sometimes share them on sites like this. If anyone recognizes it from somewhere, or knows the author (or is the author) speak up, and I'll give credit where it is due. I emphasized that it was plagerized to ensure that no one thought I was taking credit for anything beyond posting the information.

;)

[Sniper-T]

I dug up another article I had archived on my HDD. This one goes into quite a bit more detail in explaining the ins and outs of buying, seasoning, setting and baiting different traps. This is a great refresher or an equally great beginners guide. Enjoy:

How to Catch Wild Game
Using Professional Quality Snares and Steel Traps


For Fair Use and Educational Purposes Only.
Always Consult and Obey Your Local and State Hunting and Trapping Laws.


This short article will briefly discuss professional quality snares and the two different types of steel traps. These devices are used to catch wild game and therefore they can seriously injure you if you are not careful while you are handling them. If you are careless then there is a good chance you could hurt yourself. Therefore you should proceed at your own risk.

There are three different devices that can be used to catch wild game as follows:
1.Professional Quality Snares.

2.Conibear Steel Traps.

3.Pan Steel Traps.

Each of the above devices is discussed below.


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How to Season Professional Quality Snares
The snare in the picture on the right is a professional quality snare made for professional trappers. The parts of the snare are indicated in the picture.

A new snare is made from bright shiny heavy duty airline cable. The shiny surface of the cable must be converted into a dull finish in order to help it blend into the natural forest environment. Shiny cables are very easy to see and animals will notice and avoid them. Dull cables are not easy to see and therefore they will not be avoided by the animals you are trying to catch.

Separate each individual cable from all the others so each cable is by itself.

Open and close the snare end of the cable about 20 times to remove any tiny burrs on the aircraft cable. This will allow the snare to close quickly and smoothly around the animal at the proper time.

Fill a large metal pot about half full of water and bring it to a boil. (Do not use a Teflon coated non-stick pot or you may scratch the interior surface with the metal snares). Place all of your snares in the boiling water so each snare is completely under water. Very slowly add one cup of Baking Soda to the boiling water. The boiling water will foam up when you add the baking soda so add it very slowly to keep the pot from foaming over onto the stove. Reduce the heat to medium so the water is just barely bubbling. Boil for about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and pour the soda water solution down the drain of a nearby stainless steel kitchen sink. The snares will fall into the bottom of the stainless steel sink. Let the snares cool for a few minutes and then thoroughly rinse them using warm or cool water to remove all the baking soda residue. The snares are now seasoned and they may now be used to catch wild animals.



How to Form a Professional Quality Snare Loop
When you first examine the snare opening you will see that it forms a tear drop shape. This is not the desired shape. Use your hands to bend the snare wire cable so that it looks more like a circle instead of a tear drop. The size of the circle should match the size of animal you intend to catch when you actually set your snares. Open and close the snare about 10 times to remove any new burrs that may have appeared after the baking soda seasoning process.



How to Store Professional Quality Snares
Form the snare opening into the size loop that you intend to use when you set the snare. Then wrap the other end of the snare cable in and out of the circle several times until you reach the end of the cable. The snare can now be stored and the circle you just created will gradually become the natural size circle that the snare will "remember" when you later use your snare.



How to Set a Professional Quality Snare
A snare is of no value if you can't find it the next day. Lost snares mean lost equipment. You must be able to find your snares after you set them. Look for nearby landmarks that will help you remember exactly where you set your snares. Before you risk loosing your snares, put something of little value (such as a penny or a nail) at the spot where you plan to put your snare and then see if you can find it the next day. Take some notes on how you got to that location and then see if you can find that same exact location the next day by referring to your notes and the landmarks you identified. If you will practice first, you can avoid the loss of your equipment.

Look for a well used animal trail. Then follow the trail and look for a place where the trail becomes relatively narrow due to natural obstacles (trees, bushes, large rocks, gully, steep hill bank, etc.).

Use 14 gauge wire to secure the swivel end of the snare to a nearby narrow tree trunk. Or attach it to a heavy short log (called a drag). If necessary, drive a stake deep into the ground and attach the snare to the stake.

Form the snare loop into a circle of the proper size and place the snare circle in the very center of the path. If possible, the snare slide should be at the top of the snare circle loop. The snare should not be touching the ground. Attach some spare 14 gauge wire to a nearby tree trunk or a tree branch (or a stick you force into the ground) and use the 14 gauge wire to support the snare circle at the correct height off the ground.

Push a few short 2-foot to 3-foot sticks into the ground at random locations to narrow the original trail so the animal must pass through the exact spot where you placed your snare. This is called “blocking” or “fencing.” Lean or wedge a stick or branch against the tree and above the snare so the animal will not be tempted to try to jump over the snare. This is called a “duck stick” because it forces the animal to duck its head into the snare loop.

Muskrat: 3-inch circle with entire snare below water and 1/2 inch above bottom of pond.
Rabbit: 4 to 5-inch circle 2-inches off ground.
Raccoons: 8-inch circle 3” off ground (or tree snare = 5 or 6-inch circle 2-inches off tree).
Coyote: 12-inch circle 10-inches off ground.
Beaver: 12-inch circle with 1/2 of the circle under water.
Deer: 14-inch circle 16-inch off the ground with a "Duck Stick" just above top of loop.

Squirrels and raccoons and possums like to climb trees. If you see a tree growing at a 30 to 45 degree angle then it will probably be used by animals to gain access to the tree canopy above the forest floor. Set a snare at waist level on the top side of the slanted tree so the bottom of the snare loop is 2-inches above the tree trunk and the snare circle is perfectly centered above the tree trunk.

Another option is to lean a pole or thick tree branch against a tree and then set your one professional quality snare (or a series of cheap loop wires) along your improvised tree run.



How to Repair a Professional Quality Snare
An animal will fight the snare when it is caught. Sometimes the snare cable will become twisted and chewed on and the snare wire will become severely damaged.

If you were using a long snare cable for larger animals, then you may be able to salvage part of the wire cable and convert it into a shorter snare for snaring smaller animals.

Even if the entire wire cable is ruined, all the other parts of the snare are still fine and they should be saved and attached to a new piece of heavy duty cable (save the lock, the swivel, and all the other parts on the snare). Only the snare cable itself should be discarded (or used for some other purpose).



Other Snare Wire Options
There are three basic ways to set a wire snare:
1.Spring Snare: On the ground but tied to a bent tree branch that will lift the animal up off the ground when it is snared.

2.Ground Snare: On the ground or on a slanted tree and secured to a tree trunk or stake driven into the ground.

3.Water Snare: In the water and secured to a stake driven into the ground near the edge of the water.

Wire Size: 22 gauge to 28 gauge wire might work for the first option above but it will not work for the other two. If the animal is on the ground when it is caught, it will fight the snare and within two-minutes it will either twist the wire so badly it will break, or the animal will chew through the wire with its teeth. It does not matter if the wire is galvanized, or coated, or copper - it is too thin and it will not work. You must use heavy duty wire with a swivel if you intend to set the last two types of snares above. However, if you set the first type of snare then the animal will be hanging by its neck and the light weight wire will strangle the animal because it will not be able to gain any leverage in the air.


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Steel Traps
There are two basic types of steel traps:

1.Conibear traps have side springs and a dual wire trigger with a latch (called a dog) that hooks over the trigger. The 110 size has one side spring and the 220 and 330 have two side springs.

2.Pan traps have two jaws and a pan between the open jaws and a latch (called a dog) that hooks onto the pan.

New traps should be seasoned and adjusted prior to use. Some of the companies that sell steel traps will also season those traps for you if you are willing to pay a small additional fee. My recommendation is that if you find a supplier who offers to do this then you should take advantage of this service. These suppliers sometimes sell their traps on ebay.

If you season your traps yourself then look through the supplier's web site and purchase some trap dye at the same time you order your traps.

Finally, regardless of how your traps are seasoned, your traps will gradually acquire some rust when they are put into actual use. If you are aware of this ahead of time then you will not be shocked when you first notice the rust when you later retrieve your traps.

Seasoning traps: Place the new traps in some hot soapy water and wash off the protective oily factory coating. Place the traps outside on the ground for two weeks to allow them to weather and acquire a little rust. Then use some trap dye (purchased from the same company where you bought your traps) to dye the traps a more natural color so the trap will blend in with the normal forest environment.

Pan Traps - How to Adjust the Pan Height: Open the trap and set the hook (called the dog) onto the pan so the trap is ready to be used. The pan is in the center of the trap and when an animal steps on it, it releases the dog and the trap jaws close on the animal's leg or paw. For the trap to work correctly, the pan of the trap must be level with the two surrounding jaws of the trap. Look at the trap from the side and adjust the height of the pan accordingly. Be careful and do not hurt yourself. Some traps have a pan screw adjustment that lets you elevate or lower the pan by twisting the screw. Some pans do not have a screw adjustment and you must use a heavy duty screwdriver or pliers where the pan is attached to bend it up or down so the pan is level with the jaws of the trap.

Pan Traps - How to Adjust the Chain Length: The chain on most pan traps is too long. A long chain gives the animal more maneuverability and a better chance to escape from the trap. A short chain keeps the animal in a very small area and makes it more difficult for the animal to get loose. Examine the chain and remove a few links so the chain is about 8-inches long. Save the links in case you wish to increase the chain length later. Reattach the swivel to the end of the shortened chain.



Where to Set the Traps
In freezing weather conditions put a "tiny amount" of antifreeze on the hinges of the trap so the trap can close and not freeze into an open position.

Look for a well used animal trail. Then follow the trail and look for a place where the trail becomes relatively narrow due to natural obstacles (trees, bushes, large rocks, gully, steep hill bank, etc.).



How to Set Steel Traps
Pan Traps - Use 14 gauge wire to secure the trap swivel to a nearby tree or to a stake driven deep into the ground. Dig a shallow depression in the forest floor at a narrow spot in the trail. The trap needs to sit in the depression so the top of the trap, including the pan, is just a tiny bit below the forest floor. Pack the dirt around the outside jaws of the trap to secure the trap in position. Sprinkle some dirt on the inside of the jaws of the trap but do not fill the area below the pan. Sprinkle a little dirt on the pan so it is hidden. Place some small leaves or pine needles over the entire trap area. Place a "step stick" directly in front of and behind the trap on the trail so an animal coming in either direction will need to step over the stick and place its paw in the middle of the trap on the pan. Each step stick should be about 1-inch in diameter and at least as wide as the trail. A step stick should be placed flat on the trail about 1-inch away from both sides of the trap.

Conibear Traps: Ground or Trail Set - Open the trap. (Note: You will need to purchase a special "opening tool" for the size 220 and 330 traps). On the size 220 and 330 traps set the safety on each of the two springs. Use 14 gauge wire to secure the swivel end of the conibear trap to a nearby tree or to a stake driven into the ground. Find a good size stick that will fit tightly between the two metal pieces that form the outsides of the square trap. Wedge the stick tightly between the two sides of the trap and then fasten the latch (dog) to the two-wire trigger. On the small 110 trap use the middle latch (dog) notch. On the medium and large traps (220 and 330) use the inside notch for the tightest fit. Do not remove the two spring safeties until after the trap is completely set into position. The conibear trap should not fall off the stick when you shake the stick gently. Push the stick into the ground so the conibear trap is in the center of the trail. The two trip wires should be on the top of the trap pointing down towards the ground. (Note: The ends of the two trip wires can be bent slightly so they form small U-shapes towards the outside of the trap.) Lean a "duck stick" above the trap against a tree or bush so the animal will have to duck and go through the trap instead of trying to jump over the trap. If the weather is freezing then place two small sticks on the ground under the conibear trap to keep it off the freezing ground. Place some leaves and sticks on and around the trap itself to break up its outline and disguise it. If necessary, push some sticks into the ground to narrow the path and force the animal into the trap. After the trap is completely set, then remove the two safety catches from the two side springs.

Conibear Traps: Tree Set - Look for a tree that is growing at a 30 to 45 degree angle from the ground. Set the trap at waist height. Drive two nails into the tree trunk and bend them at a slight outward angle to hold the two jaws of the conibear trap in position. Then put the conibear trap on the outside of the two nails so the nails hold the trap upright on the tree trunk. Secure the swivel end of the trap to the tree trunk using 14 gauge wire. Place leafy sticks around the trap to help disguise it. The final step is to remove the two safety catches from the two springs. If you use bait, place a very small amount near the base of the tree but place most of the bait past the trap higher up on the tree. Place leaves over the bait so it can not be seen by the birds. However the bait can still be smelled by passing animals.


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Types of Bait
Conibear traps should have the bait placed just beyond the trap in order to encourage an animal to stick its head through the trap to get to the bait.

Pan traps should have the bait tied to a piece of vine and then suspended from a tree branch above the pan trap so the bait is between 18-inches to 24-inches above the pan trap. The animal will be looking at the bait and trying to smell the bait and the animal will usually not notice the pan trap until after stepping into it and getting caught by the leg. If you have enough extra traps, then it is a good idea to put two or three pan traps on the outside of an 18-inch diameter circle on the ground below the bait.

Put a little peanut butter before or beyond a conibear trap, or suspended above a pan trap.

Fish heads should be placed beyond a conibear trap in a small hole with the conibear trap in front of the hole, or suspended above a pan trap.

Push the center of a cut two-inch long corn cob containing dried or fresh corn onto the two trip wires of the conibear trap.

Remove acorns from their shells and place them in a row leading into and though the trap to the other side of the trap where most of the acorns are piled. Leave the broken shells beside the acorns so it looks natural.


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How to Butcher an Animal
All animals are easier to skin immediately after they have been killed. Always use plastic or rubber gloves when handling animals to prevent the spreading of any disease. Gut the animal and remove its internal organs and then skin the animal if you wish to preserve its furry pelt. If you do not want the fur, then cut the meat away from the bones and put the meat into a plastic zipper freezer bag for transport. Cut all the fat away from the lean meat because the fat will go rancid very quickly.Attachments
Graves Bushcraft books 08 Snares and Traps.docx

[Sparrow]

Pictures?

[Sniper-T]

of what? the different types of traps? skinning techniques? Baits? trap sets?

I have never been a trophy hunter, I have no heads, no mounts, no fish hanging on my walls, nor do I take pictures of my kills. I either give away, or sell my hides. I can take pictures of a pair of moccasins I made from beaver and wolf a couple years ago... Or a 20 year old jacket I made from deer hide, and had a local native woman do some beadwork on.

Whatcha lookin' for?

I could take a picture inside my freezer... lol