Heavy gauge snare wire


Friartuck

Friartuck

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I was in the Habitat for Humanity re-Store (think thrift store except for building materials) to day. In the garage door area there was a couple spools of some thin stainless steel cable, probably about 1/8 inch. I snatched them up. Turns out to be about 10' lengths with no ends on them. My intention is to have it on hand for snares. I plan to go to the hardware store tomorrow and grab a few clips to make loops on each end.

My problem is that I'm not very well versed on making and setting up snares. Does anyone have a good video that demonstrates the making and setting of snares for larger animals like deer or coyote?

*please note, this is for informational purposes only. No animals will be harmed in the practice for setting up snares until the SHTF.
 
Try Youtube for videos on snares and such. I like dead fall traps because all you need is some bait. They are for small game of course. The rest you can find in the bush. I have never even attempted to snare a large animal. When I was a kid my brother and I used to snare the dog. We got yelled at for that!
 
Get Ragnar Benson's book Survival Poaching. I too am not suggesting doing anything illegal but this book is excellent on trapping for survival.
 
1/8" is bear sized cable and is overkill for coyote/deer snares. Even bigger than needed for most hogs in my opinion. 3/32 or 5/64 cable would be better. When you increase the size of the cable more than is needed, the snares are heavier to carry and you are also slowing the loop closure and making the snare more visible, increasing misses.

The 1/8" cable would be better made into extension cables used to attach a snare to a tree/ log etc.. These can be reused and the 1/8" cabel would be fine for that. You can buy alluminum double ferrules and stops from a trap/supply company. You can hammer these on or crimp in a vise. To make an adjustable loop, run the free end through one side of a double ferrule, then back down through the other side. Do not crimp the ferrule but add a stop to the end of the cable. This allows you to feed the cable through the ferrule to adjust the tie off loop size.

To make snares you will need to buy or make some snare locks. You may want to buy a few commercially made snares and then study them to see how it all works. Remember that cable that has been wrapped on a spool has a "memory" to it. You have to work with that memory, not against it or the snares will not form a nice loop. All this will make more sense once you have messed with it some.

If you want to make some cheap but very effective snares and extension cables that will work well for a variety of animals, buy a spool of 5/64" or 3/32" 7x7 cable from a snare/trap supply company. Also buy a bag of 100 snare locks (some are better than others, Cam Locks are good). Buy a bag of 100 stops and 100 double ferrules (3/32 size locks, stops and ferrules work on both 3/32 cable and 5/64 cable). Check your state regs to see what is legal and what is not in your area.

If you are serious about using snares in a survival situation for large game, do not guess about the equipment. Buy a video or book on modern snares, make or buy some, follow the regs and catch some fur with them. You will then know what it will take to catch and hold any wildlife in your area.
 
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You can make a good snare lock out of flat washers (very cheap) and I've used some 10x24 nuts for stops and ends by smashing them flat with a hammer.

Look at the pics in the trapping catalog or google "washer locks" and you'll see what I'm talking about. Leave your washer flat or bend it 90 degrees depends on if you want it to lock or not. They'll hold up just fine.
 
I would never snare a large animal unless It was absolutely a survival situation. It makes a gory mess even with deer. I will not say how I know but it's not something you really want to see on a day to day basis. It's not quick and neat like it is using spring poles with smaller animals and you wouldn't want to accidently snare a child playing in the woods. Here where I live kids play in the woods all the time and you never know where one will turn up or get to. I've unexpectedly ran into quite a few scouting for game.
 
pure_mahem said:
I would never snare a large animal unless It was absolutely a survival situation. It makes a gory mess even with deer. I will not say how I know but it's not something you really want to see on a day to day basis. It's not quick and neat like it is using spring poles with smaller animals and you wouldn't want to accidently snare a child playing in the woods. Here where I live kids play in the woods all the time and you never know where one will turn up or get to. I've unexpectedly ran into quite a few scouting for game.
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Well, I'm sure that you could make an engine using a very heavy counterweight to lift up a large animal the same way you could a small animal using a spring engine... but like you, I wouldn't do it. If you're in a "survival situation" then you should be looking at small game, not big game. Well... maybe unless your "survival situation" includes a meat freezer or a village of people to feed.
 
There is no need for lifting the large game or counter weights or any of that stuff if the snare material is strong enough. It is simply a matter of positioning a loop of cable of the proper strength and anchoring it to a solid object or heavy drag. One of the great myths perpetuated in the survival/bushcraft community is that small game is the best target. The truth is that medium sized and larger animals, when present in good numbers, are far easier to catch. Larger bodies are snared more easily than small bodies. They leave more obvious sign, they are very predictable in their habits and they provide more food. What do you think would be easier to get into a snare loop with less misses, a raccoon or a mouse? A beaver or a squirrel?
All animals can be snared but in a survival situation you target the easiest thing to catch that provides the best return in meat for your effort. It makes no difference if you can eat it all before it spoils or not. Eat the choice cuts, let the rest rot or use it for bait and go catch another one. Ethics of sport hunting/ use what you kill type stuff has no place in a survival situation.

A non powered snare set poses no threat to children in any way. It is no different than a vine or a twig. You can tighten it around your arm and release it with ease. Another example of people having fear of what they do not understand.
 
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*please note, this is for informational purposes only. No animals will be harmed in the practice for setting up snares until the SHTF.

I believe the OP made it clear that he is just interested in figuring out the basics of snaring, and has no intention of snaring any large animals or small children.

So can we all please refrain from the "politically correct" admonitions?

Give the guy a break. Help him out with some tips, or leave him alone.

I'm learning from this thread also.

Thanks,

SFH
 
GKiT said:
There is no need for lifting the large game or counter weights or any of that stuff if the snare material is strong enough. It is simply a matter of positioning a loop of cable of the proper strength and anchoring it to a solid object or heavy drag. One of the great myths perpetuated in the survival/bushcraft community is that small game is the best target. The truth is that medium sized and larger animals, when present in good numbers, are far easier to catch. Larger bodies are snared more easily than small bodies. They leave more obvious sign, they are very predictable in their habits and they provide more food. What do you think would be easier to get into a snare loop with less misses, a raccoon or a mouse? A beaver or a squirrel?
All animals can be snared but in a survival situation you target the easiest thing to catch that provides the best return in meat for your effort. It makes no difference if you can eat it all before it spoils or not. Eat the choice cuts, let the rest rot or use it for bait and go catch another one. Ethics of sport hunting/ use what you kill type stuff has no place in a survival situation.

A non powered snare set poses no threat to children in any way. It is no different than a vine or a twig. You can tighten it around your arm and release it with ease. Another example of people having fear of what they do not understand.
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Good points. :)
 
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