A Trap So Simple Even I can Make It !

pitdog

pitdog

Joined
Apr 13, 2007
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While I was out today I decided to make a bird snare that I'd seen recently !

Ideally this trap should use a pre-cut pole so that it can be set up in an area where there are no other places for the bird to perch. As I was just practicing I used a tree and no prepping so there were hardly any signs of my presence once I had gone.

Anyway to start you need to make a hole through the pole so you can pass some cordage through, I used the awl on my Swiss Spirit:

P6110012.jpg


The cordage ( I used high vis so you can see it ) comes out of the back and is attached to a rock:

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The front of the hole should have been slightly dished. The piece you use for the perch should be rounded at the end to sit in the dished section of the main pole. A knot in the cordage, pulled tight by the rock, is all that stops the perch from falling:

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When in the set position the rock should be just above half way up the pole.

In front of the knot a noose is made and rests on the perch:

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As I could get no birds to act as test pilots I had to use a stick. Once the stick was placed on the perch the perch dropped allowing the weight of the rock to pull the cordage through and tightening the noose as it goes. One trapped bird...err stick !

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If my pics aren't clear then you will find clearer videos of this trap on You-Tube.

I then used my Spirit to make some Fatwood dust:

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And my other blade to make some nice shavings:

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Couple of strikes on the ferro rod and we have fire:

P6110023.jpg


Did I mention that berry season has started ( Salmon Berries )!!!

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quietmike said:
I've heard it called the Ojibway (sp?) bird snare. Great tutorial!!!:thumbup:
Click to expand...

That's the one buddy, you can also make a version using a springy branch attached to the pole for tension instead of using the rock.:thumbup:
 
pitdog said:
That's the one buddy, you can also make a version using a springy branch attached to the pole for tension instead of using the rock.:thumbup:
Click to expand...


Cool Pit, when I did the one for the Tigershark review I used a sapling next to the tree with the hole. I cut the top out of it for quicker reaction.
 
Cool Trap 'Ol Bud :thumbup: First time I've saw one of those ! Like the little knife also :thumbup:
 
Nice trap Pit.
Just one thing you might want to consider. The knot is not necessary to hold the perch in place, the tension on the string is enough if the hole is tapered well. If you are gonna use a knot you should always place the knot on top of the perch stick instead of the bottom because it has a tenancy to catch on the hole and slow the trap enough for the bird to escape. I use these to catch starlings for practice and that's one of the lessons I've learned the hard way.

also, for anyone who cares, starlings are non-native vermin and are on a national invasive species list so I'm not worried about removing them. You can actually target species by baiting the stick. I use bacon fat on the stick to attract starlings because most of the other birds have no interest in it.
 
Md 25v said:
Nice trap Pit.
Just one thing you might want to consider. The knot is not necessary to hold the perch in place, the tension on the string is enough if the hole is tapered well. If you are gonna use a knot you should always place the knot on top of the perch stick instead of the bottom because it has a tenancy to catch on the hole and slow the trap enough for the bird to escape. I use these to catch starlings for practice and that's one of the lessons I've learned the hard way.

also, for anyone who cares, starlings are non-native vermin and are on a national invasive species list so I'm not worried about removing them. You can actually target species by baiting the stick. I use bacon fat on the stick to attract starlings because most of the other birds have no interest in it.
Click to expand...

I did actually try with the knot to the top to start with as I thought that was how I'd seen it but it would not hold it !:(
 
pitdog said:
I did actually try with the knot to the top to start with as I thought that was how I'd seen it but it would not hold it !:(
Click to expand...

Then try to shave the perch stick to match the taper of the hole that you put in the vertical support stick. The stick should "mate" up to the tapered hole and form an even plug. If you do not use a knot at all and the perch stick is even with the hole it will have a much higher success rate for catching the bird that lands on it. I have actually found that the extra grip of natural cord like dogbane or yucca make this trap easier to set without the knot. I should also mention that you need to make sure you rock is sized correctly for the type of bird your targeting so that you don't accidentally pull the string through the birds legs and lose the now legless bird.
Good luck with it, bird snares are definitely fun traps to play with.
 
pitdog said:
With bait this trap might also work for squirrels, what d'ya think ?
Click to expand...

Not a good idea. I have accidentally snagged a few squirrels with this and it always gets one of the front legs and nothing else. If the rock is sized appropriately for a bird then it will not have the mass to hold the squirrel and if it is a heavy rock (targeted for squirrel) then it would only pin the squirrel to the hole where it will chew through the cord or its own arm. If you want to target squirrel with snares use a squirrel pole. The simplicity of the squirrel pole is that they jump off when they feel the snare and end up hanging themselves which prevents them from chewing through the cord to escape.
I'm sorry if it sounds like I'm being negative, I promise I'm not. I teach trapping with the Mid-Atlantic Primitive Skills Group and have learned this stuff over the years of watching things either escape of become injured by traps that were not tuned or improperly set.


I usually don't post links to other people's trap videos but this one does a good job of showing this trap
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-68EkgyxnpU
 
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Md 25v said:
Not a good idea. I have accidentally snagged a few squirrels with this and it always gets one of the front legs and nothing else. If the rock is sized appropriately for a bird then it will not have the mass to hold the squirrel and if it is a heavy rock (targeted for squirrel) then it would only pin the squirrel to the hole where it will chew through the cord or its own arm. If you want to target squirrel with snares use a squirrel pole. The simplicity of the squirrel pole is that they jump off when they feel the snare and end up hanging themselves which prevents them from chewing through the cord to escape.
I'm sorry if it sounds like I'm being negative, I promise I'm not. I teach trapping with the Mid-Atlantic Primitive Skills Group and have learned this stuff over the years of watching things either escape of become injured by traps that were not tuned or improperly set.


I usually don't post links to other people's trap videos but this one does a good job of showing this trap
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-68EkgyxnpU
Click to expand...

Thank's for the advice buddy, appreciate it !;):thumbup:
 
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