Snare Wire??

A

abey67

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I'm wanting to experiment on my next trip with snaring game. My question is what size and what type of wire do you use? Also, if you have any tips or suggestions, it would be greatly appreciated.:)
 
No offense intended but read your state's game laws VERY carefully with regard to snaring anything (private property or public, it doesn't matter).

Oops! A dead bird of prey in my snare....Fish & Wildlife folks tend to frown on that type of thing.

While an important skill to learn, it should only be attempted in a legitimate survival situation.

That said, thin copper wire (i.e. GI trip wire) is extemely weak in terms of "holding" any game larger than small birds (rabbitt or larger, forget it).

The heavier gauge (9-16) stuff appears to have more holding ability.
 
I got a spool of .020" stainless safety lock wire. It came in a one pound spool, about 1000ft. for less than $20.

I'd suggest getting Ron Hoods video (#5) on trapping. It shows several types of snare and trap setups, and lots of other tips.

Basically trapping is like hunting, it boils down to knowing the habits of the animal you're after.
 
Maybe high E guitar string? For electrics it is generally .009" for acoustics i use .013....THink that would work?
 
Up here in Ontario, you are allowed to use only 22 or 24 gauge, brass or copper wire and it can be used for Varying Hares (Snowshoe Rabbits) only, unless you are a licensed trapper and then I don't know what the regs say.

A friend of mine, who has been snaring rabbits for the last 50 years, prefers stranded picture wire.

Doc
 
Get stranded brass wire if you can, rather than stainless or fishing trace. It can take a lot more twisting about without becoming hardened which leads to breaking.
 
You won't catch me doing it here because it is illegal. Although personally what governs me is that I don't believe it is a particularly humane process, plus there's always the slim chance of hitting something that wasn't your target. That said, I've had great success with just wire stripped from electrical flex. You used to be able to buy braided brass wire jobs especially made up right next to the purse nets and ferreting gear. I always begrudged paying for either when they are so simple to make. I've mentioned on this forum before that key to me was that you don't want to be using a wire with a strong memory. Immediately after I wrote that someone chimed in about commercial stainless offerings one can buy in the US. I still don't buy that. Perhaps the reason for the stainless is for longevity, or for snaring things massively larger than I would attempt with a simple snare, I dunno. I do know that if you want to set a snare exactly using a bit of wire with a tendency to want to spring back to its original shape is a PITA. Further, snare wire without memory wont slacken off what it has caught. Try a simple test for yourself: I've seen wire under the guise of shark fishing trace get recommendation here. Make a loop in that and lasso your wrist. Now try with a length of copper wire you've stripped from an electrical flex. You'll soon see which one bites down and stays biting. Obviously the disadvantage of copper / brass is corrosion. Ho hum, it's cheap enough to make more.
 
Most of my experience has been with arctic ground squirrels and rabbits. With squirrels, thin copper wire is sufficient. Rabbits require a somewhat heavier gauge wire, depending upon their size.

One thing that really helps in snaring is a scared animal. If you place a snare in front of its den or along a commonly travelled path and the animal is moving very slowly and deliberately, it will often simply push the snare aside. If it is scared and running flat out, it is less likely to see the snare and more likely to be trapped by it.

The fellow who taught me to snare would try to wait until arctic squirrels were out of their dens and foraging. He would then set his snares in front of their dens and place debris on the sides of the snares so as to funnel the animals into them. He would then retreat a substantial distance and make a large sweep through the area where the animals were likely to be feeding. He would try to drive them to the snares as they ran for their dens. He would then quickly dispatch any snared animals. He didn't like the idea of unattended snares except in a desperate survival situation because the snared animals might not die quickly enough.

By the way, arctic ground squirrel is delicious---I like it better than a lot of rabbits. The natives (like the Gwitchen) told me that their ancestors used to make it an important part of their diet while waiting to hunt caribou.

DancesWithKnives
 
First off I would not do it unless you plan to eat the game you catch . I oppose to snaring for fur or skin. Keep in mind that snares, shouldn't really be used unless your survival depends on it in public land , t;s often against the law in many states. Snares by their nature aren't that tough to make. You can basically use anything in fact I would recommend you use a variety of material see what it takes to get each to work properly. Who knows one day you may be caught in a situation where you don't have your store bought wire snare, and may have to improvise. I have perfected snaring with all different types of material trapping squirrels in my backyard. Squirrel meat becomes a treat for my dogs :D. I would also note that if you do plan to "try" using snares, its important to check them on a regular basis. As hunters, you need to dispatch the game as quickly and painless as possible. I've seen coyotes snag in snares set by ranchers, and let to die a slow and painful death, I had to dispatch them myself to end their suffering.
 
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There's another aspect to carrying store-bought or otherwise obvious snares versus carrying some basic wire or trace on a spool.

If snaring is illegal where you go, simply carrying the snare in your kit might also be illegal and grounds to be arrested. It certainly is in the UK; 'going equipped'. I've fallen foul of that myself although not with snares.

Even if the snares are for emergency use, or use somewhere else, it probably won't make any difference if you are found with them. Of course, there's no reason to be found with them if one is acting responsibly, but who knows???

If you've just got some fishing trace on a spool, well, it's for fishing!

Now the gill net's a different matter (can you say 'hammock'? ;) )

Edit: Just thought to add: 1) I don't condone doing anything illegal, 2) I agree with the other statements about it being a particularly cruel way to catch stuff. I like furry things! But when the shtf, we do what's needed, and it's hard to do that without some experience.
 
bltjr1951 said:
If you down to using a snare, who cares if it's legal or not?
I've asked about what gauge to use before.
Then I read these sites and am thinking about pre-made snares.
I mean they're made to snare something already, why try to build one??

http://www.fieldandstream.com/article/Outdoor Skills/Trap-or-Die

http://www.snare-trap-survive.com/lesson_learned_real_snares.htm

http://www.savvysurvivor.com/survival_snaring.htm
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Well, i think we were informing you that snares are illegal in many instances, for your own personal information. Not everyone is aware of the legality of the laws when it comes to trapping animals and this varies from state to state. In some areas you can shoot feral cats in wisconsin and in california you shoot a feral cat your in a world of hurt.


As far as why build one from whatever you have laying around, for myself, its self gratifying and a challenge for others its traditional to each his own. If you don't ever plan to use it or want to have in depth knowledge about it just in case you are caught in a survival situation "most of us will never really be tested." than pre made snare is fine. My two cents is that if you are ever in survival mode and you have to make a snare, you need to make sure you know what it takes to work reason being that you can't afford to make many mistakes in winter like situation where you need the calories to keep alive. If you search on the web you can order them premade to your liking. I do suggest that you really take a close hard look why you want to snare and what you plan to do with the game that you catch, also remember to check your snares on a regular basis so you can dispatch the animal that you catch.
 
If you will read the sites I posted, they said all that you did.
As I said, if you're down to using a snare, that's because you're lost and starving. Who cares if it's legal or not. Hell, you might want to get caught, at least that way you're saved. And yes, you would check your traps often, you're starving. You guys sometimes act like you're talking to a kids class sometimes. I work with telephone jumper wire all the time, making practice snares. Yet, I'm still thinking about pre-made ones to use.
 
bltjr1951 said:
If you will read the sites I posted, they said all that you did.
As I said, if you're down to using a snare, that's because you're lost and starving. Who cares if it's legal or not. Hell, you might want to get caught, at least that way you're saved. And yes, you would check your traps often, you're starving. You guys sometimes act like you're talking to a kids class sometimes. I work with telephone jumper wire all the time, making practice snares. Yet, I'm still thinking about pre-made ones to use.
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Ok maybe its because I'm slow as honey in winter, but i always like to know the rationale why I'm suppose to do something. I always appreciate when people give me clear instruction and warnings shrug its just me. I've done things in the past which i thought that was right didn't prove to be right. With regards to snare, when i was young and stupid i set up snares because I had read about it, not knowing that it was illegal. Didn't bother to check the snare often, came out one time and saw a rabbit who had suffered for quite awhile because the snare had gotten it in the leg, made me feel bad. We are not talking about days here but we are talking for extended number of hours.
 
as others have said check your regions game laws. You may need a permit too.

I personally prefer laying out about a dozen large rat traps on rabbit runs or wired to tree branches for squirells.
 
Bushman5 said:
as others have said check your regions game laws. You may need a permit too.

I personally prefer laying out about a dozen large rat traps on rabbit runs or wired to tree branches for squirells.
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You mean the Victory Rat trap I didn't know they were strong enough down a rabbit. I would think they would be injured and limp away.
 
I personally hate stainless steel wire, I find it too brittle. Brass wire in 22 gauge is perfect. If your snaring coyotes then you need to move up in size, but thats different all together.
 
I've used multistrand heavy-duty stainless steel fishing trace with great success. I would pre-make the snares using alloy crimp sleeves to form the eyes.

I've also trapped dozens of animals using simple cord snares. Mostly some kind of synthetic (nylon or polyester) cord.

Wire snares are generally quicker to set because they hold their shape and require less propping up.

Braided nylon cord snares are probably my choice. And the cord doesn't look like a snare until it is set. I guess some animals might chew through cord snares more easily than chewing through a wire snare. But I have had very few 'chew offs' with my cord snares..... maybe the animals I hunt don't think of chewing.

Wire snares possibly became the norm for many people before strong synthetic cord was readily available.... and the tradition has stayed. Sure, wire snares have their advantages.... but they can often only be used once as they become kinked and damaged the first time they catch something. One cord snare could catch many times.

Here's a hog I caught using a polypropylene rope snare:

SnaredPig.jpg


I generally do not use locking knots or devices on my snares. Snaring is legal in my country.

Best wishes..... Coote.
 
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