Trap triggers

R.A.T.

R.A.T.

Randall's Adventure & Training
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Feb 4, 2004
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I'm interested in your favorite trap trigger. Whether you actually use it or not to catch food or kill humans doesn't matter, but I am interested in triggers that you have used and tried. Whether they be triggers by trip wire, for deadfalls, or snares. Post up a pic or sketch. Also, do you carry anything in your kit that doubles as a trigger?
 
For years I carried rubber slingshot tubing for a twitch up style trigger. I may have some pics somewhere.

-RB
 
twitch up trap with rubber tubing.
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I'm really happy to see this thread. Here's a couple I posted in W&SS.

I was thinking just yesterday that this would be a good topic. I love all types of improvised traps (not interested in Conibears and the like) and while they're a lot of fun to build and try out, probably you really only need about four different triggers.

A smaller deadfall for smaller critters, a lifting pole snare for critters, a bird snare, a bird live trap (only because I love the Arapuca), and a large deadfall for large critters (something like the Sampson deadfall).

Favourite smaller deadfall - Fig. 4:
fig4-1.jpg


fig4-2.jpg





I also like this one, but I find the traditional Fig. 4 is easier to make:
modified4.jpg




Favourite lifting pole trigger - nail trap trigger (courtesy of Ron Hood's video on trapping - highly recommended) This is one versatile trigger - it can be used vertically, right side up, upside down, horizontal, any which way at all:
Diagram1revised.jpg





Favourite bird snare:
SannBushmanBirdSnare.jpg




Favourite live bird trap (compliments of Pict on W&SS):
Arapucabirdtrap.jpg



Large deadfall: Jury's still out on this one. Sampson deadfall is a contender though.



Doc
 
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A guy I work with is here from Kenya. Here's a couple he uses:

In this first snare, it's basically a slip knot snare that is made slippery. I imagine this could be handy if you wanted to release a critter that you didn't want, and you wanted to keep your distance. He also employed a stopper knot because he didn't want to kill the animal (in hot weather, spoilage occurs very quickly). Alive, the meat is preserved. Also release can be effected if you happen to catch your neighbour's cat. :rolleyes:

AMOSSNARE.jpg


I guess this snare explains itself:

AMOSBIRDSNARE.jpg




OK, guys, let's see your favourite 4.

Doc

P.S. I never thought I'd be posting this in the R.A.T. forum or I would have include a picture of my RC-3. :(
 
DOC-CANADA, thanks for the good laugh. Haven't had a spontaneous giggle like that in a long while. Just don't kill all the rodens, at least not all the RATZ.
 
Here's a few I learned at the W.L.C. recently.

I was messing around at my cousins house a month or so ago with the figure 4 and gotta skunk that was nosing around in her garden. Wasn't a fun clean up:barf:

I like the twitch up on pic #5 down also.

survivaltrip200.jpg


survivaltrip201.jpg


survivaltrip202.jpg


survivaltrip203.jpg

Poor bunny
355308130_y4U86-M-1.jpg


survivaltrip207.jpg


survivaltrip210.jpg


survivaltrip216.jpg


survivaltrip209.jpg
 
hey tony

Since we can't trap legally in Ontario (with one exception), I've never used a cubby while setting up various traps. That's an interesting and effective way of doing so.

Doc
 
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I have used this set up before, and it works well.

I wanted something that I could set up without using a knife, just what I would have in a small PSK like an Altoids tin.

All I need is a little wire, an eye screw, twine, a needle, and two steel key rings. A lot of gear has those key rings, and I wondered what I could use them for other than a what they were hanging off of. All of these have other uses as well as triggers for snares.

This is the set up I have come up with. It is very fast and easy to set up. I have bent a branch over, and used surgical tubing. Both work well.


Here is what I used. The white 550 you see is just for the picture. The wife would not let me screw an eye screw into her floor, so I had to improvise. Normally you would just have the screw with a short piece of wire attached to it and the key ring. The rubber band is the improvised branch bent over or surgical tubing. I did not feel like going outside to set this up on a tree.


Then set it up like this. It is very fast and easy to do with no knife needed at all. Bait the end of the needle and you are good to go. I would also tie the needle off with some thread as once this trips, the needle is gone forever. I have also used safety pins instead of key rings.


Here is a bad drawing, but I hope you get the idea.
 
All those twitch ups are new to me. The only one I knew how to make was a Figure 4. One of the instructors at the W.L.C. (Bob) is a proffesional trapper. That guy knew his stuff man.

Its illegal to trap in CT also, but I still like practicing. I have been catching chipmunks lately utilizing the figure 4 trigure. but I dig a hole and put a coffee cop inside. the trigure of the figure 4 stays low to the ground as possible over the coffe cup. I put seed around the whole and alot in the cup. Eventually the chipmunk goes in the cup hitting the trigure and the flat rock covers the whole without killing the chipmunk. Man do those things scream when they get trapped. It has to be a real hair trigger though!
 
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tonym said:
All those twitch ups are new to me. The only one I knew how to make was a Figure 4. One of the instructors at the W.L.C. (Bob) is a proffesional trapper. That guy knew his stuff man.

Its illegal to trap in CT also, but I still like practicing. I have been catching chipmunks lately utilizing the figure 4 trigure. but I dig a hole and put a coffee cop inside. the trigure of the figure 4 stays low to the ground as possible over the coffe cup. I put seed around the whole and alot in the cup. Eventually the chipmunk goes in the cup hitting the trigure and the flat rock covers the whole without killing the chipmunk. Man do those things scream when they get trapped. It has to be a real hair trigure though!
Click to expand...

i am gona try that when hana gets out of here.
 
Good stuff. The split ring trigger is something I have used a lot. I have another way of doing it though and it makes it an easier trigger to release instead of putting all the engine tension on your release needle. When I get a chance I'll set one up and post a pic.
 
Very cool thread.

Here's a basic figure 4 trap, that mtnfolkmike made with the NWA knife and Izula when we met up.

IMG_8237.jpg
 
i like the figure four. it can used with bait or if the horizonal trigger is set lower it can be used as a trip trigger. there are other triggers but i feel the figure four is the trigger to use when setting a heavy dead fall.

a few years back skunks were up to no good in the back yard. i had a couple railroad ties left over from my raised bed gardens. i made a figure four and used two ties, one on the ground and one for the dead fall. i made a cubby on the back side of the trigger location. i baited the trigger with some rotten meat. i turned the trigger so the skunk had to step up on the bottom tie in order to get to the bait. i caught three skunks with this deadfall. the good thing was no smell.
 
randytee said:
i like the figure four. it can used with bait or if the horizonal trigger is set lower it can be used as a trip trigger. there are other triggers but i feel the figure four is the trigger to use when setting a heavy dead fall.

a few years back skunks were up to no good in the back yard. i had a couple railroad ties left over from my raised bed gardens. i made a figure four and used two ties, one on the ground and one for the dead fall. i made a cubby on the back side of the trigger location. i baited the trigger with some rotten meat. i turned the trigger so the skunk had to step up on the bottom tie in order to get to the bait. i caught three skunks with this deadfall. the good thing was no smell.
Click to expand...

Sure Doc,

When I get to work, I should have some free time. Check in about 2pm today:thumbup:

On the skunk smell, I was unlucky on two counts. A the skunk must of sprayed because that smell was there, and my cousin who doubted the trap would work, never knew I got it until 2 days after the fact. So the skunk was rotting, when I got there to do the clean up, there was only a pelt left.

Thats cool you got 3, excellent job.
 
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