Trapping for survival

[smokingman]

It occurred to me that this topic has never been covered.Why spend all day hunting when you can set traps that will work for you 24 hours a day.This can be used for emergency survival and any type of SHTF scenario where fall out is not a concern.
I can not possibly cover every type of trap.Having a small spool of wire makes most trap building much easier,so i recommend having some in stock.It does not cost very much and will make things easier on you.There are always store bought traps as well.Remember a trap can be as simple as a hole with some sharpened sticks in the bottom,wire snares,or a dead fall.Always use caution when approaching your own traps.The reasons are obvious,one you may have something in it you did not intend on catching(think snake,rabid raccoon ect..),and two you do not want to be a victim of your own trap.Also post SHTF if someone else finds your traps they may lay in wait for you so scout the area before approaching your traps.Some helpful trap links.
Snares And Traps (very good illistrations)
Survivalists Guide to Survival traps and snares
Wilderness Survival: Food Procurement - Traps and Snares
Survival Food - Part Five (fish traps)
a two liter bottle with the lid cut off and turned inward tied back in place with some string would work for minnows.Toss in a few rocks for weight and a small amount of bait.Not that I would like eating minnows,but it would be very easy to make and check every few days.
You would be very supprized how well a knife,a little wire and perhaps a nail or two could aid in your survival.

 

[bwframe]

Interesting. What kind of wire would you recommend?

 

[smokingman]

Interesting. What kind of wire would you recommend?

Nothing to heavy a gauge.I have stainless wire I picked up at an auction on a spool.Lowes has some various types. Some thing like this Weyerhaeuser at Lowe's: 340' Tie Wire would work. You could also use good fishing line.If all you have is some picture hanging wire even that would work.

 

[Jack Ryan]

Used traps are for sale all the time and usually a lot cheaper than new. Just stock up when you run across some. Plain rat traps will put a lot of squirrels on the table.

 

[Sailor]

It is something you need to practice before you need to rely on it.

 

[Jack Ryan]

It is something you need to practice before you need to rely on it.

If you want to eat, I would suggest it.

 

[misconfig]

I have some Vietnam-era trip wire I picked up from the Army/Navy surplus store.

 

[Sailor]

I have some Vietnam-era trip wire I picked up from the Army/Navy surplus store.

Nice all you need now is some rat traps and shotgun shells and you can "trap" large game or protect your perimeter.

 

[caneman]

I have a couple of connibears and legholds but need to find a place for buying snares. Four in the BOB wouldn't take up much room and don't weigh much. I also want to add two or three yo-yo reels to the bag too.

 

[cosermann]

Cable is the way to go for snares. Animals of any size will break most plain wire by twising it up. Suggest getting a book on tripping/snares and stocking the proper materials to make your own. Or, you could stock a few dozen snares for not much money. Pre-made snares are fairly cheap.

 

[newbomb]

When it gets closer to the fall I will have access to several dozen snares. If anyone is interested I could get a price per dozen.

 

[Sailor]

Just order some at "ProSnares.com Your Complete Source For Snares, Snaring & Trapping Supplies"

They are cheap per dozen. The hog snares may be strong enough for IN whitetail, which follow their trails so regularly that they would be an easier target. If not you can get gator snares that would be strong enough.

 

[03A3]

The Indiana State Trappers Association will be having their big get together Sept. 18 - 20 at the Putnam County fairgrounds near Greencastle. Not much goes on Sunday, so if you go try to make it there Saturday.
It would be a good opportunity to buy supplies, talk to trappers, and watch some trap setting demonstrations.

For anybody in the Indy area there is Hoosier Trapper Supply in Greenwood. I don't have any contact info right now, but if you Google it you will have it. They are East of I-65 less than 3 miles from the interstate.
They have a large selection of trapping equipment. I don't know their hours this time of year so I would call before I made the drive.

 

[zimzum]

Just order some at "ProSnares.com Your Complete Source For Snares, Snaring & Trapping Supplies"

They are cheap per dozen. The hog snares may be strong enough for IN whitetail, which follow their trails so regularly that they would be an easier target. If not you can get gator snares that would be strong enough.

They're so cheap anyone can own several. Deer and rabbit would be the easiest to catch. Steel cable and cable clamps can be bought pretty cheap (3/32" cable for deer).
I've heard of using a connibear #330 to trap deer.

 

[Jed]

I ran miles of trap lines here in Johnson county when I was younger... a farmer I worked for had a couple fur barns. We literally used 4 wheelers to run down fence rows checking snare after snare with some very good results. We didn't do much water trapping but some... its certainly an art that requires practice no matter how you do it.
I recently came upon the best book I have ever read on the subject
Title: Camp Life in the Woods and the Tricks of Trapping and Trap Making
Author: William Hamilton Gibson
Release Date: November 18, 2005 [EBook #17093]
This book is a must read for anyone interested in traps. It has everything from the very simple traps you can make with a pocket knife... through the manufactured steel and wire snares..."WITH EXTENDED CHAPTERS ON THE TRAPPER'S ART, CONTAINING ALL THE "TRICKS" AND VALUABLE BAIT RECIPES OF THE PROFESSION; FULL DIRECTIONS FOR THE USE OF THE STEEL TRAP, AND FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRAPS OF ALL KINDS; DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE CAPTURE OF ALL FUR-BEARING ANIMALS; VALUABLE RECIPES FOR THE
CURING AND TANNING OF FUR SKINS." Not to mention "COMPREHENSIVE HINTS ON CAMP SHELTER, LOG HUTS, BARK SHANTIES, WOODLAND BEDS AND BEDDING, BOAT AND CANOE BUILDING, AND VALUABLE SUGGESTIONS ON TRAPPERS' FOOD, ETC."
In short this book covers just about everything you would need to know to use trapping in a survival situation... not just how to catch animals but what you can do with their meat and fur once you've caught them. Its 240 pages and is by far the most exhaustive single source book on the subject I have found to date.

 

[22lr]

Trapping can be a lot of fun, its very practical, cost next to nothing once you make the initial purchase, no gun shots.

Ive trapped a lot of rabbits, and a few coons. Good times.

 

[zimzum]

Here's a good site. It has a wealth of knowledge on this subject as well as a forum for buying/selling/trading equipment.

Trapperman.com

 

[66chevelle]

Hoosier trapper in greenwood sells everything for snaring or trapping. Charlie is a great guy to deal with also.

 

[mammynun]

First of all, I'm NOT a trapper.... but I was thinking about snares the other day and it seemed to me that guitar strings would work very well for small game. A pkg of 6 is about $3 and come in 6 differnt gauges. You could (maybe?) use bass strings as well; they're even heavier gauge. Cheap and commonly available... Am I stupid?

 

[schapm]

You better believe that if I'm hungry I will be setting out some Victor rat traps baited with a little peanut butter. Mmm. Fried squirrels.