Trap for Your Life (Part 5)
The Lift Pole Snare
As we continue on with the Trap for Your Life series, I hope you are trying and testing all previous traps that we have talked about. I personally want you to try every snare you have learned and see if you are any good with any specific snare design. I want you to find which snare works best for you, and which one is both the easiest and most effective. Try and test all the snares to figure this out. Find the snare that traps the most food and find the one that is the easiest. Try them all and see what works best for you.
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Now that I have that covered, I will show you how to construct the Lift Pole Snare. This is a very easy snare to construct and fairly effective. Again, test this snare design to see if it's right for you. The lift pole snare can trap squirrels, rabbits, chipmunks, birds, and even fish if you construct in water.
What You’ll Need
- 20 to 24 gauge wire
- A pencil or twig
- A long, semi-thin stick
- A tall “Y” shaped stick
- An “L” shaped stick
- A rock that weighs from 3 to 5 pounds
- Duct tape, any gauged wire, or string
- A knife
- Natural bait such as acorns or seeds (optional)
Steps
1. Find a game trail to set your trap. In our previous articles, we have discussed how to find a game trail.
2. Find an area in the trail to set up your trap. Collect all your supplies.
3. Take your “Y” stick and “L” stick and sharpen the ends. Push them in the ground about two feet or slightly more apart. The sticks should be facing one another.
image via watchmenofamerica
The “L” stick
The “Y” stick
4. Take your long stick and duct tape and tie the rock to one end of the stick. Be sure it holds.
5. Place your long stick onto the “Y” stick, with the end with the rock in the back. Then latch on the long stick’s other end onto the “L” stick.
The long stick is latched onto the “L” stick
6. After you have the “structure” of your trap made, then you can make the snare. Using your knife, cut about 8 to 10 inches of wire. Grab your pencil or twig and the wire. Loop the wire around the pencil twice. Twist-tie the loop to the other part of the wire. Pull the pencil out. Put the normal end of the wire through the loop, and make that loop 2 ½ to 3 inches in diameter, depending on the size of your targeted animal.
7. Attach the snare onto the stick. Place it in the middle of the long stick, in between the “Y” stick and the “L” stick.
Place the snare in the middle
8. Block off all the excess around the snare with leaves, sticks and/or grass. That way, it will direct the animal into the snare.
9. Use your natural food to bait the snare. This step is optional, but it will increase your chances of success.
When the animal walks unto the snare, it will push the long stick (pole) off the “L” stick and the weight of the other end of the pole will cause it to be lifted, trapping the animal. The weight will prevent the animal from running off with the snare.
Have you tried to make the lift pole snare? Tell us about it in the comments!
Want to learn more about trapping? Check out the rest of our series below:
