How to Make Traps for Hunting

A rooting trap door works well with small animals.

For as long as people have been using tools, hunting traps have been useful for catching small animals. From snare traps to cage traps, hunting traps can be very useful, and you don't have to be an outdoorsman to make one. One very simple hunting trap is a rooting trap door cage trap for hunting small mammals such as rabbits, or even larger prey, such as hogs.

Things You'll Need

• 2 square pieces of wood
• 4 rectangular pieces of wood
• Wood glue
• Clamps
• Pencil
• Ruler
• Power saw
• Hand saw
• Drill
• Bait
• Twig

Instructions

1. Glue together a square piece of wood, about 2 by 2 feet, and a rectangular piece of wood, about 2 feet by 4 feet. The square piece of wood will be the back side of your cage. Clamp both pieces together until the glue dries.

2. Glue another rectangular piece of wood to the edges of the object made in Step 1. This will make one corner of your cage. Clamp the pieces together until the glue dries.

3. Glue a third rectangular piece of wood to the edges of the object made in Step 2. This will look like a rectangular box missing two sides. Clamp the pieces together until the glue dries.

4. Glue the final rectangular piece of wood to the edges of the object made in Step 3. This will look like a wooden cage with a hole on one side. Clamp the pieces together until the glue dries.

5. Draw an X from corner to corner on the second square piece of wood. Use a pencil and ruler. Draw a straight, vertical line across the center of the X.

6. Draw a straight, horizontal line across the center of the X. Now the square piece of wood should be divided into four equal squares.

7. Cut out one of the squares so that one corner is missing from the piece of wood. Use a power saw, if available, or hand saw.

8. Attach a hinge to one edge of the smaller square cut out. Use a drill to screw it on.

9. Attach the other end of the hinge to the rest of the square piece of wood.

10. Glue the remaining square piece of wood to the rest of the cage. Make sure that the door opens into the cage and not out of the cage. Clamp the pieces together until the glue dries.

11. Place a piece of bait into the cage.

12. Open the cage door, using a twig to hold the door open. When your prey smells the food inside, it will come into the cage, pushing aside the twig and closing the door behind it. If the door does not open toward the outside, the creature will be caught inside.

Tips & Warnings

• Alternatively, make the cage out of wire, such as chicken wire or fencing.

References

• Hog Hunting Guide: Rooting Trap Door