How to Build Rabbit Snare Traps

Rabbits are among the easiest animals to snare because they have no fear of human scent, are readily attracted to bait and travel on regular routes. Rabbit snares in a woodsman's survival pack can provide him with food if he becomes lost. Rabbit snares can be made inexpensively with materials purchased from any hardware store and a dozen can be carried in a pack without weight or bulk.

Things You'll Need

• Picture-hanging wire
• 1/2-inch corner braces
• Lightweight sewing thread
• Nylon cord

Instructions

1. Cut 24 inches of woven picture hanging wire off the spool. Push 2 inches of wire through the hole in one end of the corner brace, tie the wire in a knot and twist it back on itself, securing the wire to the corner brace.

2. Hold the corner brace so that the end without the wire tied to it is facing down toward the end of the wire. Bring the end of the wire up and through the hole in the corner brace, forming a loop, with the wire sliding freely through the hole in the corner brace.

3. Make a loop on the free end of the wire by bending the wire over and tying the end in a knot around the wire leading down to the brace, creating a 2-inch loop.

4. Set the snare in a rabbit trail by sliding the wire through the corner brace hole, forming a loop 3 to 4 inches across. Use the sewing thread to tie the sides of the snare to anything that is on the sides of the trail, such as weeds or sticks, to keep the snare loop open and upright and 1 inch off the ground.

5. Bait the snare trap by placing bits of apple, carrot, lettuce or green grass on each side of the snare to draw the rabbit into the snare as it attempts to reach the food on the opposite side of the snare.

6. Tie the end of the snare wire with the 2-inch loop to a solid object above the set snare using the nylon cord. When the rabbit goes through the snare, the thread holding the sides will break free and the snare loop will tighten as the rabbit tries to get away. The corner brace will bind on the wire and keep the loop from reopening.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a lightweight sewing thread that breaks under little pressure to hold open the sides of the snare. Tie the snare with a single wrap of thread so that when the rabbit pulls the snare, the thread will quickly snap.

• If there is nothing to tie the sides of the snare to push a stick into the ground on each side and tie the snare's sides to them. This will also serve as a guide to funnel the rabbit into the snare.

• You can use wire other than picture-hanging wire; however, it must be flexible. To operate smoothly, the wire must slip easily through the corner brace; if the wire is kinked the snare loop will hang up and not close.

• Do not set snares in residential areas where pets, particularly cats, can be caught.

References

• "Woodcraft;" E.H. Kreps; 1974