How to Trap With Steel Traps
Steel traps come in a variety of sizes and styles for different conditions and animals. The most commonly used sizes range from size 0 for weasels up to size 4 for coyotes and beaver. There are bigger traps, but they are not commonly used by fur trappers. The spring designs are single longspring, double longspring, underspring, and coilspring. Trapping is divided into two areas–water trapping and land trapping–and traps employed and sets vary between the two areas. Trapping is a vast field and books are available from trappers supply stores to teach the novice trapper.
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Instructions
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Locate the animals you plan to trap by looking for signs of their activity. The most common signs are tracks in the soft dirt or mud, partially eaten food, and fecal droppings. Set the traps in the areas where the animal activity is present.
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Select a place to set the trap. This can be in front of den holes, on trails the animal follows or on top of beds of vegetation where muskrat and beaver are feeding. Artificial sets can be made by digging a fake den or placing bait beyond the trap so the animal has to step in the trap to reach it.
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Set the trap by pushing down on the single spring or both springs at the same time so the jaws drop open. Lay the trigger over the jaw, lift the trap pan, and place the end of the trigger in the notch on the side of the pan. With longsprings pull the spring or springs toward the trigger side of the trap until they stop this will let the trap sit flat.
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Dig a shallow hole where you want the trap to be placed so the top of the set trap is just below ground level. Twist a double strand of rebar wire onto the trap chain ring and tie the other end of the wire to a solid object so the animal can’t run off with the trap.
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Position the trap so the animal has to step between the jaws and not over one of them. Be sure the trap pan is positioned slightly right or left of center as the animal’s legs are to either side of its body, not in the center.
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Cover the trap lightly with whatever is natural to the area. Bait and a commercial animal lure can be placed beyond the trap to entice the animal to the set.
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Place traps in water for water animals in the same manner, but not deeper than two inches or the swimming animal’s feet will pass over the trap. Stretch the wire out into the water and tie it to a stake driven into the bottom so the animal will swim out into the water where the weight of the trap will pull it under and it will quickly drown.
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Tips & Warnings
Underspring traps are designed to jump up through dirt and trap cover to grip the animal’s leg. Single and double longsprings merely snap shut without jumping. Coilsprings jump up and are the strongest traps. Size 1 and 1 1/2 are for muskrat, mink, skunk, opossom, and similar sized animals. Sizes 1.75 and 2 are for raccoon, fox, nutria, and similar larger animals. Sizes 3 and 4 are for the bigger animals, in particular coyote, beaver, and otter. Larger size traps can hold a smaller animal, but small size traps rarely hold the bigger animals. It is best to choose the trap size designed for the animals you plan to trap. Each animal has its own habits and water and land trapping are different. To be a successful trapper you must learn all the habits of each animal and how to trap under every condition.
Some states have laws on what style of traps can be used. A few states have banned steel traps altogether while all the other states require licensing to trap. Do not trap without knowing all the laws in your area. Do not set traps in residential areas or where pets and people frequent. Some animals carry diseases such as rabies and tularemia. If an animal appears sick do not skin it, but bury it intact.
References
- Photo Credit trap image by Kotov from Fotolia.com
