DIY Animal Traps

This chipmunk can provide an easy meal with a dead-fall trap in a survival situation.

If you ever find yourself in a survival situation, you will need to know how to build your own animal trap to survive in the woods. Since small animals abound in the wild, make smaller animals your main target when setting survival traps. Build a dead-fall trap, one of the quickest traps you can build with materials found in nature. The more traps you build, the better your odds of trapping an animal.

Things You'll Need

• Rock Log Sticks

Instructions

1. Locate a well-used game trail. Find game trails next to a water source, food source or bedding area. Look for recent animal signs on the game trail such as fresh droppings and animal tracks.

2. Find a spot on the game trail that is relatively dry to decrease the chance of your animal trap failing. Locate a heavy rock or log to use as the weight for your dead-fall trap.

3. Find two long sticks of equal length, both about 3 feet long. Locate another stick about 4 inches in length.

4. Drive the small stick in the ground at a 45-degree angle, leaving 2 inches poking out of the ground. Grab your two long sticks with one hand and shape them in the form of a pyramid with one end overlapping at the tip by 2 inches. Lay your sticks so one stick end rests securely on the ground. Rest the other stick end against the small stick in the ground, making sure to not touch the ground. The tip end of this stick forms your trigger.

5. Use your other hand to lay the weight against your trigger stick. Balance your weight against your sticks until it will not fall on its own. Use any type of food you have to scent the trigger stick tip. If you have no food available, a curious animal like a squirrel may still inspect your trap and trigger the dead-fall.

References

• Deadfall: Survivalist Deadfall Trap
• Wilderness Survival Skills: How to Make a Deadfall Trap
• Wilderness Surival: Traps and Snares