How to Install Snares

Snares are one of the best traps for catching coyotes.

Snares are especially useful traps for backpackers or other people traveling in the wilderness. Given that they are simply a wire, they are light, which is important to people who do not want to carry a bunch of heavy objects. The wires can be fashioned into an effective trap if hikers or others find themselves away from civilization for longer than expected. The snares can be used to catch a wide variety of animals, and can mean the difference between eating and not eating.

Things You'll Need

• 9-gauge wire

Instructions

1. Snip 9-gauge wire into 4-foot sections.

2. Locate signs that animals are using the area. Look for well-worn trails that animals use time after time. Other good signs are footprints and droppings.

3. Twist one end of the wire into a small loop. The loop must only be large enough to allow the wire to pass through.

4. Thread the free end of the wire through the loop. The large loop you have created constitutes your snare.

5. Locate the the spot you want to install the snare.

6. Grab the free end of the wire and wrap it around a log or other object that is heavy enough to prevent a trapped animal from dragging it away.

7. Move the wire so the large loop of the snare is 6 inches from the ground.

8. Adjust the size of the snare loop by moving the small loop. For small animals like squirrels, a 4-inch snare loop works well. Larger animals like coyotes require an 8- to 10-inch loop.

References

• "Field and Stream": Six Primitive Traps for Catching Food in the Woods
• Simplesurvival.net: Good Snares