Beaver Set
Blind Set
Cubby Set
Deep Snow Snaring
Flat Set
When the deep and freezing cold arrives, this
is actually a good time to catch animals.
Trappers who only use footholds my have a hard
time believing that, but those who master trail
snaring know what I am talking about. I walked a
path through the woods intercepting coyote
tracks that came from the nearby hills. I simply
walked a side hill path through a foot of snow,
doubled back and then set a dozen trail snares
in my own half mile trail. Three days later I
collected three coyotes from those snares.
When I find a good prey base, I almost always find sign of predators investigating the same area. Where I find predator sign at a good location, I simply walk through the middle then turn around and do it again. By doubling back this way. I leave a compacted trail; around 6 to 8 inches lower than the surrounding undisturbed snow. I may purposely walk between sagebrush and bitterbrush, as this helps to camouflage the trail snares. I most often set 10-inch loop 14 to 15 inches off the ground. If I am targeting fox instead of coyote, I make a smaller loop closer to the ground. Loop size and height should vary to match the targeted animal and also the conditions. The softer the snow, the lower the snare loop because animals sink into snow. However, if a loop is set too close to the ground, it is more likely to capture a rabbit. If I have any doubt about snare height, I move it p a few inches to be on the safe side. I like to capture targeted furbearers around the neck and not around the body. Trail snares can be set very quickly, and the sets don’t require a lot of time to season like leghold traps. A five minute boil in baking soda takes the shine off the cable and leaves it a dull, light grey, which blends really well in the winter brush. Other nice things about trail snare sets are that they don’t need to be baited, they’re not likely to freeze up, and, as the weather gets worse they often perform better. I have noticed over the years that my success is a little better if I set trail snares far enough apart that traveling coyotes cant see other coyotes that already have been captured. I am sure the sight of a snared coyote spook other coyotes in the immediate area.
Hay Bale Set Hole Set Weasel Set Muskrat Set Urine Post Set
Deep snow snaring
When I find a good prey base, I almost always find sign of predators investigating the same area. Where I find predator sign at a good location, I simply walk through the middle then turn around and do it again. By doubling back this way. I leave a compacted trail; around 6 to 8 inches lower than the surrounding undisturbed snow. I may purposely walk between sagebrush and bitterbrush, as this helps to camouflage the trail snares. I most often set 10-inch loop 14 to 15 inches off the ground. If I am targeting fox instead of coyote, I make a smaller loop closer to the ground. Loop size and height should vary to match the targeted animal and also the conditions. The softer the snow, the lower the snare loop because animals sink into snow. However, if a loop is set too close to the ground, it is more likely to capture a rabbit. If I have any doubt about snare height, I move it p a few inches to be on the safe side. I like to capture targeted furbearers around the neck and not around the body. Trail snares can be set very quickly, and the sets don’t require a lot of time to season like leghold traps. A five minute boil in baking soda takes the shine off the cable and leaves it a dull, light grey, which blends really well in the winter brush. Other nice things about trail snare sets are that they don’t need to be baited, they’re not likely to freeze up, and, as the weather gets worse they often perform better. I have noticed over the years that my success is a little better if I set trail snares far enough apart that traveling coyotes cant see other coyotes that already have been captured. I am sure the sight of a snared coyote spook other coyotes in the immediate area.
