SPRING POLE SNARE.
While the deadfall is good for most animals, there is no one trap
that fills all requirements and in all places. Some animals may be
shy of deadfalls that can be taken in spring poles, snares and steel
traps. This trap is easily and cheaply constructed. It should be made
near dens or where animals travel frequently.
If a small bush is not growing handy, cut one. Drive a stake deeply
in the ground, pull it out, stick the larger end of the bush cut into
it. The explanation of this trap is as follows: 1, bait stick; 2,
trigger; 3, noose made of wire or stout cord; 4, stay wire made of
wire or cord; 5, bait; 6, spring pole.
By noting carefully the illustration this trap can be built easily.
The size of the bush or spring pole, of course, depends upon what
sized animals you are trapping. This trap will take small game such
as mink, opossum, skunk, etc., or can be made large and strong enough
to catch mountain lion or black bear.
* * *
[Illustration: SPRING POLE AND SNARE.]
The snare is made by building a round fence in a place where there is
plenty of small trees. Select two about four inches apart for noose
and snare entrance, and another long springy one for spring pole 6 or
7 feet long, bend this down and trim it. Have a noose made of limber
wire or strong string and a cross piece. Having cut notches in the
sides of the trees for the same to fit, have it to spring easy. For
snaring rabbits have the fence quite high.
[Illustration: SMALL GAME SNARE.]
Observe the above description and you can readily make. No. 1 is the
noose, No. 2 is spring pole, No. 3 fence, No. 4 bait. This snare
already explained can be made any time in the year while the dead
fall can only be constructed when the ground isn't frozen.
* * *
The snares can be either made of twine or wire. Many fox and lynx
snare trappers in the North use small brass wire.
[Illustration: WIRE AND TWINE SNARE.]
Snares work well in cold weather and if properly constructed are
pretty sure catchers.
A--Spring pole.
B--Staple.
C--Two small nails driven in tree. (Three inch nail head, end down,
with snare looped at each end with a foot of slack between. As soon
as the D--three inch nail is pulled down, it will slip past the nail
at top end, when spring pole will instantly take up the slack, also
the fox, to staple and does its work.)
E--Slack line or wire.
F--Loop should be 7 inches in diameter and bottom of loop ten inches
from the ground.
Remarks--The nails should be driven above staple so it will pull
straight down to release the snare fastening.
[Illustration: SNARE LOOP.]
A great many foxes have been caught in this country by the plan of
the drawing outlined, writes J. C. Hunter, of Canada. A--the snare,
should be made of rabbit wire, four or five strand twisted together.
Should be long enough to make a loop about seven inches in diameter
when set. Bottom side of snare should be about six inches from the
ground. E--is a little stick, sharp at one end and split at the
other, to stick in the ground and slip bottom of snare in split end,
to hold snare steady.
B--is catch to hold down spring pole. C--is stake. D--is spring pole.
Some bend down a sapling for a spring pole, but we think the best way
is to cut and trim up a small pole about ten feet long; fasten the
big end under a root and bend it down over a crotch, stake or small
tree. Snare should be set on a summer sheep path, where it goes
through the bushes.
[Illustration: PATH SET SNARE.]
Stake might be driven down a foot or more back from the path, where a
branch of an evergreen bush would hang over it so as to hide it and a
string long enough from stake or trigger to snare to rest over path.
* * *
The setting of a snare is done thus: A good sound tamarac or other
pole fifteen or twenty feet long is used for the tossing. The butt
end of this must be five or six inches in diameter and the small end
about three inches. A tree with a crotch in it is then selected to
balance the pole upon. Failing to find such a tree in the proper
place, an artificial fork is made by crossing two stout young birch
or tamarac, firmly planted in the ground, and the two upper points
tied together six or ten inches from the top. The balancing or
tossing pole is lodged in this fork so that the part towards the butt
would out-weigh a bear of two or three hundred pounds suspended from
the small end.
Next a stout little birch or spruce is selected and a section of
three or four cut off. From this all the branches are removed, except
one, the small end is pointed and driven deep into the ground a few
inches at one side of the bear road. The snare is made of three
twisted strands of eighteen thread cod line and is firmly tied to the
tossing pole. A few dried branches are stuck in the ground each side
of the path, the pole is depressed so the very end is caught under
the twig on the stick driven in the ground for that purpose and the
noose is stiffened by rubbing balsam branches which leave enough gum
to make it hold its shape.
The noose is kept in the proper position (the bottom being about
sixteen inches above the road and the diameter being about eleven
inches) by blades of dry grass looped to it and the ends let into a
gash on sticks at each side, put there for that purpose. No green
branches are used in the hedge about the road because this would make
the bear suspicious. The snare is now complete and the hunter stands
back and examines it critically. His last act is to rub some beaver
castor on the trunk of some tree standing near the road, ten or
twelve feet from the snare. This is done on another tree at the same
distance on the opposite side of the snare.
Bears are attracted by the smell of the castor and rub themselves
against the tree in the same way as a dog rubs on carrion. When
finished rubbing on one tree he scents the other and in going to get
at the fresh one tries to pass thru the snare. He feels the noose
tighten about his neck and struggles; this pulls the end of the
tossing pole from under the branch trigger, up goes the pole and old
Bruin with it.
* * *
My way, according to a Massachusetts trapper, to trap skunk without
scenting, and it is successful, is to snare them. Use a spring pole
and if one does not grow handy, cut one and set it up as firmly as
possible about four or five feet from the burrow and to one side.
Probably the ground is frozen and you will have to brace it up with
logs or stones or perhaps lash it to a stump or root. When the top of
the pole is bent down it should be caught under the end of a log or
rock on the opposite side of the hole so that it can easily be
dislodged by an animal, either going in or out of the burrow.
The snare or noose is attached to the spring pole directly over the
center of the burrows and the bottom of the noose should be an inch
and a half or two inches from the ground to allow the animal's feet
to pass under it and his little pointed nose to go thru the center.
Set the noose as closely over the entrance of the hole as possible
and one or two carefully arranged twigs will keep it in place.
Strong twine is better for the noose than large cord as the skunk is
less liable to notice it. When a skunk passes in or out of the hole
the noose becomes tightened about his neck and a slight pull releases
the spring pole which soon strangles him. While this may seem an
elaborate description of so simple a trap, still, like any other
trap, if set in a careless, half-hearted manner, it will meet with
indifferent success and, tho simple the snare, with a little thought
and ingenuity can be applied in almost any situation for the capture
of small game.