# Snaring



## smitty223 (Mar 31, 2006)

How many of you trappers snare? What percentage of your total trapline would you say is snares? What's the biggest "downside" with your thoughts on snaring. Here it'd probably be having to have written permission from the landowner (in addition to of course having permission to trap their land).

Snares & bodygrippers are 2 avenues of trapping I've just never really pushed that hard in, but will probably do more so next season. I got the stuff to make-up several dozen so I'll have them ready to go.

Thanks!
Smitty


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## Mongojoe (Nov 2, 2006)

Until recently snareing has not been legal for common trapping during the fur season here...and since my accident and having to quit trapping, I have not really kept up with the laws like I used to...so it may still be illegal... However, body grippers were recently made legal to use after instructional classes are taken and passed.

I did occasionally use both in situations of ADC, but not as a general rule.... And here, common fur trapping during the season with foothold traps requires that you carry written permission from the land owner, and, post all entrances into an area you have traps set in.


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## Trapper62 (Mar 3, 2003)

Smitty,

Snaring is a very big thing here in ND, most trappers at some time give them a try.

For beaver, I use bodygrippers about 50% and footholds about 50%, have snared a couple but in open water that has become hit and miss for me.

For ****, I set about 30% water sets (pocket sets) but the rest are 220 bodygrippers. I will work with a dry **** over a wet one anyday. I also seem to get more males as well as larger ***** this way. Pocket sets seem to produce more females and yoy.

For coyote I hardly use footholds anymore, if I do, it is early in the year on the yoy coyotes that are dispursing. I would guess that about 90% of my coyotes are snared, the rest shot or trapped.

The biggest downfall is that 1) they are non-selective, and 2)people don't understand how a snare is designed to work. They always assume the snare failed when it doesn't kill the coyote or the BAD doesn't pull when it is suppose to, 3) if you are trapping areas with high hunting dog use or high pet traffic be careful, the biggest problem is that people don't use common sense when hanging snares, which usually results in negative public perception.

In ND we need to have written permission to trap or snare, snares need to be tagged, traps do not. Coyotes are easy to snare and this tool can really improve your catch. I have now gone exclusively to the Amberg lock on an 8' snare with a 4-6' extension. These are made out of my old snares, as I am sure you know they are a one time use item.

Can you use draw stations where you live?


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## smitty223 (Mar 31, 2006)

Thanks for the input guys.

MJ- We have a permission slip in the DNR regulation book, I'll usually sign & have it signed, it's written in black & white that a landowner is released from liability should I get injured. If nothing else, it helps them not have to worry.....and it gives me written permission should the need arise (though it isn't required)

Trapper62- I'm pretty much a die-hard foothold trapper, but know I miss fur by not snaring. I made a commitment to myself (after this crappy weather) this season to hit it harder next season.

My snaring would still be somewhat limited, though much more that I currently do. Foul weather would "up" my snare usage as well. I don't have to contend with dogs, unless their free-roaming tresspassers. I'm pretty adiment about that "common sense" thing, and it's use.

I make my own snares, cheap ones, washer locks with 9 ga. swivels. I use my damaged ones for cablestakes. Yes, we can trap baitpiles here.

Thanks!
Smitty


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## younghunter (Dec 17, 2006)

Id say about 90 to 100 percent of the time its snares we got out, thats the main thing with ous for about last 15 yrs probably for my uncle for coyote.


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## ND trapper (Nov 14, 2006)

basicly what Trapper 62 said. I am also a die hard foothold trapper but snares are such a productive tool that should be utilized if its done with common sense. I would say that about 25% of my line is snares. The only down fall is when theres snow on the ground and your setting snares. Alot of times coyotes will shy away from foot prints in the snow. Thats why its always a good idea to check your snares from as far away as possible. I use 100% Amberg locks on 8 feet of cable. Very deadly on yotes.


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## smitty223 (Mar 31, 2006)

ND- I trap from an ATV & ride right up to a set. I told a buddy that I did this because coyote will run the tire tracks. He didn't believe me until he did it a few times, lol. I also carry a small broom to clear snow when I make sets.

Thanks!
Smitty


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## Trapper62 (Mar 3, 2003)

Smitty, you are 100% correct on coyotes running the tracks. I set up my drawstations on the prairie by driving through the slough (or any area I find appropriate for snares) forming an X, Bait placed where the track cross and than set the snares back about 50'

Works great if you have the situation available to set up that way. Otherwise, in heavy brush I bring in the bait and wait until the coyotes find it and start feeding on it, than I hang snares in the trails that they established.


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## ND trapper (Nov 14, 2006)

Sounds like you got the right set up for snaring Smitty. The ole "X" marks the spot trick that 62 described does work very well. Its fuuny how those coyotes dont care one bit about tire tracks but will stop dead in their tracks if they come across humane foot tracks. When landowners know that your going to be catching coyotes most will let you make false trails with your vehicle as long as you use common sense.


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## smitty223 (Mar 31, 2006)

I'm on pretty good terms with all the landowners. They know I'll respect their property, I'll even pick-up trash along the way. I smoke, but don't throw the butts on the round.

That's why the ATV, so I can trap without tearing-up the ground. I'm living with some permanent injuries, and couldn't trap without an ATV. I trap some CRP spots with ditches along them, some are a 3-4 mile round-trip from the truck.....and no way I could walk it & carry everything I needed.

I'll have to give the "X" a try next season!

Thanks
Smitty


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## spank (Feb 4, 2007)

i like snares because it is not a sit and wait on them because most the time when a animal comes down a trail with a snare they usally get in them


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## trappinmaniac (Jan 18, 2007)

i just bought a dozen snares today and was wondering if you guys dye them to help blend them or what else i could do to help hide them

Thanks


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## younghunter (Dec 17, 2006)

We usally dont die or anything to them we dont handle them very much uncles one usallyhandling them and coyote kinda have got use to his sent around here and dont mind very much but theres time there be someone taggin along and walk write where he is walking and a coyote wont touch the trail for a long time or next rain dont understand it but something with the sent.

By the way coyotes do stop on snowy trails when running a trial or if hey fell there being pushed into that stop. When i set snares me and uncle kinda get on to each other we dont walk or kneel close or on trails.

We usally bait with adead deer or cow and let the coyotes find it first and let them make there own trail then we move in with the snares and hammer them.


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## Trapper62 (Mar 3, 2003)

Smitty, this is basic but what the heck, remember to have one part of the X pointing into your predominent wind direction and the other perpendicular to it, for wind changes. You will be amazed at how a coyote will hunt the edge until they get downwind, they will then take the first trail they come to - usually the vehicle track.

I boil my snares in baking soda and water for about 20 minutes. Get them ready to go first, tags and all then boil. I don't dye them at all and can't say that I have to many refusals because of it.

Young hunter, define close? On a vehicle track one advantage is that you can walk right on it to set snares, no problems, biggest mistake people make is that they set to close, stay back 50', when you make a catch set a new snare at 60' and so on!

I set my snares barehanded, it really doesn't seem to matter. From experience, my snares set with gloves or barehand all produce fairly similar results.

If you wathc the person/people that come with you it is not usually thier presence there, but instead what they do, spit, over abundance of disturbance to the area, etc.


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## trappinmaniac (Jan 18, 2007)

thanks alot for the help i will boil them tonight and get them out as soon as posible

Thanks Again

TrappinManiac


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## Plowdude (Dec 26, 2006)

Smitty:
When I trapped full time the ratio of snares to traps was about 5 to 1. I use snares very selectivly in my ADC business, too many feral dogs in my area. When I retire and go back to full time trapping I will use snares again. What most trappers don't comprehend is that for a predator trapper running 100-150 land sets, 1000-1200 snares is about right to check in a day running out of a vehicle. I set up to a dozn snares at every carcass dump. That's the point of snares, their cheap so you can make lots of em. Deer guards or breakaway locks are a must. In the early 1980's I lived in North Dakota and was on the committe to reinstate snaring in ND. The best book I ever read on snaring was called Larry's snaring methods. It was written by a thinking man from Harvy North Dakota, It is the definative book on predator snaring.


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## younghunter (Dec 17, 2006)

plowdude how many sets do you set in trapping season..

ive thoguht of end between the year of after high school and on to college i might trap coyotes to pay for college i could easly do it well not easily it would be and 10 hour job a day when i was down id be ne though son of a gun. ive considered haveing to have 300 snares out at a time and check them every day.id catch probaly close to 10 a day at least and me selling to pewns alive for 50 bucks means 500 bucks day but ud have to probaly have 75bucks in supplies and gas. $50 gas $25snares. id have to have snares everwher ein the area of 1hr or 60miles probably. Only problem i think i wold run into a whole bunch of people wanting lilttle jobs and i being to nice and turn out to be a logger just like my uncle which i would do in a heart beat its awesome to be in the woods and be ur own boss but parents would probably think other ways. So i doubt i would but uncles thought of it when he retires.

It would be one heck of a job but worth it......


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## maanjus11 (Nov 17, 2006)

younghunter...you might want to take a couple of extra english classes before you head off to college.  Ha! JK. But that would be a fun way to pay for college if you can do it.


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