How to Build a Baited Snare Trap
If you are looking for a simple, yet effective way to trap small animals, the following method may be
right up your alley. Chances are that you have everything you need to construct and set the trap in your
yard or nearby woods, and it only takes a couple of minutes to put everything together. If you have
four sticks, a young tree that can bend downward and some cordage, then you can be well on the way
to enjoying your next meal.
The first step is to choose an appropriate location for the trap. You want to place it somewhere where
your prey is known to travel, but it also needs to be next to a sapling or young tree as well. The idea is
to set some bait in a place where the animal will most likely be scurrying about in order to maximize
the chances that it will become snared.
Once you have chosen your location, gather two sticks that are about two feet long and flexible. You
will need to bend these into a semi-circle and place each end into the ground later. You will need
another stick that is about a foot long and a twig that is about six to eight inches in length. Try to use
sticks that are slim but not brittle.
Fashion your noose and attach it to the tree, bending it downwards. Mark the spot where it reaches the
ground. This will be where you build the trapping system. Make sure that the noose is wide enough to
accommodate the animal you are intending to trap.
Next, place the end of one of the larger sticks into the ground until it is secure, bend the stick and put
the other end into ground on the other side. This will create a loop that is a few inches high and wide.
Repeat the process for the other stick, placing it parallel to the first one about one to two inches apart.
The gap between the two sticks will provide space for the trigger and noose.
Tie one end of the smallest stick to the cordage, just above the noose knot. Place the stick between the
two curved ones, but Pull it underneath the one closest to you first. The string should rest underneath
the curved stick, creating tension and locking the noose and sapling in place once you put it in the
ground. Next, arrange the noose so that it expands between the bent sticks and remains open. Lay the
final stick along the ground between the two bent sticks, resting it along the front of the trigger stick
holding the noose.
Finally, place some bait on the other side of the trap and wait. Once the animal touches the horizontal
stick, it will trigger the trap, causing the tree to bend upwards slightly and tightening the noose. All in
all, setting the trap should take less than five minutes, but you may need to contend with some trial and
error to make sure that everything is aligned properly. All you need to do now is wait until an animal
trips the trap. Make sure to check the trap periodically to ensure that it didn’t accidentally trigger due
to wind or other causes.
