Snaring Deer

Few people know of the possibility of using snares to trap large game such as deer. Poachers who use this type of trapping method, seem to keep their freezers overflowing with fresh meat. I am more than certain that trappers using this method poke fun at the poor unknowing hunters wondering around the bush carrying a rifle looking for a deer to blast. This maybe fine if done for sport, but if you are trying to put food on your table with the least effort, to ensure your survival, hunting will likely prove to be less then adequate for the task.

I call this snare a deer snare, because that is what most trappers use it for. But when actually put to us, it is very effective on a variety of large game. The general principle will effectively snare elk, moose, mountain goat, wild bore and other game of such size. Of course if you plan to trap game of this size, a much stronger snare wire will be needed then that which is commonly use for most traps. You will need a cable or rope strong enough to securely hold a struggling large game animal, yet flexible enough to freely tighten around the animal’s neck with a minimum of resistance because of stiffness.

You will need an “L” lock as shown in the drawing. The lock will hold the snare firmly around the trapped animals neck, not letting the snare cable back out of the lock and loosening the hold around the neck. To make an “L” lock simply use good strong pieces of L shaped iron around two inches long, which you can find at most any hardware store. Drill a hole through each arm of the L, the holes should only be slightly larger than the cable you intend to use . Fasten one end of the cable to the lock by running it through the lock doubling it back and clamping it together. Now form a snare by putting other end of the cable through the other hole in the lock, forming a circle of approximately 20 to 25 inches around.

When setting the trap, point the L toward the inside of the snare loop, this will let the snare slide easily around the animals neck, with the least resistance from the lock. Set this trap on a well worn trail, preferably in thick undergrowth where the animal must push it’s body and head through in order to move past the obstruction and into your trap. One average size whitetail deer will yield more usable meat then fifty cottontails. Setting a snare for deer or other large game takes little more effort on your part then setting a smaller snare for small game, and yet the reward on your table is so much more abundant.

Setting this type of trap will land you in jail under normal circumstances. But during a survival situation you will do what must be done in order to keep food on the table, and in my opinion this is one the the best if not the best trapping methods to fill that need.

Survival 101