snaring rabbits....

[1987_uk]

iv just got into bushcraft :-D and im wondering how to catch rabbits and birds in the wild with snares or traps, any advice anyone.......... cheers

wayne

[Tony]

Remember the Legal considerations that go along with this sort of thing :0:

There are a couple of guys on here that are very proficient in this area, I am sure they will have some advice for you :-D

[martin]

First off you need permission from the landowner or his appointed representative, secondly, they must be checked AT LEAST TWICE every 24 hours. They need to be free running and not the self- locking type.

You will need one wooden stake and 2 small forked sticks for every snare you set. Find a rabbit run (the small pathways they use) hammer the stake into the ground and tie the snare to it. The loop needs to be the size of your fist and 4 finger widths off the ground resting on the 2 fork sticks. Handle everything as little as possible and rub everything with soil or hold it in the smoke over a fire to mask your scent. (Rabbits have an extremely good sense of smell). Be prepared that when you go to the snare the rabbit may still be alive, so you will have to kill it yourself. REMEMBER ONLY KILL FOR FOOD AND NOT FOR FUN!

[Ed]

Also please remember you are not allowed to place a snare at the entrance of a burrow.

When looking for a run, check wire fences, its easy to see where the vegitation has been flattened by constant use. Check that the run is in use (look for fresh tracks and spore), Its no good setting a snare on an old run.

It may be worth blocking off other runs and gaps in the fence to increase your chances of success.

And remember.... the more snares you set, the more likely you are to get a catch. No point in putting out 1 or 2.... If you want to eat, set 20+

If I think of anything else, I'll post more.
:-)
Ed

[1987_uk]

thanks 4 that its a big help, but has anyone got pictures of the snaire set up or drawings....cheers


wayne

[Ed]

The traditonal 8 braid brass snare with tether and stake looks like the one here
http://www.solwayfeeders.com/Product...TOCK_CODE=3101
...don't think much of their stake though.
The stake is hammered into the ground, and the wire loop secured 4 fingers above the ground by a couple of sticks.

Hope the pic on the link helps, Its the best I could find.

:-)
Ed

[Powderburn]

http://wmuma.com/tracker/skills/snares/index.html

[steve a]

Just a quick note, remember if you set any number of snares, pick the same number up when you are finished.

[ditchfield]

Be sure that the run that you set the snare on is frequented by rabbit, not badgers or foxes. In my area we have a large number of badger runs very locally. I know the location of these but to someone new to the area you may make a mistake. Remember, killing badgers is illegal. The previous owner of our house used to kill badgers and foxes and stuff them. On an unrelated note, now he is in prison, for a different offence I hasten to add. :-)

[Ed]

I've just been having a quick read up on my trap and snare law and it also states that you may not place a snare on or in a fence..... just incase you find a run going through a fence, you should follow the run and place your snare somewhere along it, NOT attach it to the fence.

Ed

[grumit]

good luck with the snare's there ilegal to use in guernsey

[Stuart]

Isnt it also illegal to set any snare with a spring mechanisam?

[Ed]

Thats correct as far as I know. Laws governing snares and traps is very tight. It seems adding a spring to a snare makes it illegal and changes it from a snare to a spring trap in the eyes of the law and the law on these is even tighter..... (there are legaly aproved commercialy available spring traps listed for use by game-keepers etc...)

Ed

[Roving Rich]

Yep, and its illegal to use any self locking snare :twisted:
Rich

[the naughty boy]

when i was a lad i set a few snares.with the intention of catching my first few rabbits...the only thing i caught was my cat!!!
thankfully as it was my first time i could hardly keep away from them and so found my moggie before any real damage had been done.
if i,m setting any now and it is very very rarely, then its on a summers evening when i set them out side their warren and sit and watch them from a distance. there are that many of em that theyre out again in fifteen minutes after i initially scare them underground.

far better to get proficient with an air rifle though- and dont wipe out the bunnies as theyre always nice to look at too. :-D

[JakeR]

How do you make a snare wire?

[the naughty boy]

no idea i just buy them as they are so cheap m8

[JakeR]

Where do you buy them from? I mean how do you create the snare (not the wire [or is that what you meant?] :wink: ).
On bearclaw Gary is selling snare wire pack of three. Is that the wire or the actual snare?

Cheers,

Jake ops: :-D

[Lithril]

Talking to my Grandad as he used to set a lot of snares on the farm he worked at, and fastening them to a small branch or tree will lift the rabbit off of the floor upon capture, thus stopping any other predators eating your catch. Would this class as being spring loaded though?

[JakeR]

How would that work?
Is there a health danger when preparing and eating wild rabbit?

Cheers,

Jake

[dtalbot]

Is there a health danger when preparing and eating wild rabbit?

Cheers,

Jake

Common sence things in handling raw meat apply, clean your hands and knife when you've done, that sort of thing. Other than that eat fresh rabbit and cook it properly like any meat and it'll be fine, been doing it for years without a single problem.
Cheers
David

[JakeR]

Thanks David,

What about if you ruptured a colon/bladder? Would that make a difference. I have no knowledge about skinning techniques. What about asking a butcher? Our butcher is almost a family freind!

Cheers,

Jake

[dtalbot]

Well,
Rabbit really needs to be gutted in the field as soon as possible after you have dispached it, I've never had the problem of rupturing the innards, just need to take it carefully. If I remember right Hugh F-W gives some pretty clear instructions in at least one of his books, certainly better than I can manage here.
As for skinning a rabbit once gutted it is just a matter of lop off the feet, head and tail and peel it! That can be done when you have got it home. Rabbit is at its best when fresh, no nead to hang it, hare on the other hand does benefit from hanging but there are relativley few around so I leave them be.
Cheers
David

[Ed]

Talking to my Grandad as he used to set a lot of snares on the farm he worked at, and fastening them to a small branch or tree will lift the rabbit off of the floor upon capture, thus stopping any other predators eating your catch. Would this class as being spring loaded though?

Yes.... I'm afrais so.... that is classed as a spring trap and therfore is illegal as it doesn't appear on the list

:-)
Ed

[JakeR]

I bought some snare wire from Gary. Is it a pack of three snares or is it a 3-pack of the wire?

Cheers,

Jake

[Adi007]

I bought some snare wire from Gary. Is it a pack of three snares or is it a 3-pack of the wire?

Cheers,

Jake

It's wire to make snares with - a great, relaxing thingto do of an evening!

[Ed]

a great, relaxing thingto do of an evening!

... or use stuarts method...... Hang the strands of snare wire from a door handle with a 3kg weight on the end... spin the weight... and it twist braids the strands perfectly and even :-)

:-)
Ed

[Adi007]

a great, relaxing thingto do of an evening!

... or use stuarts method...... Hang the strands of snare wire from a door handle with a 3kg weight on the end... spin the weight... and it twist braids the strands perfectly and even :-)

:-)
Ed

Great trick!

[Lithril]

Talking to my Grandad as he used to set a lot of snares on the farm he worked at, and fastening them to a small branch or tree will lift the rabbit off of the floor upon capture, thus stopping any other predators eating your catch. Would this class as being spring loaded though?

Yes.... I'm afrais so.... that is classed as a spring trap and therfore is illegal as it doesn't appear on the list

:-)
Ed

Bugger was hoping sprung traps where only those like the Gin/Man traps.

Another old trick that again I'm not sure if its allowed now is setting nets up along a fence line in the middle of the night, then go into the field and make a load of noise, all the rabbits should then run into the nets (especially if they're placed over runs). Has this been made illegal as well?

[Ed]

Another old trick that again I'm not sure if its allowed now is setting nets up along a fence line in the middle of the night, then go into the field and make a load of noise, all the rabbits should then run into the nets (especially if they're placed over runs). Has this been made illegal as well?

Yes this is illegal and with good reason. Nets like this (including long nets and gate nets) are not species specific. When you scare the wildlife in the field you could trap birds from the hedgerows or other mamals that are protected by law. As far as I am aware you need to be licensed to use nets in this way.

Hope this helps

Ed