Home >> Science & Nature >> Nature

How to Build Treadle Snares

Treadle snares, also called treadle spring snares, are a type of trap usually used for catching small mammals in the woods, though they can be used to trap birds and reptiles as well. These traps are often built as part of a survival course so the participants can feel confident in their ability to survive should they ever become lost in the woods. They can be built out of sticks, rope and other handy tools that should be kept in your survival kit.

Things You'll Need

Sticks found in the forest
A thin piece of rope
Scissors (multi-tool is fine)
Bait

Instructions

Making a Treadle Snare
- 1
  Locate a spot in the forest that is likely to get a lot of small animal traffic, such as a trail. Dig a bowl-shaped hole in the ground at this spot. It should not be too deep. Between 4 and 6 inches deep is ideal.
- 2
  Find or fashion two 5- to 6-inch long sticks with forks or branches at the top and at the middle of each stick. The branches must be quite short, about half an inch or less. Push the two forked sticks into the ground on each side of the hole, making sure they are both either on the right or left side of the trail. Find two straight sticks that are 2 or 3 inches longer than the distance between the forked sticks.
- 3
  Place the two straight sticks across the forked sticks so they are parallel to the ground. Rest one straight stick on the lower forks. Rest the other straight stick on the upper forks. The horizontal sticks should be just barely supported by the forked sticks.
- 4
  Find several long, thin sticks. Lay one of these sticks on the horizontal stick that is closest to the ground. It should be perpendicular to the horizontal stick. The other end of the stick should touch the ground on the other side of the hole. Arrange the remaining sticks in a similar manner. The trap is sprung when an animal steps on one of these sticks and pushes it into the hole. This is why it is important for the sticks to extend only just past the hole's boundary.
- 5
  Tie one end of the rope to a tree branch. Pull the tree branch so there is some force continuously tugging on the rope. Tie the rope around a stick that is 3 inches long. This will be the "trigger." Leave enough slack so you can form a noose with the remaining rope.
- 6
  When the noose is formed, position the trigger so that it is held in place by the two horizontal sticks. These sticks must be able to resist the pull of the tree branch. Spread the noose out on top of the sticks that are spread across the hole so that it covers as much of the hole's area as possible.
- 7
  Place some bait (such as fish entrails) in the center of the noose. As the animal steps on one of the sticks, it will push the horizontal sticks down so that the trigger is released. If successful, the animal's leg or neck will be caught in the noose.

Nature