utlizing traps in a SHTF situation

[roland45]

just wondering, i have a buddy thats a trapper here in Pa. this fella has everthing, monster konibears to tiny foot holds and live traps. Looking at the conibears that he uses for beaver and fishers, and ground hogs(last year he bagged a 60 pound beaver in NY) i started thinking, SHTF + need to feed a family+ baited conibears= food that you dont half to hunt. The conibears i am talking about are made out of almost 3/8 steel rod, and would prob. kill a man if he was unlucky enough to stick his head in it. Yes I know, they are made to use in water only, per game laws and all that, but when SHTF, I will do what I can to feed the family.

any one else on the forum, have some of these in there bug out plans? or like me, far enough out in the boonies to stay put and ride out a few months.

They seem cheap enough, have a decent size chain, a piece of bent rebar about 2.5 feet long should keep them in place, and kill quick. Thoughts?

The #330 Victor Double Spring Conibear Trap has a 10" x 10" jaw spread, and is recommended by Oneida Victor for use in taking beaver, bobcat, lynx and otter.

[Stryker1]

I think traps are a great idea! Think of it as multi tasking. Look into your local laws and start setting some up so you dont have to experience the "learning curve" before a SHTF situation...

[sitdwnandhngon]

Please please if you "practice" trapping don't set body grip traps on land.

I have heard too many horror stories of guys losing thier hunting dogs to a a 220 or 330 set on land.

They are made for water only, stick to foot hold traps on land so if you happen to catch someones best friend you can easily release and return them instead of dealing with a dead dog.

[BigfootWRL]

If the SHTF I have often thought about bear traps spread around the ranch to catch the two legged predators.   

[JMano]

If the SHTF I have often thought about bear traps spread around the ranch to catch the two legged predators.   

The only problem I see with that is that the trap is indiscriminate.  One day when I am standing in front of my maker and he starts rolling tape on the time that I snapped a beartrap on some poor bastard who was only looking for some food or water for his family I am going to cringe.  You can say "well he shouldn't have been on my property" but the truth is when 95% of homes are left empty he has no way of knowing. 

Survival tactics are everyone's personal choice but I believe that killing or harming people who don't really pose a threat and to just keep them away makes one just as bad as the people who are intentionally preying on survivors.

[sandkicker]

If the SHTF I have often thought about bear traps spread around the ranch to catch the two legged predators.   

The only problem I see with that is that the trap is indiscriminate.  One day when I am standing in front of my maker and he starts rolling tape on the time that I snapped a beartrap on some poor bastard who was only looking for some food or water for his family I am going to cringe.  You can say "well he shouldn't have been on my property" but the truth is when 95% of homes are left empty he has no way of knowing. 

Survival tactics are everyone's personal choice but I believe that killing or harming people who don't really pose a threat and to just keep them away makes one just as bad as the people who are intentionally preying on survivors.

And... is there a beartrap with built in IFF?   What happens if a friend/relative ( assuming a desired one) shows up unannounced?

[err.gray]

 I always assumed if i have to hole up I'll use wire snares.

[roland45]

I wouldnt use the traps for booby traps, just to get food.
Booby traps should be made from mouse traps,40 pound test, strike any where matches, and containers filled with nuts, bolts, nails, and , oh well you get the picture.
Why would anyone want to tie up a food generating deviece as a boobytrap?

[mynine]

Traps are the way to go. And very easy to make.  I have trapped rabbits and squirrels with snares, there easy to make. All you need I some kind of wire i find guitar strings work the best the thinnest ones any way. Also rabbits and squirrels are the most abundant animals in most climates.  The only problem is there very lean  and there is such a thing as rabbit starvation where if you live off of then for to long you can die from lack of fats. Here is a rabbit snare video I found on youtube that can help.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vtNLJuNWmg

and here is a video of how to set it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoZ4PMLXR5U&feature=related

To set these kind of snares for squirrels all you do is take a 2 to 3 inch in diameter branch and put about 3 or 4 of these things on it so all the loops face up ward and lay the branch against a tree. But when connecting the snare to the branch you wrap the end of the wire around it so its just a loop sticking out. The squirrel runs down the tree then down the branch with the snares and will get caught in on of them.