Snaring rabbits???

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Brianma65

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Hello there.
Ok don't laugh but,
I want to take my boy out and snare some rabbits,problem is,I've never done this before.
All I know is,you take some rabbit wire,make a loop, tie it to stick about an inch off the path.
Hmm, is that it then:).
Anybody got any pointers?
How big of a loop do I need?
Thanks
 
Find a run where they go often and make a funnel of sticks around it which forces it into the direction of the snare. Under the snare add small sticks as a chin up bar, making the most convenient way to go through the snare Try to use 20-24 gauge wire and make the loop about the size of your fist. If you can find a rabbit hole, just put one outside the hole.
 
Thanks JR.

No I never seen a rabbit die in a snare. Is it that bad. I just want to teach him how to do it. You never know when it might come in handy.
 
Here is a write up I did elsewhere...... unfortunately, the pics have moved and the links don't work, so I have taken them out...

How to Snare Rabbits for Survival
OK... just a disclaimer here, check your local game laws before trying this. Ontario (south of the Mattawa river) requires a trapping license in order to snare rabbits.... but, of course, if you are in a survival situation that obviously wouldn't matter....

Here is a quick list of supplies you will need:

-1 Roll 20 gauge brass snare wire
-1 Roll flag tape
-1 twist stick (I use a meat skewer)
-1 .22 cal (yayy)

Now, I should warn you that you should only practice this in an area away from houses that may or may not have outside cats... it is very easy and common for cats to get caught in rabbit snares... If you insist on practicing your snaring technique near a residential area I would suggest adding a shovel to the above supplies list....

Step 1 - Cut your wire into 2 foot long sections.... a regular roll of snare wire will yield 10 snares....




Step 2 - Fold your wire over your twist stick about an inch from the end and twist it several times to form a loop....




Step 3 - Put the opposite end of the wire through the loop and pull it through until you are left with a 4 inch opening for your "noose"... I have put a picture of a standard size watch face as a comparison for you gentlemen who think 4 inches is about as long as a standard toothpick .... It is very important to limit your snare width to 4 inches to avoid the rabbits getting caught around the waist and suffering / attracting predators.... it also helps to avoid snaring other critters you would typically be trying to avoid such as fishers... You don't want to come across an angry fisher in a snare, don't ask me how I know this....




Step 4 - Find a well used rabbit trail. Rabbits will typically use the same "runs" on a daily basis and finding good choke points where snares can be set is relatively easy... For those of you that don't spend much time in the woods, here is what a rabbit track looks like... this one in particular is a snowshoe hare (read big and tasty)...





Step 5 - Set your snares up on choke points using sticks and twigs as barriers to force the rabbits to move through your snares.... I like to use "duck sticks" to force the rabbit to actually duck into the snare. Where possible, use natural branches, twigs and leaves to camouflage your snare location. Remember to try and leave the area as natural as possible... don't step all over the rabbit run... Loops should be 4-6 inches abouve the ground, for you gentlemen mentioned earlier I suggest you bring a ruler...






Step 6 - Mark a branch above your snare with flag tape so it easy to find the next morning... Trust me, if you don't you will forget where you put them and you may end up snaring an animal in a snare you had forgotten to remove when you left the area.... walking your snare trail along all of the flag tape is like easter egg hunting only in reverse... you are hoping for a trail of rabbits as opposed to a trail of eggs.... ... Oh, and gratuitous shot of my baikal combo gun... I carry the combo gun for grouse / bunny opportunities on the way to my snare sets and to dispatch any predators that may have found my snared hares... I have actually harvested a few yotes over the years that wandered into snare sets.....








Step 7 - Come back the next morning and check your sets for success... A well done rabbit snare will yield a quick kill without causing undo suffering.... As you can see, there is little to no disturbance to the area around this fellow, indicating a quick and humane harvest...






In the end, snaring rabbits isn't overly difficult but it takes some practice to become successful at it and you can't expect to just throw a roll of wire in your survival pack and be able to use it in an emergency situation without practice... We are havinga good rabbit year in my area and I set 15 snares and hauled in 4 bunnies this morning, along witha 5th that I got on the run with the combo gun..... Rabbit stew time!
 
First, check your local regs.

All good?

Start walking in the woods, and paying attention to the way the rabbits use and make trails. Easier in the winter when there is snow down.

Once you start to build an eye for how they are running and using narrow paths, then keep an eye out for predator tracks. How much work are you willing to put in, to keep the local coyotes fed? Real question, a friend of mine's kid gave up his snares over this. He got tired of being beat to the rabbits by the coyotes. Smart, them coyotes! :) This was NW of Edmonton.

There are a lot of different ways to set snares. But a loop, big enough to fit your fist through, and the bottom about and inch or a bit more off the ground seems to cover the basics. Check the regs again, to see if there are wire sizes and materials specified. Provincial, different from place to place.

Hit up youtube and assorted online searches. Lots of stuff out there.

I never bothered to put out any snares, but paid pretty close attention to the runs and places that would have been good spots, while out with my dogs or out rabbit hunting in Northern Alberta. Pretty soon, you develop an eye for seeing the likely spots. Or you don't, eh? What I know for sure, is you won't get any, unless you get out there and put in some time at it.

Have fun!

Cheers
Trev
 
I'm good on the season date. Brass wire only? Why?
I was planning on buy a 22/410 combo, I seen one at the local gun store (black with a red stripe). Savage
 
Snared rabbits for years as a kid back in NS, always seamed I did better with old snares. Then a old guy told me to boil the new wire in tea to tarnish it, he said it make it harder for the rabbits to see the snare. The new wire shines at night when the moon is out.
 
Brianma65 said:
I'm good on the season date. Brass wire only? Why?
I was planning on buy a 22/410 combo, I seen one at the local gun store (black with a red stripe). Savage
Click to expand...

Either will work....... I prefer brass for reasons mentioned above.... it tarnishes easier (anyone who reloads knows that, lol)....and becomes less shiny than steel..... but I like the tea idea..... Going to try that myself....
 
Brianma65 said:
It say brass only,in the regs (NL). No big deal,just wondering why.
Click to expand...

May have something to do with how malleable it is?......I honestly don't know....

To set a humane snare, the first time the rabbit makes a twist while the snare is around it's neck and tight, it should make a crimp in the wire so the loop can't ride back up on the shaft and provide temporary relief.... I have snared likely a couple of hundred rabbits, and I could likely count on one hand the amount that didn't die within two minutes from asphyxiation........ if you actually have an opportunity to watch how rabbits dash between spots, you would come to the conclusion that it is likely less...
 
Not sure if you are in Ontario - if so

A holder of a resident small game licence may use a snare to capture or kill varying hare in the part of Ontario lying north of the French and Mattawa rivers if,

(a) the snare is constructed of copper or brass wire between 22 and 24 gauge, inclusive; and

(b) the snare’s wire loop is not more than 10 centimetres in diameter.


I used to take my kids out in the early winter when they were young and we would snare a few for dinner. Always was a good time and got them outdoors.
 
I always carried a .22 or .410 with me when checking snares, some of time I would end up pushing rabbits into the snares. They do die quick but a .22 short will make it quicker.
 
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