By Edwin Thomas
Steel wire, the stuff of snares.
Water is the single most important survival necessity, but food is not far behind. Without knowledge of what the local wild, edible plants are, the next best way of procuring food is through snares. Snares require only a few parts to build, and setting them is a lot easier than hunting.
Instructions
Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Things You'll Need:
- Steel wire
Knife
Twine or string
Wire cutters (optional)
- Steel wire
- Knife
- Twine or string
- Wire cutters (optional)
Step 1
Measure out about two feet of steel wire. In a survival situation, you might have to guess at the length, as it is doubtful a ruler or measuring tape will be available.
Step 2
Take one end of the wire and tie it off into a 1 or 1.5-inch loop, fastened by twisting the wire around itself.
Step 3
Take the other end of the wire and thread it through the loop made in Step 2. This is the big, flexible loop that will be used for snaring.
Step 4
Fashion another 1 to 1.5 inch loop at the end of the wire, just as you did in Step 2.
Step 5
Thread twine or string through the loop from Step 4 and tie it off with a knot. Run the roll of twine back to a small or medium tree trunk, stump, or another fixed object that is suitable for use as the snare's anchor. Cut the twine and tie it to the anchor.
Step 6
Lay the snare in an area where rodents and other small animals travel. If possible, try to channel them into the snare by laying down tree branches and other debris to create a pathway. When an animal goes into the snare, it will catch them about the neck, and their efforts to free themselves will tighten the wire loop from Step 3.
Step 7
Pick out a reasonably straight tree branch of the type you might use to cut a walking stick. With you knife, strip off all the other small branches from it. However, be sure to leave behind some knots on the surface of the wood, and do not shorten the length of the newly fashioned pole yet.
Step 8
Go to an area where you have seen squirrels and pick out a tree that is short enough that your pole can reach the first layer of branches if it is laid alongside it in a stable position.
Step 9
Cut wires off a length or spool of the steel wire. Each wire should be about as long as the diameter of the pole plus 5 inches. You will need one wire for every 1.5 feet of pole.
Step 10
Tie the wires around the poles, using the woody knots left from stripping branches off as points to help anchor the wires and prevent them from sliding. Then tie the free end of the wire into a noose. The noose should be about 2 inches long, and the wire should extend from the pole by about 2 inches (hence the rough 5-inch measurement from Step 3, which ensures you have enough wire).
Step 11
Place the pole in the area identified in Step 2. Squirrels will scamper up and down the pole, some of them getting caught in the nooses. When they try to free themselves, they will fall off the pole and hang themselves.
About the Author:
Edwin Thomas has been writing since 1997. His work has appeared in various online publications, including The Black Table, Proboxing-Fans and others. A travel blogger, editor and writer, Thomas has traveled from Argentina to Vietnam in pursuit of stories. He holds a Master of Arts in international affairs from American University.
Photo Credits:
Wikimedia Commons
