I walk my lines and sometimes it's a pain in the butt to keep all the goodies separated in the pack. Gotta keep the lure and bait from contaminating the snares and traps, keep the snares from tangling up and try to be efficient while out and about. I started prepackaging snares so that they are clean and handy on the line, grab one and hang it when you see a likely spot.

I wrap the pigtailed 9 wire around a #10 can, makes a nice flat neat coil.



Boil these, attach snares (wearing clean gloves), put in ziplocks, ready for the trail. Bags can be used for trap covers if you forget your wax paper



Simple, but maybe it will help another rookie like me.

Nice, I use the same technique. Are you using #9 wire for lynx?

Don't have any lynx snares out yet, but I think I will, I like the ease of positioning a snare "just so" that 9 wire gives. Kinda overkill I guess.

After trying a few variety of snares out the past few years i made a few dozen like that this year using 1x19 1/16th and No. 11 wire -primarily w/ fox in mind. I'm already liking them more then previous setups. Can't wait to put them to use to see how they do.

Kusko, were you using #9 or # 11 wire on your lynx snares?

#11 for fox and lynx.

yep southpaw I went to that method two years ago, and it is tough to beat. I like the idea of wrapping around an object to get it super nice, Thanks for the tip.

I also use #11 instead of #9, it's much easier to work with.

Do you boil the snares also?

Great post!

I do boil the snares, this batch I boiled separately. Sometimes I do them after the snares are attached. Less likely to get stuff tangled in the boiling process if you do it separately.

My line that I trap vicariously through my Son has a lot of wolverine and wolf. I've always suggested to him that whatever sets he makes for fox or lynx should also be able to hold gulo and wolf.

Will #11 be OK in this situation or should he stick with the #9?

Sockeye, that being the case I would stick with the 9 wire but the cable needs to be big enough to hold the other critter as well. You will also be hanging them higher and wanting a bigger loop so making and using species specific snares is usually not an issue.

Well.....last year we caught and held a wolverine and a wolf with #11, but both were flukes. I would stick with #9 and bigger cable than 1/16th.

I had one wolf break #9. So I sure wouldn't intentionally set with smaller than that. As far as cable is concerned, you need to consider what you are tying off to. If it's something flexible, you can possibly get by with a little smaller cable than if the anchor is solid. So I would not set with cable smaller than 3/32 for wolverine and not less than 7/64 for wolves. UNless you are using a power ram or an elevated snare for wolverine.

Thanks guys
we'll stick with #9. We have tried many different pre-made snares, and have settled on 3/32" or 7/64". Bamm Bamm would have to speak for himself but my personal favorite is the Thompson 7/64" - 1X19 wire - 72" length. I read last year where takotna swears by the 1/8" snare shop wolf snare, and he would know if anybody does, but we tried a dozen of them and just didn't really like the way the loop handled and closed.

I have been making up a bunch of snares and have been looking for a "form" to wrap the support wire around. Thanks smalltime that coffee can looks like the ticket. So simple and I didn't even think about it geeze. I make make my supports just like yours, I like how the snare can swivel because of the pigtail. I have tried whammys and making the loop in the wire with the snare through that and prefer the pigtail. I think that is the best set up there is (for me at least) so much less fuss when you open the loop and set her up.

After having a pack of wolves out here last year, I got ready for this year, a co-worker showed me how to do this. I bought 12 alaskan wolf snares & attached 6' #9 to each, then I coiled them around a 1 gallon bucket, next I cut 2' (NEW) mechanic wire & wrapped around each coiled snare set to hold diameter. next I boiled them with baking soda X2, during this I took a 5 gallon bucket & filled with hot,hot, water & Baking soda ,washed X2 ( also did the same to a pair of BOSS actifresh gloves). then I put a small amount of spruce needles in the bottom of bucket,stacked snares in & put gloves in center of snares fingers down (all with rubber gloves) & put the cleaned lid on. Now I haven't succeeded yet with wolf trapping but I'm praying my work will pay off.

What color are the gloves?

The coffee can technique is outline in the snarecraft vids put out by firestorm. After those snare hang a while in the field how much scent is really there?

I thought I had an original!

I like that idea about the coffee can

Hung a few for fox tonight and absolutely a better deal then what i had been doing. Much faster and easy to adjust the height.

Now, how long do you guys make your support wire? 5', 6', 7' ??
i made some that are 3 and 4 foot and for some occasions they will definitely be too short. I'll probably end up using the 5 and 6's more frequently.

Mine are about 5 feet. I like that heavy wire, sometimes you can open the snare loop then reach out to hang it on a trail from a couple feet away. You don't have to walk right up and disturb things.

I have just been cutting the big roll in half. I use the #9 also mostly because I have a roll and can't afford another roll of #11 wire but if any of you guys close to me; want to swap some 9 for 11 I'd be game. Sometimes cutting a roll in half makes for some long wires, which can be a pain but if you recycle the wire into another snare after a catch the supports can last a while. Nothing better then a support that all I have to do is put a snare in it.

I am more of a short guy myself, most of my situations, 2-3 feet is plenty.

I like 6'-8' of #9 on wolf snares and do not like the snare to swivel where the cable meets the wire. A solid connection makes it easier to position the snare and keep it there.

bearbait, my short wire is for fox and lynx not wolves. I can see how it would be easier if it was solid, but the few i have tried to connect solid to the snares using a double ferrel, but they just don't hang right. Must be operator error.

So bearbait, No swivel? Are you crimping the 9 down on the wire?

sorry stt, had to rob the thread for that quote

I agree on the swivels for setting on solid ground, especially for fox. Made a few wolverine snares for elevated sites/leaning trees and tried a variety of built in swivels and crimping the 9 down. Crimping was definitely the way to go as i could adjust the angle of the snare to be perpendicular to the tree, made setting much easier.

(disclaimer- i havent caught a wolverine in the snares so i dont know how they'll compare)

I thought of that when I posted it martenpine thanks for pointing it out. LOL

white17-the gloves are neon orange

I have used wire for years on my fox and lynx snare attachment. The last few years with wolverine and wolf snares I began by using #9. I hate that stuff. I also think with the poor quality of wire these days that I find with Number 16, and 14. That most likely it is the same with #9. I wonder if guys will start to see more failures with it. I have had at least 4 marten break #14 gauge the last few years. It used to be a guy could use #16 for marten. No more.
I gave Takotna's method a try and I am a convert. Nothing but cable. The beauty in them for me is in when you pick them up. A number 9 wire on a snare when you pick them up is a major pain. Use a separate wire for hanging if you want. I use a piece of #11 or 14 depending on the situation. Pick it up coil and bag. More cable but worth it for me.

Marginal, but they might work.

white17- the gloves are rubber coated insulated gloves , I thought this to be a good idea as no sweat would soak threw , was I wrong in my choice??

Green is definitely a better color, it blends in with the spruce more.

Well the green would certainly be more eco-friendly but the orange will work. Just don't let your nose drip at the set and be sure to stay on the downwind side of the set. Probably better wear some latex gloves inside the orange ones just to be safe on the sweat issue.

Dang White I about spit my lunch all over the key board LOL

Martenpine, I don't use swivels on any snares. Very seldom do I catch something in a snare that looks like a swivel would have done any good.

Often a subject that may cause some controversy among snaremen, as to which one is best, but may help some younger or inexperienced trappers who are just learning how to snare.

Loaded (Round) or teardrop.

Which do you use/prefer and why?
Just a thought from some of the trappers out in the Alaskan and Canadian bush.

Two identical 14" snares. One is loaded,(Round) the other teardrop. Still 14" but the shape is changed !

I load all mine, they close faster and they are a bit more forgiving if you get the lock a little further up.

I never load mine and can't say I ever noticed where one closed too slow and missed a critter

I ruin to many snares trying to load them so I just use the tear drop

I prefer the teardrop. It's a lot more stable to keep in place. Especially under ice.

But I did see today were a cat refused a tear drop and wondered what a nice round loop would have done.

I had a coyote refuse a snare today and I think I had a tear drop too, but I wiped it away before it froze.

I found the 1x19 easier to load than 7x7. I do like the loaded snare better.

I like to load the 7x7 for under ice beaver, but don't load the 1/19 for trail sets.

-TJ

I had been using 5/64 7x7 with cable extensions and tried both loaded and tear drop loops. my biggest complaint was that they didnt seem stable enough in winds or if brushed into, especially with the tear drop loop b/c i couldnt get the snare situated they way i like w/o having the lock at 12 oclock. . (could have been operator error).

This year i switched to 1/16 1x19, loaded the snares and with the number 11 wire the snares seem to be much more stable. I also like having the lock around 10/11 or 1/2 oclock instead of 12 oclock.

Just my opinion though, we'll see what the fox say.

STT thats funny!

Back to the coffee can thing. If you poke a small hole in the side the can then stick the #9 wire into it a bit, that will help hold it into place while you wrap.

Did exactly that, poked a hole in the can with a 10 penny nail and turned the can on the workbench while i fed the wire onto the can and it worked like a charm!

Thanks for the idea STT!