This is a great post, I'm wanting to make my own snares for next season for bobcat, just wondering what some of you snaremen would consider the best combo (lock, cable, etc.) for a very fast set-up? In my area the majority would be trail sets in sage and juniper/pinion areas. Steve Woods snare style is what I've been looking at, any opinions or suggestions are appreciated. LT, I can't seem to find true cam locs, everything I find is not of that spelling.

Let me know what you need. I get mine out of Canada.

Ive been thinking about using 1" fiberglass poles 1" in dia. for a quick set up. Im thinking w/ the right lock and a kill spring a yote wouldnt last long in one with its springy action.

Anybody tried this?

Think Clint or one of his guys already has you beat on this idea. I think they cover them with conduit to protect the fiberglass.

Carbon ones are made in Minnesota.

Clint explaining the fiberglass/conduit kill poles(About 6 minutes in for the kill pole)

http://wolfernation.com/viewpage.php?page_id=10

I didn't see that one,...saw lots of others though....

What a GREAT post!!

Now, to add another caveat, how do you treat your snares? I have heard of boiling in baking soda. Throwing out in the yard. Formula 1. FMJ. Dakota line. Spray paint.

What method do you guys use that you find is protective and doesn't slow the snare down?

[quote=bowhunter27295]What a GREAT post!!
Now, to add another caveat, how do you treat your snares?

I have always boiled my snares for 5-10 minutes in baking soda to remove excess oils and remove the shine. I then store out in the weather hanging in a tree to further dull the cable. I have recently gone to a second quick boil, after they have weather a while, with logwood crystals to provide a more normal brownish twig color. The upper photo is after the logwood treatment and the lower just baking soda. I have found other dip and painting treatments to slow the snare down a bit.

Water base paint thinned down a lot and sprayed through a paint gun. The thinner the coat the better! 350+ at a time.

Do you "wash" them before you spray or do you just spray after you have made the snares?

Past seasons i just used the old fashion rattle can, but now that i am making more and more every year to add the line i took some advice from a good friend of mine:


"Wash them in really warm water with baking soda, then hang to dry before you paint" I won't say his name unless he wants me to, then i'll edit it in here. He is a close friend of the gentlemen who started this thread!

For an average trail set how long is the optimal snare length for

Coon
Yotes
fox
Beaver

I am planning on using pogo 's to stake this yr..

New to snare making, but was curious if anyone has ever made a break away using a single strand of 7x7 cable and a ferrule attached to the lock. I saw this recently on Bobcatching 1 DVD, I need to go back and watch it again, to be sure. Just curious if anyone has used this technique, and results. Thanks

On average i would have to say 4' as your biggest loop will come from the coyote.

I am a total beginner, so I'm asking from my perspective:

Would you have anywhere close to the entire inventory set at any given time?

I was just amazed by the number you made. Assuming you made enough for this year and the next few years:

500 snares set at any given time
average time to set a snare, from leaving the previous to finishing the next = 5 minutes (VERY optimistic)
500 x 5 minutes = 2,500 minutes
2,500 minutes = 41 hours
So, 41 hours just to set 500 snares.

If you have a 35% catch rate (I have no idea what catch rates snares produce, so I'm just SWAGGING)
That's 500 x 35% = 175 coyotes caught on those 500 snares


Wow, I am amazed at the magnitude of time it would take to run that many snares.

How wrong am I on these estimates?

Great job, looks like it was fun to get into a process and make that many snares; you could probably tell when you were "on your game" and cranking them out.

Good luck,

KRS

Shouldnt take 5 minutes to set a snare unless your spending a lot of time camouflaging your snares. If you can pre-set your snares and move in whatever you need to block down or camo the snares it can save a TON of time.

[/quote] Shouldnt take 5 minutes to set a snare unless your spending a lot of time camouflaging your snares. If you can pre-set your snares and move in whatever you need to block down or camo the snares it can save a TON of time. [/quote]

Agreed; and in most situations camaouflaging is not necessary either, IMO.

I leave snares out all the year round(closed in the off season)and only change them after a catch.
Once trapping season rolls around all I have to do is open the snares and re-inforce the tie wire on some smaller snares.
Waxing snares is necessary if you do this to keep the snares from deteriorating.
This method works best when gang setting bait jackpots,but also with trail snares.
Keeping a couple hundred snares working is easier than you might think.Many snares are set in groups of six so its not that cumbersome to tend that many snares.