I have been approached by a G&F employee requesting techniques that trappers can use to avoid non-target critters when using snares.

I've given him my limited knowledge but was hoping for more from you guys. The situation involves guys snaring deer. Specifically fawns in the spring when doing ADC for for sheep herders.

Thanks.

just my .02 but if you fence snare arent ya gonna automatically catch deer? they do use the same cross unders as coyotes, dont they?

Use the proper size loops for the target animal set the proper distance off the ground. Use a break away device with a low enough setting to allow livestock, deer etc to release themseoves. The most important one is the one lacking in some trappers. USE common sense!!! If there is a chance of catching a pet etc dont set there.

I dont think there is much youu can do in the situtation you decribe. Fawns are small and weak. They will get caught in any snare loop/height set for canines and will not have the strength to pop a breakaway. Basically the only option is the common sense approach. Otherwise its going to happen.

One option would be to use a relaxing snare and check daily. Not going to popular I am sure.

phutch30
I agree. The problem is that fawn deer don't break "break away's." And yes Catryn, some of the fawns are being taken at cross unders.

phutch30 hit the nail on the head. "USE common sense!!!"

But the sad thing is some guys are setting 500 snares and checking them not often enough.

I see a change in the trapping laws coming soon to my state (reguarding snares).

is there a check law on snares in Wyoming?
i know its 7 days on conis and 3 on footholds but i didnt see snares listed.

none

yep, i forsee changes too.

Cathryn they just did redo the snare laws a couple of years ago, and they talked about time limits on them then, but it was beat and the check law was never changed.

Catching deer at crawl unders is one reason I dont fence snare any more, seems the only way you won't catch any deer is to stay away from that at fences.

Here is the only set I use for coyotes .The deer step over the pole and the coyotes duck it . I haven't caught a deer yet . Lots have done the right thing and stepped over it .

dont fence snare, thats what you have to do, if your snaring them on the legs, put a deer stop on them, im not sure which problem you are having, but i would guess killing them by snaring them on the neck

If I put I jump stick like that on my snares in an area with whitetails I am setting myself up for massive headachs.I dont seem to have that problem with mule deer.

Make the crawl through small enough for the youte but too small for the deer . Coyotes don't mind ducking for objects over head

Let me just say fox snares set 9" high w/ 9" loop are not too small for whitetails. My deer are weird and a very big pain.

The deer have walked around that set yesterday . You don't have to have the pole that high . The snare loop is 10 from the bottom of the snare to the walking surface .With about a 8 or 9 in. loop . 20 inches high would be fine for the pole . Would you still have them crawl that low ???? .Deer here step right over or go round those sets

Those sets are for coyote . Foxes would run right under a snare that high or jump through the loop Much lower and much smaller loop for fox .

Use a jump stick, the deer will jump over.

I have to disagree with the jump stick idea. That is an excellent way to neck snare small deer. Small neck snared deer don't pop breakaways.

To start with killswitharrows is talking about ADC work which is done year around. He says spring snaring and fawns. They are the size of a jack rabbit when hatched. Allot of the area will not have a tree or a pole for a good ways too. Grass lands. Jump sticks and closeing a hole on a fence will do nothing in this case. Yearling and adult deer maybe fawns no.

MJM

I agree with you on that ohutch30!!!

Maybe snaring isnt the best method if they are trying to avoid fawn kills.