How many traps for grid down?

From a trapping perspective, what all tools and supplies do you consider adequate to feed a family of four in your location for 5+ years without resupply? On a meat- and fat-heavy diet. What quantity of supplies would you need to guarantee good results for survival for your region?

Yes, "As many as you can afford." What's the minimum you consider adequate for you?

This can include fish traps and tackle like yo-yos, crab traps, and trot lines.

For example, a dozen 110s, a .22 LR rifle with 5000 rounds, twenty pounds of trap dye, two dozen yo-yo fish traps, etc.

Not thinking in terms of furs, just meat and fat.

No consideration about weight; I'm not building a BoB here.

I’m asking for myself in north Florida but tell me from your location and I’ll extrapolate. I’ll also be bumping your numbers way up in my head to compensate for my lack of experience and also because in a long-term crisis more people will be hunting and trapping.

In a survival/meat situation only - deer & hog are easy to snare.

Fair point, so in keeping with the request for numbers, how many feet of cable of what diameter would you have, how many spare snare parts, anything else, for five years?

1st thing you better do is prepare to protect your stuff from the hoardes of people that are dang sure gonna try and steal what you've saved up...and they'll kill you and your family to do it.

Yes, true, so how many of each would you have for yourself?

Bullets...lots of bullets...and shotgun ammo...

They commercially sell hog & wolf snares. Those will hold deer also. Can buy as many as ya like!
Off hand i don't think snaring deer is legal in any state, BUT if needed.........

X2

Gentlemen, I am very familiar with prepping principles. I am well aware that people will try to steal my stuff and that I want lots of bullets.

What I’m not as aware is how many traps of what types? This should be an easy answer since I’m in a trapping forum.

So how many would you have for yourself?

in your situation, I'd be most concerned about how you're going to deal with the mosquitos and heat (no A/C).

Got that covered.

How many traps of what kinds would you consider the minimum to feed a family, meat-heavy?

Traps aren’t what you want to feed you family unless you have some way to keep meat from rotting in your climate. And your climate is like mine. You better have lots of salt.

SB I like your thread. It helps broaden peoples thinking. But your questions have too many variables. It would basically depend on your area & ANIMAL POPULATIONS.
Besides, if a scenario as you state were to exist EVERYONE would be doing it & that would affect it all.
Your thread is interesting though!

Yes, I am quite familiar with prepping principles. Question is how many traps at minimum. If you don't know, that's fine. Neither do I.

As to OP's question............at least 2 well made standard coon sized cage traps, a dozen 1.5 coil springs, and a dozen each 110 and 160 body grips. And a pant load of several sizes of fish hooks and braided fishing line to tie them to cane pole type poles, tree limbs, etc. And a good supply of knives and a way to keep them sharp.

I'd also want at least 2 each of 10" and 12" cast iron dutch ovens. You can cook just about anything in a dutch oven over a wood fire. Fry it or bake it. And more salt that you think you need.

You can catch a lot of good sized birds in a 1.5 coil spring or even 1.5 long spring if you know how.

I'd also want a good variety of garden seeds. Potatoes, sweet potatoes, garlic, pumpkins, melons and several others that you can propagate yourself from seed.

Option B is 1 bullet. Just go ahead and get it over with.

Thank you, I was beginning to wonder if this was a trapping forum

You'd consider 26 traps to be adequate for a family of four for your location?

This "should be easy" as you say because your in a trapping forum. Which it is not. So many variables and all individuals are different.
Your original post mentions "can include illegal items" which to me should not be mentioned, as this can be used as fodder for the antis.

I'd asked you for your amounts for your location, and I'll adjust for variables that apply to me. Surely this thought must have crossed some of your minds at some point yes?




Good point, I will remove that from the original post.

Winner Winner chicken dinner! I'm smellin a skunk!

Skunk isn't good eating.

I removed the part he objected to from the opening post. Sorry, I wasn't thinking of the antis when I asked. Mine is an honest question.

I trap and “honestly” that’s not even in my equation for survival. Firearms and bullets are. Way too many variables. Trapping is way down my list. I’m not seeing where say even 10 traps is going to help.
You set 20 traps and catch in everyone, now what? Now you have 20 somethings to preserve to try and feed your family. Say it’s 20 snares and you have 10 hogs and 10 deer on the first catch? What now? What do you do with all that meat at one time?
I don’t use snares but from what I think I understand from here, now those 20 need replaced?
In your “scenario” I wouldn’t be an individual trying to survive, factions/groups/neighbors would join forces. Eventually it would be the strongest survive because those that don’t know how to kill and eat will be coming for the food of those that do.
Heck, even with the little scare of Covid and a few of us talking about who would hunt and who would defend. Yes, we had a central location and group where all would live and protect.
One individual/family isn’t making it 5 years in a grid down situation. May not be the “scenario” you want to hear, but it’s the truth. It would eventually boil down to hunt/conquer or be hunted/defend.

In your climate you want the animal captured alive so it doesn't start spoiling in the heat. I honestly don't think the animals population would hold out very long with every one hunting for food. This kind of situation your going to be getting around without a car which would limit the area you could cover. I'd focus more on the fish. Throw nets traps and signs. Your best option in this scenario is have the ability to trade your services of protection to a farmer/rancher for food
A couple dozen closed jaw really strong #3 or #5 size traps will hold anything you will trap.
For hogs and deer I would think a thermal and suppressor would be the most effective

Since this is survival, is OP willing to eat brown rats and flying rats (starlings). If so, add in a few #1 long springs and learn how to build a starling trap. Those will get you something to eat in the springtime and use the guts and organs of both as bait on a fish hook. I always understood "4 and 20 blackbirds" to mean starlings. Good eating.....so I'm told. Never been that hungry myself.

BTW, I wouldn't wait for some future shtf event before I put all this into practice. I'd start today while there is still time to learn and adapt.

Also......what is your plan to cut wood?

BTW, if you are going to be eating starlings, find their roost and camp near that. You can catch them off the roost by hand after dark.

For others who come across this thread later who have the same question, I saw somewhere that a trapper of average skill can have a five percent success rate. If we target raccoons, and the average raccoon has three pounds of meat, and at about a thousand calories per pound, that’d be twenty traps (such as dog proofs) per person minimum. I’d at least double that as your goal (more calories is always better), but not so many that you’re overwhelmed checking traps daily.

I’d like to consider the same kind of numbers for other target animals. I’ll sit down later and think it through.

you'll have to figure in theft of both traps and catches.

I agree with Yes sir...plan on bartering your trapping services for items you'll need.

that being the case, I'd think (figuring in theft) I'd want at LEAST 10-12 dozen # 3 coilsprings. don't forget replacement springs/parts.

A good problem to have, but not an insurmountable one. Since this forum is called "Trapping Only" I'll leave the discussion about how to preserve meat for another forum, but there are plenty of ways from smoking to salting to canning to dehydrating...

But if we assume the trapper with average skill has about a five percent success rate, that's only one deer to go around.




Yes, I don't think snares are a sustainable option long-term. But there are plenty of traps which are. How many reusable traps would you personally have for your own family?




Yes of course, but since this forum is called "Trapping Only," if you want to talk about ways to pull together with other families in a crisis, we could discuss over private messages if you wish.

Correct. Or quickly covered in fire ants. Live traps and footholds are best here. But I wasn't asking about Florida trapping; I asked what would you do where you are, and I'll take it from there.




Yes, I'd mentioned fish in the opening post. How many of each throw net, trap, etc. would you have for your area?




Thank you.

While starlings and rats certainly are on the menu, I just want to know how many you would have for yourself in your area, how many you personally consider adequate for yourself, for the more common target animals such as raccoon or otter.




Since this forum is called "Trapping Only," if you want to know, I could chat with you in private messages about cutting wood.

Thank you.

Do you have any traps now? If not, before you go too much further down this road, I suggest you get yourself a cage trap......catch a coon (easy to do)..........then skin it and eat it. Then do the same with a possum.

That will give you some idea how much of a meal you can get out of one and if is a meal you want to live on. I'm guessing there will be leftovers to string it out a few days.

Yes. Not sure I have enough, hence the question.




I'm guessing you've done that for yourself. When you did, about how many traps would you think you might need just for yourself to live on?

Buy a 1000 ft of snare cable,100 locks, and 100 barrel swivels.. Swivels and locks can be reused. Probably need a couple 1000 ferrules and a good pair or 3 of cable cutters.

Thank you. Only cable snares?

Starting to think this OP has been on this site before under a different name. We had someone else that was asking way off the charts questions.

Negative, that wasn't me. And I searched first before asking, but maybe I didn't search on the right words. If there's another thread which discusses this, please share the link.

Much easier to carry 100 snares than a dozen traps. Of course if it's a SHTF scenario you'll likely have to eat lots of domestic cats and dogs and snares or traps want be as necessary to harvest those.

Oh, I'm not concerned about weight. Not building a BoB here. Just the normal trapping that most people here are doing, on the common animals y'all target.

I'd say at least 2-3 dozen mixed sizes. Your not gonna eat coyotes, fox probably and they are tougher to catch. So coon sized footholds and conibears will take rabbits, squirrels and most of the ordinary edible game. Traps are always working so better imo than relying on hunting. So many other factors though, location is the main one.

Thank you. 2-3 dozen, is that for a family or for one person?

It may have been said already but all the deer I have accidentally snared were bloody inside and stressed to the max. I would have to be awful hungry to eat them. Snaring deer for survival is not on my radar.

If I was you I would learn how to make traps from available resources on the land.
Then you can have as many or as few as you need when you need them,and dont worry about theft loss etc,cause you just make another.
Modern stuff will be of limited value.
Skills that are tradeable are useful,skills like forging etc.
Basic tools like knives,axes needles and cooking pots are what you want.

I have been learning that, and it's an interesting study. But experienced bushcrafters will tell you nothing you can put together in the field beats the effectiveness of factory-made traps.

https://survivalschool.us/the-realities-of-primitive-trapping/

Well, i guess that depends on the size of your family. Like others have said, traps are just a part of the equation. Fishing gear, guns , ammo and one of my favorites is springer pellet guns. Pellets are cheap and can store forever and will take most small game. All kinds of hand tools cause gas don't grow on trees. One other thing, a plan. A plan of where to go, meet family or friends. Small camper maybe. I have said if the nukes start flying i hope one lands in my lap and i won't have to worry about it. lol

Indians didnt start using steel traps until the late 1700's and lived fine for thousands of years with nets snares and deadfalls,all made from local resources.

10 trappers are gonna have 15 different answers to your broad question.
You're searching for info that isn't gonna be accurate.

And nobody will be able to give you an accurate number of traps that "they will need." Too many unknowns in that scenario.

Catch % varies based on critter populations, time of year, and weather.

Zero, most likely. When the apocalypse comes I probably won't have time to trap, nor will it be the most effective way to produce meat. Better than sitting around hunting, but not the most productive. I have a few friends, we'll wait until the mass die-offs are over, take over the field down the street, and raise some confiscated cows and pigs and chickens there.

I’m with boco on this one. If it all goes down, nature is always reliable for resources.

I once had an anti attack me saying that hunting the way Indians did it long ago was fine, but using guns was unfair. So I told her I would be happy to use organized drives for deer, nets and weirs for fish, fire hunts, big game snares, tearing apart beaver houses and spearing/hooking the beaver - and no guns.

The reason we call what we do “sporting pursuit” is that we LIMIT ourselves to seasons, methods, hunting hours, and bag limits and certain equipment. All of which give the animals a much better chance (“sporting chance”) of escaping. The other designations are “subsistence” and “market” hunting. These other methods are so efficient that without lower human population numbers or cultural controls on the harvest, the resources would quickly be depleted.

You can reuse snare parts. Buy as many feet of cable you can afford, along with 2 crimping tools and various ferrules and other hardware. Better to have and not need then need and not have. Same goes for traps. Conibears and footholds of 1/2 dozen each size I'd think. Snare wire for squirrels and rabbits. Can also be used for other purposes. I've never gave this much thought but like most things I've learned is when you think you've got enough of, double it.

In a protracted survival scenario...you really dont need to run as one would think. Mainly because you cant run that many. In that situation, the currency is Calories. You'll be walking those lines or maybe riding a pack animal or bike.-If you spend more calories setting traps vs the calories gained from eating the catch, you die of starvation.

Defintitely would have a stockpile of snares but the workshorse would probably be longspring traps and bodygrips

An old trapper/prospector who spent time on the northern sask/nwt border said everything changed when nylon rope was invented....the "indians" would simply snare moose for food at all times of the year....fat is the hardest item to find in nature when you are in an area with neither salmon or seals...simple snare wire can fill your stomach with rabbit and squirrel but without fat you will slowly starve...beaver and bear meat is about the only source of fat in my area...."living off the land" is pure fantasy in the lower 48 (too many people!) unless you are a vegetable/livestock farmer and have a decent growing season...I can't even grow potatoes without a greenhouse...florida?!?! I'm guessing farming and ocean fishing and shrimping perhaps?

This^^is correct. And that is why most natives (b4 European contact) lived along Florida's coastline and along waterways.

I wouldnt worry about it,After the big one there will be lots of dead people to eat.

If we look back in history, the mountain men typically carried less than dozen traps per man and a trapping party was able to supply an entire expedition with a far amount of meat. A couple of things to keep in mind, those men knew how to effectively trap animals and they were exploring in a relatively rich animal environment, until they trapped an area out.

This thread got me to thinking, which is dangerous.

I live in central Texas. We have a family ranch outside town. If it happens, I’ll probably spend most of my time protecting our cattle, sheep and goat herds from the hordes and coyotes. Guns, ammo, and horses, etc.

I’ll still need to do Predator control for the sheep and goats.
So five dozen K9 Extremes on drags.
Three sets of trap setting gear. Trapping pack basket.
Bait making supplies like sodium benzoate and glycerine.
10k ft 5/64th cable. 1000 mini pro locks. 2000 cable ends. 500 swivels. Case of tie wire. Cutters, pliers.

Same amount of 1/8 inch cable and gear for pig/deer snares.
1000 ft of 3/64 inch cable and gear for rabbits and small game snares.

Five dozen dog proofs
Two dozen 1-1/2 coil springs
Dozen coon size cage traps
2 dozen 330s
2 dozen 220s
2 dozen 110s

200 ft #3 chain
200 ft #9 wire

Luckily, that is about what I happen to have on hand right now. Not too shabby!

Ok I'll play, late to the party because I just stumbled on this thread.

Demographics and such for reference: Central Oregon, high desert country, on the edge of more traditional PNW climate. Reasonable percentage of hunters in the population but vast majority are your typical bay area California tech bro transplants. Outdoorsy in a technical climbing/hiking/snow sport access way(think backcountry ski touring folks), but little knowledge of existing without the world as we know it. Plan for this scenario will also be from my actual current perspective: Solo 40 y/o m, no known underlying health conditions, living off-grid in a small travel trailer. Novice to trapping, not a big hunter/fisher, pretty decent bushcraft type experience plus some time in austere/remote medical/humanitarian aide. And a lot of time in/around the lower socio-economic populations. Why does all that matter? Well, because you wanted the individuals plan based on *their* current situation/location. As folks stated already there are a ton of variables beyond even just physical location that will determine what the best course of action is for the individual.

So I am assuming this is a 5 year end of the world as we know it hypothetical. The aspect of folks losing their minds and actively killing/stealing from each other has already been covered, also the fact every person with whisper of ability to obtain a firearm will be "in the woods hunting for food". Like rifle deer season mixed with Hunger Games.

The first wave I wouldn't even focus on large game during any non-snow months, probably not even the first winter either. Two part reasoning here: One there's going to be too much violent competition, two I simply don't have the resources to deal with that much meat/fat during spoiling season along with everything else I need to take care of. Honestly just trying to maintain my life/work on projects/fix broken (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman) during *good* times has been a full time job. This is trapping only so I'll skip the trials & tribulations of trying to set up heat/power while also hauling water and dealing with environmental factors like internal living space temps ranging from 100f to 20f, and being damp for a month.

Primary plan: Gill nets. Ideal world order some cheapy monofilament ones on Amazon, then order to supplies to make/maintain my own. I'm not sure how many yards of line a say 20'x5' net would take, but lets shoot for 10 premade(probably one time-ish use), 10 repairable ones made by me. Why gill nets? They're light, they can be very low vis, I have a number of water sources near me containing fish. If you've ever watched Alone, gill nets were great producers of meat/fat. Fish are easier to carry/preserve on an as needed basis.

Secondary: Snares. Experienced folks please chime in here, as I'm just spit balling supplies. I'm going to shoot for 2 dozen operable snares at any one time for the purpose of this scenario. Reason being, as time goes on and fuel goes away.. We'll be using our Chevrolegs for transportation. How long of a line can I really effectively efficiently check on foot, with other daily chores? How much meat can I actually carry back? 1 deer? 2 deer? How many coyotes dressed out can you guys carry? I don't really have any raccoons/muskrat/beaver/rabbits in my direct walkable area of operations. Here's where I'd love the input:

Thinking 6' 1/8' extensions, 6' 1/8" primary snares for deer size game? 1000' would make approx ~83 set ups. Assuming extensions are reusable mostly, I think this would last a person a long time?

Let's throw in 1000' of say 5/64' 1/19 for making smaller game do it all snares. Coyote/cougar/bobcat are my primary target species in mind here. That's roughly ~166 6' snares, using our 1/8" extensions.

Also add in 100' of 7/19 3/16" for making powered bear foot snares. I'd target bear primarily late fall because they've done the work to build fat stores for me by then, and they're hungry so baiting would be easy. No use targeting spring bear in this scenario if I can avoid it.

Tertiary: Is going to be making traps of opportunity as I go/in places I already have a reason to be expending calories being. Say on the hike in to a lake to check a gill net. I've never used one, but the Russian Koolyomaka trap seems to be an effective indefinitely reusable and very importantly low vis/natural looking trap adaptable to small game. Primarily used for marten, but in my case would be something like a squirrel of opportunity trap. Highly recommend watching the documentary Happy People, OP. I'd also experiment with a grouse churn.. I have no idea the effectiveness, but the fact they are banned in nordic countries makes me think they work? Again, low effort, low vis, in this case should keep game alive. One could potentially live trap grouse and try to raise them. Also provides natural and currently illegal cat flagging, as always low vis to not catch the attention of humans.

As for locks/swivels/ferrules/associated consumables. I don't know, I don't have the experience to know how often you'll need to replace parts. Ferrules definitely seem to be a 1 time use so I'd grab the most of those. Maybe 1k for each size of cable? 100 locks per cable size? Would it be beneficial to use relaxing vs dispatch in this scenario to keep catches alive until you get to them, or even completely unethically leave them alive til you are prepared to process them? Weigh in experts.

I've deliberately left out footholds/conibears/cages because they're heavy, in the case of footholds without a drag leave a bigger human eye catching mess. It surely wouldn't hurt to have the option of them though.

In reality staying in one spot will require raising ones own food to be a sustainable option. There's a reason most native american tribes usually moved with seasons/following heard animals. And that was when resources were far more plentiful, experience far higher, and less risk from humans.

As many traps you can put up. You can use the extra for barter.........

Here goes, Illinois; figuring not stupid Illinois laws to follow....
6 330
12 110
6 #11
6 # 1 1/2 longsprings
6 #44 Blake and Lambs
1000 feet 1/8'' cable and 200 ferrules, locks
cable cutter
500 ft parachute cord
2 @ 30' gill nets
100 good hooks for catfish and 500 feet line
good axe and knife
good accurate bolt action .22 with open sights and 200 rounds of regular hollow point target ammo, silencer, tip off 6 power scope
this is if I am the only person doing the trapping, hunting , fishing. If kids help they need a knife and axe too.
If society falls apart people will steel all you have and you'll end up fighting people for your food. We don't have much in the way of big game but I think cats and coyotes would be big game in this kind of thing. You didn't sat anything about laws so I would use a 330 larger animals every chance I could. Snares would work for deer too. But I would expect deer will be the first animals gone if society falls apart because every body is a ''deer hunter'' here. I'd need a good AR 15 with 5000 rounds and a good sight just for the wife to protect the farm and cattle while I was out - but if it is this bad I won't be going anywhere unless I have to. I would do like Boco says and learn how to do with what you have in place. You can't carry all this stuff. You'd have to sleep by your sets so people didn't steal them. You'll trap off the animals fast and there wont be enough for 5 years unless no one else is doing it. And that aint going to be the case. It will be everyone for themselves.

Merry Christmas to all!

If SHF within a week or two
all excess animals will be harvested.
Be a good time to plant fruit trees,
just like a hundred years ago.

Where you live, coastal seasonal weather can greatly affect all your plans and stockpiled resources. No high ground. Hurricanes and heavy rains and flooding can put a damper on all of your plans. Those storms will displace wildlife and change their habitat and impact the survival of some. A few traps, snares, extra cable and some rolls of S.S. wire, an axe / hatchet friction fire starters would be basic need materials. Cord, rope and some tarps if at hand.

Much of what you plan will depend on how much infrastructure is still online if there is any. Most likely another Fed seeking info here.

Until something really happens, and you already have some basic skills and equipment on hand there won't be much practical planning. Things will be constantly evolving. Shelter, warmth, potable water and acquiring food resources will be a daily challenge. Some basic first aid materials, and antibiotics would be an important part of your prepping. Firearm (s) and ammo hopefully will make your life safer and more manageable.

For those who come after later and have the same question as I did, Canterbury recently answered this:



And Bruce "Buckshot" Hemming had this list in one of his books:

A good woods bum, well skilled, needs ammo and decent supply of snare material. Plenty of fishing line and hooks. Hooks are handy on water and land. Feeding a family of 4 without resupply....
At least have herbs and spices to help a wild diet taste better. Salt lots of plain salt....

Canterbury needs to considered entertainment. He has good interesting content, but he makes bank off folks that just don't know....

What a lot of people don't realize is if there is ever a dooms day situation, wildlife will be the first resource depleted. Better off having chickens and rabbits if you a really trying to be prepared.