Day out making a Nootka Deadfall trap(pic heavy)

[stuart f]

Hi folks, i was talking to someone about traps last week, he asked if i could make a trap that would catch larger game. So that got me thinking, as i have never made really big traps, could one person be able to set a large deadfall by themselves, so there was nothing for it but to experiment.

I headed up to the woods for a play and a brew.
When i got there i found a nice wee natural Arbour to chill in.

So i put my rucksack in and made it comfy, then i got the kettle out.

Well after that i went and collected the raw materials for the trap.
Once the materials were had, i decided it was time for a brew.
Waiting on the kettle.

And a nice warming brew.

Anyway back to the trap. All parts of the trap were dead woods from the forest floor, the tools i used were a bow saw,folding saw,small Gransfors axe and my knife.
First off i needed three Y shaped sticks,2 long for uprights and a small one, a large trunk, one cross bar, a tipping bar, 5 stakes and a trigger, plus cordage and an anvil for the large trunk to land on.

I sharpened at one end, the 2 upright Y sticks, then the same with the stakes.
First off i stuck the uprights into the ground,then placed the cross bar into the Y tops, to hold in place.
Next off i tied the other Y stick onto 3 of the stakes, and hammered them into the ground.
The other 2 stakes were next placed in front of the trap, these will take the trip wires.

So now it was time to set up.

And a close up of the trigger mechanism.

And the 2 trip wires.

Trap sprung.

*Disclaimer* THIS TRAP IS ILLEGAL, AND SHOULD ONLY BE USE IN DIRE CIRCUMSTANCES. I ONLY MADE IT FOR THE FURTHERING OF MY SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE.
The trap has been dismantled and the parts scattered around the woods.

Well thanks for looking.
Cheers Stuart.

 

[JAG009]

Looks the bizz Stuart ...what kind of game would you be going for with a trap like that ?

 

[stuart f]

Hi Jason, the Nootka used them for bear. But i suppose you could use it on Deer, you just have to make sure the dead fall is heavy enough for the size of prey in you area. I think this one might be ok for Roe, but i would probably attach another heavy weight onto the trunk so as to dispatch more swiftly.

Cheers Stuart.

 

[JAG009]

Hi Jason, the Nootka used them for bear. But i suppose you could use it on Deer, you just have to make sure the dead fall is heavy enough for the size of prey in you area. I think this one might be ok for Roe, but i would probably attach another heavy weight onto the trunk so as to dispatch more swiftly.

Cheers Stuart.

For bear !!!! how big was the log ?? people shoot bears and that just pisses them off I think I would want a sequoia tree as the dead fall just to make sure

 

[Karl82]

nice one thanks for sharing good skills practised.

 

[coln18]

Excellent work as usual, so many of us just talk about experimenting with these skills, but i just love the fact that you go out and do it, although its getting a bit extreme that every time you want a wee brew you have to build a bigger and bigger contraption to go with it lol, i would have been even more impressed if you had done all the dead fall trap work with a flat bit of sandstone, just like you make me do with those huge gigantic dinosaur bones you make me grind into 1mm needles and fish hooks

 

[stuart f]

For bear !!!! how big was the log ?? people shoot bears and that just pisses them off I think I would want a sequoia tree as the dead fall just to make sure

Hi Jason, the trap is designed to land on the animal as it passes through the trap, the idea is that by the time the slack of the trip wire is taken up,the animals shoulders should be through the trap,and the deadfall would land behind the shoulders,thus crushing the spine and lung area, which would lead to a death by crushing and asphyxiation. Not a nice way to go though.


I actually made this trap 4 days ago,and tried it out on myself, to see if it worked. Well all i can say, is if it had'nt been for a passerby i would still be lying there , by the way hospital food is cack .

Cheers Stuart. LOL

 

[stuart f]

Excellent work as usual, so many of us just talk about experimenting with these skills, but i just love the fact that you go out and do it, although its getting a bit extreme that every time you want a wee brew you have to build a bigger and bigger contraption to go with it lol, i would have been even more impressed if you had done all the dead fall trap work with a flat bit of sandstone, just like you make me do with those huge gigantic dinosaur bones you make me grind into 1mm needles and fish hooks

Thanks Col, but if i just used a flat bit of sand stone,like you i'd still be in the woods for a fortnight .

Cheers Stuart.

 

[greensurfingbear]

Nice one stu. You're quite the crafts man mate was impressed with your stuff at Wooplaw when I met you too


Orric

 

[smokyjoe]

Thank everyone they wasn't that hard to make

 

[stuart f]

Nice one stu. You're quite the crafts man mate was impressed with your stuff at Wooplaw when I met you too


Orric

Thanks Orric.

 

[S.C.M.]

*snip*
I actually made this trap 4 days ago,and tried it out on myself, to see if it worked. *snip*

you didn't, did you?
if you did, you're an eedjit! almost on a par with "is this knife sharp? I'll test it on my nuts!"
(in case you are wondering, you should also have said DON'T TRY THAT AT HOME!

 

[gsfgaz]

Nice 1 Stu ...

 

[CraigM9]

Stu,

Many thanks for another informative and inspiring post mate!

ATB,

Craig.