Snaring rabbits

[Suffolkrafter]

I've been watching Alone (late to the game I know). It got me thinking about the importance of being able to hunt and trap, of which I've done neither.
I've read about rabbit snaring though, and whereas most articles suggest placing snares between the beats (the beats being the flat bits where the rabbit lands and lifts off?), the more knowledgeable sounding articles describe setting the snare above i.e. directly over the beats, high up, with larger diameter snares. But this seems counterintuitive to me. Surely you want to catch the rabbits as they are travelling through the air, therefore with the snares between the beats...?
Does anyone here have experience snaring rabbits? How do you set the snares? I doubt this is something I'll ever put into practice but I'd like to be a proficient armchair trapper.

 

[Van-Wild]

To catch one rabbit, you'd need to set about 20 snares.... I've set snares in places that cause little bunny to put his head into the snare. A favorite spot would be where the bunny goes under a fence or through a hedge. I make mine slightly larger than my fist. Try to place the snare where you can view it from a distance, so you don't need to disturb the snare once it's set and you can see if a bunny is caught or if the snare has been disturbed but not set.

Snaring is very hit and miss in my own experience. I've gone days without so much as a knock on bunny heavy territory in what I thought were dead cert locations. Other times I've had three bunny's in one night. But I've never had a bunny on the first night.....

 

[Broch]

If I remember correctly, in his book "It's My Delight", Brian Vesey-Fitzgerald says to put the snare 4 fingers high, a fist wide, over the lifts. I can't check just now 'cos the book is down in the shepherd's hut. It'd definitely worth getting a copy - ideally one of the 1940's versions.

 

[TeeDee]

To catch one rabbit, you'd need to set about 20 snares.... I've set snares in places that cause little bunny to put his head into the snare. A favorite spot would be where the bunny goes under a fence or through a hedge. I make mine slightly larger than my fist. Try to place the snare where you can view it from a distance, so you don't need to disturb the snare once it's set and you can see if a bunny is caught or if the snare has been disturbed but not set.

Snaring is very hit and miss in my own experience. I've gone days without so much as a knock on bunny heavy territory in what I thought were dead cert locations. Other times I've had three bunny's in one night. But I've never had a bunny on the first night.....

Thats a big Rabbit,.. We only have small ones down here .

 

[Disabled Preppers]

@Broch i believe your spot on with it i was shown by a gentleman of the night shall i call him lol , and uncle that use to put a bunny on the table or a pheasant to lol , but the snare should be use near a run is the best bet a hedge hole or a brush hole and or by the edge of a field , 4 fingers high and the size of a fist was right and as i say he was always taking the bunnies in to the local pub and or letting locals short on funds have them and sharing .

 

[Van-Wild]

Thats a big Rabbit,.. We only have small ones down here .

It's t'werewolves up ere that bother us lad......

 

[Disabled Preppers]

Werewolves really ,i was told if you meet a werewolf you stand up make yourself look as big as possible and growl , and if that don't scare it away just s**t your pants and say goodbye lol , or was it punch it on the nose or is that a great white shark lol , i love those funnies , yer a great white is going for you your brain goes now waht was it i am meant to do oh yer punch it on the nose or was it tickle it under the gills lol

 

[Big Si]

I used to look at where the rabbit runs were on the field edges. Then I'd place them on the places where the rabbits would hop into or out of the hedge. My snares were made and then left outside in the weather for a week or two so they'd lose their shine then put in a hessian bag on the back of the outhouse door. Set about a fist high and you can't go wrong. Also, I always tied my snare to some bailing twine, then tied the twine to a sharp peg, so it was easy to push into the ground without making too much noise.

ATB

Si

Ps A 410 was a lot less work but the results were not as good most of the time.

 

[Suffolkrafter]

Great info, thanks all. I found this video which some folk may find interesting. Nothing on werewolves though...

 

[Poacherman]

I've been watching Alone (late to the game I know). It got me thinking about the importance of being able to hunt and trap, of which I've done neither.
I've read about rabbit snaring though, and whereas most articles suggest placing snares between the beats (the beats being the flat bits where the rabbit lands and lifts off?), the more knowledgeable sounding articles describe setting the snare above i.e. directly over the beats, high up, with larger diameter snares. But this seems counterintuitive to me. Surely you want to catch the rabbits as they are travelling through the air, therefore with the snares between the beats...?
Does anyone here have experience snaring rabbits? How do you set the snares? I doubt this is something I'll ever put into practice but I'd like to be a proficient armchair trapper.

The best rabbit snarers are pro pest controllers that eliminate rabbits for a living they really know there onions about this stuff. Rabbit snaring is a fine art I was taught to place snare in the middle off the beat by a topman iv caught a lot this way fist plus erected thumb 6 inch plus high slightly over 6 inch wide loop rabbits have big ears and whiskers. The fist sized loop mantra is patently false higher growing grass also means u need to set higher snares rabbits are always watching out for predators and stand higher in runs with longer grass. There's a lot off nuances to this I'm far from a master but I was advised by a true master rabbits don't interest me much though there very low in fat. Id also like to add it's impossible to be a proficient armchair trapper u "MUST" go into the field and learn the nuances off this stuff I failed many many many times before I got successfull those counterproductive knowledgeable articles u mention are correct.

 

[just_john]

Now illegal in Wales. I've never snared, i did buy wire and rings to make some, but i guess i won't be now.

 

[Poacherman]

To catch one rabbit, you'd need to set about 20 snares.... I've set snares in places that cause little bunny to put his head into the snare. A favorite spot would be where the bunny goes under a fence or through a hedge. I make mine slightly larger than my fist. Try to place the snare where you can view it from a distance, so you don't need to disturb the snare once it's set and you can see if a bunny is caught or if the snare has been disturbed but not set.

Snaring is very hit and miss in my own experience. I've gone days without so much as a knock on bunny heavy territory in what I thought were dead cert locations. Other times I've had three bunny's in one night. But I've never had a bunny on the first night.....

Indeed it's a fine art and there's lot nuances to snaring rabbits there's entire books written on it .

 

[Suffolkrafter]

I was taught to place snare in the middle off the beat

Thanks for the detailed post. I just want to check I've understood: do you mean set the snare directly over the stamped down patch, or in between the stamped down patches?

And I fully take your point that you can't be a proficient armchair trapper. It's a subject that interests me a lot, but unfortunately I don't get the chance to practice it. Maybe one day

 

[Ystranc]

The reason for putting the snare on a run between places where the rabbit steps is that is where the rabbit is jumping forward, its momentum will draw the snare closed before it can arrest its forward motion.
Elsewhere in the thread it’s suggested trapping near fences works well, while it can narrow the options for where to set the snare it goes against best practice for HCR (humane cable restraint) because the snare can tangle and throttle the rabbit.
A non locking snare that is lawful in the UK, used probably should catch a rabbit and hold it without injury.
With properly seasoned snares and hardwood pegs I catch with one in six snares set. As with every skill it takes practice and “getting your eye in.” I find natural twigs and lengths of bramble make the best tealers. Bramble can also be used to constrict a run or make the rabbit jump where it was formerly an unbroken run. I avoid the shop bought metal tealers as it’s almost impossible to get rid of the un-natural smell. While you’re setting the snare STAND in the run, don’t kneel down or you transfer too much scent. Don’t stand to one side of the run or you may just create an alternative run. There are a lot of nuances that you won’t ever read about but can learn from an old man like my Grandad.

 

[Ystranc]

Now illegal in Wales. I've never snared, i did buy wire and rings to make some, but i guess i won't be now.

It’s not yet had Royal assent has it?

 

[Ystranc]

Rather than buying wire snares and getting caught with them while poaching a lot can be achieved with thin green or black braided nylon line. If you don’t care about legality or animal welfare.

 

[just_john]

It’s not yet had Royal assent has it?

Afraid so, as a pest controller i can no longer use a glue board to deal with a rat running around in a a commercial kitchen....bonkers

 

[Ystranc]

Afraid so, as a pest controller i can no longer use a glue board to deal with a rat running around in a a commercial kitchen....bonkers

Bloody Cardiff are banning everything.

 

[Poacherman]

1

The reason for putting the snare on a run between places where the rabbit steps is that is where the rabbit is jumping forward, its momentum will draw the snare closed before it can arrest its forward motion.
Elsewhere in the thread it’s suggested trapping near fences works well, while it can narrow the options for where to set the snare it goes against best practice for HCR (humane cable restraint) because the snare can tangle and throttle the rabbit.
A non locking snare that is lawful in the UK, used probably should catch a rabbit and hold it without injury.
With properly seasoned snares and hardwood pegs I catch with one in six snares set. As with every skill it takes practice and “getting your eye in.” I find natural twigs and lengths of bramble make the best tealers. Bramble can also be used to constrict a run or make the rabbit jump where it was formerly an unbroken run. I avoid the shop bought metal tealers as it’s almost impossible to get rid of the un-natural smell. While you’re setting the snare STAND in the run, don’t kneel down or you transfer too much scent. Don’t stand to one side of the run or you may just create an alternative run. There are a lot of nuances that you won’t ever read about but can learn from an old man like my Grandad.

1 in 6 is good odds well done.

 

[Poacherman]

Thanks for the detailed post. I just want to check I've understood: do you mean set the snare directly over the stamped down patch, or in between the stamped down patches?

And I fully take your point that you can't be a proficient armchair trapper. It's a subject that interests me a lot, but unfortunately I don't get the chance to practice it. Maybe one day

Yes directly across middle off the stamped down patch on a pegged tealer snare just like the counterproductive sounding but experienced trappers you read about ,id also like to add pegged snares are far superior to surviv al \bushcraft spring snares pro trappers on hunting forums will tell u the same.