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SNARES: SNARES ARE THE SIMPLEST OF TRAPS AND SHOULD BE PART OF ANY SURVIVAL KIT.
They are made of non-ferrous wire with a running eye at one end through which the other end of the wire passes before being firmly anchored to a stake, rock or tree. A snare is a free-running noose which can catch small game around the throat and larger game around the legs. A snare can be improvised from string, rope, twine or wire.

Consider the kind of animal you are trying to trap when you place a snare. A rabbit for instance, tends to sit in cover and observe. When satisfied that all is well it hops along. Setting the snare at a hand's length from a fall or obstruction on the trail accommodates this hop. If the snare is closer to an obstruction the rabbit may brush it aside. A wire snare can be supported off the ground on twigs, which can also be used to keep a suspended string noose open.

USING A SIMPLE SNARE: For rabbits and small animals. Use your judgement to scale up these proportions for larger creatures such as foxes and badgers.

1) Make the loop a fist width wide.
2) Set it four fingers above the ground & 1 hand's width from an obstruction on the trail.
3) Check that it is securely anchored with twigs to support the loop in position if need be.

SNARES UNDER TENSION: Make a snare more effective by using a sapling under tension to lift the game clear of the ground when it is released. This robs the animal of purchase in its struggle to free itself and also helps to keep it out of reach of predators.

SPRING SNARE: When game is caught the trigger bar disengages and prey is lifted off the ground. Good for animals such as rabbits and foxes, it will trap game coming in both directions and is ideally situated on the game trail by a natural bottleneck caused by a dead fall or a rocky outcrop.

Cut notch in trigger bar (a) to fit notch in upright (b). Drive upright into ground. Attach snare to trigger bar and use cord to sapling to keep tension.

BAITED SPRING SNARE: Mechanism as for spring snare, but here the quarry is tempted with a tasty morsel. The noose is laid on the ground, the bait strung above. As the game takes the bait the trigger is released. Suitable for medium-sized animals such as foxes, this trap can be located in an open area as the bail will attract attention. Small clearings in woods are good sites. The bait support stake should be only lightly driven into the ground as this MUST fly away with the noose.

BAITED SPRING LEG SNARE: The prongs of a natural fork of wood, or 2 sticks tied together, are pushed firmly into the ground. The line from a bent sapling is tied to a toggle and to the snare and the toggle then passed under the fork. When the game takes the bait, which is on the end of a separate bar, the bar disengages and the toggle flies up carrying the snare & hopefully the game.

This is a trap for larger game such as deer, bears and large felines. For the herbivorous deer bait with blood or scent glands, which will arouse its curiosity. The upper end of the toggle presses against the fork and the lower end is prevented from pulling back through by a bait bar between it and the fork- the pressure of the toggle holding it in position.

SPRING TENSION SNARE: The upward counter thrust from the keep stick (a) on which the snare arm (b) rests prevents the switch from pulling it up. When the game becomes ensnared the snare is dislodged from the keeper stick and the switch line slips off the other end. Suitable for small animals such as rabbit. Site it on the game trail. Note how the switch line secures one end of snare arm (b) while the other rests on the keeper stick (a) keep the switch line near the end of the snare arm. (c)

TRAPEZE SPRING SNARE: This snare can be used to cover 2 game trails in open country. The arm carries two snares and is held in a notch by the tension of the switch line. Once ensnared, the animal' struggles will disengage the snare arm regardless of the direction from which it originally approached.

ROLLER SPRING SNARE: A rounded grip holds the snare arm here, the switch line is best pulled back at a slight angle to keep it in place. Suitable for animals such as rabbits and foxes. Although tensed in one direction, the bar will dislodged by an animal's struggles. A wide area can be covered by employing several snares on a long horizontal bar. Use where the game trail widens or offers options.

THE PLATFORM TRAP: This trap is ideally sited in a small depression on the game trail. Snares are placed on the platform on either side. When the platform is depressed the trigger bar is released and the game held firmly by the leg. Ideal for larger game- such as deer, bears or large cats.

A platform of sticks, stiff bark or other firm materials rests on bottom bar, upper bar fits in notches. A similar mechanism (A) to that of the platform trap, but using a large snare and no platform, is activated by displacement of either toggle or bottom bar to catch small game by the neck.

STEPPED BAIT RELEASE SNARE: Two forked sticks hold down a cross-bar which engages with a baited notched upright (attached to a line in tension) which holds it in place and carries the snares. Site this trap in clearing to catch small carnivores & pigs. Retaining bar, at least a section of it, should be squared off to fit a square cut notch on the bait stick.

DOUBLE SPRING SNARE: Two saplings are notched to interlock when bent towards each other over the game trail. A vertical bait bar is lashed near the end of one of them. Two snares can be attached to each sapling, they need to be fairly stiff wire to hold their positions. This is another trap suitable for use in clearings to catch small carnivores. When the bait is taken the game is held in the air between the saplings.

BAITED HOLE NOOSE: Digging pits disturbs the environment and leaves a permanent mark. This will alarm some animals. In others, curiosity may outweigh discretion and they will investigate. Baiting the hole may bring animals sniffing. Foxes, pigs, wild cats and badgers will all dig up rubbish pits and this could attract them.

The animal smells the bait and pushes its head down. If it goes past the stakes it will not be able to retract it. If it uses a paw it will become ensnared. Drive four sharpened pliable stakes through the edges of the pit to emerge below surface where they are less noticeable. Lay a noose across them, attached to a post outside pit.

COMMON RABBIT SNARE: Dead sticks may be inserted into the ground to guide the rabbit into the snare. A:close up of the loop, wires MUST be twisted together. In fact MAKE SURE that whenever you use sticks for rabbit snares that they are dead wood otherwise the rabbit will chew them off.

RABBITS SNARE & TIPS: The rabbits use the same path over and over & the best way to check if the path is a fresh one is to verify if the twigs that are cut are freshly cut. This was his menu, if they are freshly cut then this is where you will place your snare. There is no need for bait to attract a rabbit unless you use a paddock.

Also there is no need to eliminate human scent. However when there is moonlight it is better to darken the copper wire by smoking them with birch bark to stop them from shining. If you have no copper wire you can use salmon fish line which you have coated with tobacco juices to prevent the rabbit from chewing off the line.

The snare can be fixed to a fix horizontal pole of about 1/2 inch (1.2cm). in diameter and 5 feet (1 1/2m) long. But it is much preferable to use a pole which is not straight but which bends easily because when the rabbit feels he is snared he gives a sharp thrust thus breaking the snare and gets away. The entrance opening of the snare MUST be about 3 1/2 inches (8cm) and about 5in. (12cm) from the ground.

REMEMBER the branches or twigs which are used to fill the space around the snare MUST be dry, otherwise they will be eaten by the rabbit. Don't forget to place in X shape those twigs directly under the snare because the rabbit hates to scratch his soft belly on vertical twigs.

If instead of tying your noose to a fix or firm pole you prefer to use a swinging pole either from a spruce, willow or alder then remove the bark and plant it strongly about 5 feet (1 1/2m) at the right or left of the opening and about 2 feet (60cm) ahead.

In WINTER use a dry bending pole because if you use green wood the wood or pole will stay bent under the effect of frost and will loose its spring motion.

RABBIT SNARE TRICK: A hunter used this trick: he made a paddock about 150 feet (45m) long by 100 feet (30m) wide using spruce branches of 3 feet (90cm) high all around in which he left at least a dozen openings for the snares. The baits were placed in the middle and were made of fine fresh branches of Willow and Alder. In 3 weeks he captured 27 rabbits.

WINTER SECRET: One of the best winter secret about rabbit bait is to cut down a small green (live) Birch, in the morning you will see that the rabbit have come to eat especially the heads of the little branches of your Birch. There is now the place to tend your snare. REMEMBER one of the weakness of the rabbit is that once pursued it goes around in a big circle to come back at the start point or at its hide out. Also it is a night animal feeding at dawn or at sunset. The sun hurts his eyes so it stays asleep during the day to avoid the glare.

TRICK #2: (NOISE) By hitting the tree stumps or at the root of trees where you find boroughs and jumping on them you would be surprises how many rabbits would come out. Yet if there has been rain or snow all night then the rabbit will come out to feed during the day. Shooting fast is normal and shooting where you just saw the rabbit disappear is probably where it hides.

The rabbit is excessively vulnerable and a few pieces of lead is all it takes to kill it. # 4 and # 5 are the best size shot. Once shot you clean it but you should wait 24 hours before eating it, and let it marinade in wine all that time for best result.

MINK! These are not rated as table delicacies but if you can shoot or snare or trap them put them in the pot.

This small animal is very curious, the male will usually travel in a 20 mile range whereas the female sticks around a couple mile. It loves water from which it gathers its food, you find him along rivers, small streams and looks for fish which is his choice food. It eats also rabbits, mice and sometimes small birds etc.

HOW TO CAPTURE MINK: There are many ways to trap mink using "cabins" which you cover up with spruce branches or fern or in small streams where you put your traps in the narrowest place which you will also be able to capture Muskrats. ALWAYS place your drug (female oil) at the door of your "cabins" near your traps.

ANOTHER METHOD: It is to make a notch on a lumber or any piece of wood which would stick out of the water in a frozen river and then you put your trap on it. The mink will usually get trap since he loves to play through the ice. If your trap is set in the water ALWAYS place the peg that retains it in such a way that the mink stays trap stopping it to go to escape in the water.

For the FALL HUNTING the water traps are very efficient. Find a hole or dig one about 8 inches deep and 4 inches in diameter upon an over edge bank where the water is of little depth but where the current is strong. Put the bait at the bottom of the hole and the trap in 2 inches of water at the opening of the hole. Cover the hole with dead leaves covered with mud to make it stick together and fix the chain of your trap in deep water or attach it to a wire or stick so that the animal drowns as fast as possible. Fresh fishes are the best bait to capture the mink. Throw a couple fish oil drops in the hole or other drugs to help you.

RODENT TRAP This trap can be used for several types of rodents. All you need to do is to use a big rat trap which you fix at about 5 feet from the ground. Or if in winter well above the snow line, use a pole leaning to a tree to help the animal reach the trap, then bait the rat trap which fixed well to the tree, the animal will do the rest.

TRAPS NOTE: Once an animal has been caught with your trap or snares ALWAYS boil those with hot water before using them again.

BALANCE POLE SNARE USING CORD: The "B" end should be about 4 lbs heavier than the other end. Make certain that the balance pole will light the rabbit clear of the ground as PIX #? shows Rabbit snares should normally be 4 1/2 inches in diameter and 3 inches from the ground. "C"8 nicks to hold up the snare.

APACHE SNARE: Another good method when put in a well travelled trail. Dig in the trail a hole about 6 inches deep and the same width of the trail. Put on the hole a rectangular piece of cardboard or piece of parachute shroud which you have cut in the middle a X cross about 12".

Make a snare using shroud webbing or any strong rope and place it on the cardboard and attach it to a big log, once installed the snare MUST be covered with grass, leaves & a little dirt. With the cardboard or paper you are assured that the snare will cling to the animal foot till the rope is fully secured tight. The animal will drag the log for a short distance and become exhausted thus ready to be captured and killed.

THE SNARE A LA COUTURE ET BOUTIN: A classic snare in its type. Use with success with otter also with Bob cat and the mink or any animals living near water.
Construct a round barrier just wide enough for the snare. The entrance is placed low enough so that the animal needs to lower its head in order to get in. The pendulum is fixed on a tree trunk and MUST be fairly flexible. The bait is attached to it at about 4 feet so as to discourage squirrels. The snare is fixed a the other end of the pendulum and it passes through a brace or stud solidly fixed in the tree. It is this stud that will hold the animal in the snare when it will get caught.

SNARES: Diameter 10 inches height = 1/4 inch.

WINTER SNARE TIP 1: Attach a snare to a strong stick across the ice hole in the snare you will bait it with a small piece of fresh Aspen.

WINTER SNARE TIP 2: By fixing a big stick in the water through the ice hole around which you have fixed 2 or more snares. The bait is attached to the trunk.

SNOW TRAP & SNARE: If you desire to use a trap on snow, let boil water mixed with lime then dip it in, it will come off all snow-white. Mix 2 gallons of water with 2 quarts of lime boil it till white. To cover up such a snow-trap get some waterproof butter paper, cut a piece to the size of your open trap and then make a cut of 3 inches in a form of a cross at the centre of the paper. This will stop the paper from making noise when the animal walks over it. A little honey on the trap will make the paper stick. The whole trap MUST then be covered of dry dust or of snow and another piece of the same kind of paper placed under the trap would prevent it from freezing up.

SNARE TIPS: In principle and to prevent the animal to break everything around it is better to attach the snare at a flexible pole rather than a pole which is strong & rigid. Your snare is rolled around the pole several times before attaching it permanently to the height which is desired.

When the snares have a grand opening and in order to help them retain their shape and stay open, you attach this snare by means of small black or dark thread to 2 small pegs located on each side or use a small twig at the base of the snare.

SNARE AT THE END OF A POLE: Useful snare to take a bird perch on a branch. Fix your snare at the end of a pole but you MUST take the precaution to move it away at least 7 inches from the end of the pole. And that you put it in a diagonal otherwise you will have difficulties, also MAKE SURE that the snare wire is well attached to the pole.

SWINGING POLE SNARE: This type of snare is made of 3 parts. A swinging pole, a fix horizontal pole holding the snare & the snare itself. We use this snare to eliminate the sudden movements of captured animals in the snares to prevent them to break the snares and to get away. Many hunters use this snare for rabbits.

The snare in this case is made of 2 knots placed one on top of the other under a fix horizontal pole. The knot above or retaining knot & the slippery knot under the pole. The same wire is used to make the 2 knots and the retaining knot is nothing else than the folding of the wire on itself made directly under the horizontal fix pole & in contact with the pole. This fold is maintain in position by the upward tension or strain of the pole lifting it up and the insertion of a small piece of an additional wire attached to the master wire under the pole.

If however a rabbit or any other animal is caught in the noose it will make a tension in such a way so as to make the retaining wire knot slide completely & the equilibrium of the forces will be broken & the swinging pole will bring it all up.

 

ANOTHER TRAP: Build a circle using dry sticks, sticking upward into which you have let many openings into which are installed your snares. At the centre of the circle you place the bait for ex; Aspen oil.

CABINS TRAPPING: Fox ex. Those animals which you use little cabins to snare them. Prepare those cabins a couple months ahead and place some baits before the hunting season starts, even your traps near by but not open so that the animal gets used to them and becomes less suspicious thus getting caught easier later on. As for your cabins NEVER USE fresh cut wood but ALWAYS Dry wood or half rotten which you find in the bush.
The best cabins are those found already in natural state such as hollow tree, hole under fallen tree, piles of rocks etc. If you find them in an area used by animals, place your snares in front of them. But sometimes these "cabins" MUST be man made. They MUST be just large enough to let the animal get in so that it can not move around inside yet high enough so that the animal feels at ease.

HUNTING TIP:

REMEMBER ONCE MORE THAT FAT IS ESSENTIAL TO SURVIVAL. IT MUST NOT BE WASTED BUT KEPT LIKE GOLD. To eat flesh without any fat for ex. Rabbit will kill you just as not to eat anything, you need fat. How much do you need fat, eat it till you don't want any more.

SNARING: To rig a loop set, place the snare on a game trail along a slope or stream so that the weight will fall far enough to hoist the animal out of reach of hijacking predators.

JACKING: Generally forbidden practice but OK in survival is the jacking which is the act of attracting and holding an animal's eyes at night by the beam of light. Deer are among the big game creatures that can be readily spotted and held in this fashion long enough to be shot. Bear on the other hand will sometime fall backward in their haste to scramble out of the way.

WHERE TO JACK: Likely places for jacking are on the downwind sides of well used game trails & water holes. Licks are occasionally found where the ground is so tremulous that one may sleep in brush or tall grass until awakened by the quivering caused by the animal weight. Strategically located trees are particularly favoured locations both because the deceptive way one's scent is dissipated and because of the often increased visibility afforded by a seat high amid branches.

Procedures for any reasonable contingency should be well thought out ahead of time for it will be necessary to move and hold the light so as to see both animal & sights. The darker the night is as matter of fact the better in many respects it will be for jacking. During nights when the northern lights are bright or when the moon is large on the other hand one may be able to distinguish and shoot a game animal without additional illumination particularly if he has a good light gathering telescope sight or infra red one even better.

SUPPOSE YOU HAVE NO GUN: The Hudson Bay CIE recommends the use of dead-falls by any of its employees who may be stranded without adequate food in the Northern wilderness. ESSENTIALLY you might prepare a dead-fall by lifting one end of a heavy object such as a log. This end you would prop up with a stick doing so with such studied insecurity that any animal or bird who moved the support would knock it loose. You would probably encourage this latter by affixing some bait to the prop.

You might even go further arranging a few branches so that to reach the bait the victim would place himself so as to receive the full weight of the dislodged dead-fall back of the shoulders.

MAKING A DEATH PIT: If you may be in one place long enough to justify the effort you might prepare a pit in a heavily travelled game trail and cover it as deceptively as possible with branches and leaves.

Aborigines to MAKE SURE that no animals will escape from such a hole often implant sharpened sticks in the bottom of the trap to pierce anything that tumbles in.

SNARES SIMPLE EFFECTIVE: Even if no firearm you may want to set a few snares based on simple principles and as primitive. With strong enough thong or rope you can snare deer and larger animals. With nothing huskier than horsehair or light fish line, squirrels and rabbits can be caught.

A snare is in effect a slip noose paced with the object of tightening about and holding a quarry if the latter inadvertently moves into it. The size of the snare depends on the size of the animal you are trapping. For ex. on a rabbit trail the loop should be about 4" in diameter and hang from 1 1/2" to 3" above the ground.

Lets assume that we want to snare a rabbit for the pot. We can see that they like other animals follow regular paths. We will then hang the slip noose that the rabbit will run headfirst into it and quickly choke himself. We may want to go one step further and narrow the trail at that particular spot. This can be done in several ways.

We can drop a branch or small tree as naturally as possible across the track making a narrow slit in it which to suspend the noose. We can block the bottom, top and sides of the runway with DEAD brush except for a small opening where the loop awaits. All possible guile will be bent to make everything seem as congruous (normal) as possible, an achievement whose necessity increase in direct proportion to the intelligence of the prey sought.

Trappers customarily prepare snares moths ahead and leave them with the noses harmlessly closed until fur season, to blend with the surroundings. Small pot animals however can usually be snared by beginners with a minimum of artifice.

A quick way to collect squirrels for exemple is to lean a pole against a conifer under which there is considerable squirrel sign and at 6 or so points on the pole attach small nooses. A squirrel scampering up to the incline runs his head into the waiting loop and falls free. Its dangling there does not seriously deter other squirrel from using the same route and being so caught themselves.

We can tie one end of the snare to a stationary object such as a pole or a tree. We can tie it particularly if snow makes tracking easy, to a drag such as a chink of deadwood. We can bend a sapling and arrange a trigger so that the animals will be lifted off its feet and if not choked as humanely as possible under the conditions at least rendered unable to exert direct pressure.

BESIEGING A BURROW: Distasteful at it may be to him, a starving man is occasionally forced to smoke small animals from places of concealment. Sometimes an animal can also be driven to within reach of a club by quantities of water being poured into a burrow. The opening may be such that is will be possible to impale the creature on a barbed pole or to secure it by twisting a forked stick into its hair and skin. One is frequently able to dig with success.

One may also have some luck by spreading a noose in front of the hole, hiding a short distance away and when the quarry ventures out jerking the loop tight.

OTHER WEAPONS: Both slingshots and bows & arrows you are only limited by the material. Their successfulness depends on practice.

 

 

THE MOST WIDELY HUNTED GAME ANIMAL: RABBIT! Unfortunately Tularaemia is occasionally a threat is some localities, this disease comes usually when too many rabbits it kills the overflow.

Thus it is a little harder to avoid when not hunting with a firearm, for one precaution can be to shoot only the rabbits that appear to be lively & in good health. The germs of rabbit fever are destroyed by heat, however add another safeguard by handling the animal with covered hands until the meat is thoroughly cooked.

REMEMBER that rabbit starvation exists, you need fat, a strict diet of only rabbit is not enough for survival.

Rabbits are usually easy to clean. One method you may use is commenced by pinching enough of the loose back skin to slit by shoving a knife through. Insert your fingers and tear the fragile skin apart completely around the rabbit. Now peel back the lower half like a glove disjointing the tail when you come to it and finally cutting off each hind foot.

Do the same thing with the top section of skin loosening it finally by severing the head and 2 forepaws. You can then as you will find out pull the animal open just below the ribs and flip out the entrails, retrieving the heart and liver. You may also want to cut out the small waxy gland between each front leg and body.

To stop a rabbit dead on its track or course all you have to do is to whistle it will stop then shoot!

FOX HUNTING: Having sealed all but one exit to the den, you set a snare above it and fanned smoke in the hole. Fleeing, the animal runs into a noose and forked stick and the carving. Tough and gamy its flesh nevertheless satisfies gnawing appetite to a certain degree.

TREE SNARE # 1: A site is selected on an animal trail where a tall sapling is available a few feet to one side of the track. The sapling is lopped of its branches and top and a stout cord is tied to the head. Where the bent sapling crosses the trial tall stout pegs are driven well into the ground on either side of the tracks.

To the tops of these stakes a cross bar is securely lashed. There may be occasions when convenient trees will serve instead of stakes. A stout cord or rope is tied to the head of the sapling and a few feet along the cord a thin strong stick is tied. This stick should nearly reach from the crossbar to the ground. The cord from the sapling is tied a few inches below one end.

This end is placed under the crossbar and the lower end which will now pull forward strongly with the pressure of the bent sapling's spring is laid against a thin cross-stick. The noose of the snare is lightly tied to the top cross-bar and the stakes to keep it spread open. Release is done when the animal touches either the bottom stick knocking it down, or the toggle stick with the cord. Either action will release the holding down of the sapling and it will spring upright tightening the noose around the animal's neck.

TREE SNARE #2: SIMPLE NOOSE FOR TREE CLIMBING ANIMALS:
A site is selected by examining a tree which shows the claw marks of tree climbing animals on its marks. The "lean" of the tree is carefully examined and on the upper side of the "lean" a stout straight pole 8 to 10 feet long and at least 3 to 4 inches thick is placed to make a "path" for the animal from the ground to well up the tree trunk.

The animal will use this pole to climb the tree on its nightly excursions. Onto the upper end of the pole set a simple wire noose, fastened securely to the pole itself. The animal in climbing or descending the pole will put its head or paw into the noose and so ensnare itself.

LOG FALL: SLIP RELEASE OF BAIT STICK: This log fall is suitable for ground living animals and depends for its action upon the turning or twisting of a forked bait stick.

One end of which is sharpened to a point which in turn supports the smoothly cut face of the cross bar on which the logs are lying. Select a site where the animal feed. Cut your bait stick with a widely forked prong. The lower end should be roughly sharpened and the top end brought to a sharp point. A stout stake is sharpened and bevelled at the head so that it is nearly flat. This stake is driven securely into the ground. The 2 or 3 heavy logs for the fall are selected and trimmed so they will lie together on the cross bar. The cross bar is cut with a squared side at one end and the other end is trimmed off with a smoothly inclined face. The squared side is laid on the top of the bevelled stake.

The logs are laid on the cross bar and the sharpened points of the bait stick are put under the inclined cut on the end of the cross bar at such an angle that it will slip off if the bait stick is twisted. The lower end of the bait stick rests on a chip of bark or smooth flat stone so that it will not sink into the ground. Sensitivity is adjusted by the angle of the bait stick on the cut at the end of the cross bar.

LOG FALL & TOGGLE RELEASE: Two or three logs are secured to a cross bar as for release. The release sticks consist of a forked stick about 2 feet long for the upright a support stick about 3 feet long. A toggle stick of 4 to 5" and a bait stick, long enough to reach from the upright stick to the lower cross bar holding the logs together.

The trap is set by standing the upright with the fork uppermost a few inches in front of the logs. The support stick is laid over the fork and to its farthest and a cord is tied. The length of the cord should reach from the end of the support stick to the upright stick. The end of the cord is fastened to a toggle stick and this passed around the upright. Against one end of the toggle stick the bait stick is placed so that its farther end presses against the lowest cross bar.

Release is done when an animal disturbs the bait stick, so releases the toggle, allowing the log fall to drop. In the place of group of logs for any of these traps a platform of stakes heavily weighted with big stones may be used with equal efficiency.

LOG FALL: THIS AN EXCEEDINGLY DANGEROUS TRAP. It is so absolutely unsuspected and sudden that it should be only used either to guard against surprise from attack if in a country of hostile natives or if set to kill large animals. THIS TRAP IS A MAN KILLER!

A site is selected along a trail which the animal uses regularly. The site MUST have a branch of a large living tree overhanging the path. A heavy line is thrown over the branch so that when allowed to hang free its end will lie on the path. To this line a strong rope is tied and the rope hauled up and over the branch. To one end of the rope a heavy log is slung so that it hangs horizontally. The log is hoisted to the branch and the rope brought back so that it is concealed by the tree trunk

A toggle is tied where the rope touches the ground. At this place 2 very strong hooked stakes are driven into the ground and a release similar to any of the noose release (above) are used to hold the rope. seems prob. To what would be the bait stick in the snare release lengths of cord or ground vines are tied for a trip cord is led through the bush parallel to the animal's path to position on either side of the place where the log will drop when it falls.

This distance can be calculated by allowing for the log to fall at the rate of 28 feet the first second, 56 = the second and 28 feet more for each further second and on. (Drag on the cord reduces the log's rate of fall to this figure.) could be prob. here If the animal travels at three miles an hour, it moves forward 4 feet 6" a second. Thus if the log is 100 feet above the path it will take 2 1/2 seconds to fall and the animal will have moved 11 feet 6" after it has pulled the trip with its feet.

After setting this trap it should be given a test drop and if satisfactory reset only after warning people to stay off this path since this trap is a potential man killer.

BOW TRAP FOR GUARDING A PATH: AGAIN A MAN-KILLER TRAP if the bow is strong and the trap properly set, only to be used in case of emergency, Rambozo. A bow of considerable strength is made and lashed to 2 stakes driven securely into the ground.

The 2 stakes are set in 1" or so apart. At right angles to the bow and at the position where the bow string will come when the bow is drawn, a third stake is driven into the ground. The horizontal angle between the lower end of this peg and the place where the bow is lashed to the twin peg should be such that the arrow will be given correct elevation to catch the man or animal at a vulnerable height when the trip cord is touched. The site should be at the end of a trail or path.

Release can be done by a hooked stick which has a square nick cut on the outside edge of one side and at right angles to this cut a reversed nick is cut to take the bow string. The rear peg is squared at its rear end and on one side to form a right angle.

The squared cut of the release stick engages the squared face of the stake and the thong is hooked over the undercut nick, so that the bow is held drawn back to the rear peg. The arrow notch is in the thong. Release is done by tying the release cord at the other end of the hooked stick and leading the release cord through the grass or bush to a position at the edge of the path. Guiding of the cord is done by means of inverted hooked sticks. At the path the release cord is tied to convenient growing material such as a wisp of grass, ground vine or casual stick stuck into the ground lightly.

An alternative release is done by deeply nicking with a square face the underside of the arrow. Into this nick a chisel edge release toggle stick is engaged. The release stick passes in the rear of a short cross bar so that the forward pull of the bow pulls the lower end of the release stick to the rear. This lower end is pressed against a trigger stick which is pushed against an anchor peg. To this trigger stick the trip cord is tied and from here it is led through the bush to the path and sets as a trip cord across the path in the same manner as the hooked stick release.

REMEMBER this is a MAN-KILLER. NEVER leave it set and unguarded unless to defend yourself. Place warning signs on path.

THROWER: There may be occasions when it is desired to create a diversion on one side of a path in order to frighten animals or people moving along the path away from and into an ambush. For this purpose a thrower can be set up at a convenient distance from the path so that when a trip cord is touched the thrower will hurl a stone onto the path and so drive the animal off the path and toward the hunter.

A forked springy sapling is lashed between 2 trees as for the stabber. The end of the sapling is forked and in the forked end a shallow pouch is woven between the forked sticks. These forked sticks should be an angle of about 45 degrees from the horizontal towards the path.

The sapling is bent back and down and secured as for the stabber and about 4 feet short of the place where the head came when it was at rest a very stout stake is driven into the ground to act as a stop to the forward thrust. The sapling MUST be lashed fairly high up the 2 trees and bent downwards to the securing release, so that when it is tripped the movement is upwards. When the sapling is released and swings upwards it carries the stone in the pouch and coming suddenly to the stop the stone is thrown from the forks forward to the path.

PIG STABBER: Choose a site where 2 trees grow close together near the path the animal uses. A very springy sapling is cut and lashed between the 2 trees so that when unbent it reaches to the centre of the track.

To the end of this sapling a sharp dagger-like knife or a pointed spear of hardwood is lashed. If wood is used MAKE SURE that it is straight grained & harden the end by scorching over fire. Sharpen to a good point. The sapling is bent back as far as your strength will permit and note where the bent back of the sapling comes to above the ground. A few feet back from this point set the sticks for the release given in the snare seen above.

To the bait stick of this release tie the trip cord and run this along the ground to the position at which the bent sapling came when the head was straight over the path. The trip here should be very light and raised a few inches above the ground. The animal passing along the trap in either direction releases the trip and the sapling is released with the spear.