Survival Traps & Tricks

The wilderness can pose many dangerous to stragglers, hunters or even seasoned campers. It is, therefore, crucial that individuals practice vital survival techniques if they expect to survive. The ability to build traps is perhaps the most important of these techniques. Traps can capture animals for food or keep them from eating you first.

  1. Apache Foot-Hold Trap

    • The Apache foot hold trap is a basic survival trap used to capture large animals. Survivalists recommend it because of its adaptability and simplicity. The idea is to trap an animal's foot into an open-noose rope. The rope is hidden hidden above a camouflaged hole, making it harder for the animal to detect it. Once the animal falls into the trap, the rope will surround the animal's leg and tighten as it attempts to escape. The harder the animal pulls, the tighter the grip will become.

      For better effect, place sharp-ended sticks inside the hole. This will hold the rope up and harm the animal's leg further. The Apache foot hold trap can be used to capture a fox, coyote, deer or raccoon.

    Paiute Deadfall Trap

    • The Paiute deadfall trap is another survival trick inspired by Native Americans. It is used to capture small mammals such as squirrels and rabbits. First-time survivalists are often taught how to build the trap because of its simplicity; it requires only a knife, a stone or log and a couple of sturdy sticks. The contraption works by luring an animal to the trap using some type of bait. Once the animal moves the bait, the trap's quick mechanism causes a large stone or log to fall on top of it. The animal is instantly trapped, killed or injured. For a larger chance of success, seasoned survivalists recommend using peanut butter as bait.

    Simple Snare

    • The simple snare trap is one of the most basic of all survival traps and, therefore, the least successful. It requires nothing more than a simple noose made out of rope or wire. When done properly, the simple snare has a one-in-10 success rate. The trap requires proper construction and must be positioned to the height of the intended animal's head. This will enable the animal to place its head into the snare loop when it is walking about. The noose will tighten around the animal's neck when its shoulders push the wire forward. The simple snare trap can capture any size animal including deer, rabbits and mice. Skilled survivalists suggest using fishing line, twine, heavy cable or shoe lace when wire is unavailable.

    Bow Trap

    • The bow trap is best known for its ability to kill humans and animals. It is created by building a large bow that will, upon triggering, launch a sharp-ended stick forward. The stick is launched at such an extensive force and speed that it can penetrate vital body parts. To build the device, survivalists will need various sizes of sticks, string and a knife. The string holds the bow together and serves as a trip wire. The bow trap can be used as a hunting device or a defense mechanism.