How to Customize Traps

Whether you're trapping animals for sport or survival, customizing the trap helps to make the it more effective in successfully catching animals. Setting basic traps doesn't require extensive equipment. Instead, a basic trap is set with only a few materials.

Things You'll Need

  • Snare wire
  • Knife
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Identify a location where the snare will potentially be most effective. Choose a game trail with signs of recent activity and look for limbs or trees across a stream that animals will use to cross.

    • 2

      Position the trap based on the intended game. Position a snare loop, for example, above the ground at a level that is level with the animal's head. Customize the snare by placing the bottom of the wire lower to the ground for a small squirrel. Raise the bottom of the snare for a larger animal such as a rabbit.

    • 3

      Customize the trap with food. Choose food that will attract one or more types of animals to the location. Place cheese, peanut butter or jerky on both sides of a trap to entice the animal to move from one side to the other and increase the chances of success.

    • 4

      Position limbs, sticks and rocks in a funnel shape to customize the trap. Place limbs and brush in a V shape to funnel animals toward the trap. Cut sticks with a knife, sharpen the end and stick them in the ground to form a V shape.

    • 5

      Use different types of traps based on location and available resources. Use a mix of pitfalls, ground snares, squirrel log snares and dead falls. Choose the type of snare based on terrain and personal preference as to how effective a particular type of trap will be.