Rabbit snaring can be a tricky proposition. Unlike other types of rabbit traps, snares require a good deal of tweaking and legwork to actually be effective. Not to mention the fact that snare traps are essentially do-it-yourself by nature. Sure, you can purchase snare wire and starter kits, but setting up the trap is where most of the effort comes into the picture. So if you’ve decided to snare a rabbit, then you may count yourself among the more dedicated breed of trapping enthusiasts.
This article is geared toward providing tips and tricks to maximize the efficacy of your snare trap when learning how to snare a rabbit. Visit this link for detailed instructions on [How to Make a Rabbit Snare].
The first and perhaps the most crucial step when it comes to setting up a proper rabbit snare is location. Unlike other traps that rely on bait to lure their prey, snares rely more on trails and tracks. Rabbits are essentially creatures of habit, and while they do adapt somewhat to changes in routine, for the most part they will fall for traps that take advantage of their habitual nature. So explore the woods a bit and try to locate as many rabbit trails as possible and shortlist the more isolated ones for the actual snare sites.
The next important step is to accurately estimate the size of the rabbit that you’ll be trying to snare. Well, “accurately” might be a strong word, but it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to use some other trap to catch a couple of rabbits so that you can get a closer look at them. The reason you’re doing this is because you need to determine the dimensions of the snare loop based on the dimensions of the rabbit itself.
rabbit snare diagram for trapping
Photo by james.marchington / CC BY
Too large and the rabbit will just pass through the snare. Too small and the snare will close before it effectively traps the rabbit. So the size of the rabbit and consequently the size of the snare loop is crucial to the snare trap overall.
Besides the size of the snare loop, the material and gauge of the wire is also important. While you could theoretically use any kind of wire, stainless steel is usually your best bet. Rabbits can get fairly desperate once they’re trapped and it is not unusual for them to chew and gnaw their way out of snare wire. So if this happens to you, don’t hesitate to move on to a higher gauge or a stronger material. Given the low cost of snare traps as a whole, experimentation is hardly a problem.
Next we have the branches that you use to create the funnel that surrounds the snare loop and directs the rabbit into the snare trap. Some trappers state that adding too many branches and twigs around the snare will scare the rabbit out of the trail, but it is my experience that the opposite is true; the rabbit actually gets scared into the snare loop instead. Another point to note is that the branch or stick that you use to actually suspend the loop must be very sturdy and preferably rooted or firmly attached to something that is.
On a final note, I’d like to suggest that you not use bait of any kind with snare traps. This is primarily to keep other animals from accidentally triggering the snares. Your goal is to just have that rabbits walking through the trap based on their movements from a trail. Learning how to snare a rabbit will take some time, so don’t expect to learn in too quickly.
If you end up having trouble learning, try to use more snares as it’ll increase your chances of snaring at least one rabbit.
