About all I see or hear about is fence snaring coyotes. If you’re snaring trails what say you?
I like snares for beaver, but I’m not a Coyote snare guy. But the folks I have watched , or read about generally say about a 12-14 inch loop, and about that high off the ground to the bottom of the cable. They generally say put them in a pinch point , and don’t over do the blocking or camouflage. You might want to contact LT Grey, or Angela Hawkins on face book, up in Ohio. They seem to catch a lot with snares. There was a guy on a Mossy oak program years ago, I think his last name was pollock, or something like that; anyways, he caught them for live market, and he ran his snare lock on the bottom so the wind wouldn’t close them up, and just let em fish till they caught! Hope this is of some use to you!
Well I’m NOT a snare man or a yote trapper but I have snared some yotes in travelways and bait stations both.
12"x12" is how I did it was that right,wrong I don’t know but I caught several like that.
That was awhile back when 3/32" was the go too yote cable and we still had to use washer locks.
Colt
I have caught many coyotes in snares…I have never measured my loops but I’m pretty sure my loop size is a tad smaller than 12". I used to get lots of hip caught coyotes and NEVER a bobcat by accident. I shrunk that loop a little and seems I dont get many hip catches anymore and pick up an occasional cat (which is usually hip caught). Just me…I’m probably doing it wrong by most peoples standards. As far height off the ground, I’m also usually pretty tight, usually 5" to 7". I was mentored by a sure enough snare man for a while…I peppered him with constant questions and rode his line with him on occasion and that was one thing I struggled with at first. I was catching deer “a lot” in trails and he told me my loop was too high. I thought he was full of crap cause I was usually 10"-12" +/- until I found tracks in the snow seemingly going right through my snares like a ghost. He told me something I never forgot…look at pictures or watch videos of coyotes at ease moving along in the open, hunting or travelling. Their head is never up, at the most, their chin is slightly lower than their shoulders which I feel is about 12"-15" +/- off the ground. If you have a 11" loop, 5" off the ground, the top of your snare is 16" off the ground which is enough for his ears to slip under and bam, he belongs to you. Now think about this…those dimensions are when he is relaxed and in the OPEN. I don’t snare in the open much nor do many other trappers…I typically snare in deer trails through a briar thicket or brushy drainage ditches in the middle of crop fields. When a coyote travels down a briar laden deer trail…his nose is more like 6" or 7" off the ground. A 10" loop at 5" off the ground puts his melon right where it needs to be for a ride in my truck. On the down side, I do snare an occasional coon but seldom deer anymore. When a deer moves through those briars, his head is up to keep them out of his face, the coyote steers his body though the maze by leading with his nose down low where there is less obstructions if that makes sense. Like I said, I am no authority and there is a better way of doing things I’m sure but thats what I do for now. As I become a better trapper, I often change my approach on certain things.
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Weez, that makes sense!
That’s one reason I asked. I’ve heard everything from four or five inches to two feet. I’m not a snare guy but would like to learn.
Im sure glad this question came up
If I can ask as part of this
Is Loading a snare for “trails”
Good
Better
Or not something you recommend
Makes since to me!
Colt
I load all my snares simply because it makes them faster. I’m not sure it is really necessary but I like them to “jump” when fired. In a trail, just like in a fence, he is blundering through at a faster pace than he would be when approaching a baited set so he is going to fire it whether it is loaded or not. The “tear drop” shape may actually be a better configuration for a trail, giving you a little more leeway with head positioning but I still prefer the loading.
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I’ve caught a few with snares but I felt like I was just lucky cause I’m surely no snare man but I do try them and like Thumb said glad for the question always wanting to learn more.
Mine was not loaded but if I was to ever go back to snarein yotes I would load my snares, after reading weez’s post I’d say he’s spot on, I caught yotes when I did it but not as many as I expected. They was prolly going under. Or truthfully without them washer locks being loaded and as big as I had them, maybe they was making it all the way through. I did hip snare some but I neck snared or neck shoulder snare most.
Know I never questioned my method as it was working I was young dumb and I had it all fingered out right!
I’ll add I don’t believe loading would be a must for yotes but faster Is better and I believe a loaded snare would preform better on yotes.
Colt
I believe I have had mine too high for years. I’m going to take Weez’s advice next year.