Sovereignty Module: Secure the Harvest
Secure the Harvest
Complete Trapping, Snaring, and Wild Game Procurement Guide
Complete Trapping, Snaring, and Wild Game Procurement Guide
Traps work while you sleep. A well-placed trap line provides protein with minimal energy expenditure, freeing the trapper for other survival tasks. This campaign covers ethical trapping methods, trap construction, and game processing.
Chapter 1: Trap Types
| Trap Type | Target | Mechanism | Materials | Effectiveness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simple snare (wire loop) | Rabbit, squirrel | Tightening loop around neck/body | Wire or cordage | High (with proper placement) |
| Spring snare (sapling) | Rabbit, small game | Spring tension lifts animal | Sapling, cordage, trigger | Very high |
| Deadfall (figure-4) | Squirrel, rat, marten | Heavy weight crushes animal | Sticks, flat rock | Moderate |
| Deadfall (Paiute) | Mouse, rat, small game | Faster trigger than figure-4 | Sticks, cordage, rock | High |
| Box trap (live capture) | Rabbit, squirrel, bird | Animal enters, door closes | Wood, wire, or woven | Moderate |
| Pit trap | Large game (historical) | Animal falls into concealed pit | Digging, cover material | Low (labor intensive) |
| Fish weir/trap | Fish | Funnels fish into enclosure | Sticks, woven panels | Very high |
| Bird snare (perch) | Birds | Loop on perch catches feet | Cordage, perch stick | Moderate |
| Conibear-style (body grip) | Beaver, muskrat, mink | Spring-loaded jaws | Metal (manufactured) | Very high |
| Leg-hold (padded) | Coyote, fox, raccoon | Holds animal by leg | Metal (manufactured) | High |
Chapter 2: Simple Wire Snare
| Step | Action | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cut wire (brass or steel, 20-24 gauge) | 24-30 inches long |
| 2 | Form small loop at one end (twist 3-4 times) | This is the locking loop |
| 3 | Thread free end through small loop | Creates adjustable noose |
| 4 | Size noose for target animal | Rabbit: 4 inch diameter, 4 inches off ground |
| 5 | Anchor free end to solid stake or heavy drag | Must hold struggling animal |
| 6 | Place in game trail (look for tracks, droppings, worn paths) | Between natural funnels |
| 7 | Use guide sticks to funnel animal into snare | Sticks on either side of trail |
| 8 | Check every 12-24 hours | Legal and ethical requirement |
Chapter 3: Figure-4 Deadfall
| Component | Construction | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Vertical stick | Flat notch near top, chisel point at bottom | Supports weight, rests on ground |
| Diagonal stick | Notch at top (interlocks with vertical), pointed tip | Holds bait, connects trigger |
| Horizontal stick (trigger) | Flat notch in middle (interlocks with vertical), notch at end for diagonal | Releases when bumped |
| Deadfall weight | Flat rock (5-20 lbs depending on target) | Kills by crushing |
Assembly: Vertical stands upright. Horizontal extends from vertical (interlocked at notches). Diagonal leans from horizontal tip up to rock. Rock rests on diagonal. Bait on diagonal tip. Animal bumps horizontal trigger, system collapses, rock falls.
Chapter 4: Trap Placement
| Sign | Indicates | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Tracks (fresh) | Active trail | Set snare in trail |
| Droppings (fresh) | Feeding area | Set near food source |
| Worn path through brush | Regular travel route | Best snare location |
| Gnawed bark/plants | Feeding sign | Set deadfall with similar bait |
| Burrow entrance | Den site | Set snare at entrance |
| Slide marks (riverbank) | Otter, muskrat, beaver | Set at water's edge |
| Feathers/fur on fence/gap | Squeeze point | Set snare in gap |
Chapter 5: Bait and Lures
| Target Animal | Bait | Lure/Attractant |
|---|---|---|
| Rabbit | No bait needed (trail snare) | None (use trail placement) |
| Squirrel | Nuts, seeds, peanut butter | Nut oil on trigger |
| Raccoon | Fish, sweet corn, marshmallow | Fish oil, anise oil |
| Fox/coyote | Meat scraps, mouse | Urine-based lure, curiosity lure |
| Mink/weasel | Fish, bloody meat | Fish oil |
| Beaver | Poplar/aspen branches | Castoreum (beaver scent) |
| Birds | Grain, seeds, berries | Scattered grain trail leading to trap |
| Rats/mice | Peanut butter, grain, bacon | Peanut butter on trigger |
Chapter 6: Game Processing
| Step | Action | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dispatch humanely if alive | Immediately upon checking trap |
| 2 | Bleed (cut throat) | Immediately (improves meat quality) |
| 3 | Gut (remove internal organs) | Within 1 hour (prevents spoilage) |
| 4 | Skin (if saving pelt) | While still warm (easier) |
| 5 | Cool meat quickly | Hang in shade, or refrigerate |
| 6 | Butcher into portions | When cooled |
| 7 | Preserve (smoke, dry, salt, or cook) | Within 24 hours in warm weather |
Pelt care: Skin carefully (no cuts). Scrape all fat and membrane from flesh side. Stretch on frame or board (fur side in). Dry in shade with air circulation. Salt flesh side for long-term preservation.
Reference Card
- Location is everything: set traps on active trails with fresh sign
- Wire snare for rabbit: 4-inch diameter loop, 4 inches off ground, in trail
- Figure-4 deadfall: three sticks interlocked, rock balanced on top
- Check traps every 12-24 hours: ethical and legal requirement
- Guide sticks funnel animals into snares: place sticks on both sides of trail
- Gut game within 1 hour of death to prevent meat spoilage
- Set multiple traps: success rate per trap is low, volume compensates
- Anchor all snares securely: a loose snare means lost game
TransmissionCOMPLETE — unaltered & unabridged
Words991 — every one of them
SHA-256 of source text7aed083074d458ad7f3ae3132446938701f44485740a980222c4233957325394
Canonical textdownload campaign-trapping-v2.md — byte-identical to what this page renders