do mouse/rat spring (whack) traps have a use in survival?

I have caught small birds and squirrels. I used rat traps screwed to the side of my pecan trees to keep the squirrels out, worked great, but if I am going to carry premade traps I would rather carry conibears they are much more versatile. Chris
 
Yes, mouse and rat traps can be usefull. not only for catching small rodents, but for birds and fish. For fish, drill holes in the board and put a couple of wooden or metal spikes in it to help hold the fish. Nails work well. Do not forget to tether the trap.

Other uses include as a warning device with a trip wire, shaving some of the wood from the base can give some dry tinder, or even use the trap as a clamp if one is needed.
 
there are uses but I'd rather save the space in my kit for more versatile gear with a little knowledge and skill traps can be easily and readily available with material found in the field or on your person, making traps is a fundamental bushcraft skill and one that is fun to learn....most small game animal can be got with a common snare (a thousand variations) and a figure fall deadfall (easy with some practice) at worst you'd need a knife and a small amount of cord for either.
 
The large Victor rat trap is a great squirrel getter & I have caught birds as well! A #110 conibear is a great trap to pack, more bang for your buck, light weight & will catch coon,squirrel,rabbit,possum,just about any small game! they work great over groundhog holes also & muskrat, they work in water or on land & cost around $5.00
 
Funny you should ask. My family and I went camping last weekend and while I was at a local hardware store I looked for things the kids could experiment with while in the field. Soo I bought a rat trap and some butterfly nets. The rat trap was setup by the boys with some spare sunflower seeds and not long later they checked it and found a chipmunk. Believe it or not my youngest daughter became fascinated with my coaxing for someone to field dress it. She did the whole deal and they all learned a lot while looking on. They made the fire and learned how to cook as well.
 
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