Fig-4 for Ethan's Jan Challenge

[Md 25v]

Before I post about the fig-4 I want to update on a thread I did earlier. I showed how to make cordage from yucca leaves in this thread.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=808663
I said I would use the cordage for the Paiute trap in the Jan challenge. I got some more leaves and kept at it. Now I have over 8 feet of cordage. I don't know the strength but it can hold up a 20lb free weight. I'm gonna keep making more until I have enough to use this cordage for both the Paiute and for the L7 snare.

On to the Fig4:
I have decided to only use the Eskabar for this challenge. I wear it as a neck knife and no matter what happens to my gear I will have my Esky.

I will use a different wood for each trap. I choose sugar maple for the fig4 because it was available behind my house. I battoned the branch apart and then in several places to length. Esky handled battoning just fine.

Then I brought it inside to get started. I batoned out the sections that I needed and started stripping the bark off the trap parts. I also had a couple knots to baton off.

With the upright finished I laid the bait stick across to determine the length I would cut it off.

I like to make serrations in the end if the bait stick when I am using a meat product for bait. As the meat dries it hardens (think jerky) and the serrations grip the bait. Squirrels will always go after meat products! I the spring, birds eggs are by far the best bait, but they require a different trigger. The second pic shows the notch on the bait stick that catches on the upright.

Slap on the angled stick and this one is finished.

 

[Flexxx]

Nice work....:thumbup:

 

[Moosez45]

Nice work, I copied this an put it under your "I accept the Challenge" post in the contest entry thread.

Moose

 

[Md 25v]

I thought we were only allowed 12 pics in the challenge thread? I was gonna do tutorials for each of the traps I make, as well as the one I did for the cordage. That will put me way over the 12 pic limit.

 

[Moosez45]

We'll do 12 per trap on this one, since we have 3 different traps. If we are doing a challenge for a single skill, we'll keep it to 12. the idea is to not have so many pics in a single run, that the reader(Ethan) forgets what he was looking at to begin with. 12 pics is usually plenty of images to show off and convey your message and demo your skills.

12 per trap, total of 36, just be sure and break them up with a large font header, so E can tell the difference between your traps. I'll amend the rules to say this, and if you can, keep them in the same thread, just edit them, so the skills challenge don't wind up 6 pages, Ethan overlooked alot of the things in the last one because of the BS.

Moose

 

[Md 25v]

Should I add the Paiute and L7 to this thread? Or should I scrap this one and just put everything in the actual challenge thread?

P.S. I will set the two deadfalls on Monday.

 

[Moosez45]

Yes, add them there, or else we are going to have to dig all this up in a month and consolidate it in one location, with multiple links to threads, it will get messy quick, just keep editing the "I accept the Challenge Post, but put a header between the traps, in a large font to help tell the difference between them in the thread.

Moose

 

[Md 25v]

You got it

 

[formtight]

Nice work man! Are the wood shavings easy enough to vacuum up?

 

[Md 25v]

Nice work man! Are the wood shavings easy enough to vacuum up?

Not unless you want to break the vacuum

 

[Bladite]

use a shop vac

i'm working on a girl trap gotta be some kind of bait they like :>

 

[Md 25v]

use a shop vac

i'm working on a girl trap gotta be some kind of bait they like :>

There is, called money

 

[Md 25v]

My wife just saw me post that and smacked me upside the head.

 

[DerekH]

use a shop vac

i'm working on a girl trap gotta be some kind of bait they like :>

Mine is a fan of shoes (ugh), purses (bleh), Star Wars memorabilia (WIN!!!), and pink knives (kinda neat).

If she didn't already have the Jeep she wanted, that would have done it too.

 

[Moosez45]

Mine is a fan of shoes (ugh), purses (bleh), Star Wars memorabilia (WIN!!!), and pink knives (kinda neat).

If she didn't already have the Jeep she wanted, that would have done it too.

Money. Mine isn't into material things, she likes what she likes, and it ain't jewelry, or anything expensive, but money, now she likes money.

An ugly man with a hundred dollar bill hanging out of his pocket, still has a hundred dollar bill hangin' out his pocket.

Moose

 

[Md 25v]

Moose, since I'm adding the rest of the traps in this thread could I get you to change the title so it says paiute as well.


TRAP #2 Paiute Deadfall


Raw materials

Strip bark from necessary parts. Batton lengths for trap parts.

Make the Cordage.

Attach cordage to trap

Set and tune trap

For those not familiar with this trap, here is a top view of how the trigger is set.

 

[Bladite]

nah, you can't check it off until you catch, kill, and skin a plush animal

okay, maybe not

 

[Flexxx]

Nice job.

Since we get 12 photos for each trap, how long of a video do we get?

 

[Md 25v]

Nice job.

Since we get 12 photos for each trap, how long of a video do we get?

Moose amended the rules. Its 6 min vid per trap and 12 pics per trap.:thumbup:

 

[Md 25v]

TRAP 3- L7 SNARE


Baton wood to length then split to get a flat spot.

Next, shape the top (trigger) section with a hook on one end and a groove for the cordage on the other.

Pick a good strong branch for the anchor and baton the length you need, strip the bark, and cut the notch that will mate up with the hook end of the trigger.

BIG STEP I made ten feet of yucca leaf fiber cordage. I don't even want to think about how many splices it has! The first pic shows how I made a sliding loop in the natural cordage to act as the snare.

I have had nearly a week of freezing rain and snow and have not been able to set my traps. I'm frustrated because this is a common exercise and I KNOW I can get a squirrel or two at the minimum. I will do my best to set them when the weather settles but it's just not possible right now. I wish it would get colder so that it would just be snow. That would be ideal for trapping.