figure 4 deadfall - who used it actually?

midnite-penguin said:
Its weird how there always seems to be a thread on W&SS for things that cross my mind on a given day. The past three days I've been really wanting to make some figure 4 traps, and boom - here's a thread.

Anyway, I'm sure that when it comes to traps - especially primitive ones; its a numbers game. More traps = more chance of actually getting something.

I haven't made a real one because if I actually killed something with it, I would feel obligated to eat it out of respect. And damnit - I just can't get myself to eat a rat or a field mouse the size of my thumb. When I have a perfectly stocked fridge right here.

If I was in the deep woods, and completely committed to eating whatever I happened to get - I would consider it, but probably not. As for the backyard, I'd rather just practice making them and testing the trigger with a stick, then actually leaving it up over-night.

Also, I don't think that its a very humane way to dispatch an animal - hence I would personally never resort to them unless I was in a "survival" situation. But I'll probably get flamed for saying that. And also - I'm a hypocrite. Because I really want to bow hunt(traditionally, no less) and you could argue that and arrow would be a shitty way to die too =P
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You could always rig up a cage of some sort. That'll probably be a bit less likely to work correctly (critters sneaking out under the edge, etc.) but whatever - could be fun to screw around with. Think I might set up a laundry basket cage in my backyard to annoy the neighbor's semi-feral cats.

Oh and I bowhunt too. If you make a good shot, the animal dies quickly and quietly. It's not unheard of for deer to continue feeding or rutting even after having been shot through both lungs. You need a good, SHARP two blade cut on contact broadhead - none of this switchblade crap - a good close shot (15-20 yards or less - it's about hunting not sniping), and stealth.
 
i've seen youtube videos where this guy is catching rats with a figure 4 dead fall... search for it and you'll find it quick...
 
As much as I like seeing the traps people make on this forum, in reality if ya gonna be trapping rats and similar sized critters then just stick a rat trap in ya kit along with a small container of peanut butter.
The average survival scenario lasts for 72 hrs, within that time span ya usually found be it dead or alive so food very rarely comes into the equation.
I've always figured it more viable to study what wild edibles I can feed on rather than learning many complicated traps. Snares are another option that is very easy to set up and can be done multiple times very quickly and with very little dexterity.


PICT5103.jpg
 
pitdog said:
As much as I like seeing the traps people make on this forum, in reality if ya gonna be trapping rats and similar sized critters then just stick a rat trap in ya kit along with a small container of peanut butter.
The average survival scenario lasts for 72 hrs, within that time span ya usually found be it dead or alive so food very rarely comes into the equation.
I've always figured it more viable to study what wild edibles I can feed on rather than learning many complicated traps. Snares are another option that is very easy to set up and can be done multiple times very quickly and with very little dexterity.


PICT5103.jpg
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now thats a big rat...
 
pitdog said:
As much as I like seeing the traps people make on this forum, in reality if ya gonna be trapping rats and similar sized critters then just stick a rat trap in ya kit along with a small container of peanut butter.
The average survival scenario lasts for 72 hrs, within that time span ya usually found be it dead or alive so food very rarely comes into the equation.
I've always figured it more viable to study what wild edibles I can feed on rather than learning many complicated traps. Snares are another option that is very easy to set up and can be done multiple times very quickly and with very little dexterity.


PICT5103.jpg
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The appeal, at least for me, of the figure 4 is the fact that I don't have to carry anything extra like snare wire or rat traps. I agree that plant and wild edible ID is probably more useful though. Then you could still eat even if you didn't have your knife.
 
G'day Ken

kgd said:
Damn, you get surprised every day. Didn't expect an animal care ethics response from Mick :D :D
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RR hit the nail on the head with the following....

RescueRiley said:
I think Mick was more concerned with the spoiling of the meat after coming in to contact with organ contents than the feelings of the animal..or maybe it was a bit of both.... LOL
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Especially when the animal can be in the trap for a number of hours before it is cleared :thumbdn:




Kind regards
Mick
 
pitdog said:
As much as I like seeing the traps people make on this forum, in reality if ya gonna be trapping rats and similar sized critters then just stick a rat trap in ya kit along with a small container of peanut butter.
The average survival scenario lasts for 72 hrs, within that time span ya usually found be it dead or alive so food very rarely comes into the equation.
I've always figured it more viable to study what wild edibles I can feed on rather than learning many complicated traps. Snares are another option that is very easy to set up and can be done multiple times very quickly and with very little dexterity.
Click to expand...


You know, that's an excellent point. While making traps is certainly a "sexier" survival idea - having a good knowledge of the edible plans in your area is probably a more prudent skill for the reason you just stated. Most of the time you're just trying to hang on for a few days until you're rescued.

Unless its a zombie-virus outbreak where no solution is in sight. You can't be eating berries while the walking dead are trying to eat your brains.:D
 
I'm actually surprised that there are no pics yet of actual traps and successful catches on this thread yet. Here is a Paiute that I set up at the MAPPS primitive get together. There were 7 sets made and two resulted in kills. One was a Paiute Deadfall (pictured) and the other a Fig4 Deadfall.

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I like Fig4's well enough but my go-to deadfall is the Paiute. One weakness that any deadfall has to deal with is that an animal may not be hit by the weight. My preference to deal with that is to make a deadfall against a tree and to place some sticks or a small log on the other side to prevent the animal from escaping out the sides. Also, just like snare trapping, it's important to make the trap while you hands have some dirt on them and set the trap and leave so you don't add to much human scent to the spot you are trapping.

P.S. the squirrel in the pics was used fully. His fur was used for fly tying, his unbroken intestinal tract was split and used to make gut cordage (very strong cordage, demo on my you tube channel), and his meat was used to feed the coopers hawk that is in rehab for a broken wing.
 
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Watching first episode of dual survivor, in one part Dave took off into the wood to get some meat and set a bunch of traps, My first thought was,

I wonder if they went back and disarmed the traps after filming? or if the traps were left to kill some poor harmless woodland rodent?
 
IMO the figure 4 is still the most versatile, easy to make trap out there. It can be made to take small and larger animals.

I have caught quite a few mice with it as well as other animals. I feel it is definately a skill that needs to be practiced, as it takes quite a bit of fine tuning to be sucessful.

Rescue Riley's video and advice about 5-1 is excellent!
 
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