Watch out! This might be a trap!

[caine]

I might have to get out today and play.

 

[Bladite]

is there any reason you couldn't use the left orange end loop in a cow hitch attached to the "nail"? that way the nail just drops out and down, and doesn't go shooting into the next county.

 

[DOC-CANADA]

is there any reason you couldn't use the left orange end loop in a cow hitch attached to the "nail"? that way the nail just drops out and down, and doesn't go shooting into the next county.

You could, but the purpose of the loops set up the way they are (Bowline in a Bight) is to be able to instantly adjust the size, one relative to the other. With it cow-hitched, you'd have to mess around a bit more.

BTW, Bladite, what knot book did you get?

Doc

 

[Bladite]

You could, but the purpose of the loops set up the way they are (Bowline in a Bight) is to be able to instantly adjust the size, one relative to the other. With it cow-hitched, you'd have to mess around a bit more.

BTW, Bladite, what knot book did you get?

Doc

yeah, i was thinking it would be useful to not lose the "nail", assuming you knew your placement well enough. cow hitches slide somewhat okay...

the book is "decorative fusion knots", it's one of probably a few dozen i have on knots kicking around, but is mostly about the pretty stuff.

there's some great stuff online (www.animatedknots.com) and many other resources.

my favorite knot of late is the "zeppelin hitch"... it's strong, uniform, and easy to deal with. won't quite replace my half-hitch favorite, but close.

otherwise, the so called "alpine butterfly" (artillery hitch), is a superb way to make a loop mid-line (mid-bight) that has interesting properties (strong, in-line, can be pulled any direction, symmetrical as possible, multiple methods to tie, easy to untie...

 

[DOC-CANADA]

yeah, i was thinking it would be useful to not lose the "nail", assuming you knew your placement well enough. cow hitches slide somewhat okay... actually, the hook stick takes care of that
the book is "decorative fusion knots", it's one of probably a few dozen i have on knots kicking around, but is mostly about the pretty stuff. I 'll have to check it out - I'm a bit of a knot junkie - I don't have a few dozen knot books, but I do have 10 at last count.,

there's some great stuff online (www.animatedknots.com) and many other resources. Thanks for that - I am familiar with it, though.

my favorite knot of late is the "zeppelin hitch"... it's strong, uniform, and easy to deal with. won't quite replace my half-hitch favorite, but close. I'm familiar with the Zeppelin Bend, but knot rolleyes the Hitch. I'll have to check it out.

otherwise, the so called "alpine butterfly" (artillery hitch), is a superb way to make a loop mid-line (mid-bight) that has interesting properties (strong, in-line, can be pulled any direction, symmetrical as possible, multiple methods to tie, easy to untie...

It also can be made into 2 loops with one extra movement. :thumbup:

Thanks for the reply,

Doc

ETA, just added Decorative Fusion Knots to my wish list at Amazon. Thanks for that.

 

[caine]

Bumping this great thread. Alot of good info

 

[DOC-CANADA]

Just thought I would add the video to the nail trap thread.

[video=youtube;-GJTzsseCJk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GJTzsseCJk&feature=youtu.be[/video]

Doc

 

[imaginefj]

Epic thread!

 

[coote]

A well-presented video containing some very useful ideas. Good on yer Doc.

I've been thinking about trapping lately. My parents have had rats in their ceiling on and off for maybe forty years. Before my father passed away, he'd made a real mission out of trying to find out how the heck the little sods got into the roof. And now my brother and I are trying to solve it for our Mother.

The house is plastered with cement, it sits on a continuous concrete foundation which appears to be completely sealed, the roof overhangs the walls by about a foot or more, and we've tied wire netting over the drainpipes from the roof guttering. I've even fitted a plastic funnel to the electric cable attached to the house like the anti-rodent devices they put on ships' mooring lines. I've trimmed all the trees near the house.

There can't be much to eat or drink in the roof space, so the critters are likely to be going in and out fairly regularly. But as yet I don't really have a clue how they are doing it.

So we just keep emptying and resetting the traps in the roof space. I don't really like the idea of drowning rats in a bucket trap, but I think I will probably end up making one. Enough is enough.

We've also noticed quite a few rats and mice in our own yard lately. I've had some deadfall traps set over the last few weeks, but I haven't enjoyed the success I've had on previous occasions (although I did get an unfortunate hedghog that must have pushed its way under the fence). I've been experimenting with the Promontory Peg deadfall trigger, and I've found I can set it quite sensitively...even with the weight being a concrete paving tile. But the bait hasn't seemed to be touched yet. Our factory-made traps have caught a few though.

If I can think of a quick way to rig up a 'bait cubby' to prevent the bait being taken from the wrong side of the snare, I might set a nail trigger spring-up in the back yard for the likes of the particularly big rat I've seen there.

 

[DOC-CANADA]

Epic thread!

Thank you imaginefj - glad you liked it.

A well-presented video containing some very useful ideas. Good on yer Doc.......... I might set a nail trigger spring-up in the back yard for the likes of the particularly big rat I've seen there.

Hey sc, thanks for that and glad to see you in here. Why not try the scissors snare? It seems particularly suited for that. See here..

I have reached some conclusions about the scissors trap that I will be posting shortly.

Doc

 

[coote]

Merci Doc. I look forward to reading your next post on the scissors trap. Best wishes from NZ.

 

[Haze240]

This is just gold. I looked at that trigger and instantly figured it out, it just made sense and I will definitely be trying it out next time I'm in the bush...though of course I can't leave it around to figure out if it REALLY works on critters or not lol. Thanks DOC!

 

[Bladite]

thanks for the improved video...

bucket trap - just the ticket for LOTS of mice, and you don't have to check hourly, daily, just weekly or so. the refined version only has the smallest hole necessary and voila, only bad things goes in. kitty, doggy, etc do not get in.

get those 5 gallon buckets with screw on top adapters, and well, cool.

 

[xtramile]

I got the "obtuse" angle we are looking for I believe. I whipped this thing off in like 5 minutes though, and I have never practiced any types of snares or traps. So any advice or tips would be cool.

I did the two loops on the anchor differently. The pic does not show it well, but each loop is a simple slip knot with a half hitch at the base to prevent the "slip". It serves the same function of an inline figure 8 on a bight, however it ties and unties in three second, and is adjustable. I set the load bearing loop to the desired length, and then using the smaller "trigger" loop as a slip knot to adjust my angle, after that throw a half hitch over it and bobs your uncle.

Wow is this thing hair trigger, the small loop does not even appear to be bearing any load at all! Hope I explained myself well, pretty tired.

XM

 

[Rick Marchand]

XM... looks good but I don't think you have the trigger loop set properly. Not that it wouldn't work but the trigger config Doc shows is more mechanically consistant.

 

[HikingMano]

Doc, thanks for the video! I remember I had a spot of trouble with the angle, and when you pointed it out it was an AHA! Duh! moment. I did fix the problem, but didn't update. I'm gong to try this one again outside and do another video.

 

[DOC-CANADA]

Merci Doc. I look forward to reading your next post on the scissors trap. Best wishes from NZ.

Cheers, sc.

This is just gold. I looked at that trigger and instantly figured it out, it just made sense and I will definitely be trying it out next time I'm in the bush...though of course I can't leave it around to figure out if it REALLY works on critters or not lol. Thanks DOC!

One of the nice things about practising is you don't have to wait until you're "in the bush". It can be done in your living room, back yard, etc. The principles still apply. Anyway, Haze, post pictures when you do.

thanks for the improved video...

bucket trap - just the ticket for LOTS of mice, and you don't have to check hourly, daily, just weekly or so. the refined version only has the smallest hole necessary and voila, only bad things goes in. kitty, doggy, etc do not get in.

get those 5 gallon buckets with screw on top adapters, and well, cool.

You're welcome, Bladite. James Cameron, we ain't but we're working on it.

I got the "obtuse" angle we are looking for I believe. I whipped this thing off in like 5 minutes though, and I have never practiced any types of snares or traps. So any advice or tips would be cool.

I did the two loops on the anchor differently. The pic does not show it well, but each loop is a simple slip knot with a half hitch at the base to prevent the "slip". It serves the same function of an inline figure 8 on a bight, however it ties and unties in three second, and is adjustable. I set the load bearing loop to the desired length, and then using the smaller "trigger" loop as a slip knot to adjust my angle, after that throw a half hitch over it and bobs your uncle.

Wow is this thing hair trigger, the small loop does not even appear to be bearing any load at all! Hope I explained myself well, pretty tired.

XM

Hey xtramile, good on you for trying it out. I'm interested in the way you made your loops with the slip knots. I'm going to have to try that later. I'm also going to think about the way you placed the trigger release knot (the one Rick pointed out). On the surface, it looks good.

XM... looks good but I don't think you have the trigger loop set properly. Not that it wouldn't work but the trigger config Doc shows is more mechanically consistant.

Hey Rick, can you elaborate on "more mechanically consistant"?

Doc, thanks for the video! I remember I had a spot of trouble with the angle, and when you pointed it out it was an AHA! Duh! moment. I did fix the problem, but didn't update. I'm gong to try this one again outside and do another video.

Russel, I'm looking forward to your video.

Doc

 

[Rick Marchand]

Hey Rick, can you elaborate on "more mechanically consistant"?

With the way XM has it set, it is possible for the trigger to "bind/lock" long enough for there to be a risk of not being as effective. It is the same configuration as top portion of the trigger stick. It is possible for the animal to move in such a way that there is enough of a delay to "spook" them into leaving. I have watched squirrels and rabbits approach snares VERY cautiously and "feel" the trap before it is even triggered. Some folks seem to think game runs are places where animals let their guard down... not so. If someone set a human-sized snare in your backyard, you would most likely see it, no matter how comfortable you feel. It is even MORE important to have everything working right. XM's looks pretty good, with the knot well enough on the tapered end of the pencil to be sensitive but I can see more potential for failure than your "loop-under" set.

 

[xtramile]

I see what you are saying, the direction of pull from the actual snare goes up which of course would be less efficient than pulling down.

I will post pics of the slip knot with a half hitch in just a moment. I think it is a pretty cool knot seeings how I have never seen anyone else use it.

Not sure how familiar we all are with knot terminology, but I will explain as best I can.
The first picture is to tie a basic slip knot:
1. round turn
2.form a bight and place it through the round turn
3. pull bight in opposite direction of origin
4. dress

Now this will "slip" to adjust to whatever size you want to, and to lock it in at that size do a half turn at the base:
1. form a round turn on the latter side of the knot
2.snug it down to the base of the bight
3.dress

Now putting it together, the large "anchor" loop is what is pictured in the final step of the above photo. While the small "trigger" loop is in the second step of the above photo. At this point the small loop can be adjusted and locked in perfectly within a matter of seconds.

I left a quarter inch between the two loops to easily distinguish where one begins and ends. Hope this helps explain it better. Any thoughts?

XM

 

[DOC-CANADA]

Hey xtramile, thanks for posting that. I'm going to play around with that a bit as I'm a bit of a knot junkie.

Rick, thanks for the clarification.

Doc