The Best Snare Wire

Ok so this isn't going to be a long thread, in fact i doubt it'll go beyond my own post. However i wanted to inform ATS of my favorite snare wire and why i use it for my survival tin.

Now some people use steel, thin wire, like piano string. This is good but of course it rusts and steel is quit brittle when used a few times. Many people use brass wire, this is brilliant stuff. However i have found something better.

What i have found is plastic coated brass wire. I spotted this in a store selling picture hanging wire. This stuff is triple wound brass wire with a plastic coating. It's incredibly strong, erosion resistant, easy to use, very cheap and basically brilliant.

Just wanted to inform ATS of this discovery of mine

I use multi strand copper wire snares, I buy them then simply leave em in the garden to weather and deodourise for weeks on end before storing them in a ziplock bag, bunnies appear to be able to smell human scent on new snare wire, an old geezer years ago told me to weather them and keep my bare hands from touching them.

reply to post by Northern Raider


This makes a lot of sense however when you set them you will leave your scent on them regardless of the material you use. I am simply talking about the durability and usefulness of the wire. Copper wire is very good but i can tell you that after a few uses it becomes very brittle compared to brass. In fact as someone who keeps bonsai trees i can tell you that copper wire is famed for it's holding power. It is very "memory" responsive and holds it's shape. Brass on the other hand is malleable. Copper is also malleable but in a snaring situation it snaps after a few uses. Copper wire is famed for it's holding strength in bonsai, in cold weather especially it becomes rather stiff.

This plastic coated brass wire i found for picture hanging slips easily over itself, doesn't degrade easily and can be used again and again.

Originally posted by ImaginaryReality1984
reply to post by Northern Raider

 

This makes a lot of sense however when you set them you will leave your scent on them regardless of the material you use. I am simply talking about the durability and usefulness of the wire. Copper wire is very good but i can tell you that after a few uses it becomes very brittle compared to brass. In fact as someone who keeps bonsai trees i can tell you that copper wire is famed for it's holding power. It is very "memory" responsive and holds it's shape. Brass on the other hand is malleable. Copper is also malleable but in a snaring situation it snaps after a few uses. Copper wire is famed for it's holding strength in bonsai, in cold weather especially it becomes rather stiff.

This plastic coated brass wire i found for picture hanging slips easily over itself, doesn't degrade easily and can be used again and again.

Thats odd I was always led to believe copper wire was toxic to trees and shrubs, If copper nails or wire were allowed to get embedded into a tree trunk the tree would slowly die. Strange world we live in.

Originally posted by Northern Raider
Thats odd I was always led to believe copper wire was toxic to trees and shrubs, If copper nails or wire were allowed to get embedded into a tree trunk the tree would slowly die. Strange world we live in.

Bonsai wire is used to wrap around the trunk and not to pierce the bark. If any wire pierces the bark it leaves a scar. The myth isn't just attributed to copper it is anything that pierces bark. Piercing bark can lead to fungal infections which will completely destroy a tree. Here in the UK where i live it is said that hammering iron nails into a tree will kill it. However most trees won't die because of this.

Bonsai wire is wrapped gently around the trunk and doesn't damage the bark beyond one year of growth. However to discuss this we're getting into bonsai trees and nor snare wire so it's off topic

For anyone interested in killing a tree, not that i am encouraging this, i would suggest you ring bark it. Simply speaking the mightiest oak will die if you remove a one inch or even 1cm ring of bark around it's trunk. It's a sad thing to see but people do it. I only know that because bonsais can die from being badly wired.

Originally posted by Northern Raider

Thats odd I was always led to believe copper wire was toxic to trees and shrubs, If copper nails or wire were allowed to get embedded into a tree trunk the tree would slowly die. Strange world we live in.

Sorry to reqote this but i wanted to clear something up.

Naiols are doubtful to kill a tree unless they introduce fungal infection. Wiring can kill a tree by preventing nutrients to flow up and down it's trunk. The xylem and phloem are the channels by which nutrients flow in trees and if you wire a tree badly and let it grow then the wiring can completely cut off nutrients from entering the tree. The wire will eventually be swallowed into the heartwood of most trees and this will result in a spiral effect of the trunk. It's very strange to see.

I use stainless steel welding wire, a 2lb spool is $20 and will last a good long while. It never corrodes, just leave it outside to get the scent and shine off of it. The tensile is slightly higher than carbon steel, so you can use smaller diameter=more feet per pound. Carbon steel welding wire without the copper coating also works, but will eventually rust away. I have always used welding wire because I have it around anyhow and it is wicked cheap for large quantitie.

I felt it was legit to revive:

I have a friend staying over. I requested that if he goes out-back he does not touch my "wire".

1) He immediately realised I was weathering snare wire.

2) A day later he remarked that I had yet uncurled the wire.

!!! NOTE !!!

Make sure your wire is ready for use before weathering. I know this is perhaps common-sense for the educated but it just didn't occur.

The time it will take to assemble the wire and make it ready for capturing critters will undo all the hard work you've made weathering the damn thing.

Keep handling to a minimum.

Something else that works really good and is more flexible than metal wire is heavy guage fly fishing line. It has the plastic coating to protect it and being a cloth material it remains flexible and won't kink like metal.


Works great for trot lines too

[edit on 8-3-2009 by Anuubis]

I used to work in the mines in N Ontario, my partner and I set our snares going to work, checked them after work. Picture wire works like a charm.

I have sucessfully used wire fishing leaders for snares. A fishing leader is either plastic or wire, that generally has a swivel on one end and a small loopclip on the other. With the loopclip and swivel they requite little additional set up other than a catch, and spring branch.

You can even get them in Titanium here: Fishing leaders

I think the undisputed champion of snare wire is galvanized aircraft cable.

It's what the professionals use because it's extraordinarily tough and weathers really well.

As far as cost goes, it's very reasonable, and you'll get many seasons out of your snares.

From what I've read, the best way to get the scent off your traps is to not only weather them, but to smoke them over a fire after each catch (if possible), and wear gloves when re-setting them.

Animals aren't spooked by the scent of burnt wood, but the smell of a man will send them running for their hidey holes.

Hey guys long time reader here but first time poster.

I have been reading these forums for a while now and have learnt a lot about survival but not nearly enough to be able to live in the bush (im australian). I was wondering since i am thinking about starting to learn to trap rabbits mainly what sort of wire would a first timer use?

Can fishing line be used?
Does it have to be wire can it be thin rope?
Any other tips for a first time trapper?

Excellent thread...thank you!

I'll definitely look up some picture hanging wire and learn how to use it.

Lightweight aircraft wire brings in everything from weasel to deer when done with a drag. That is when you attach it to a small log or something that will not holdthe animal completely but slow it down enough to capture. Generally they will lie down after only a short drag .

I smoke it to remove scent as do others here apparently.

A small swivel will increase lifespan and cause less damage to the critter.

Also snares should only be used in a survival situation as they are usually illegal due to effectiveness.

respectfully

reluctantpawn

Would scrap metal-wound guitar-strings work for snares?

My friend replaces the entire string set when he breaks one so has plenty spare...a few bass strings too. The strings have an eye of sorts that hold the string in place when threaded through the fixing at the guitar body that could be used as a loop-point for a snare

Also, would rubbing your bare hands in horse or cow dung work to mask human-scent when handling snares/traps?

Rubbing your hands in earth does de-humanise them, especially if your a smoker.
The next bit I heard when I used to hunt but don't know for deffo if its true: Dont wash your clothes with biological soap powder as your DPMs will reflect UV light and scare the furry animals away.
Leave your snare wire out so it gets weathered prior to use.

Rgds

Originally posted by citizen smith
My friend replaces the entire string set when he breaks one so has plenty spare...a few bass strings too. The strings have an eye of sorts that hold the string in place when threaded through the fixing at the guitar body that could be used as a loop-point for a snare

Shotgun the bass strings. Don't suppose they're double-ball end?

Bass string snares? Yikes!

Trapping bison?

Can fishing line be used? i doubt it would hold its position well but it is more flexible

Fishing line can be chewed through

Not a 1 liner

Rgds