Types of Hunting Traps

A Brief History About Humans and the Use of Traps

The vast history of humankind is inextricably intertwined with hunting. Even though human society has developed, hunting has ceased to be an obligatory attribute of the civilized world. It has not disappeared into oblivion. On the contrary, it has evolved, and obtaining food has developed into entertainment and even sports.

Hunting strategies and objectives have changed:

• In primitive society, hunting was the fundamental method of getting food. It was also part of ancient customs and magical rituals. Nevertheless, in a later period, it already became a diversion for the nobility and the aristocracy.
• Nowadays, hunting for someone is an excellent method to spend time. For others, it is a business of manufacturing and selling hunting equipment.

In a generalized chronological period, the history of the hunt looks like this:

• The Paleolithic period is characterized by an extremely low level of tools of labor and hunting. For hunting, mainly sticks, spears, vast pieces of stones were used.
• The gradual transition of nomadic tribes to a sedentary life led to the emergence of large settlements. And considering constant hunting, the amount of meat near such settlements was significantly reduced.
• The productivity of hunters has increased sharply. It made it possible to start storing meat for future use and catch young animals with subsequent domestication.
• In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the feudal system collapsed, and hunting was recognized as a free occupation.

Hunting, Traps, and Ethics

Even though hunting with traps is the most humane way of catching an animal, not all hunters rigorously support the elementary principles of their application. In particular, traps can provoke significant physical injury to the creature. Therefore, it is necessary to control the equipment for catching animals constantly. Otherwise, the suffering of the animal can be prolonged.

If necessary, you can set not one but several traps in a particular area for catching wild animals. Accurately installed equipment will help you achieve results from the first day after installation. Since animals can be both daytime and nocturnal, the optimal time to check for traps is the first and last rays of the sun. You should better bear in mind that an effective animal trap must be very sensitive, so it may well be triggered by accident.

Trapping Ethics

Trapping wild animals is viewed by many as an ethically questionable method of hunting. Most of the controversy on this topic occurs due to a lack of mutual understanding between the parties and a lack of objective information.

Among the fundamental principles of hunting standards:

• Firstly, every hunter, in one way or another using an object of nature, is obliged to compensate for the damage caused to it. Such compensation can be different. This is enthusiastic participation in nature protection activities, personal labor participation in biotechnical projects — preparing supplies for feeding wild animals, the arrangement of feeders, salt licks, artificial nests, etc. This is also the payment of funds for hunting management in fees for vouchers and licenses, membership fees to societies, etc.
• Each hunter is obliged to promote the hunting standards and present a personal example in their strict implementation, to conduct explanatory work among other hunters and the local population about the need to appreciate nature. He cannot calmly pass by the facts of poaching, cases of damage to natural resources.

What are the patterns of behavior for a hunter when he is on hunting grounds? First, it must be mentioned that a genuine hunter constantly treats wild animals with respect. What does it mean? A hunter should not take advantage of the plight of animals and birds for their prey, for instance, during floods, icy conditions, cutting snow crust, drought, when animals gather at a single source of water, and in other comparable situations. A real hunter will not shoot at shedding birds, incapable of flying, lambs, a bird trying to take the hunter away from chicks.

Types of Traps

There are numerous types of hunting traps and trap mechanisms. They apply four principles:

• hit;
• strangulation;
• hanging;

Impact trap usually hits, the loop chokes or delays. Springy settings can make the trap more powerful and lift prey off the ground. The higher the tree, the more reliably it hangs the victim. The net often immobilizes when some pitfalls can combine several of these principles.

Foothold Traps

The foothold trap is one of the most widespread trapping systems for animals. Trap hunting is passive but no less effective because of this. The secrets of victorious hunting are passed down from generation to generation.

Foothold traps are self-traps, which are the most ancient tools for catching forest animals, such as:

• marten;
• fox;
• wolf;
• sable and others.

For the hunt’s success, you should know the habits of the animal, be able to set a trap correctly, apply weld and bait.

Body Gripping Traps

The principle of operation of this example of types of hunting traps is an imbalance in the structure by the intervention of the creature, which stimulates the trigger. There are two types of intervention: an animal’s attempt to get bait from a trap and when it grazes the guard thread on the path.

Body gripping traps are placed on any animal, except ungulates. The most straightforward watch mechanism is a massive slug resting on a vertical stick, under which there is a bait plank; the creature, taking the bait, brings down a slug on itself. More serious traps were made with unique cameras so that the injured animal did not fall victim to predators.

Snares

A snare is a wire or rope loop installed so that the animal must stick its head into it. In this case, the circle is tightened, damaging the victim.

When placing snares, examine them systematically. It is unfortunate if an animal of different species, bigger, is caught in a loop placed on a particular type of animal. The snare can be tightened not on the neck but the paw of the animal. Then it can gnaw off the trapped foot or, by attempting to relieve itself, attract the attention of another predator. In the latter case, your prey may not be yours at all. Consequently, you need to monitor traps and snares more often to ensure that they are performing their function.

Cage Traps

The trap cage is one of the most humane means of trapping animals:

• The trap cage has a unique mechanism that slams the gate after the animal enters.
• The animal is lured into the cage with bait, which is installed inside the cage.

This is a very effective device, as the animal runs inside for the bait, and the cage doors close, not allowing it to exit. This hunting method can be considered one of the most civilized.

Fishing Traps

In addition to fishing with a line and spinning rods, many other fishing methods are applied. One of the easiest ways is fishing with a trip. A trap set at the end of the pier or next to thickets of reeds is an excellent trap for fish, which traps perch and pike. You can trap tench, roach, live bait in shallow waters, and in winter, the burbot is caught under the ice at shallow depths.

Survival Traps

In survival circumstances, traps can protect the hunter. There are survival traps for this. They will help you capture animals, which will give you valuable meat. In contemporary hunting, the most extensively used are hunting rifles and self-traps — traps, wooden traps, trapping nets, boxes, and other snares, less often hunting animals.

Traps and Law

Hunting is controlled by law, so permission to use traps must additionally be monitored. Therefore, there are some prohibitions on hunting. For rational use of hunting animals, protection of wild animals, as well as their habitat, it is prohibited:

• Hunt without individual permission.
• Hunting at prohibited circumstances, namely at restricted hunting periods for the corresponding species of animals.
• Hunting with the application or use of prohibited weapons and forbidden methods.

Final Words

Hunting is stalking and capturing animals and birds that are wild and in a state of complete freedom. Depending on the purposes, hunting is conventionally distinguished between commercial, sports-amateur, and scientific. Hunting for animals and birds is carried out both on the scale of industrial hunting and on beginner or sports hunting. The only difference between them is that the captured animals are handed over to state organizations during commercial hunting. During amateur one, the prey remains in personal use.

Hunting for wild animals and birds is one of the most ancient branches of human activity. It’s known to almost all communities. Hunting rules provide for the use of hunting firearms, the assistance of hunting dogs, or hunting birds by any citizen who is a member of the hunter society.

One of the problems is the constant misunderstanding of the significance of hunting with traps. Yet, for numerous experienced trappers, trap hunting is one of the most effective conservation measures. For instance, the hunter helps endangered species such as the partridge by trapping predators such as foxes or raccoons.