Winter snares

[Reeves]

Every now and again I get the urge for some Rabbit (Snowshoe Hare) for a few meals. So , there are two times of year I like to get out for them.
The first is late fall, after they turn white, and before snow fall. Real easy to see them in the bush, use the .22 to take them with.
The next "season" is winter. I'll find a thick bush and look for their trails. I then set up snares, using natural choke points. I also will build a bit of "fence" to help direct them into the snare.
Had 7 set up yesterday. Although a couple of them had been disturbed, none were caught last night. I fixed them up & set a couple more.

[CharlieHorse]

What kind of a deal is that?   Is it some kind of a "springy" wire that closes if disturbed, or does the wabbit have to pull on it to get it to close? 

I'm getting a visual on you during gun season:


                          

Poor widdle wabbits!   

[Reeves]

The wire is very flexable yet holds the shape you make it into.
What happens is, the Wabbit feels the wire when it pokes it's head through the wire, as it travels down it's trail, and folds it's ears down, then the wire tightens as it hits the chest & then it bolts and then its over for Mr. Wabbit.
The wire is then "bent" to the shape of the neck and stays where it is.

I was thinking you need to set up a line on your place, to keep you busy. (saw all the bumped topics  )

When I get them home I skin them. Then remove the inside "stuff" but save the heart and kidneys for the cats (they love this "stuff"  ).
I split/cut the back legs off, then trim off the back. The front legs and rib cage goes into a stew later , when I have enough for a good hearty stew. Boil, remove all the meat (and the floating bone out of each front leg). Then in the slow cooker add all the other good stew stuff ! 

[CharlieHorse]

Looks simple enough.  Funny how an animals reflexes will do them in. Most animals would stop and back up.  Do you do anything with the hide?  You know.....like socks, underwear, Daniel Boone hat?

[Reeves]

Don't keep the hides. Bunny fur isn't a very good fur. If I wanted some good fur, I'd trap some of the weasel species, or get some Coyote fur done etc. that are near by.

Nearly caught what I think may have been a Magpie this afternoon. Checked the snares and bird tracks were all around one snare & it looked like it went through it but didn't "stick".

Talking with the farmer where the snares are now, he says Coons are along the river near his place: not good news at all ! Darn things are / have been moving into AB and more north each year. I tell every hunter I know to shoot/trap every one they see !

[Jake Levi]

Those are excellent type of snares, baiting with chicken livrs have caught a number of predators from mink to coon and fox.

For coon now I like a trap called a 'critter getter', it will catch only coons.

Next season I may well do some trapping from Nov through now, the prices this year seem pretty good.  Could pay for some nice new pens. My Pheasant flight pen is pricing- out scary. But still need it.

[Reeves]

Samwise Gamgee would be proud of these Conies 









Why they are called Snowshoe Hare . (I have big hands).

[hunter3015]

so whens dinner served??? I bring the Beer

[aKirA]

mmm...yummy! Wabbit tastes like chicken! Great catch!

[aKirA]

how could you kill such a cute animal.......    Shame on you!!, poor rabbits.     Those rabbits didnt do anything to you and there you go around killing them.....what message are you sending to todays world......ohh thats looks good let me eat it...thats not right   ...thats cruel....Oh boy

 s15

LOL....so you must think all the animals kill themselves and package themselves to the supermarkets?

[hunter3015]

reeves all i can say is good job

always wonder how the snares worked, there illegal here except for beavers...


thanks for the pics


P.S. theres always one in the crowd (treehugger)

[WHITNEYPLU]

Oh boy another bleeding heart leiberal. Thinks everything from the supermarket has been treated like royality and then humanely sluaghtered, had its guts ripped open and taken out then cleaned and packaged. This is concedered exceptable, yet thining down an overcrowded species of animal in the wild that is competing for an ever ecreasing food source is wrong. Grow up! This is exactally what message I want to send to our kids. Conservation thru hunting and fishing is a good thing. Reeves is not wasting the animal it will be used for what it was intended for......FOOD for us to live. Now go hug a tree, keep trying to take our rights to bear arms and may all you liberals be sterile.

[hunter3015]

there is a place for all god's creatures...............right beside the mashed potatoes an gravy

[Reeves]

I've unlocked this topic so Birdlover can delete her posts.

[Bobwhite quail24]

how could you kill such a cute animal.......    Shame on you!!, poor rabbits.     Those rabbits didnt do anything to you and there you go around killing them.....what message are you sending to todays world......ohh thats looks good let me eat it...thats not right   ...thats cruel....Oh boy

 s15

LOL people make me laugh. I hope you enjoy them Reeves I envy you. Last rabbit I seen my cats were dragging it around the porch.