rabbit and fox snaring

[robsharpe 1]

have a look here :whistle: 4" loop :11: read for yourselves and make of it what you will NOW POSTED BELOW LINK TAKEN AWAY

 

code of practice

[pegandgun 51]

Its too small to read Rob

[robsharpe 1]

will copy it here , soon as defra site offline at min

[robsharpe 1]

hopefully its all here quoted from the defra website there is a lot

Defra code of practice on the use of

snares in fox and rabbit control

October 2005

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Nobel House

17 Smith Square

London SW1P 3JR

Telephone 020 7238 6000

Website: www.defra.gov.uk

© Crown copyright 2005

Copyright in the typographical arrangement and design rests with the Crown.

This publication (excluding the royal arms and departmental logos) may be reused

free of charge in any format or medium provided that it is re-used

accurately and not used in a misleading context. The material must be

acknowledged as crown copyright and the title of the publication specified.

Information about this publication and further copies are available from:

Wildlife Management Policy

Room 1/09A

Defra

Temple Quay House

2 The Square

Bristol BS1 6EB

Email address: WildlifeIntegrationConservationTeam@defra.gsi.gov.uk

This document is also available on the Defra website.

Published by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Defra Code of Practice on the Use of Snares in Fox and Rabbit Control

This is not a statutory code but is rather a document which lays down

best practice. It also details the legislative provisions in this area.

This Code of Practice on the use of snares is based on the Code of Good

Practice developed in 2005 by the Independent Working Group on Snares

(IWGS). Details about the IWGS, the background to its work, and the review

of snaring it undertook in the development of this document are available in

the Report of the Independent Working Group on Snares (2005) (see section

on Further Information).

The use of snares

Snares are used most commonly in fox and rabbit control but are also set for

a variety of other purposes including, for example, to capture rabbits for food

and foxes in research programmes. In addition to fox and rabbit other target

species that can legally be snared include rats, grey squirrels and mink.

Snaring is subject to legal restrictions and when properly practised is an

effective and relatively humane form of control. Snaring can, however, cause

welfare problems when used incorrectly by creating distress and injury both to

the animals for which the snare is set and through the accidental capture of

non-target species. It is the responsibility of all involved in pest and predator

control to ensure their methods are legal, humane, and carried out with

sensitivity and respect for other countryside users.

The use of snares for fox or rabbit control is only one method available to land

managers to minimise damage to game, wildlife, livestock or crops. Predation

by foxes can be reduced, in some cases, by fox-proofing methods, and fox

numbers reduced by shooting and cage trapping. However killing of cagetrapped

foxes can be difficult using firearms. Likewise, rabbit damage may be

reduced, in some cases, by rabbit-proof fencing and tree guards, and rabbit

numbers reduced by gassing, shooting, killing traps, live-capture traps and

ferreting.

Before using snares or other capture/control methods, an assessment should

be made to determine whether the need (eg regarding damage or the threat

of damage) is sufficient to warrant action being taken, taking into account the

possible welfare impact on target animals and any risks to non-target species.

Where capture/control is deemed to be necessary then an assessment should

also be made of the most appropriate method to use, again taking into

account the welfare impact on target animals and any risks to non-target

species, and steps should be taken to minimise these risks.

If snares are to be used to capture foxes or rabbits or other species for control

or other reasons then this should be done using ‘best practice’. Adherence to

this Code of Practice will ensure that snares are used to high standards and

within the law. Advice is provided at several levels:

• Advice that must be followed – unless otherwise stated the term

‘must’ only applies to compliance with this Code of Practice and

does not refer to a legal obligation. Where there is a legal

obligation this will be clearly stated

• Advice that should be followed in order to achieve Best Practice, any

deviation from which would need strong justification.

• Advice which may be of practical help to you.

Sources for further information on control methods are provided at the end of

this leaflet.

Legal obligations for snare users in England and Wales

Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 it is an offence to set in position

any trap or snare calculated (intended) to cause bodily injury to any wild

animal included in Schedule 6 of that Act which comes into contact with it, or

to use a trap or snare for the purpose of killing such a wild animal; relevant

species listed in Schedule 6 include badger, polecat, otter, red squirrel,

hedgehog and pine marten. Snaring of protected species is not permitted

unless the person has been authorised by a specific licence under section 16

of the Act.

The Deer Act 1991 makes it an offence to set in position any trap or snare

calculated to cause bodily injury to any deer coming in contact with it, or to

use any trap or snare for the purpose of killing or taking any deer.

Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 the use of a ‘self-locking’ snare

is unlawful; only free-running snares can lawfully be set. The term self-locking

is not defined in the Act and there has been no successful prosecution within

a court high enough to clarify the law by legal precedent.

A free-running snare is a wire loop that relaxes when the animal stops pulling,

whilst a self-locking snare is a wire loop that continues to tighten by a ratchet

action as the animal struggles. However, as there is no clear legal definition of

either term, whether a snare is self-locking essentially becomes a question of

fact. There are snares that could act as either free-running or self-locking

depending upon how they are set and a free-running snare may in practice

act as a self-locking snare if, for example, it becomes rusty or is twisted and

kinked by the movements of the trapped animal.

Snaring foxes

In order to comply with this Code of Practice, snares must be set only at sites

likely to be used by foxes. This will maximise the chances of capture and

minimise the risk to non-target species. Snares must not be set where there is

evidence of regular usage by non-target species. Close physical inspection of

the site and field-craft will help determine whether non-targets are also using

the site (see below).

As well as the actual sighting of a fox, signs that indicate their presence

include:

• Fox tracks (footprints)

• Long reddish brown hairs caught on bramble, twigs or wire

• Strong musty smell on prominent objects such as stones, protruding

twigs etc., the smell is most noticeable in warm conditions and

especially in late winter/early spring

• Droppings (‘scats’), with a musty odour and usually in prominent places

but never in pits, latrines or dung scrapes

• Food remains, portions of food may be lightly buried and carry a strong

smell of fox urine, remains of birds include quills of larger feathers

characteristically sheared off as though cut with a knife.

Snares must only be used as a restraining rather than a killing device. Snares

should be set in open sites such as field edges, tramlines, along runs, trails or

tracks, such as vehicle tracks, where foxes are likely to travel through. They

must not be set in sites cluttered by obstacles such as saplings, hedges,

walls, fences or gates, which increase the risk of injury as a result of the

snares becoming entangled.

Preparing snares for use

Maximising the efficacy of snares will mean fewer snares will need to be set

and this will also help to minimise the risk to non-target species. To this end,

efforts should be made to reduce the chances of their detection by target

species.

Some have recommended the following procedures to minimise chances of

snare detection:

That the manufacturer’s lubricant, the scent of the lubricant and the shine of

new snares are removed by placing new snares in a large pan with boiling

water and a small amount of automatic (low froth) washing powder for one

hour, removing any residue on the surface. After one hour the snares should

be boiled for another hour in a pan of boiling water with chips of oak bark, oak

leaves and tea (bags or leaves) and be left to stand in the cooling water for 24

hours. This will stain the snares and disguise them making them less

detectable to foxes and rabbits.

That to re-wax snares, paraffin wax, which has very little odour, should be

used after the boiling process. Mineral oil or aerosol lubricant should not be

used. Snares handled regularly for resetting should be re-boiled regularly to

remove the scent of humans. Once snares are prepared for use they should

be handled as little as possible and kept away from sources of strong scents.

New snares should be re-boiled and re-located to another site after their first

week or so of use. If there is evidence of a near miss, such as the snare being

knocked or drawn up and fur left behind, then the snare should be replaced

with a fresh, scent free one a few metres along the trail.

The greater the number of snares in operation the greater the chances of

capturing foxes but this should be weighed against the greater time necessary

to inspect, maintain and set the snares, and the increased risk of non-target

captures. For this reason the use of snares is usually concentrated in periods

when alternative methods are not viable (e.g. when vegetation cover prevents

shooting) and when the benefits of fox removal are greatest, such as at

nesting time and when poults are released.

How to set snares to capture foxes

1. Free running snares must be used, and these must have a 'permanent

stop' fixed approximately 9" (23cm) from the eye of the snare.

2. The bottom of the loop should be at least 7-7.5" (15/18cm) above level

ground and up to 12†(30cm) in open ground. On banks the height of

the loop can be increased up to 9" (22 cm). In other situations the

height may be modified to reduce non-target captures.

3. Snares should incorporate a strong swivel near the anchor point and

also at a position closer to the noose. The wire must not be less than

460lbs (208 kilos) breaking strain. To avoid animals escaping while still

entangled in the snare, with potentially serious welfare consequences,

the fastenings should be designed so that the weakest point is at the

eye.

4. Snares should be supported by a suitable 'tealer' or set-stick pushed

firmly into the ground. Tealers made from stiff wire are easy to conceal,

set and make.

5. Snares must be firmly anchored so that they can on no account

become free (because of the great risk to welfare that this would

cause). Drags should not be used.

6. You must ensure that snares are free running at the time they are set

and remain so during their use. Snares that are frayed or damaged

must be disposed of safely.

7. Avoid leaving scent on the snare and the area around the snare by

rubbing your hands with soil and wearing clean rubber boots. Set the

snare whilst standing or crouching rather than kneeling down.

8. Try not to disturb the run and try not to broaden it.

9. You must adapt your procedures for setting snares in the light of

experience, particularly to minimise the risks to non-target species (see

below).

Snaring rabbits

In order to comply with this Code of Practice, snares must be set at the time

and place that maximises the chances of catching a rabbit and minimises

risks to non-target species. Snares must not be set where there is evidence of

regular usage by non-target species. Close physical inspection of the site and

field-craft will help determine whether non-targets are also using the site (see

below).

As well as the actual sighting of rabbits, signs that indicate their presence

include:

• Burrows

• Rabbit sized holes in fencing

• Clearly defined rabbit sized runs

• Latrines of rabbit droppings

Rabbit snares should be set on well-used rabbit runs, in short vegetation,

close to the harbourage from which rabbits gain access to crops. They must

not be set in sites cluttered by obstacles such as saplings, hedges, walls,

fences or gates, which increase the risk of injury. Sites that pose the risk of

fatal entanglement should be avoided.

How to set snares to capture rabbits

1. Rabbit snares should be constructed with 3 or 4 -stranded brass wire

(doubled so that whilst there are 3-4 strands around the eye, there are

6-8 in the noose) with a loop of 4†(10 cm) diameter for the head of the

rabbit. The snare must have a fixed stop about 5†(14 cm) from the

‘eye’ of the snare.

2. You must ensure that snares are free running at the time they are set

and remain so during their use. Snares that are frayed or damaged

must be safely disposed of.

3. The loop should be positioned 3†(9cm) above the ground using a short

notched stick, the ‘tealer’.

4. The free end of the wire must be securely tethered by a strong, rotproof

cord attached to a peg that is driven firmly into the ground. It

must not be possible for the snare to become free because of the

serious welfare consequences that could ensue.

5. Avoid leaving scent on the snare and the area around the snare by

rubbing your hands with soil and wearing clean rubber boots. Set the

snare whilst standing or crouching rather than kneeling down.

6. Try not to disturb the run and try not to broaden it.

7. You must adapt your procedures for setting snares in the light of

experience, particularly to minimise the risks to non-target species (see

below).

How to avoid capture of non-target animals

When setting snares every effort must be made to avoid the capture of nontarget

and protected species. As stated above, snaring of protected species is

not permitted unless under the authority of a specific licence. Knowledge of

the tracks, trails and signs of both target and non-target species is essential. If

there is evidence of other species regularly using a site then snares must not

be set. Pay particular attention to the following:

Badgers:

Signs that indicate the regular and frequent use of paths by badgers include:

• Well worn paths

• Badger tracks (footprints)

• Coarse grey hairs with black tips, caught on bramble, twigs or wire

Snares must not be set on or near to a badger sett, or on the runs radiating

from a sett. These can be identified by:

• Signs of excavation linked by well-defined paths

• Signs of bedding near the sett entrance

• The presence of dung pits.

Domestic pets:

Snares must not be set on or near public footpaths, rights of way, near

housing and areas regularly used for exercising domestic animals to avoid

capturing pets.

Deer:

Signs of the presence of deer include:

• Deer slots (tracks).

• Droppings.

• Signs of browsing or frayed saplings.

Snares should not be set in holes through or under fence lines, in gaps

through hedges or under gateways, particularly where roe or muntjac are

present.

Snares should not be set along-side fence lines, particularly when they pass

through woodland, where deer may travel alongside them. Snares should not

be attached to fences, as this increases the risk of entanglement and injury.

Livestock:

Snares must not be set where livestock are grazing.

Snares should not be set along side fence lines because cattle and other

livestock often lean over or push through to graze the grass on the opposite

side.

You should agree with farmers and landowners when and where snares are

to be set to avoid contact with livestock and horses.

Otters:

Signs of otter activity include:

• Otter tracks (footprints).

• A regular feeding place such as a rock in midstream, which may be

recognised by assorted food remains such as fish bones.

• Latrines of droppings (spraints).

Snares should not be set on tracks along the side of watercourses of any size.

Snares should not be set on or under footbridges, fallen trees or logs

spanning watercourses. Where snares are used for mink control particular

care should be taken and, if necessary, other methods used.

Hares:

Where hares are present particular attention should be given to site selection

and, if necessary, other methods of fox or rabbit control used.

Inspection of snares

It is desirable that animals are dealt with as soon as possible after they are

caught. During the winter, in order to comply with Best Practice, snares must

be inspected as soon after sunrise as is practicable, and should again be

inspected near dusk. In summer snares must be inspected before 9 am, and a

further inspection should be conducted in the evening.

Humane killing of foxes

Snared foxes must be killed quickly and humanely by a shot at close range

from a rifle, shotgun or pistol. A .22 rim fire rifle or a shotgun is suitable. Air

weapons must not be used, as they are not sufficiently powerful. The shot

should be aimed to the head because this maximises the chance of

immediate and irreversible loss of consciousness. Due care must be taken to

avoid the risk of ricochet. However if the animal is constantly moving it may be

necessary to aim for the heart and immediately follow this up with a shot to

the head. Insensibility and death should be confirmed by absence of corneal

reflex (failure to blink when the surface of the eye is touched), and absence of

breathing. The body must be disposed of responsibly, e.g. by deep burying

(more than a metre).

Humane killing of rabbits

Once removed from the snare, a rabbit may be humanely killed by holding it

firmly and giving a strong blow to the head with a heavy stick. This must

always be followed by a second blow and death confirmed by the absence of

breathing and/or the eye-blink reflex. Breaking the neck is also a suitable

method but is an acquired skill. After the neck has been broken, ensure that

dislocation is complete by feeling the spinal cord between the dislocated

vertebrae; pinching the spinal cord will ensure that any reflex kicking subsides

quickly.

Release of non-targets from snares

If, despite following the advice given previously, a non-target animal is caught,

the most appropriate course of action needs to be considered. Unless the

animal is badly injured and has to be killed on humane grounds, it must be

released immediately. It should be remembered that if humane despatch is

deemed to be appropriate then the snare user may be called upon to justify

their actions in a court of law.

Releasing non-target animals from snares can be difficult but the following

course of action should be followed. The animal’s struggles should be limited

by shortening the wire so that it can then be cut at the noose in order to

ensure that no part of the snare remains on the animal. The wire must never

be cut anywhere else in the hope that the noose will fall off later.

Non-target animals (e.g. dog, cat) caught by the neck and likely to bite can be

released with the help of a garden fork. This can be achieved in the following

way. Take the fork and walk to the snare’s anchor point. Put the fork tines

over the wire and run them out along the wire close to the animal’s head.

Then push the fork into the ground (without using a foot to avoid the risk of

being bitten). This pins the animal by the neck. A blunt hook can be slipped

under the wire enabling it to be raised from the neck and then to be cut with

wire cutters.

Great care must be taken to avoid injuring the animal and to avoid being

bitten. Badgers, dogs or cats caught around the body, rather than the neck,

are far more difficult to control. Offering such animals a stick to bite may keep

them occupied long enough to cut the noose. If the captured animal has been

seriously injured it must be humanely despatched using a firearm, as

described above.

Further development of knowledge and skills

All those using snares should maintain awareness (by reading, attending

training courses etc.) of developments in the field, for example of any

improvements in snare design and/or methods of use.

Further information

IWGS (2005) Report of the Independent Working Group on Snares.

Available from: Defra Publications, Admail 6000, London Sw1A 2XX, or the

Defra website www.defra.gov.uk .

Preben Bang and Preben Dahlstrom (2001) Animal Tracks and Signs.

OUP Pocket Guide Series, 264 pp., Oxford University Press. ISBN:

0198507968

Simone Bullion (2001) A Guide to British Mammal Tracks and Signs.

Field Studies Council Occasional Publication 66. 8 pp. Field Studies

Council. ISBN: 1851538763

[pegandgun 51]

What a pack of ignorent,useless,knowledgeless arseholes.Who the hell gives these arseholes there info.Can they not afford to buy Dvd/videos that tell the twats the propper ways to use wires :realmad:

[woodga 170]

What a pack of ignorent,useless,knowledgeless arseholes.Who the hell gives these arseholes there info.Can they not afford to buy Dvd/videos that tell the twats the propper ways to use wires :realmad:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

what peg and gun has said mirrors my comments these wankers know absolutly nothing about snaring fecking pen pushers :realmad: :realmad: good hunting all woodga :ph34r:

[Guest Geordie]

Ive said it before but,theres them that be,theres them that wanna be,and theres them that will always wanna be,an never has a truer word been spoken :11:

 

Up the Trappers

[pegandgun 51]

I find it hard to believe that these people are giving the general public advice on snaring codes and not a single one of them have ever set a snare,and if they have ide like to have seen it.

To me these arseholes mirror all authoritys in general,people who know f**k all and get paid big wages for knowing f**k all.WANKERS!!!!!!!

[moorman 0]

Does that mean you don't agree with it then P & G.

[pegandgun 51]

:11: :11: