I got one !!

[Coote 5]

I managed to snare one of the rabbits in the "no shooting" area tonight (that I referred to in an earlier post). It wasn't a great feat of skill and woodcraft because the rabbits are fairly used to people, and because I simply set the snare over a hole under the storage container where they had been living. But it was rather satisfying. I've bagged many rabbits with a rifle, but this is only the second one I've snared.

 

 

The picture shows the type of snare I used. A ground peg, a split stick tealer, and a noose made from a twisted and doubled length of monofilament fishing nylon. I must hastily add here that there are no rules that I am aware of in my country stating what a snare must be made of. So I urge any young folks reading this to find out the local laws regarding snares before following my example. Wire is a much easier material to use anyway. Still... it shows what is possible.

 

Interestingly, this rabbit was caught by a back leg. The noose was fairly small because the hole I set it over was small, but the rabbit must have climbed nearly right through the noose before it tightened.

 

Best wishes to all..... Coote

[pegandgun 51]

Coote,you have caught that rabbit by pure luck with no skill at all.Listen carefully and follow these instructions and you will catch as many rabbits as you want.Get rid of your fishing line snares because rabbits are going to bite through the line.Use brass or copper or even thin stainless steel snares. Set the snares on open runs,right over the little beats that they leave..Set the snare at five and a half inches to the bottom of the noose and use a 5"x7" loop.You will need a longer tieler,approx 10" long.

[IanB 0]

If you pm me with your address i will send you some propper snares and tieler pegs over to you,i will even send you a dvd on how to snare the little fuckers propperly

 

Your going to get loads of people wanting freebies....

[Guest Dillon]

A good bit of snaring there Peg, good pic

[Coote 5]

Man.... what a heap of rabbits !! What do you do with them all? It would take a while to skin and gut them.

 

Mr Pegandgun, that is a very kind offer to send me the snares and the DVD. I'd feel a bit awkward receiving these things totally free of charge - particularly the DVD - - and I have sent you a private message about this. But I am excited at the prospect.

 

Unfortunately rabbits aren't as plentiful as they were in my part of New Zealand. A few years back somebody illegally introduced the calicivirus disease and the bunnies virtually disappeared. They are coming back in pockets, but I don't see them like I used to. I can certainly understand why somebody introduced the virus... rabbits are considered to be a huge problem on some farms.

 

My current rabbit project is in a very public part of my town and I have to stand watch over my traps. I haven't seen any tracks or beats....the grass here is very short, and it is very dry being the middle of summer. I can't leave any traps set when I am not there because of the multitude of people and pets. I have accounted for four rabbits since I was asked to get them a short time ago... one in a leg trap, the one shown in the picture, and two with arrows. There are possibly another three to catch... and then the local sightings and panic should subside significantly - although there will be other animals on the surrounding hillsides which may take up residence under the same building eventually. If I'd had permission to use an air rifle, the job would be largely over by now. But by having to improvise I have had a lot of fun and my research has put me in touch with you guys. Trapping is heaps more satisfying, and requires more skill than shooting.

 

But while my current hunting area isn't very suitable for setting out dozens of snares, there are other places I can go where your snares will be just the thing. And by learning about your rabbit and hare catching techniques, I can perhaps adapt this time-proven knowledge to my possum trapping. Currently I use braided cord for possum snares (with reasonable success), but I know that wire snares will really speed up the operation because they will be quicker to set. The cord snares are a bit fiddly because the noose isn't stiff enough to stay open by itself. I generally have to use two tealers.

 

It was interesting to see the black rabbits in your photo. When I used to do a lot of rabbit shooting, we would see the occasional black rabbit down here too..... possibly in the same proportion as shown in your picture... lots of normal bunnies and one or two blacks.

 

I really appreciate this site, and the support and guidance of the members. We don't seem to have much of a history of snaring in this country, and I haven't been able to find anybody with experience down here to teach me what to do. I should progress much faster now.

 

Best wishes.... Coote