How to Trap With Steel Traps
- 1). Locate the animals you plan to trap by looking for signs of their activity. The most common signs are tracks in the soft dirt or mud, partially eaten food, and fecal droppings. Set the traps in the areas where the animal activity is present.
- 2). Select a place to set the trap. This can be in front of den holes, on trails the animal follows or on top of beds of vegetation where muskrat and beaver are feeding. Artificial sets can be made by digging a fake den or placing bait beyond the trap so the animal has to step in the trap to reach it.
- 3). Set the trap by pushing down on the single spring or both springs at the same time so the jaws drop open. Lay the trigger over the jaw, lift the trap pan, and place the end of the trigger in the notch on the side of the pan. With longsprings pull the spring or springs toward the trigger side of the trap until they stop this will let the trap sit flat.
- 4). Dig a shallow hole where you want the trap to be placed so the top of the set trap is just below ground level. Twist a double strand of rebar wire onto the trap chain ring and tie the other end of the wire to a solid object so the animal can’t run off with the trap.
- 5). Position the trap so the animal has to step between the jaws and not over one of them. Be sure the trap pan is positioned slightly right or left of center as the animal’s legs are to either side of its body, not in the center.
- 6). Cover the trap lightly with whatever is natural to the area. Bait and a commercial animal lure can be placed beyond the trap to entice the animal to the set.
- 7). Place traps in water for water animals in the same manner, but not deeper than two inches or the swimming animal’s feet will pass over the trap. Stretch the wire out into the water and tie it to a stake driven into the bottom so the animal will swim out into the water where the weight of the trap will pull it under and it will quickly drown.
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