primitive snaring

[GlisGlis]

Knowing that trapping is highly regulated and in many cases forbidden let's examine the topic from a theoretical and historical prospective
How to make snares in a primitive situation (no modern tool including wire or paracord)?
Every string I'm able to make is pretty coarse.
the eyelet of the snare must be pretty big to slid easily but that also make easy for the game to open the snare
I cant come up with a practical locking system
A spring system to lift the animal is enough to prevent it from getting untied?
Do you know of method actually used in the past?

[Deerhunter21]

I would think trapping was mostly paiute deadfalls and deadfalls. Some deadfalls got so big they could take a deer.

[dylanholderman]

There was a ray mears episode where he talked about a Native American snare meant for rabbits and other small game that would lift there front end off of the ground preventing the critter from chewing through the cord.

[Marc St Louis]

Possibly using a slip knot for the loop might work when using a natural fiber snare.  That way once the animal gets in and sets the snare then it will not slip loose

I've found that snaring Hares in the Winter up here with spring-pole snares doesn't work very well as the pole freeze in its bent shape so I would think that some type of pivoting pole using a weight would probably be what natives used, that's if they used them

[GlisGlis]

Possibly using a slip knot for the loop might work when using a natural fiber snare

I also thought that but it seems that the knot tighten often too early preventing complete grab around the neck
it could be my bad setup. Have to try again

I would think that some type of pivoting pole using a weight would probably be what natives used

Yes. even in non freezing habitats a sapling bent for long time would eventually loose alot of springback

There was a ray mears episode where he talked about a Native American snare

Definitly good documentaries. I like alot Ray Mears. Will try to find this specific one

[Sidmand]

https://mywoodlandgear.com/howto-koolyomka/

Not a snare, but a very effective small game trap/deadfall

[Ed Brooks]

Shawn Woods, on yew tube has cool primitive traps, and uses them on video. Not sure he uses natural cordage but you can. I’ve also seen on, one of the history channel shows, they used willow branch to make a snare and catch or “ have a rabbit in it” at least. Good luck! Ed

[Marc St Louis]

Dead falls don't work in the winter when snow is on the ground.

[GlisGlis]

thnakyou Ed I follow Shawn videos. Probably a version of the deadfalls scissor could be the ticket for small and medium game in primitive situation

thankyou Sidmand
I already knew of koolymka from the documentary "Happy people. a year in the taiga". A real good movie

[Mesophilic]

What about a noose like the one I made below? It slides fine with coarse commercial made grass twine.  I'm sure you could polish/burnish the wood around the hole a bit to make it even more slippery for use with handmade cordage.

[Deerhunter21]

Oooooo! Cool!

[GlisGlis]

What about a noose like the one I made below? It slides fine with coarse commercial made grass twine.  I'm sure you could polish/burnish the wood around the hole a bit to make it even more slippery for use with handmade cordage.

that could be a good solution.
I'm not sure though that making holes is a fast solution to produce many snares in primitive conditions (without a steel awl)

[GlisGlis]

just found on youtube a guy snaring with sinew cordage (search for "lynx sinew snare" or "squirrel sinew snare")
So primitive snaring is a thing
I also made some elm bark cordage. That stuff is really strong even at very thin diameter.
I think it's definitly usable for snaring and for bow string too