1/19 I would assume? But looks to hang like 7 by 7. I would be interested in seeing one of those big wolf sized 1/16th inch snares loaded up heavily. Certainly if you had the top of the teardrop wanting to head in a horizontal it would give you some additional surface area covered on top.
I am surprised that 5/64 is not the preferred cable for the killer springs. Not much margin for error on the 1/16th if they get a chance to fight much. Will be great to get your assessment on how they work.

This is the first time I have noticed the "trigger apparatus" used with the killing springs. Are your snares equipped with these by chance?
http://www.snareshop.com/prodinfo.asp?number=SPTRIG
After your snare is built you compress the spring with the Senneker Setting Tool and hook the trigger over the spring. Once the snare is around the animals neck the spring will fire resulting in a humane kill.



So the animal does not have to compress the spring when pulling. It is precompressed and then exerts additional pressure when the snare is pulled to its tightest, releasing the trigger. This happens from the final stages of pressure from the animal pulling. A lot of extra gizmos for sure. But if it allowed you to use 1/16th inch cable for wolves I can see where it would be very advantageous.
Not sure how these would work to create a loaded snare. Have to experiment.

That's the setup Len. Like I said this is my first use of them. hard to load I suspect but think I'll give it a shot.

You can set the spring without the senneker tool with just a pair of plyers once you anchor the snare. you slip jaws of plyers a bit loose over snare cable and pull towards you until springs compress and you slip lock on. One slipped and nailed end of my finger! OUCH

Lots of good info there Len. Most of the wolf snares I use are built where only the loop is cable, the tie end is #9 wire. Since the cable is all used in the loop you can bend the tip of the #9 wire up and really keep the loop opened up.

The best advice I ever got when it came to snaring wolves was from a guy who averages 25-30 a year. He said the biggest mistake guys make is messing around the set to long trying to get the loop perfect, and leaving to much scent in the process. His motto was hang them and go. He also set his snares pretty high.

I have always felt that when guys get a front leg through they are setting to low. Dont have any good pictures but I set my wolf snares pretty high, and seldom ever load them. They do have more of a teardrop shape than the loaded ones pictured here, but not nearly as much as the last picture Len posted. That is a pretty drastic teardrop, and not the type of location I would set a snare.

Okay Brian were all placing bets on this set whether it can produce a wolf if he comes by. Then we will have a host of new ammunition to talk about. ;0)
Keep us posted on this set. Any follow up pictures will be appreciated.
Discussion on trapping is better than no trapping at all right now. ;0)

Example of "pretty high"? I've always put the bottom of the loop at or just above knee hight.

yep that exactly how i set mine.

So are you 5' tall or 6'6" ? How high are your knees? LOL

I'm 5'10" and the snare height is actually higher than my knees. If a coyote walks under my snare I figure I'm doing something right. I want the bottom of snare to just hit under the chin.

I like the bottom of the loop to be 16-18 inches off the snow, higher on downhill grades or anywhere I think a wolf will have his head up high looking ahead.

I set mine at least knee high and heavily loaded and caught a fox yesterday. He was running wide open down the trail by his tracks and I got him mid jump.
will be interesting to see if the 1/16 holds up. When I get this 1/8 used up I'm going to try smaller but maby not that small.
A guy talked me into 1/16 with power rams and I lost 3 wolves before I got them all switched back.

Just saw this..holy whatever a great word is to put here...!!!!!

The landscape.. Oooh the lands,skies, snow..the everything there is soooo incredibly beautiful. How are you breathing! It's breathtaking!

Enjoying this thread already as well and will continue reading each page like eye candy!!!

"I wonder what's the matter with him" he's thinking

awesome, second marten, paul??? what ya doing down there?

Wow... great sequence ! Thanks for posting.

Incredible pics.

Bushman- I'm still a snaring rookie but I use Marty's system on coyotes. If you bend the cable at the S hook it rounds the loop out quite a bit. My apologies if that was obvious to you but I couldn't tell in your pics if it was bent. It makes a pretty big difference.

Cool pics!

Great pics Brian, how's your marten population this season?
Seems their down in the northern part of the province, most
guys i have talked to are down 50-75% from
previous years.

Great series of pictures