state snaring or CR laws as well as chances of nontarget catches don't let us all compare apples to apples. There is obviously more than one will to kill a coyote. There is begins of some good stuff here.

Theres two or three little tricks that can be done to make a loaded snare wind proof. One is the angle, the other is how close the lock is to the support, the third is for tornadoes and overloaded snares that just won't stay set.

You can also add a slight bend in the cable for the lock to rest in.

That was my third method lol. Bit tricky to get right as its easy to overdo.

You know them when you see them. In your case look in a mirror.

I could never understand why the western snaremen didn't load the cable. It wasn't until I and Tom Krause talked some in-depth about it while I was at Marks coyote academy that I understood why. The winds out there are rough and standard loaded cable or an overloaded cable will fire off just from the wind. I showed Tom my double-loaded cable. and more talk ensued LOL On a properly double-loaded cable, the downward or swing-out fire is very fast but the wind or brush by's do not fire it off, because there is a built-in trigger that keeps it open till the bottom of the cable is pushed down or swung outward. Like Bryan Nelson said, easier to demonstrate than describe. Everything has pros and cons. On a standard loaded cable with a 10-inch loop, the bottom of the loop must move forward 10 to 12 inches before the built-in memory fires the cable shut. On an un-loaded 10 inch loop, the bottom of the loop must swingout 10 to 12 inches and then the animal must drag it shut with the forward movement. The double load, the bottom of the loop only needs to move downward or outward swing 2 inches before it fires closed. yet stay open in wind and brush by's I developed the double load for the stall, where the animal stopped like coming out of the den or working a snare box or beaver stall at the scent pole set.

There are a lot of animals being caught in no-load, standard load, overload, and double load cable. The snaremen has to figure out what he or she needs and why.

Jonesie,

Good insight.
I don't comment as often on TMan anymore as the emphatic words (always, never) seem to be thicker now on here than they used to be. As you say, there are pros and cons to all system, thus claims of "most" can be a bit ambiguous. When you trap various zones from bush to arid, from wooded to flat butt open, from ag to urban... you need to have a tool belt with various tools is my motto.

One of the big reasons Tom doesn't (and I don't either) use 1/19" (stiffer) cable or loaded rigs is that cats will fire those loaded snares too often with no dead kitty in them. They like that soft feel with a bit of a commit before the darn thing cammies and whammies 'em. You lose a few cats and you figure it all out and revise. That's probably the best thing to do - work with your own experience (and some others) to get better.

Hope all is well on that east coast brother!

Yep good here brother. Give your wife a hug for me and hope you are getting through all that course work with flying colors.

Jonesie, good post and yes the wind out here is a real pain

IMO if your snares are getting knocked down by wind you are not using a stiff enough support wire or you are not positioning the snare lock in the correct position. My snares don't close unless the animal pulls fairly hard on the loop, then it slams shut fast. Much like adding pan tension to traps, this ensures they are fully committed before the trap closes. To accomplish this you need a ridged support system and your lock set to travel up and over the top some.

With my set up I'm able to drive the F 150 right down the two track and not knock down my CRs. Well maybe not a 100% Of the time but most of the time. I don't have issues with wind.

IMO the key to stable snares in windy conditions and to avoid brush by knock downs are using a stiff support wire and positioning the lock so that it must climb over the hump. Actually a well loaded snare lock can be set at the 10 or 2 o'clock with no problem in closing quickly.

Second picture a 16 inch loop wolf snare supported by 11ga wire.

Plus I prefer as some others do:
A tear drop shaped loop for a tear shaped (oval shaped) object (animal head with the ears up).
Learned that 35 years ago from Keith Gregerson, who taught at Fur Taker's College and is still out in God's country (MT) showing snaring to many a trapper.

There are many different methods and we should continue to strive to gain experience that makes us better trappers.
Some offer suggestions in the context of - As soon as you figure it all out like I have, you'll see the error in your ways and do what I do

I offer for consideration that in trapping, like in life, there are different strokes for different folks.
Use what is best for your animal species, habitat conditions, etc. and be versatile and adaptable.

I'm happy to still be learning!
Hope to never stop.

I had a ford like that once

Sorry couldnt resist, Beav

Most of my snares use the big washer lock. They fall quick once they get over the top.

And knock the critter out LOL sorry LOL

I agree

Please explain what you mean by “double loaded”.

We will show you at our
South Jersey Trapping and Snaring School

Ttt