I have quite a few 1/16 1x19 snares for cats. I’m wondering if I added a mid cable Rosco swivel they do for beaver? Swivel right behind loop. Anyone use 1/16th in a pinch?

All my beaver snares are 1/16 1x19. Mid swivel. Snares are almost reusable most times

Yup, I use 1x19 1/16 exclusively for beaver swiveled at the loop. 5/32 7x7 from there.

Loop not reused but everything else can be if no entanglement twisting of the 5/32.

Standardize your loop diameter and fasten a swivel like you stated is what I have done through trial and (a lot of) error (for 50 years). Consider a swivel that you can attach/swap out your extension w/o cutting cable should you catch a beaver and the extension is still ok to use. Quality split rings will work with a Roscoe or the std wire swivels can be looped around/with the extension. And consider using the best lock you can afford as beaver will use their hands to try to get the snare off (watch any wildlife video that shows them preening themselves - they are good with their hands!). I have used 1/19_and 7X7 from 1/16th up to 3/32 with good results for holding but the smaller cables seem better for fur trapping pelt care. Here's one with 3/32 - 7X7 - 3' loop, STD wire twist swivel, sure lock and 5' of 3/32 extension that a coyote got to before I did................................. the mike

Got a lot of beaver in cat snares. It’s all I buy now. Work well on fox, and I am using them on coyote too.
Much easier to just buy fast, thin, loaded cat snares for everything. Happy choice for me for sure.
Jim

My experience has been that as long as the snare fires/closes properly on a good catch and cable binding is prevented, all of the typical cable sizes work fine. My favorite 1x19 beaver snare size is 5/64” but I would choose 1/16” over 3/32” if given the choice between those two, all else being equal.

To me, this means using a swivel while trying to reduce risks of non-lethal entanglement when possible to minimize cable binding/twisting/failure OR using underwater entanglement to my advantage (beaver snare KPs) and submersion rigs with a short snare.

I prefer a swivel immediately behind the loop no matter the cable size. I have had snares of all cable sizes I use fail from the smallest mink cable that I’ve used all the way to 1/8” on hogs. I have to say that in my experience these failures happened when the snare lost the ability to swivel or didn’t have a swivel to begin with, which is why I now use swivels on every snare I build.


I do build a few that are just a snare with a fixed loop or snare swivel end. I use these as refills. When a catch is made on one of my standard anchored beaver snares/extension and I feel the location may produce more, I cut the used snare and attach the refill to the anchored extension’s swivel.



Your mileage may vary

I use 1x19 1/16th from mink to coyotes and everything in between. Neck snaring DOA

I'm certainly not even close to the most experienced beaver snareman in the presence of the TM legends but I would be very hesitant to use 1/16. I've had numerous beaver nearly chew through 5/64. Only a handful of individual strands were left. Was this just my luck? It's only been the dominant males do it.

Thoughts?

I've never had a beaver snare remotely damaged other than some kinks where it wrapped the extension around a tree and the typical kink behind the lock. Running a 32-40" snare then a swivel the extension pretty much eliminates all damage to the cable and greatly cuts down on damage to the fur

My experience has been that with 1x19 5/64” cable, beaver arent going anywhere, swivel or no swivel. I have lassoed something like 500 beavers with them on dry land, and in water/shoreline situations (none under ice ever for me), and while I have had a rare few that worked on the cable enough to have only a few strands left holding, but I dont recall ever actually having one break or chew the cable and get away. Probably 95% or more are alive when I get there. I do know others who have had beaver work and break cable with similar setups and no swivel, but I guess it just hasnt happened to me yet. And if one does, one in over 500 wont bother me too awful much. Maybe 2/3rds of these 500+ beavers were caught with no swivel at all on the snare, after I stopped messing with the swivels years ago.
Now raccoons are another story. I have lost them due to cable being twisted/chewed and broken using 1x19 5/64” both with and without swivels (entangled so swivel stopped working). If I were after raccoons I would definitely use swivels and try to keep the swivel working, but beavers just dont seem to get away. I have always bought cable from Newt, for what its worth.
I have had a lot of discussions about swivels on beaver snares, and people who’s opinion and experience I respect sometimes disagree, and I am not saying they are wrong, but we all use what works for our situation and needs, and for mine swivels appear to be unnecessary on 1x19 5/64” cable.

I tried 1/16 twice, and both times the beavers chewed through the cables. I've not had that problem with 5/64 and 3/32,.

In case anyone has long 1x19 snares and want to rework them I am cutting mine in half and they’re still long enough to make two snares with barrel swivels and I will use 3/32 for the tail end. i have both 1/16 and 5/64 1x19 snares. It’s interesting that some use 1/16 with no problems and some have.

Those with the problems are probably not using a good in line Barrel swivel paired with 1x19 cable. Placement of the swivel should be as close to the animal as possible. Not at the anchor.

Yup, the key to 1x19 or any cable for that matter is to avoid hard kinks and bends then twisting that. If you open up the twist then start flexing it's working on the individual strands and they will fail.

Keep things short with a swivel between connections and avoid entanglement or use 7x7 if entanglement is expected.

Why 7x7? Going to a bigger cable might help but 7x7 comes apart a lot easier than 1x19 will.

?

edited

It does but I go to a larger size for my extensions and swivel the ends plus keep the extensions short, 36". If I need longer I daisy chain extensions for more swivels.

Almost all of my beaver snaring is more or less dry land or very shallow at pull outs or dam breaks. Even when in water it's rarely knee deep.

I read that as a 3’ circumference loop - like the cable length of the loop is 3 feet long. Would allow around 10 to 12” (inch) diameter circle size when set. Made sense to me.