The way those ratchets hang up with me that would not be a live release device for me...

Yeah, release looks tough.

Like the effort.

One thing to me is that it looks like it will close too slow. The critter might sense something wrong and wiggle out before you get it closed enough. I might be wrong, good day goophing off in the cellar is a good day. I'm jealous which is quite common. Anyway a nice project done.....jk

I used this ratchet because it’s super smooth… you grab the standing end of the webbing, give it a light pull and it unrolls smoothly… I guess we will see in practical terms how it works soon enough. What do you think would work better? I have more top rail etc I’ll make another prototype!

I’ll try to describe the one I built… I took a 5-foot piece of metal conduit about 1 inch OD. Then I took a hacksaw and holding the conduit up and down I sawed a notch in the end about 1 ½” deep and wide enough for a small chain link to fit in it. Then I got a 6 foot piece of chain (small dog chain) and a 2’ piece of 1/8" cable. I attached one end of the cable to one end of the chain by running it through the last chain link and using a 1/4" nut mashed on the cable. Then using a drill, drill a small hole through the side of the conduit 1” from the opposite end you cut the notches in. run the other end of the cable through this hole and use a single ferrule to attach the cable to this hole. Then drop the chain back through the conduit. This will leave a cable loop at one end and the chain sticking out the other end of the conduit. To catch the animal, put the loop over the animals neck pull the chain and hook it in the notch on the back of the pole. To release them pull the chain out of the notch and let it slip back through the conduit.

This little cheap pole is great for releasing small critters you don’t want to kill.

I’m sure that’s all clear as mud. Here are some pictures....








Here it is in action releasing an otter...



~ADC~

I used this ratchet because it’s super smooth… you grab the standing end of the webbing, give it a light pull and it unrolls smoothly… I guess we will see in practical terms how it works soon enough. What do you think would work better? I have more top rail etc I’ll make another prototype!

I used this ratchet because it’s super smooth… you grab the standing end of the webbing, give it a light pull and it unrolls smoothly… I guess we will see in practical terms how it works soon enough. What do you think would work better? I have more top rail etc I’ll make another prototype!

I’ll try to describe the one I built… I took a 5-foot piece of metal conduit about 1 inch OD. Then I took a hacksaw and holding the conduit up and down I sawed a notch in the end about 1 ½” deep and wide enough for a small chain link to fit in it. Then I got a 6 foot piece of chain (small dog chain) and a 2’ piece of 1/8" cable. I attached one end of the cable to one end of the chain by running it through the last chain link and using a 1/4" nut mashed on the cable. Then using a drill, drill a small hole through the side of the conduit 1” from the opposite end you cut the notches in. run the other end of the cable through this hole and use a single ferrule to attach the cable to this hole. Then drop the chain back through the conduit. This will leave a cable loop at one end and the chain sticking out the other end of the conduit. To catch the animal, put the loop over the animals neck pull the chain and hook it in the notch on the back of the pole. To release them pull the chain out of the notch and let it slip back through the conduit.

This little cheap pole is great for releasing small critters you don’t want to kill.

I’m sure that’s all clear as mud. Here are some pictures....








Here it is in action releasing an otter...



~ADC~

Not really sure how I would change that. I just know when I'm releasing female bobcats it can be intense and you don't want equipment to be an issue. That's all I ever need to release live.

I built one kind of like the ones they sell at F&T years ago. Then I bought a couple.

Love the enthusiasm and ingenuity. Keep it up.

Very cool, thanks! I built this one because my trapping buddy had one without any kind of ratcheting device. We tried to dispatch a coyote with it this summer, but it just didn’t go to sleep. We wound up shooting it to put it out if it’s misery. So I figured I’d make something that can really cinch down. Yours is definitely more simple. Checking tomorrow with my son as soon as he gets out of school and hopefully I get to put it to use!

~ADC~