I’m using both #9 and #11 wire as snare supports. It sort of depends on the support collars I have on the snares. I’m headed towards collars that only work with #9 support wire.

Anyway, above ground I bend the support wire in an upside down “L” shape with the tip turned up slightly to hold the lock so it goes up hill before firing. This system works, but not the best.

Is there a better way to support snares?

I like mine with 9 or 11 gauge wire ferruled to my cable (sizes of both depends on what I'm using it for) it's referred to as a "self supporting" snare. Then you can just wire your snare wherever you want and it's anchored and supported. I've always made my wolf snares that way, and now that I'm starting to try snaring other things that's how I make them all except under ice beaver snares

My state is trying to get snaring reduced to no-entanglement bigger than a 1/2 inch type sets. That means rebar stakes, 1/2-inch kill poles or disposables. Since the ground I trap is mostly open country, it’ could be a pain but not a deal breaker.

I recently watched a video by a guy who snares lots of coon. His support wire was almost straight up from where he put it into the ground. There was a U-shaped bend on the ground side to keep it from twisting. I set up a few in a vice and can see the advantage.

Just wondering if this method has unforeseen disadvantages.

tom krause used the method you mentioned. he made a driver from 1/2 inch rebar, and ground a slit across one end. lay the #9 wire on the ground, place the slotted driver over the wire, and push or pound into the ground. top of the driver i believe he had a loop of heavy snare cable for a handle to pull the driver back out. worked great for me back in the day on fox. try to find a copy of his book "dynamite snares and snaring". in my opinion its the most informative book out there on snare construction for all the major species youll run across. hope this helps.

If you make a W/M/S bend at the end of the wire, it works better to hold the snare if you dont have whammies/support collars on the snares. The L bend works fine but only on flat ground. With the WMS bends, you can take your lineman pliers and twist the bend after you put your snare in it and adjust the angle of the snare. With the collars you can just twist those by hand.

For more open country snaring #9 is king,for thicker regrowth area etc. I like #11 you can always wrap the #11 around a pencil size regrowth to stiffen up the snare support,this works well for me.

Double 14ga.single 11ga and single 9 ga. used as both the support and tie off in one.
All set to kill.

I use 14, 11 and 9 gauge depending on the situation.

I just wish there was some standardization of the sizes.

One brands 9 ga isn’t like the next brands. Etc etc


Stay away from size specific style wammys/support collars and it’s not a huge issue, just an annoying one.

Just like that

I find it interesting how different parts of the country do things differently . The whammies I use the most work well for either the 11 or 14 ga wire , which when I'm out setting snares I have a wire reeler on my belt full of 14 ga

But when I make and use my snare supports I use 11 ga wire , then for special orders #9 wire but I'll go through 50 lbs of 11 ga long before I'd use 20 lbs of #9

As for whammies a simple " U " bend in the end of the wire to lay the snare cable into it then litely pinch it down with a pair of pliers works wonders when the whammy collar doesn't get the snare loop to lay how you want it .

This is much easier to do with either the 11 or 14 ga wire than the #9 or a person can always just make a quick wrap of electric tape around the snare cable and end of the support wire , , then you have torn tape scattered all over the place .

With that said it's up to each person to figure out what works best for them in each situation and which is the most efficient way to get the snare set and then off to the next location .

Your friend along the snare line !
Allan

Those are all I buy, by far the best if they fit correctly, but if not that does suck. What do you suggest, surely not those cone shaped things that claim to fit all sizes but don't hold worth a crap on any size? Those are by far the worst I have ever used.

its only annoying when you buy 9 gauge wire thats not actually 9ga <_<

I’m a polyvinyl guy.

I forget what size it is, but it fits 5/64 cable on 9, 11, and doubled up 16 gauge well.

I have cussed them spring cone shaped ones until I got the learning curve behind me. I really like them now. Very versatile.