Back before we lost snares, footholds and body grips in Washington, I recall playing with this breakaway system. I had a chart with the number of strands required to create a certain poundage of breakaway. After a move to Alaska and then a move to Idaho, I’ve lost track of it.

I never got the chance to put them to the test as I was building those snares in the fall of 2000. A couple months later we lost trapping in the ballot box.

I made these up from 3/64” cable with the idea of snaring bobcats but letting cougars break out. I also had some idea I was going to try mink snaring with them as well. Like I said I never got the chance to test it out.

Does anyone have the information on this type of breakaway? I though I’d incorporate it on mink and skunk snares and perhaps some bobcat snares.

It’s in Slim Pederson’s snare book if you have it.

I don’t have his book. Looks like I need to go looking for a copy.

If they still do it, there was somewhere in South Dakota that you could send your snares to test the BAD's. I'm sure someone here knows.

3/64 cable has a break strength of only 270lbs. I wouldn't think you'd need to reduce that as most break away devices are 285# or higher.

Marty, The breaking strength of 3/64 7x7 cable is 270 pounds. So you could remove a bundle or two from the break away cable. Then it should break before the snare cable?
I would bust a few, test them first!!! This should work fairly well on a snare set for Mink etc.

I would hate to see you loose a Whopper Bobcat due to a snare failure? This is why I use a 1/16 7x7 kill snare for bobcats with a 280 pound break away S hook.

I have caught a few with 3/64 cable. But I prefer a snare that will put down coyotes also.

Mark and ADC,

It was one of those ideas that pop into my head while I’m building snares. I had a few of those old 3/64 snares I made up 25 years ago and they reminded me of that style of BAD. The majority of my snares are 1/16 and 5/64 with 285 breakaways and kill springs. I was, for the most part, thinking mostly of this type breakaway for skunk and mink snares to comply with the BAD requirements for land snares. I didn’t realize 3/64 had that low a breaking point. I won’t be using them for cats now that I know.

I don't personally utilize any kind of break-away devices but is it true that the Sennekar BADs are the only ones technically "certified" to work at specific poundages? Just curious if anyone knows this to be a fact...

In Idaho for land snares a BAD or deer stop is required. I’m not a fan of deer stops. It seems to turn a lethal snare into a cable restraint.

Is it common for lions to get caught in snares set for bobcats? Seems they'd walk over the top of them, but I don't have them here to know.

Not uncommon. I haven’t had it happen recently.

They have a way of finding themselves into good cat and coyote sets. Foot trap or snare.

I had one get into a foot trap last year but he self released. Fish and Game said statewide, trappers get a few in snares. Not a lot but it does happen.

Interesting. Thanks. With your high dollar bobcats, I wouldn't risk losing them either.