I was in a hurry getting through the store yesterday and grabbed 2 dozen cable restraints instead of snares. We can snare in Wyoming, is it worth returning them next time im in town and finding snares or is there a way to make them lethal?

You could return them. Or check daily and dispatch what you’ve caught.

What type of lock do the have

Good side cutters you can usually nip the stops off of them and they'll dispatch your catch if set in entanglement. The lock on them and the length of the cable will determine if they'll dispatch in more open areas.

Cable restraints suck, snares are awesome. I would take them back and make your own lethal snares with an aggressive lock and no deer stop.

Difference between cable restraints and snares really is in application, not so much equipment.

If you feel like moving the deer stop, it can be removed or at least be relocated without disassembling the snare. The crimp on wire stops can be opened and the button type ones aren't usually crimped that well so a pair of pliers can "uncrimp" then and can move them up by the stop

You will have more chew outs, more live, water head coyotes jumping around drawing unwanted attention using a “cable restraint” with a relaxing lock even with some entanglement. Why limit yourself in a snare friendly state like Wyoming.

I don't know about water heads since I never had one but then I'm checking every day. And a water head coyote isn't a big deal.
As to chew outs I've had a few but then I went with 1X19 for the loop and then added a barrel swivel and then went with 3/32s for the rest of the CR. I didn't have any more chew outs after doing that.
WE can't use entanglement but if a CR was placed in an entanglement situation you're going to have a dead coyote.

Water heads aren't fun to skin though.... Still a caught coyote

X2

If you can just replace the lock. Locks are fairly reasonable. Many different trap supply companies carry them.

Pennsylvania- Cable Restraint only for Canines
Agree with Beav on 1x19 loop, barrel swivel, then 7x7 bottom of CR. I use the same CR's

For CR users still reading this post...
This is what Beav is talking about-
1x19 for loop end, swivel, 7x7 on bottom end



Here's a 7x7 CR, that held a Coyote. I was lucky here. But lost a few before going to 1x19-



Here's 1x19 CR, that held a Coyote. Never had one chew out of 1x19-

Don't like barrel swivels for a mid-line swivel.Tried and went away from that 20 yrs ago after the barrel was popularized by the fellow from MN............... IF.................... you want to SWITCH OUT the now ruined snare and keep the extension in the back of the truck, you can, using a #9-wire swivel, by sliping the extension back through the large opening of the wire swivel. Otherwise you need to C-7 cut the connection at the swivel and then re-attach a new snare (OR CR) with an aluminum ferrule. Too much handling for this old man. So ---------------- fix your swivel to the snare and slip your extension (I color code mine for the 2 different lengths I use) through the open end of that wire swivel -make a good catch and then slip the extension back out to be used again W/O taking it back to the "shed" to attach the new snare. My experience. ..........................the mike................ P.S. Let's not get into a discussion about the difference in swivels and coyotes seeing and avoiding because of that. I have used #9 wire swivels on reg. snares alone and plain std Ram snares (dipped in Speed Dip) on open trails for coyotes from 2000 (when Rams first hit the U.S.) and before with no refusals so its an ease of handling gear issue with me. .....................the mike (again)

X2 here in PA

We can use snares for beaver in PA but must use cable restraints for coyote (because of hunting dogs)

By all means check your sets early if using restraints! Good luck holding all your coyotes past the 12-15 hour mark

I understand the swivel but think it just another link in the snare that could fail. But I don't know.

Thanks for all the info guys, made the trip back to town and returned them back to the store. They didnt have any snares in stock with a breakaway as required so I picked up some other equipment I need for the year. Will pick up a couple dozen snares at a later date to give them a try!