Cable and cats

[conibear]

Do any of you guys ever try 7by7 3/64s cable for just bobcats. I would like to know if it would work for just bobcats with a camlock and dispatch spring like a amberg lock or the marty sneeker set up. would like some feed back on this cable and if it would work. And it would just be set for cats.

[Dusty]

How the hell are going to set just for cats?

Why would you go to all the trouble of building special snares - snares that you KNOW are going to let jelly-head coyotes and coons run off to go die somewhere else - for bobcats? You could snare bobcats effectively with 1/2" cable - it's not like they don't die easy. I've killed several hundred cats with 3/16 cable.

Or maybe I'm just ignorant here - please explain why you want to use cable that is eventually going to fail when there are effective and proven alternatives. Anyone?

[dj88ryr]

My question as well, sometimes I think we try to specialize too much, conibear, use your regular snares, you will sleep better at night

[conibear]

Sorry about the question Dusty all of us trappers on here are not expert trappers. So I thought I would just ask.

[dj88ryr]

Conibear, that wasn't a slight, he gave you some very good advice, there aren't many real experts anywhere, just good trappers trying to help others.

[conibear]

Thanks guys for your help.

[Dusty]

conibear - I'd never claim to be an expert - at anything! I've seen a lot of advocation for smaller cable in the last few years, and I don't know why that is. I suspect it's cable dealers trapping trappers, and I'd love to hear some clarification from someone who knows.

I'll not set a trap - of any sort - that won't reliably hold, or at least not leave with, the largest thing I'm likely to catch. My marten traps are tied off to hold wolverine, my fox traps have a drag that will hold wolves, and my snares are big enough to hold - or release intact - anything that gets in them. I guess you found a pet peeve of mine!

To answer your question, no, I've never tried cable that small. I use 3/32 for everything except wolves and wolverine. It would probably (the key word here) work if you could reliably exclude everything but bobcat. I don't believe that's possible.

[conibear]

Thanks for your reply Dusty I'm very new to bobcat snaring this is minnesotas first year that we can use snares for them. thanks DJ88YR and Dusty for your honest answers. I got caught up in the thinner cable is better thing.

[dj88ryr]

Conibear,
I understand the thinking of thinner is better, but for cats, at least in my experience, and that is only 6, but they are dumber than rocks, you can force them squeeeze them, just about anywhere. How do your cats grade out there?

[conibear]

DJ we have a poor cat up here brownish backs hardly any spots. But you will get one once in awhile with a nice white clear stomach and spots all over and get top dollar but other than that a poor cat.

[dj88ryr]

That guy Wendt gets some nice cats, I would follow him next time he heads west.. ;D ;D

[markymark]

What about 1/19 3/64ths with a Baddog spring. I have been building a few snares for Kiss out of the 1/19 3/64ths. Seems like it might be a snare for in the open snaring in the right situation.
I was talking with Marty the other day to see about a lighter spring for fox, while we were talking he's working on a bigger spring for wolves. I made a comment about using 2 of his springs for wolves. Just wondering if you ever tried it and if so what your results were.

[JWarren]

The problem with this is in my area I can never discount a coon body catch 100%. With 5/64 I hold about everything and its still pretty thin cable. Below 1/16 I see no benefit, I mean people are snaring mink with 1/16 for gods sake.

[Creek]

the reason some guys are going to the smaller cable 1/16 is that when loaded it closes faster, the small cable is harder for the cat to see and the smaller cable seams to get less back outs from cats. If a good lock like the BMI mini lock or Grawes bullet lock is used on a long 7-8 foot snare they say its all over with when the animal hits the end. Now they may be blowing smoke up my butt but it shur sounds good.

[Dusty]

Creek - I fail to see the point. My misses were solved by diddling with loop size and position. The damn things spend their life slinking through the puckerbrush, and they're worried about one more (small) stick whackin' em in the chest? I don't believe it (but I ain't a lynx, either).

3/32 with any lock (or none - I tried that too) kills em just fine. The first couple years I snared I was sure someone was putting dead lynx in my snares - no way they just died out there like that....

I got that butt-smoked feeling too. People think they can solve all their trapping problems by buying some widget, or changing the widgets they already have.

I need to go kill something.

[trappincoyotes39]

You can use 1/16th 1x19 and it will work on any critter you have in MN. A small cable is faster and you don't want to hip snare cats or you will get deducted. You can kill coyotes with 1/16th cable in the open or in entanglement by using compression springs of your choice and filing teeth into the locks.
7x7 is more of a limp cable and you could use 5/64 with a cam lock and compression spring, but I find the 1x19 is a tougher cable and will stand up to more chewing than the 7x7 on coyotes.
You want a faster cable on bobcats as they do move slow and pussy foot alot, I hang my loops 7-8" off the ground, and make sure the cable falls nicely, I also deal with alot of wind so all my snares are set with the lock at 10-11 oclock or I will have wind bumped snares. I can tell you the 1/16th lays them out in a hurry as I caught one in a coyote snare a month ago and the snare was reusable and you couldn't even tell of a struggle!
Dusty it is called technology and progress, without Lonnie Huber experamenting we wouldn't have the cam lock!!!!!

[Dusty]

tc - I'm all for progress. There have been some really good tools to come out in the last few years.

Losing even one critter with a snare around it's neck is totally unacceptable to me.

One coyotes does not make a trend.

I do hip-catch a cat every now and then. I've probably sold 50 of them over the years, and never been deducted. I'm pretty handy with a needle.

Perhaps there are situations where very light cable is advantageous and does not result in losses. I don't think that situation will ever involve someone who's never snared a bobcat, which is my impression of the original question. I've never seen any reason to go lighter than 3/32. If you do and aren't releasing jellyheads, then please share your techniques!

I'm the first to admit I'm a bit sensitive about this. I'll say it again: it's totally unacceptable to set a trap or snare and not absolutely know that it's going to be there when you get back.

What happens when one of those MN wolves hits 1/16 cable?

[Creek]

Wow Dusty, I didn`t mean to get ya fired up. but it shur was good reading.lol

[rk660]

Dusty, I'd curious as to what lock, spring, entanglement setup, length of cable, you are using. Many very good coyote trappers are using 1/16 and even 3/64 cable on coyotes these days with minimul losses with the right setup.

[Dusty]

creek - I don't mind! Gives me something to do while I'm waiting for season (tomorrow!) and enough ice to land on my trapline (I'll probably go check it mid-week).

rk - I seldom catch coyotes. There just aren't that many around.

My typical cat/fox/beaver/et al. snare is 5' of #9 wire with a swivel twisted in the end and enough 3/32 cable to make a 12-14" loop. I use cheapy washer locks. The country I trap is brushy - I'd not set this in the open. I made a few killspring snares but haven't used them enough to really draw any conclusions. My first impression is they don't help much where I snare.

I lost (for a week) a wolverine last year when it mowed through my 3/32. I plan to try a bunch out of 1/8 this year and see if the fox/cats mind.

What's minimal losses?