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Old 10-22-2017, 08:58 AM
Marty S Marty S is offline
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Join Date: Apr 2011
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I'm favouring a 5' extension these days, and a 5' length for my loop + tag to extension. The Magnum is such a game changer! (It is unfortunate for the Saskatchewan trappers in regards to its leadership circle that's this simple snare design was too difficult for them to master. Not a problem anywhere else!)

I've experimented with differing lengths of extensions, in particular shortened, and I disliked the results.

I still use a two piece snare, as in construct my extension separately/isolated/complete from my snare and tie the two in the field. I use the #9 wire/wolf swivel on my extensions as I did in my video and carry 5' replacement snares in my bag. I say this to differentiate my style vs what is being taught in the standard snare course. The standard snare course promotes a one piece 10' snare with a #8 fishing swivel in the middle as the connection. I understand and appreciate the intention of this style in the course, just saying I do it a little different, and hold to the fact that my way is better!

To many of you, this is old hat, however to the new trappers this may be a totally new concept, and in our supply business, we are carrying the #8 and #9 barrel swivel fishing swivel to accommodate those folks.

With a #9 wire wolf-swivel swivelled extension, there is no need to make up complete and lengthy snares at home, there is no need to pull each snare in the field completely with each catch to reset a new snare on the location. You don't have to take your half-snare home and rebuilt it. Doing it my way saves time in the field and makes the trapper more efficient. Just saying...

So I tried 3' and 4' foot extensions, that my snare builder had made up for me, and I disliked using them very much compared to the 5'. I must add that he had built them with an XL end loop, so on such a short length extension they came out even a few inches shorter that they should have, but were close. My finding with the shortened unit was increased rolling/twisting and a little more brush destruction, unfortunately when the brush destruction happened it was always in close to the snare location which I have gone to great lengths in my career to protect!

Let's back up 30 years to the old school era, that era that our enemies in their ignorance base their anti snare arguments upon. Actually even 10-20 years ago, or even less for many! The short little brush snares, just enough cable to make a snare loop, with a snare swivel, read #9 or #11 wire swivel at th end, double wired with a short piece of wire tight to a tree. In that era, a #8 barrel/fishing swivel would have been a God-send, a true gift from heaven! Wild animals short tied to a tree battling hard but no freedom to move about, therefore their struggle reduced to much twisting/rolling. The fishing swivel, if USA made, is a significantly better swivel for a true swivelling function than the #9 or #11 wire swivel. The short wire tied tree wired snare is where the snare swivel shines, of any sort!

So these days with the long snares, the twisting/rolling of the snared animal is virtually eliminated with coyote/wolf, until the animal begins to entangle and shorten the snare... IF it lives long enough to shorten the snare! Most of the time if the animal begins to entangle, the swivel becomes moot and its purpose void, because the animal entangles on the thinner cable comprising th snare loop and not on the heavier extension cable.

My point... fishing swivels AWESOME for old school snares! An encumberance for the modern snareman and snarewoman! (I am not aware of the existence of any snare-X' folks!)






***clarifications***

Wire swivels come in two sizes, #11 and #9 as per #11 wire and #9 wire sizes of wire.

Fishing swivels come in #6, #7, #8, #9, and #12.






ps...
(If I was going to use a fishing swivel, I would use a #12 swivel, but they are very expensive!)
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