5 Types of Animal Traps (and How to Use Them)

Trapping opens opportunities to target fur-bearing species like coyotes, raccoons, foxes, and beavers, depending on your intended hunting state, and is a great way to maintain contact with the sport of hunting during the off-season. 

Do you know your traps? Keep reading to learn about five common traps you can use during the trapping season, plus some techniques and best practices for ensuring you use them most effectively. 

An Introduction to Trapping as a Hunting Technique 

Trapping is a prehistoric that has played a significant role in the development of North America. Indigenous cultures utilized trapping to procure food, clothing, and the creation of tools.

This technique further allowed early settlers to thrive during the fur trade era, where the demand for beaver, fox, and mink fur was high, leading to the growth of settlements and trade networks. 

While development in the engineering of firearms and bows has contributed to the popularity of these hunting styles, trapping remains an essential component of population management, pest management, fur harvesting, and a way for Indigenous people to maintain cultural contact with their traditional hunting and trapping practices. 

It's also a fantastic strategy for developing essential hunting skills, such as tracking, looking for animal signs, placement, observation, moving with stealth, and more. 

5 Types of Hunting Traps and Their Uses

Hunters must choose a trap for its appropriateness regarding the intended species and ethical considerations to ensure humane trapping. 

While the trap categories vary, the three main trap "styles" utilized by hunters include the foothold, body grip, and snares. We'll also talk about live (or cage) traps and pitfall traps.

1. Foothold Traps (Leg-Hold Traps)

As the name suggests, foothold traps work by clinging to the animal's foot. Spring-loaded jaws clamp onto the animal's foot or leg if they trigger a pan in the middle of the device.

Foothold traps are commonly used for mid-to-large-sized species, including foxes, coyotes, bobcats, and raccoons. 

As part of an ethical process when foothold trapping, you should check traps regularly to minimize distress, know and use proper releasing strategies should you not wish to dispatch the animal, and consider padded traps, which reduce the risk of injury to the creature. 

2. Body-Grip Traps (Conibear Traps) 

A body-grip trap consists of a metal frame designed to catch and instantly kill the game that passes through it.

This trap is primarily used for small to medium animals such as beavers and raccoons. It is highly effective in water areas, such as for beaver trapping. 

Exercise extreme caution when using body grip traps — especially the larger ones — as they can be challenging to release if you accidentally trap your arm. 

3. Snares 

Snares are looped cables or wires designed to tighten around the neck or body of the intended animal once it passes through the trap. They are best for targeting predators such as foxes and coyotes and are also commonly employed when hunting smaller animals such as rabbits. 

Snares are often best placed along high-trafficked game trails and den entrances. They're a cheap, customizable, and user-friendly option; however, careful placement is fundamental to avoid targeting non-game animals.

Components such as stoppers to limit loop size or breakaways are great ways to overcome many of the traditional issues associated with snaring and capturing non-target species. 

4. Live or Cage Traps

Live, or cage traps are enclosed traps with bait inside to lure the animal. Once inside, a trigger mechanism closes the door, enclosing the animal. 

These trap styles are most commonly used to capture animals without injury, whether for relocation purposes or scientific study. Typical target species include opossums, raccoons, and feral cats. 

5. Pitfall Traps

Pitfall traps consist of a concealed hole that animals fall into. Although less common than previously mentioned traps, pitfalls traps can be effectively used in research, especially when researching rodents and smaller ground-dwelling animals. 

Selecting the Animal Traps for What You Want to Trap

Knowing what you plan to trap will help determine which trap best serves your purposes.

Generally, using the smallest possible trap necessary to capture your intended animal is advised to minimize the chances of injury and distress. You'll also need to consider your intended environment.

For example, body-grip traps are best in water-based settings, while foothold traps are ideal on land. General knowledge about the target species, including size, habitat, and habits, will allow you to make a more informed choice regarding your chosen strategy.

Generally:

• For smaller species, such as rabbits, you'll want to use snares and smaller cage traps
• For beavers, use body traps
• For larger species, such as coyotes and foxes that move regularly, consider foothold traps

If in doubt, reach out to your state wildlife body or a fellow trapper for advice.  

Ethics and Legal Considerations In Trapping 

Make sure you follow all laws, regulations, and restrictions regarding trapping in your state, including obtaining relevant special licenses or accreditations mandated by the wildlife body. The Missouri Department of Conservation has a great example of clear regulations around animal trapping.  

Wildlife conservation offices strictly enforce these laws to ensure the species are sustainably targeted through trapping. Always keep an eye out for illegal trapping and report any incidents to the relevant authorities.

As a general rule, only set as many traps as you can manage and keep track of with appropriate types and sizes. 

When trapping, always check traps regularly (at least once a day) and head out early in the morning, wherever possible. Consider taking a trapping course or heading out with an experienced trapper to learn release techniques to ensure minimal harm to non-target animals.

Finally, leverage the HuntWise app and advanced mapping features to determine landowner locations and ensure you are not trapping on private land without permission. You can also use HuntWise to scout ideal locations for placing your traps, then mark them in your app so you don't lose them.  

Trapping Techniques and Best Practices 

Regarding trap placement, location is your first consideration, as each target species exists in a specific habitat, targets different food sources, and follows the same habitual patterns.

Pre-season scouting can help you locate furbearers. Consider the presence of your target species and the human activity in the zone, overall hunting pressure, trapping and rifle hunting, and species diversity within the zone. 

To avoid theft or trapping in a popular area, do some research to learn who else has permission to be on the property and when they will be hunting. Check which seasons run concurrently with your intended trapping period when on public land.

For example, if it's an upland bird hunting season, consider hunting waterways to avoid catching unexpected dogs. 

Don't Forget the Bait

Another crucial factor in trapping is using bait, urine, or lure. Each furbearer responds to certain smells, which can trigger territorial or mating instincts in particular species. It's essential to match your scent to your target species.

Avoid using pet food, as it can attract domesticated species.

Remember, baiting is not guaranteed to attract your intended species, so exercising all the best practices mentioned above is essential. 

Add Trapping to Your Hunting Roster With HuntWise 

Trapping is a great hunting strategy. With preparation and practice, it can help you develop a more robust understanding of nature and wildlife, making you a more well-rounded hunter.

Using animal traps offers a range of benefits, including an extended hunting season, access to different species, and the opportunity to engage in an ancient and ecologically important practice. 

If you're ready to start trapping or improve your trapping game, let HuntWise help! Download our hunting app to track animal movement, uncover public and private trapping locations, and access information from the pros to improve your strategies and skills.

HuntWise is free to download, then it's free to explore for your first week!