Dogs Caught in Snares

[ALEX]

Been pondering this subject for a while and thought I'd ask what some of you think; Does anyone feel that a dog that has had a good deal of leashwork done with it using a chain choke collar stand a better chance of surviving if they are ever caught in a snare? My thinking is that the dog would be accustomed to something tightening on its neck and will have learned not to fight it. So, if a dog was caught in a snare they would intially pull until it tightened up on them, then they would stop resisting it, thus saving their own life. Any thoughts?

[al baldwin]

Choke chains release the pressure on a dogs neck when the dog stops pulling, don/t know of any snares that operate as such. Best chance for survival is avoid getting dog in a snare, most are going to panic when snare tightens and fight a losing battle, in my opinion. Realize, one can find a snare in unexpected area, so tying with choke chain, can/t hurt, however, would not risk hunting in known area where snares are set. Al

[brantpalmer]

I've seen a few stray dogs in snares, some fight it or get tangled and die, and some don't. Tied up dogs might have a better chance, but I think any hard hunting hound who gets caught while on a track is probably doomed.

[david]

Brian, if you dont have a connibear trap, you should get one and get familiar with it. You can also get yourself some snares. Set them for your dogs to get caught in while you are watching so you can see how they will react. They can be taught not to pull when tied up. I always believed a dog that is chained out to a house would be more likely to survive a snare than a dog that lives in a kennel. But I just now realized this life long belief has been based on the words from some one I knew, and I never actually got a dog caught in a snare. (Have had them caught in connibear traps, but that is a different subject.) But even when I had kennels, all my dogs spent part of their life chained out, and this was my reason for it. I chained a pup out before I tried leash breaking him, because most of the work was already done by him fighting the chain, and he did not have to struggle against me.

[Deff]

Years ago, I was setting out snares for coyotes and caught a neighbors blue tick a couple of times. He never pulled the snare tight enough to choke down and loved the 4 mile ride back to his house. My snares were mostly in holes in fence lines and I often placed lure in a tree just beyond. The hound was accustomed to being tied up and I suspect that he was moving slow trying to locate the source of my lure scent when caught. I fear that if a dog hit the snare at enough speed that it pulled down enough to hurt, he would likely panic and strangle in it.
I had a trapline/hunting mutt at the time that was extremely trap/snare wise. He made me appreciate just how how fast a canine can wise up.

I have some prime bobcat and lion terrain on my ranch that I never turn out on because the neighbor kid across the fence sets out snares every winter.

My dogs are trained to tie so I am hopeful that should they encounter snares, between the tie training and the Garmin, they at least have a chance.

[Ker_man]

We had have had dogs caught in snares several times for a short period with no problem. These were the snares with the old style locks. The new locks with the spring (not sure of the name) don't give the dog a chance. The guys up here lost a hound to one and were only 20 minutes getting to him.Another head his female get caught and went over just in time. It seems that this style snare really chocks down on the dog.

[Unreal_tk]

The kill springs have 25 to 50 lbs of snap pressure on them Ker_man. They are nothing to mess with.

[Budd Denny]

I've had dogs in snares twice with no problem and one was a young hound that I figured just dropped out, so after gathering hounds I walked in to get her off a skidder trail and there she set in a snare, no worse for wear and been there over a hour.

[Ker_man]

Budd, what kind of snare lock did it have?

[Budd Denny]

Slim lock, made by Slim Peterson... other time it looked like the old Thompson lock. I know that a lot of wolves are alive in the snare if checked daily and in a medium tangle situation....even with the Amberg kill spring added.......just saying.
I know both trappers and have no ill feelings towards either, it was on public land and I let both know what was going on so they never thought I took their fur.

[ALEX]

Well I'm glad to read that some of you fellas have experienced the outcome I was wanting to hear regarding dogs in snares. Sounds like the situation could certainly turn out ok, or not depending on the dog's background with being chained, or worked with a choke collar.

On a similar topic, what have you guys seen with survival rate in dogs that have the misfortune of getting caught in someone's 220, 280, or 330 conibear? We can't use these in California, but I know a dog caught in one of these has much less of a chance than a snare...

[Liz ODell]

Alex don't kid yourself - those things (and snares) are set LOTS of places in California, and mostly by state and federal trappers. If you go to a new public place it pays to look around a bit, if you hunt private always ask if they let anyone trap and that they need to let you know if they have someone come to do so, CONIBEARS SUCK...sorry just my opinion.
I am always hoping that the snare would catch around the dogs collars and give them a few more minutes, conibears would not give you any time it's basically a dead dog and far as I could forsee.

[Tom A]

The war between trappers and houndsmen continues. Look conibears are legal in CA for depredation, the big ones ie 330s are only allowed in riparian areas or submerged.
Learn how to compress the springs by making a slipknot with your dog lead and use each safety latch.

As for snares it depends on the state some states require relaxing locks that allow the animal to breathe some do not, some have deer stops ect.

Water and levee districts are trapping beaver and so are farmers. Most are ethical trappers that know their stuff and go unnoticed with no bycatch or TRASH like houndsmen say.

And most houndsmen don't trespass where there dogs will get caught. Like the A$$ holes who stole a coon and smashed my cage trap, left a bottle of chew spit on the ground.

Divide and conquer don't fall for it...

[ALEX]

Tom, what do you know as far as Nevada's regs on 330 conibears and snares?

[Tom A]

Alex as far as I know they are both legal. As we speak the antis are pushing for more regulations on trapping in Nv. So I think we should not discus this much more.