cable cutters for freeing dogs from snares

http://info.snareshop.com/choosing-theright-snare.html

" 3/64” – Mink, Squirrel, Rabbit, etc
1/16” – Bobcat, Fox, Rabbit, Ground Hog, Opossum, etc
(Some trappers will use a 1×19 1/16” cable for coyotes with a
dispatch spring and kill pole)
5/64” – Bobcat, Fox, Raccoon, Coyote (1×19), etc
3/32” – Raccoon, Coyote, Fox, Beaver, Badger
-Wolf (1×19)
– Most popular size for snaring, very versatile
– Also used for drowners, earth anchors, extensions, etc
7/64” – Coyote, Bear Cub, Small Alligator, Wild Hog, Wolf
1/8” – Coyote, Bear, Alligator, Wild Hog, Wolf
– Earth anchors, drowners
5/32” – Bear, Alligator, Wild Hog
3/16” – Large Bear"

I think ViseGrip , depending on size, should do the job. They are one of my favorite tools and quite able to cut .
Sad to hear about the traps. Because of my trailcamera hobby I have been looking up wildlife photos and have come across some horrible pictures of proud trappers next to the animal right before they shoot it. I do not understand.

How is it legal to place snares so close to trails?

I thought most traps were designed to be dis-engaged without cutting anything. Suggesting that people carry cable cutters to free your dog is terrible – traps shouldn't be allowed on public land in the first place, or at least not within 1 mile of any trail or road.

At the 6min mark in this video it shows how to remove a snare.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gbrWIKqcUk

Here is a link to the cable cutters she uses in the video

http://www.felcousa.com/felco/pages/product.page?name=FELCO%20C7

Hope this helps.

>"How is it legal to place snares so close to trails?"

In Alaska, yes. Inside city limits, too, in some cases. It is actually illegal to disturb them. Although the State-sponsored courses on trapping suggest staying away from, you know, developed trails and playgrounds and stuff, it is not required and lazy trappers can more easily patrol traps set just off snow-machine trails.

>"I thought most traps were designed to be dis-engaged without cutting anything."

Yeah, if you know where to step while your dog is squirming and whimpering. In trapping use, a .22 through the brain stops the squirming, as does a night out at -20F.

>"Suggesting that people carry cable cutters to free your dog is terrible"

While it's illegal to destroy the trapper's property, if it's set near a trail, I'm good with that.

I can cut some pretty thick wire / light chain with larger Vise-grips by repeatedly tightening the setting and crimping down on the chain more each time. Note: some Vise-grips have wire cutters near the pivot (you want that kind), while other models do not. Using the 10-inch model 10WR ($16 and up), I could get through anything used to secure a trap to a tree. The 7-inch model 7WR ($12 and up) works for lighter stuff. Either is a LOT lighter and more compact than bolt cutters or cable cutters.

While I'm not a trapping fan- if you're going to kill an animal I think you probably have an obligation to do so as quickly as possible- regarding activity on public lands I don't per se see why it should be illegal to trap some place if it is legal to hunt there.

That said, I agree that if the trapper is enough of a turd to place his traps right next to a hiking trail then it's probably good karma to relieve him of his traps, the actual "law" be damned.

I think I will buy a foot of the cable in the larger size and see what things I already own that can cut it. I would prefer to carry some multi use tool like small vise grips that could be at least used for pot grips, pulling RURPs, sewing boot soles, etc. Then post back if I have any success.

This is a pretty specific tool (not seeing a lot of other use for it on the trail,) but they work great, and will cut much better and quicker than an anvil type cutter (like a vice grip.)

http://www.amazon.com/Loos-Cableware-Felco-Cable-Cutter/dp/B0038YY3QC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1427928145&sr=8-1&keywords=cable+cutters+felco

That said, you'll probably eventually get through the cable with a vice grip, and you may already own it.

I typically carry a blow torch. That way I can cauterize any wounds as well.

Many of the Leathermen have pliers with wire cutter inserts that can be replaced.

http://www.leatherman.com/930350.html

We have those everywhere starting in November.

The most problematic ones are wolf-snares which have pretty thick cables, and nothing but the most dedicated wire-cutter can clear them. So, we always keep a C7 wire-cutter which was picked up from Gregg's Distributor.

Would like to know a lighter version which can cut through those uber-thick cables in a snap though.

Maybe bolt cutters will do it.

–B.G.–

After freeing a dog from a foot catch/bear trap type trap over 30 years ago, that was baited with a dead beaver, I asked a Game Warden about it here in Kalifornia. Said the trapper had to have his Drivers License on it, there was nothing on it that I could see. The freed dog limped away, it was in a rural area.
Duane

"Cable Cutters", per se, have opposing by-pass concave jaws, which capture and shear the stands.

"Diagonal Cutters" are generally "opposed anvils" and tend to spread out the strands.

I'd guess it all depends on the cable you are dealing with as to what is required.

"While it's illegal to destroy the trappers property, if it's set near a trail, I'm good with that"

Absolutely 100% agree. If my dog got caught in a trap near a trail, I would not hesitate to destroy it.

Also, I would want to get her out as quickly as possible and using bolt cutters as Bob suggested would probably be a lot faster than using vise grips. Heavier, but might make the difference between saving her paw/leg or not. :(

For clarification: it's illegal to purposely mess with a trap-set, or to free a non-domesticated animal from it.

However, it is not illegal to release your own dog or any domesticated animal from one. There is a protocol to follow after releasing a dog from a trap though: contact the trapper's number attached to the trap, and inform him or her of the accident; and to contact the game-warden or local conservation office where and when the trap was set off and why it was tampered with.

Are there are no leash laws in these areas and dogs are just running loose, or is this an issue of illegally placed traps?

If my dog finds his way into a legally placed trap/snare the blame is on me and not the trapper. For the record I've had my dogs caught in both snares and traps. Neither incidents left them any worse for wear. Traps are easy to remove from an animal. If you aren't a trapper, which I would guess most of you here are not, you should try and familiarize your self with the basic longspring and coilspring traps and how they function, and more importantly how to open them. Nothing more than a 3' length of rope is needed to open even the big 330 conibear type traps.

Most states that I know don't allow kill snares and must use a relaxing lock. Here we also have to use stops on the cable that will not allow the loop to close to less that 4.5". I guess there probably has been instances that snares couldn't be released without cutting them but in many years of trapping I've not seen it personally. Maybe you guys are having different problems out west, but I don't feel the need to carry cutters to free my dogs, and haven't needed them to free my dogs from the snares/traps they've been caught in so far.

Good luck and I hope you don't have to free your dog from a trap. It's definitely more traumatic to us owners than the dogs in most cases.

Not all NFS land requires dogs on a leash. It's a state by state, area by area thing.

Here in my corner of SW Montana, dogs indeed are often, though not everywhere, required to be leashed.

However, only a minority of dog owners abide by the law… funny thing is, those that follow the law usually have the best mannered dogs, and those that don't, don't.

Not surprising…

From the Gallatin NFS:

"Can I bring my dog to the Forest? Can I have my dog off leash?

In many Wilderness Areas, developed campgrounds, picnic areas and day use areas, dogs are required to be on a leash. Most other areas within the National Forests do not require your dog to be on a leash, but they should be under your control at all times. We recommend that you keep your dog on a leash when you are around other forest users, other dogs, or are in bear country.

Dogs are NOT allowed to chase game animals."

Bird dogs are common casualties. Hounds could be.

Here is a couple of incidents I googled for example.

http://www.cdapress.com/news/local_news/article_ae216947-100a-5e81-ae16-d4c38903b04f.html

http://www.cdapress.com/news/local_news/article_915a0d70-5f6e-56d3-bd94-4736cd2039fa.html

http://www.cdapress.com/news/local_news/article_1f33594a-28f3-57b4-a564-73872a0a3d82.html

http://www.cdapress.com/news/local_news/article_fdd7401a-b477-5318-9ff4-91edcea3c40a.html

IDFG does not know exactly how many dogs were caught in traps each year and not reported. However, trapper harvest reports have identified an increasing trend in incidental dog catches – from two in 2000 to 32 in 2013.

I thought this was an April Fool's joke. Keep your dog on a leash. Problem solved. I haven't seen any cases yet that weren't from unleashed animals.

Many of the recent upswing in incidents is from people being out and about in areas that are snow free early this year/last year due to low snow. Normally these areas that are trapped in the winter have to much snow for casual dog owners to frequent.

I think the best advice is a leash and knowledge of how to open a trap.

Michael (and others), you may have missed this. First sentence from OP:

"Dogs have been getting caught in traps and snares within lease distance of popular hiking trails."

I'm pretty sure he meant "leash distance", so this is happening to on-leash dogs on trails

I saw that. I still haven't seen anything to show leashed dogs being caught. I have seen and read stories about dogs off leash being caught. Going and finding the longest leash you can get and then looking for cases of off leash dogs that were caught in traps within that distance to a trail is a reach. Let's see some leashed dogs caught before we worry about a more complicated solution.

On leash length… I have yet to see a training program that advocates any kind of long leash for a dog while walking. The dog will optimally be in close proximity to you….which isn't necessarily "leash distance" depending on a 25 foot retractable leash.

6 feet vs 25 feet – doesn't matter. No one should be placing traps that close to hiking trails.

Are the snares locking? It seems like you could calm your dog down and thread the cable back through the loop. But I'm not a trapper.