the paiute deadfall is one of the most effectiveprimitive traps that i have ever used. it is similar to the figure 4 deadfall whichis also very effective at catching small game. the major difference between these two traps is thatthe figure 4 deadfall consists of three sticks with notches carved into it where a paiutedeadfall consists of 4 sticks and a piece of cordage. these extra components allow fora much more sensitive trigger which is a huge
what is the best way to kill a snake, advantage when trapping small game. i haverecently been working on improving my primitive trapping skills by catching mice and rats.i was surprised just how much my success increased when i switched from the figure 4 to the paiutedeadfall. the first thing you need to make for the paiute trap is some string or naturalcordage. since this is a primitive trap i am
going to use stone age primitive materialsand techniques. strong natural cordage can be made by taking the fibers of certain plantsand twisting them together using the 2 ply twist method. good cordage fibers that growin my area include milkweed, dogbane, cedar bark, and stinging nettle. once you have yourrope or natural cordage, you will need to select the deadfall rock. select a flat rockthat is the appropriate size and weight for the animal you intend to catch. this rockis the perfect size and weight to catch mice. to carve the stick for this trap i am goingto use flakes made out of flint. sharp flint flakes can be produced by striking a pieceof flint with a hammer stone. next use your flint flake to cut a stick that is about thediameter of your thumb. for this trap i am
going to use a stick made out of hazel nut.then cut your short vertical stick so that it has a v shaped point on top. now we areready to carve our angle stick. this angle stick will have a notch carved into it thatwill match up with the vertical stick. there are several ways to make the trigger component.i like to carve out a flat piece of wood and then use the flint flake to drill a hole intoit. this allows you to thread the cord through the hole in the trigger stick and then secureit using a knot or a stick placed through the looped end. the other end of the cordagegets tied to the lower end of the angle stick. i like to carve a v in the end of the anglestick and a notch around it to help secure it to the angle stick. then carve a notch atthe base of the vertical post stick. this
will help keep the trigger stick in placeand help keep the trap from twisting. the final step is to carve one small stick thatwill serve as the trigger stick for the trap. and there you have it. 4 small sticks, a rockand a piece of cordage and you have all you need to catch small animals such as mice andrats. to set this trap balance the angle stick on the vertical post stick. then place theend under the edge of the rock. then wrap the trigger stick around the notch in thevertical post stick and set the trap by placing the trigger stick between the piece of woodand the deadfall rock. now your trap is set and it is ready to catch any animal that touchesthe trigger stick. even with this very light trigger system mice were often able to takethe bait without tripping the trap. it is
important to test these traps under real conditionsto get a feel for how it works and what you need to do to be successful. minor adjustmentssuch as changing the height of the post stick and the angle of the rock can have a hugeimpact on whether the mouse escapes without harm or is captured by the deadfall. i discoveredthat catching rats is much more difficult than catching mice because they are leeryand cautious of the trap and they prefer to pull the bait out and away rather than situnder the deadfall. they also climb on the
trap which which would trigger it withoutdoing any harm to the rat. i solved this problem by tying the bait to the end of the trigger stick.this proved to be very effective. the paiute deadfall is a very effective primitive trapthat can be made in a survival situation using
nothing but materials you find in nature.
