I really curious about this style of wire trap

[Wise Old Owl]

I have often seen folk that put these out repeatedly unsuccessfully. Because they don't bait or mask smells. What have you tried that makes this snare successful because its lightweight and packable.

http://rk19-bielefeld-mitte.de/survival/FM/_graphics/fig08-09.gif

[crashdive123]

It's a squirrel pole. I have not used one, but many others have had success with them.

[Rick]

It might be unsuccessful but it isn't because there isn't any bait. And I doubt a squirrel would be spooked by human odors. When you set up something in their territory they are going to explore it at their first opportunity. That's just how they are. All you have to do is set the pole near a tree they are cutting and let nature take it's course. Location would be far more important than anything else. If you set where there aren't any squirrels....

Ground squirrels are the same way only not nearly as smart. I catch them all the time with no bait using a humane trap. They go in just because.

[Ole WV Coot]

Very curious animals and take the easy way. Never heard of scent bothering a squirrel. If they are around, pole say on a hickory tree they will use it and the snare works because they have no fear of any kind of trap.

[Rick]

About the only thing they won't do is backup on a limb, which is why the squirrel pole works. Once their head goes through a snare they will try to move forward or hop off one side. But they will not backup.

You have to have two eyes for accurate depth perception. That's why an animal like a squirrel only moves forward. They need to view with both eyes to judge the distance to the next limb. If they have to turn their head to look behind them they are only looking through one eye, which puts them at a real disadvantage if a hawk or some other predator is after them.

Predator eyes are in the front (like us) for greater depth perception. Prey eyes are on the side of their head for greater angle of view. But their depth perception suffers in exchange for that wider view. That's why they need both eyes looking forward.

[justin_baker]

I live in a forest that is primarily broadleaf so there are many sideways shooting limbs off of oaks or weird twisting limbs in the tangled foothill forests that act as ready made squirrel poles, rather than a coniferous forest that only has trees that grow straight up in the air.

I have observed a lot of squirrels around here, and by far the most used limbs are limbs that have fallen over and created a bridge over a creek. You are much, much, much more likely to snare a squirrel on one of those than placing a snare on a random pole in a random place(especially if you have no bait). Squirrels are going to have to cross the creek, and if theres a couple of bridges and plenty of squirrels you can guarantee that something will cross them eventually.
Just observe squirrels, the way they move, what trees they like, how they cross from tree to tree, and you will find the best snaring locations for your area. If you notice a squirrel eating out of a tree or hanging around the tree, walk up to the tree and set up a snare at a good spot. The squirrel will be spooked but if hes munching on something (berries, nuts, cambian layer,(squirrels around here love to eat big leaf maple bark) he will surely come back after you have left to finish its meal or gather more food.

[Rick]

Squirrels eat foods that are rich in protein, carbohydrates and fats. That typically includes things like tree buds, nuts, seeds, fruits, fungi and green vegetation. Did you know that squirrels eat meat? They do. They are not beyond taking a baby bird which is a great package of protein.

Did you know that squirrels will generally eat white acorns and bury red ones? It’s true. Red acorns contain a lot more tannin so they are less palatable than white acorns. In addition, white acorns sprout much quicker than red acorns so squirrels gobble them up. They know if they don’t the acorn will begin to grow. The red acorn also contains a lot more fat than the white acorn. And that’s something the squirrel will really need when winter sets in.

They also love to find a wormy red-oak acorn. When they do, they eat the top containing the worm (remember that high protein meal) and bury the bottom half, which contains the embryo of the seed as well as most of the tannin. Pretty smart huh?

Studies suggest squirrels find only 25% or so of the nuts they bury so they tend to bury a lot of nuts in the fall. That translates to a lot of time on the ground, which increases your chances of actually snaring a squirrel or two.

[rwc1969]

I've always wondered if squirrels forget where they buried em or are just helping along the process.

[chiggersngrits]

Squirrels eat foods that are rich in protein, carbohydrates and fats. . Did you know that squirrels eat meat? They are not beyond taking a baby bird which is a great package of protein.

I saw a video of a whitetail deer standing up on his back legs eating eggs out of a nest.

[justin_baker]

I have seen lots of squirrels here chewing into the bark of big leaf maple. Must be something in it they like.

In the fall we have the nut of the california bay tree, and its full of caffeine. All of the animals go nuts(pun intended) over it!