Deadfall with Spring Trigger

From WildernessWiki.org

DISCLAIMER:
The information in this article is for survival purposes only. Unless in a survival situation, never leave a trap like the one described unattended. Not only may it be illegal, but non-target creatures, including pets and children, may be killed. For practice, build the trap and test the trigger mechanism, but be sure to disassemble it before you leave.

Completed Trap

Deadfalls are traps which kill or trap prey with the power of a falling weight. This article outlines the construction of a large deadfall and spring trigger mechanism for killing medium-sized prey.

1 Materials and Tools
2 Building
3 Operation
4 Additional Views

Materials and Tools

Listed in order of left to right in photo below:

Loop of cord such as cordage made from available materials or Paracord
Trigger Stake - A small stake for the trigger
Trigger pin - A short stick with one sharpened end to hold bait for the trigger
Knife
Two large stakes to guide the falling weight
Two medium sized stakes to hold the spring
Prop Stick - A stick to suppport the deadfall's weight
Spring Stick - A long, flexible, springy stick
Two lengths of cord such as cordage made from available materials or Paracord
A weight. In this article, a log is being used. The weight should be large enough to quickly and humanely dispatch the prey.

Materials

Building

Glance at the photos below before reading these instructions to help make things more clear.

Drive two large stakes into the ground on either side of the weight. These will ensure that the weight falls straight down.
Directly beneath where the weight is supposed to fall, pound the trigger stake into the ground.
To one side of the trap, pound two stakes into the ground which will hold the spring in place. Insert the spring stick between the two so that it is held securely when bent towards the trap. Tie two lengths of cord to the tip of the spring tip.
Tie a loose loop around the trigger stake. Tie the other end of one of the cords coming from the spring stick to the trigger pin. Insert the trigger pin into the loop, so that the spring stick's tension delicately holds it in place. Slight pressure should be enough to knock the spring pin out of place, and free the spring stick, but it should not be able to come undone by itself. If in a survival situation place bait on the point of trigger pin.
Put the weight into position, and hold it up with the prop stick. If the ground is soft, place the prop stick on a hard surface such as another log or rock, because it will need to dislodged by the spring stick.
Tie the base of the prop stick to the second line from the spring stick, leaving a bit of slack in the line.

Operation

When the trigger pin is disturbed, the spring stick will violently spring back to its natural position. This will pull the prop stick from underneath the weight, causing it to fall.