If you want to trap your next meal, the Paiute Deadfall trap is the way to do it! All you need are a few simple items that you can find out in the woods. Most of these traps can work on a smaller animal like a prairie dog or rodent.

For an average sized rat/prairie dog/rodent you’ll need:

A “Y” shaped stick thicker than a pencil, and about 8 inches in overall length.

A straight stick thicker than a pencil, about 9 inches long.

A 2 inch long stick that is a little skinnier than a pencil.

A slender bait stick, half the diameter of a pencil and about 12 inches long.

About 8 inches of string and appropriate bait for your critter of choice.

A flat rock that is 5 to 10 pounds.

To set it all up, take your 9-inch straight stick (from here on called the lever) and tie one end of the string to it. Tie the other end of the string to the 2-inch stick (the Toggle). Square knots are fine for each end of the string. Wipe or skewer the bait on one end of the 12-inch bait stick.

Now you are ready to set it all up.

Lay the rock down on a flat, hard patch of ground. Stand up the “Y” stick (the Post) by the edge of the rock. Put the string-less end of the lever in the fork of the post, with about 1-inch sticking out toward the rock. Lift up the rock and place it on the tip of the lever. You should be able to hold the weight of the rock by only holding down the end of the lever with the string tied to it.

Next, you’ll wrap the 2-inch toggle halfway around the post. It’s basically a 180 degree turn. Now you should be able to hold up the rock by just holding the toggle. The final step is to place the baited end of the 12-inch bait stick between a rough spot under the stone and the tip of the toggle.

Pretty simple! Few traps have shown as much success with catching prey. Know the habitat of your surroundings; make sure you know the type of creature you intend to catch so that you can successfully lure it in. For more information on how to build a Paiute Deadfall, check out The Survivalist.

Have you ever tried this trap? How did it go? Let us know below!

Featured Image via Alderleaf Wilderness College/Flickr