The Paiute deadfall
The Paiute deadfall holds a weight with an upright, a lever stick, a short cord with a toggle and a thin bait stick. It needs less carving than the figure 4, is easier to set and is considered more sensitive – even a light tug at the bait sets it off. The same strict rules apply to your own hands: never reach under the weight.
- 30–45 minutes per trap, practice needed beforehand
Explained simply
The Paiute trap is a sister of the figure-4 trap. It too holds a heavy stone at an angle in the air, and here too the stone falls when a small animal tugs at the bait. It is named after the Paiute, a people in the west of North America.
The difference: instead of three precisely carved sticks it needs an upright, a lever stick, a piece of cord with a tiny wooden toggle and a thin bait stick. This is easier to build, and the trap reacts to even a very light tug.
Because it is so sensitive, it can also snap shut suddenly while you are setting it. So the same rule applies as with the figure 4: the hand never goes under the stone, children stay well away, and it is only built in genuine danger to life.
How it works
The lever stick lies across the top of the upright. The raised edge of the weight rests on its short end. Because the weight pushes this end down, the long end wants to go up. From this long end hangs a short cord, and at the end of the cord sits a toggle of about five centimetres.
The toggle is taken halfway around the upright and lies across it. On its own it would spin round at once. It is held only by the tip of the thin bait stick, whose other end presses against the base or a peg. The entire pressure of the weight therefore hangs on this one light contact.
When an animal tugs at the bait, the bait stick slips away. The toggle springs free, the long end of the lever flips up, the short end tips away and the weight falls. Because there is hardly any friction involved, a very small movement is enough.
What really matters
The length of the cord decides where the toggle sits on the upright. If it is too long, the toggle sits too low and the bait stick does not reach properly; if it is too short, the lever stands too steeply. So practise without a weight first by pressing on the short end of the lever with one finger, and adjust the cord.
The bait stick must be thin, straight and long enough to reach from the toggle to under the weight. Its end presses against the edge of the base or against a small peg driven in firmly. If it is too thick, it holds too firmly and the trap does not go off.
For the weight and base the same applies as for the figure 4: much heavier than the animal, flat, and a hard base so that the animal is killed instantly. Choose a spot sheltered from wind, because the fine trigger also reacts to wind.
Safety: what to watch out for
Because the Paiute trap is so sensitive, it easily goes off while being set. So: fix the bait first, then lower the weight from the side, fingers on the outer edge, kneel to the side, never reach under the weight. If it goes off, let go and pull your hand back.
Checking and dismantling are done with a long stick from the side. Children stay behind during building and checking and know the places they must not go.
This trap too is illegal without hunting rights in Germany and Austria, unnecessary animal suffering is an offence, and it is only meant for genuine danger to life. Never for larger animals, never in places that pets or people can reach.
When it makes sense – and when not
The Paiute trap is a good choice when you have a piece of cord and little time or practice in precise carving. It is easier to set than the figure 4 and reacts reliably to small animals.
It is less suitable in windy spots, in rain and where many birds are about, because it then often goes off by itself. And like every trap it has no place if there is no genuine danger to life or you cannot check daily.
Good to know
FM 3-05.70 describes the Paiute trap as a variation of the figure 4 using cord and a catch stick of about five centimetres and names as its advantage that it is easier to set. A short piece of strong cord or plant fibre is enough for the cord.
As with the figure 4, the mechanism can be practised at home with pencils, sewing thread and a book – without bait, without animals. You quickly notice how little movement releases the trigger.
If you want to learn about the history of such traps, the entry on traditional trapping methods gives an overview of how different cultures used them – and why they are strictly regulated today.
Step by step
Choose site, weight and base
As with the figure 4: a feeding place or run far from paths and camp, a flat stone or heavy piece of log much heavier than the animal, and a hard, level base. The spot should be sheltered from wind because the trap is very sensitive.
- 1
Choose site, weight and base
As with the figure 4: a feeding place or run far from paths and camp, a flat stone or heavy piece of log much heavier than the animal, and a hard, level base. The spot should be sheltered from wind because the trap is very sensitive.
- 2
Lay out the four sticks and the cord
You need a straight upright, a little shorter than the height at which the weight is to hang, a lever stick about as long as the upright, a short toggle of about five centimetres, a thin, straight bait stick long enough to reach from the upright to under the weight, and a short, strong piece of cord.
- 3
Tie the cord to lever and toggle
Tie one end of the cord to the lower end of the lever stick and the other end around the middle of the toggle. The cord is long enough for the toggle to sit halfway up the upright later. Carve a shallow groove into the top of the upright so the lever cannot slide off sideways.
- 4
Set the upright and lay on the lever
Stand the upright vertically beside the base, ideally pressed slightly into the ground. Lay the lever stick across the groove in the upright's tip: the short end points towards the base and will carry the weight, the long end with the cord hangs on the other side.
- 5
Hook in toggle and bait stick – without weight
Take the cord halfway around the upright so that the toggle lies horizontally against the upright at a right angle. Wedge the tip of the bait stick behind the free end of the toggle and rest the other end of the bait stick against the edge of the base or a small peg driven in. Press on the short end of the lever with one finger and tap the bait stick: everything must fall apart at once.
- 6
Fix the bait
Push or tie the bait onto the bait stick before the weight goes on. Use something the local animals know that is not lying around in abundance nearby.
- 7
Lower the weight from the side
Rest one edge of the weight on the base, hold it from above at the outer edge and slowly lower the raised edge onto the short end of the lever. Kneel to the side; your fingers stay on the outside of the weight. Only let go when the frame holds steady.
If the trap goes off while you lower the weight, let go at once and pull your hand back – never grab after it.
- 8
Check, mark, dismantle
Check from a distance at the side that the weight sits above the bait and the base. Mark the spot, enter it in the list, check at least daily. To check and dismantle, set the trap off from the side with a long stick and take the cord with you.
Common mistakes
- Cord too long – the toggle sits too low and will not hold
- Bait stick too thick or too short
- Trap in a windy spot
- Fixing bait only after the weight is resting on the frame
- Hand under the weight
- Leaving the cord behind when dismantling
Quick view
Materials
Sturdy sticks / poles
Upright, lever stick, toggle and a thin, long bait stick
Do not cut live wood where prohibited.
Thin twine
A short, strong piece of cord
Low breaking strength – light loads only.
Knife (fixed or locking blade)
Cut away from your body.
Rules on carrying knives differ by region – check local rules.
Sturdy work gloves
When handling flood mud or chemicals, also wear waterproof gloves.
Brightly coloured flagging tape
Remove every piece again when dismantling
Suitable for
- Small game and rodents at feeding places
- When there is little time for carving
Not suitable for
- Windy spots – the sensitive trap easily goes off by itself
- Children nearby
- Places that pets or people can reach
Prerequisites
- Genuine danger to life, no rescue within reach
- Able to tie simple knots such as the clove hitch
- Know the figure-4 deadfall and its safety rules
Safety
- As with every deadfall, the weight must be much heavier than the animal and fall onto a hard base – otherwise the animal is only injured.
How it works
The lever stick lies across the tip of the upright. One end carries the weight; from the other end hangs a cord with a short toggle. The weight tries to pull this end upwards. The toggle is taken halfway around the upright and held in place by the tip of the bait stick, whose other end presses against the stone. If the animal moves the bait stick, it slips away, the toggle springs free, the lever flips up and the weight falls.
Advantages
- Less carving than the figure 4
- Easier to set
- Very fine trigger
Disadvantages
- Needs cord
- Easily set off by wind or birds
- Danger to fingers when setting
- Illegal without hunting rights
Deep knowledge
Background
The trap is named after the Paiute, a people of the Great Basin in the western USA who traditionally used deadfalls of this kind. FM 3-05.70 describes it as a variation of the figure 4 using cord and a catch stick that is easier to set.
Its sensitivity is both an advantage and a drawback: small animals set it off reliably, but so can a gust of wind or a bird.
Variants
- Bait stick against a peg
- If the edge of the base is unsuitable, the end of the bait stick can press against a small peg driven in firmly. FM 3-05.70 names both options.
- Practise as a model
- The mechanism can be practised at home with pencils, thread and a book – without bait and without ever endangering an animal.
Common mistakes
- Cord too long – the toggle sits too low and will not hold
- Bait stick too thick or too short
- Trap in a windy spot
- Fixing bait only after the weight is resting on the frame
- Hand under the weight
- Leaving the cord behind when dismantling
Limits and risks
- No weight figures – only “much heavier than the animal”
- Small game only
Material alternatives
Derived from material properties: a substitute must have all relevant properties. Observe the notes on the substitute.
- Thin twine
- Rope (Never use unknown or damaged rope for life-safety purposes.), Paracord (Not a climbing or safety rope.), Accessory cord (Use only certified cord after training for life-safety purposes.), Webbing (tubular webbing) (Inspect knotted webbing before every use.), Jute or sisal twine (bought) (Low strength, absorbs water and rots – light loads and practice only.), Tree straps (Load only within the manufacturer's limits.), Monofilament fishing line (Never leave scraps of line behind: birds and other animals get tangled in them and die slowly. Wind up scraps and take them with you.), Thin, soft wire (brass or galvanised steel) (Wire ends are sharp – protect eyes and fingers when bending), Tow rope or tow strap (Attach only to the towing eyes provided by the manufacturer; never stand next to it under load.)
Results come exclusively from structured entries. No improvised instructions are generated.
Sources
Headquarters, Department of the Army (USA) (2002): FM 3-05.70 Survival
Paiute deadfall: diagonal stick, cord with a catch stick of about 5 cm taken halfway round the upright, bait stick against the weight or a peg; easier to set than the figure 4
Bundesrepublik Deutschland – Bundesministerium der Justiz (gesetze-im-internet.de) (1976): Bundesjagdgesetz (BJagdG) in der Fassung der Bekanntmachung vom 29. September 1976
§ 19: ban on snares of any kind and on traps that neither catch unharmed nor kill instantly
Bundesrepublik Deutschland – Bundesministerium der Justiz (gesetze-im-internet.de): Strafgesetzbuch (StGB) – § 292 Jagdwilderei
§ 292: poaching; using snares counts as a particularly serious case
Republik Österreich – Rechtsinformationssystem des Bundes (RIS) (1974): Strafgesetzbuch (StGB), BGBl. Nr. 60/1974 – §§ 137, 138 (Eingriff in fremdes Jagd- oder Fischereirecht) und § 222 (Tierquälerei)
§§ 137, 138: interference with another person's hunting rights; § 222: cruelty to animals
Bundesrepublik Deutschland – Bundesministerium der Justiz (gesetze-im-internet.de) (2006): Tierschutzgesetz (TierSchG) in der Fassung der Bekanntmachung vom 18. Mai 2006
§ 17: offence of killing without good reason or causing considerable suffering; § 4: killing only with the necessary knowledge and avoiding pain as far as possible
Republik Österreich – Rechtsinformationssystem des Bundes (RIS) (2004): Bundesgesetz über den Schutz der Tiere (Tierschutzgesetz – TSchG), BGBl. I Nr. 118/2004
Ban on cruelty and on killing animals without good reason
European Community, Canada, Russian Federation: Agreement on International Humane Trapping Standards between the European Community, Canada and the Russian Federation
International humane trapping standards: traps must kill quickly or restrain without injury