How to Make a Penny Snare Lock for Survival Trapping

A Simple Improvised Snare Lock

Sometimes the simplest pieces of equipment can solve a problem in the field. Take an ordinary penny, for example. You’re probably not going to buy much with it these days, but with a little ingenuity, it can become a useful component in an improvised snare.

A penny snare uses a coin as a locking mechanism for a cable snare. The idea is to allow the snare to tighten while creating resistance against the loop opening again. It’s a clever example of how understanding basic mechanics and working with ordinary materials can expand your options in a wilderness survival situation.

Of course, carrying a pocketful of pennies isn’t going to magically make you a successful trapper. Understanding animal behavior, trapping principles, and the limitations of your equipment is considerably more important than knowing one clever trick.

How Does a Penny Snare Lock Work?

The important part isn’t really the penny itself. It’s the locking principle. The mechanism uses the relationship between the snare material, the lock’s position, and friction to resist the loop loosening after tension has been applied.

In the video below, I demonstrate how a penny can serve as an improvised lock for a cable snare. I also discuss the same basic idea using wire and paracord, along with some of the differences between those materials.

This is one of my older survival training videos, filmed about twelve years ago. The video quality isn’t exactly Hollywood material, but the underlying fieldcraft lesson is still worth understanding.

Watch the Penny Snare Demonstration

The video walks through the construction and demonstrates the locking principle. It’s much easier to understand what I’m describing when you can actually see the components working together.

Understanding Trapping Laws and Safety

Before experimenting with any trapping equipment, know the laws where you live. Regulations vary depending on the state, wildlife species, trap design, and where the equipment is being used. Snaring is restricted or prohibited in many circumstances, including certain uses in Colorado.

Snares can seriously injure or kill unintended animals, including pets and protected wildlife. Any educational demonstration should take place under controlled conditions without exposing animals or people to an active trap. At The Survival University, demonstration traps are dismantled or rendered harmless when training is complete.

Learning how a piece of equipment works is valuable, but knowing when and whether it can legally and responsibly be used is part of being a competent outdoorsman.

Learn More Wilderness Survival Skills

Improvisation is an important part of wilderness survival. Whether you’re working with a piece of cordage, a pocketknife, or a handful of materials you happen to have available, understanding how things work gives you more options when equipment is limited.

If you’re interested in developing practical survival and bushcraft skills, explore our upcoming wilderness survival classes. We cover a variety of traditional and modern field skills through hands-on training in the Colorado mountains.