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Wilderness Survival

Traps

"No-knife" One-Stick Figure-4 Deadfall Trigger
  

The typical Figure-4 trigger mechanism requires some fancy knife work to construct. Dovetails and slots must be cut into the sticks at exact angles. These angles are sometimes hard to line up. This is the appeal of making a Figure-4 trigger without a knife.

One day I decided to take this concept a step further. I asked myself if it was possible to make a Figure-4 trigger, not only without a knife, but also from just one stick? After some reflection I hit upon a method of doing this, which is illustrated on this page.

Trap and photos by Walter Muma

  

An overview of the trigger.

PLEASE NOTE: this example is not necessarily an ideal one. I made it simply to show the concept.

To make this type of Figure-4 trigger, you need to use a type of wood that does not crack apart easily, one that holds together when bent. I chose a maple sapling for these reasons. Maple tends to facture and splinter, but to hold together very well. Try breaking a maple branch in two and you'll see this effect.

In my trial run here, the hand represents the weight of a deadfall pressing down.

The bait is placed on the lower end.

I found this particular example to not be strong enough, as I had cracked the sapling at the outer edge (at the left in the photo), thus reducing the "spring" of the trigger.
  

Detail of the top of the trigger, where the curved part of the trigger rests on top of the upright portion.
  

Detail of the lower part of the trigger, where the bait portion of the trigger is held against the upright portion. The principle is the same as in the regular "no-knife" Figure-4 trigger.
  
An interesting experiment! This type of trigger probably has little practical value, as the materials for a multi-stick no-knife Figure-4 deadfall are probably easier to obtain. This one-stick variety requires a specific type of sapling, whereas for the multi-stick type you can utilize a variety of woods and sticks.

But it does show what possibilities there are if you let you imagination work, and break free of preconceived ideas. This type of exercise helps you to be more able to adapt to unusual circumstances while out in the bush trying to survive.

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