Paiute Deadfall Trap
Trapping is one of the most compelling—and often misunderstood—skills within bushcraft and survival. In an ideal world, we would never need to consider capturing or killing animals at all. We could simply live from the land by foraging for plants, nuts, seeds, and berries, meeting our nutritional needs without causing harm.
The reality of wilderness survival, however, is rarely so simple.
While knowledge of edible plants is essential, plant foods alone are often insufficient to sustain the human body over time. Foraging requires energy, and many plant foods are low in calories. To replace the energy expended gathering them, you would need to consume very large quantities—often burning more calories than you gain in return. This creates a dangerous imbalance that, in prolonged survival situations, can lead to exhaustion and starvation.
This is a challenge our prehistoric ancestors and hunter-gatherer cultures across the world understood instinctively. They may not have spoken in terms of calories, protein, or fats, but they understood hunger—and they recognised the profound physical and psychological difference that came from eating nutrient-dense food such as meat. For many cultures, this nourishment was seen not just as fuel, but as the life force of the animal itself becoming part of the hunter.
It’s easy to imagine survival through dramatic pursuits of large game—tracking deer for miles with bow or spear, relying on strength, speed, and luck. In reality, this approach demands huge amounts of energy and carries a high risk of failure. An unsuccessful hunt can leave you returning to camp depleted, hungry, and with fewer options than before. Without modern safety nets, repeated failure quickly becomes life-threatening.
Experienced hunter-gatherers knew this. Rather than relying solely on active hunting, they developed a deep understanding of trapping—methods that allow animals to be taken with minimal energy expenditure. A well-placed trap works continuously, even while you rest, conserve energy, or attend to other survival tasks.
For anyone serious about survival skills, understanding a range of trapping methods is invaluable. Many effective traps can be constructed entirely from natural materials, or from salvaged items such as wire or cordage, depending on what is available.
Lofty Wiseman, author of the SAS Survival Handbook, famously categorised traps into four types: Mangle, Tangle, Strangle, and Dangle. The appropriate trap depends on the target species, terrain, and materials at hand.
The trap described below falls firmly into the mangle category. It is designed to kill quickly and humanely by dropping a heavy weight onto the animal.
The Paiute Trap
This is a modified Paiute trap, traditionally used by the Paiute people of Nevada and Utah to catch small mammals. Living in a harsh, rocky environment where large game was scarce, the Paiute relied heavily on small animals, reptiles, and insects for survival. Their traps reflect an intimate understanding of efficiency, materials, and landscape.
Materials Required
To construct a Paiute trap, you will need:
Approximately 30cm of cordage (natural fibre or modern)
One upright Y-shaped support stick, around 20cm long and thumb-thick, pointed at one end
One cantilever stick, about 30cm long and thumb-thick
One trigger arm, 30–40cm long and pencil-thick
One trigger toggle, around 5cm long and pencil-thick
You will also need a large, flat stone that can be lifted from one side without rolling. Small stones or twigs can be used to stabilise it if necessary. Concrete blocks are ideal for practice, as they balance well and behave predictably. (This design has even been adapted effectively and humanely for pest control, such as rat trapping, when used responsibly.)
Setting the Trap
Set the trap as illustrated, ideally with the help of another person to support the weight. Alternatively, you can use your knee to hold the cantilever arm in place while setting it. Take care not to lean over the cantilever arm—it can snap upward with considerable force if released unexpectedly.
The trigger arm should rest lightly against the flat face of the stone and must be free to swing outward without catching on any cracks or edges. The sensitivity of the trap is controlled by the friction between the trigger arm and the stone. Bait the end of the trigger arm with food appropriate for the animal you are targeting.
Lower the stone slowly while holding the toggle in position. This can take practice, and adjustments are often needed. The cantilever arm and trigger arm should sit parallel to one another, with the cordage running at roughly a 45-degree angle to the upright support.
A Final Word on Ethics and Legality
The Paiute trap is a fascinating piece of indigenous engineering and an important survival skill to understand. In a genuine emergency, knowledge like this could save a life.
That said, it is essential to stress that trapping may be illegal in many areas, and its use raises serious ethical considerations. Traps should only ever be used in true survival situations or carefully controlled pest management scenarios, where the risk to non-target animals—particularly domestic pets—can be properly managed.
As with all survival skills, knowledge should be carried with responsibility, respect for life, and an understanding of the laws and landscapes in which you operate.