• An example of a leghold trap.trap image by Kotov from Fotolia.com
  
  Hunting traps are devices that hunters use to both catch and kill wild animals. Their lethality is what sets them apart from standard animal traps, which in some instances allow for live capture, such as when scientists collect species for research or relocation. The main purpose of hunting traps is to catch and kill furbearing animals, such as mink and rabbit. Unlike bullets, which can damage fur coats, hunting traps generally keep fur quality intact.
  
  

Leghold Traps

• Perhaps the most well-known types of hunting traps are leghold traps, which many people refer to as bear traps. According to the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies, hunters more commonly use this style of trap for animals such as beavers, raccoons, muskrats and minks. The more traditional leghold traps consisted of a set of stainless steel jaws, complete with razor-sharp teeth, which would spring upward and collapse on the limbs of unsuspecting animals. In an attempt to be more humane, many modern leghold trap manufacturers have replaced the steel teeth with cushioned sections of synthetic materials, with the intention of minimizing suffering by not puncturing the animal’s skin. Considering that leghold traps kill their victims by slowly starving them to death, this innovation may have done little to make the traps more humane.
  
  

Conibear Traps

• Manufacturers design conibear (body grip) traps to kill animals instantly. According to Trap Free Oregon, each trap consists of a square or rectangular frame with two pivoting jaws. When armed, both of these jaws are under extreme pressure from either one or two springs, depending on the particular trap model. The only thing keeping the jaws together is a small hook or latch system, which animals release when they brush up against the trap. Once this happens, the jaws snap apart, and the opposite ends clamp together, crushing the animal between them. Manufacturers design conibear traps to target the skull and neck of animals, so as to kill them instantaneously. However, this does not always occur, and sometimes animals can suffer. While hunters primarily use conibear traps to catch semi-aquatic animals, such as muskrats and beavers, dogs often fall victim to them.
  
  

Deadfall Traps

• A deadfall trap is a simple and traditional type of hunting trap. It consists of a large, heavy object, such as a rock, which is propped up by a stick, rod or other trigger mechanism. Most hunters also often include bait, which is placed under the heavy object. When an animal goes in for the bait, it will ideally bump into the trigger mechanism, causing the heavy object to fall and crush it.