A survivalist homemade booby trap is a device intended to automatically detect, scare, injure or kill.
To protect your homestead from unsuspecting threats.
For our purposes, a threat is anyone trying to enter our property or homes without your permission.
Thieves, bandits, gangs, etc.
During times of normalcy, it’s essential to keep the booby traps to the non-lethal, non-threatening sort. Simple alarm trip wires and such.
Yet, when SHTF…all bets are off…
So we will first cover 2 alert based traps.
Then several outdoor homemade booby traps and finally share a few home entrance booby traps.
Remember: In order for any of these booby traps to work, they must be discreet and out of sight of its intended victim.
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Alarm Trip Wires and Booby Traps
Your current focus should be on traps that alert you to intruders.
Traps that allow you to either hide, fight or get away.
1 – The Air Horn Trip Wire Booby Trap
First up is an air horn alarm tripwire.
This is a perfect setup to detect if anyone is attempting to sneak onto your property.
2 – The Explosive Trip Wire Booby Trap
Next up is another alarm based booby trap but uses explosives to create both noise and a flash.
3 – The Sound Grenade Booby Trap
And here’s a third way to set up a perimeter alarm system.
This one is my personal favorite and extremely simple to set up.
First, pick up a few of these new Sound Grenades.
Tie a thin natural colored tripwire to either end and then around nearby trees. This setup will pull the pin on the Sound Grenade. Once the Sound Grenades pin is pulled it will emit an ear piercing 130 dB siren.
Half the battle to defending your home is to be aware when a threat is present.
One of the biggest challenges to SHTF home defense is getting sound sleep. This is no easy task with the constant threat of an ambush.
Placing these tripwires around your property will allow you some much-needed sleep. Because you can rely on them to wake you at the first indication of a trespasser.
Now that you’ve got your alarm booby traps set…it’s time to plan the next level of traps.
Note: Setting up any of the following traps in and around your home is highly illegal. These examples are for illustrative purposes ONLY to prepare you for SHTF.
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Property Booby Traps
4 – The Swinging Log Trap
This booby trap is ideal if you own property with mature trees to work with.
You should use natural obstacles on your properties perimeter to channel threats into a single location (using tall fences, bushes, etc) then add this trap at that location.
5 – The Spring Spear Trap
You can hide this booby trap in a lot of locations on your property.
It can be made much larger if so desired. Obviously, a larger device would create more damage and harm.
6 – The Rock Swing with Spikes Booby Trap
The rock swing with spikes is a simple booby trap to make and would be effective.
Hang this booby trap up high on a tree branch with a tripwire trigger. This device will swing down with speed and injury anybody in its path.
Even if it doesn’t hit its intended target, it would be an excellent deterrent.
Why? Because when someone sees this booby trap swing past them they will think twice about continuing.
7 – The Log Swing With Spikes Trap
Similar to the previous booby trap we covered, but even more lethal.
The wider the log, the less chance of missing the intended target.
8 – The Spike Pit Booby Traps
You can dig hidden pits in strategic locations on your property. These can be either large or small.
Smaller pits would injure feet when stepped in while larger ones could be deadly.
Home Defense Booby Traps
If it’s truly SHTF and an intruder makes it past the alarm trips wires.
If he somehow avoids your property booby traps, then you’ll need to rely on some home defense traps set up on your home entrances.
9 – The Simple But Effect Nail Spikes
Nail spikes are easy to make burglar traps and can be used at every entrance location.
These work best when hidden from plain view and can be set up on front porches or outside beneath lower level windows.
You may also want to pair this boobie trap with some security window film. That way, an intruder won’t be able to quickly shatter and break out your window.
10 – Electrocution Window Sills and Door Knobs
Using large batteries and a bit of copper wire you can electrically charge anything metal.
If you set this booby trap up correctly, then anyone who grabs the doorknob or metal window sill will get a nice shock.
The more electrical juice, the bigger the shock.
Here’s a video of this concept done as a prank, but its application for home defense purposes is legit.
Main Entrance Homemade Booby Traps
11 – The Chemical Bucket Drop
Here’s another simple booby trap to set up.
Use a bucket (or old paint can) and add some nasty chemicals to it.
Then position the can above a door on a floating shelf with a wire tied to the can. When the door opens, the can tips over, and the chemicals fall onto the intruder.
12 – The Shot Gun Booby Trap
The trigger of a shotgun is set up with the action of opening a door.
The shotgun must be mounted securely for this to work. This is an extremely illegal and deadly booby trap.
It’s not something you should set up under normal circumstances.
Obviously, you won’t find any videos of this setup in action.
However, here’s a good prank video that gives you an idea of how this booby trap setup would work.
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13 – The Ear Piercing Door Stop Alarm
Everyone should have alarm systems at their main entrance locations; front door and back door.
But nobody wants to spend a crazy amount of money on an alarm system and that’s before the monitoring fees.
Instead, you should invest in a couple of these Door Stop Alarms.
An intruder would think twice about entering after triggering one of these insanely loud alarm devices.
14 – The Guard Dog
While not technically a homemade booby trap, having a loyal guard dog is another badass way to deter intruders.
The sight and sound of an attacking German Sheppard will keep most sane people away.
Action Steps To Setting Up Your Homemade Booby Traps
- Research: Familiarize yourself with what makes a good booby trap and easy to make booby traps. Learn how to make booby traps out of household items.
- Materials: You can get the alarm materials here and here. Purchase the best materials for your homemade booby trap to make them more effective.
- Layout: Locate the ideal placements for your booby traps.
- Practice: Practice making several of these booby traps and test them to ensure they work correctly.
Every survivalist should be prepared to make these homemade traps, but don’t stop there. When SHTF there will be millions of people looking for food, water, and shelter. You need to be prepared to defend what’s yours.
But not only should you booby trap your property, but it’s also essential that you learn all the home security and defense measures.
I want to highlight two of the BEST home defense tools. Why? Because most break-ins occur through doors or windows.
Armor Concepts Door Armor
Armor Concepts sells door armor! Door Armor is a patented door security device system that reinforces the weak points on your existing doors.
So you should always reinforce those points of entry as best as you can. These products help you do just that!
AND the cost of these products is very reasonable if you ask me – especially for what you get –> “insane peace of mind”.
Watch the following video on how well this door reinforcement device works.
2 – Window Security Film
Window Security Film
In general, there are several types of film and there are also other window solutions such as burglar bars, riot glass, or security screens.
But for most people who just want a quick good looking window security upgrade, window security film is your best bet.
Prepare, Adapt and Overcome,
“Just In Case” Jack
P.s. Do you know where the closest nuclear bunker is from your home?
There are a lot of natural nuclear shelters in the US that are absolutely free. And one of them is near your home.
Click here to see the Closest Natural Nuclear Bunker to Your Home?
Click on the image above to find out where you need to take shelter.
Steve says
Nice post. I like how you cover idea from the perimeter all the way to the home entrances.
Don’t forget about Man Boobie Traps. Their basically bear traps…
Just In Case Jack says
Thanks Steve.
Indeed the man traps would add another dimension of pain. Thanks for sharing.
Morris Basco says
I can share a favorite of the VC. I warn you in advance, it is usually FATAL. Take a spent 12 gauge shell. Take a thumb tack and blunt the point a little, Push the thumb tack point through the spent primer of the 12 gauge shell. Place a center fire live round (308, 30-06) down in the 12 gauge shell with the primer resting of the point of the thumb tack. Pack cotton or paper, dirt or anything to stabilize the live round inside the shell so it does not move. Dig a small hole big enough of the 12 shell to stand up in and place a flat rock or other hard object in the bottom of the hole and set the shell down on top with a the thumb tack head resting on the rock. Bury the shell and round with about 1/4 inch of the live round protruding from the ground. Place a leaf over the spot where the round is sticking up. Someone that steps on the round will force the round down on the point of the thumb tack, forcing the point of the tack into the primer of the live round. You can imagine what happens next.
Pit says
Why not just use electrical tape to attach the tack to a live shot she’ll?
Mountain Man says
Another idea for early warning is a motion detector kit that can be mounted outside the home, sometimes up to 1,000′ away. I have one that has multiple sensors that can be mounted at all points of approach to the house with each sensor setting off a different tone on the base unit inside the house so we know from which side someone is approaching.
Years ago we had some snotty nosed obnoxious kids who like to “ring and run” our doorbell. I set one of these up and it stopped immediately when I opened the door on them before they could reach the door.
The set I have now is put away in my EMP proof set up and ready for installation after things go down. The base unit can operate on batteries or a wall outlet, while the motion sensors are on batteries. I use low self discharge (LSD) rechargeable batteries in the sensors to extend the operating life.
PapaBear says
You can even get solar lights now that activate with motion, a quick blast of spray paint and mounted in a tree !!
Cody says
Where are the motion lights with spay paint available at?
Just In Case Jack says
Hey Cody,
I found some that looks promising on Amazon
Pit says
No, not motion lights that spray paint… but cheep solar motion lights from Walmart, Amazon, Harbor Freight etc, then you spray paint the lights to camouflage them.
Cowboy says
I like your idea would like to have more information on setting something like that up
Peter says
I am looking for a remote controlled booby trap.
If not yet available who can submit suggestions.
Datru says
invest in a Raspberry Pi . Write some code to send data through your favorite source of transfer (wifi, bluetooth, am) attach a trigger lead and some microswitches.
matt says
Most people are familiar with drain o bombs and if not its just a bottle of THE WORKS brand drain cleaner and balled up tin foil in an empty 2 liter bottle. The result…a big poison explosion. Now I wouldnt suggest this unless in a life or death situation but, two thirds cleaner one third gum ball sized balls of tin foil and broken glass in a twenty ounce plastic soda bottle…..you got a serious deterrent. Have the tin foil balls all pre-rolled up and try drop them all in at once seal asap and throw that sucker. No matter what you use for the extra deterrent broken glass…..bb’s needles be sure they go in BEFORE the tin foil and be no where in the explosions path. The pressure builds fast and its a powerful pop.
RJ says
We had some kids trespassing on our property. We rigged up a few paintball markers, set at full auto, 20 balls per second, at crotch level. reversed the contacts on the trigger microswitch so marker would fire with trigger in foreward positon, put a piece of dowel b/t trigger and trigger guard. ran a piece of clear fish line as trip wire. Worked great. KIds parents threw a fit, but had told them to keep their kids off our land.
RJ says
I think a paintball gun rigged up inside would make a great non-leathal booby trap. Use reballs so there is no mess. Would hurt like hell, wake homeowner up and possibly make intruder retreat.
Jeffrey David Hamilton Walkerj says
Paint balls filled with Pepper-gas.
TheGeneral says
Personally I’m a big fan of caltrops, I made one design thats a relatively long fat nail, with a point made to penetrate a boot with ease and long enough that it’ll come out the other side. Now I want to do more experiments with barbs on them for extra fun.
On top of that I’ve done some experiments with the modernized punji stick. I Cut off the heads of old golf clubs then cut it to the shape of a hypodermic needle at standard bevel. I guarantee you it’ll go through your foot or punch a hole through your thigh.
Then there’s razor blades, put them at a 45 degree angle towards the windowsill so if someone tries to climb in, they’ll need more than just new fingerprints 🙂
When SHTF Im ready.
Dan DeWitt says
Nice, when the purge happens I’m leaving your place alone. Ruthless, I love it!
me says
The Snatch and Drag…
innocent looking log, branch on the trailing end of a walk path, clearing etc. attached on both end is rope in yoke fashion. hidden rope attaches to yoke goes in front of predicted path of intruders. more or less a gravity powered dragging device. rock drop, log drop setup. It will mame and really stop intruders. I’m in the process of setting mine up. my setup isn’t easy and differs greatly.
Kelli says
I seen the shotgun trap on tv show 1,000 ways to die…this poor fella had it set up during night time when he would go to sleep…well one night he was sleepwalking and was killed by his own trap…very sad! So def wait till SHTF for any of these bc you just never know.
stanger says
I don’t think he would set up such a trap if he had a history of sleep walking further more if he is setting up such a trap he must feel asthough his life is at danger….like all the time…..even when sleeeping so it doesn’t sound like he is worried about burgalars…..sounds like he was probably under some sort of electronic surveillance and when he was sleeping they tapped into his brain
Anonymous girl says
Fishing line with hooks hung at calf torso and eye level
Patricia says
Good idea. It’s effective ,and without needing bond money
Jeffrey says
Intimidation to sell property nightly disturbances since September 21 2013 by cowardly, gutless and spineless intimidators who stalk and disturb the peace of sleep of a bachelor retiree from midnight to 0600 hrs to sell my corner block plot just opposite the Sanctum Sanctorum (Holy of Holies) “the pub” with an average of 1 to 3 hrs sleep every night for the past 1051 days by hitting my bedrooms. The police are as useless as tits on a bull, have spend AUD$25,000.00 replacing and upgrading security cameras and sensors and by the time I hear the bang, jump out of bed into slippers, grab a torch, keys, hockey stick, turn off the alarm system, open the front and screen doors – the pariahs have bolted. Will try one or two of your traps – with a permanent dyes to mark the buggers faces and clothes for police to take action.
,
Punisher says
Sharpen some sticks and put them ouside your bedrooms. Look for the bar patrons who limp. Hang some extremely sticky tar paper on your outside walls at night with barbed wire stuck to it. Look for the guys with the hand bandages. Sleep during the day for several days and get up high with your paintball/pepperball gun and have at intruders. Get a video camera set up, Get a guard dog. Hire some thugs.
Jo says
Just Remember, after you deal with an intruder, the ball is then in his court. He will probably retaliate in a full escalated manor against you. Think hard about your tactics. He just about has to be arrested too, when caught.
Ned j says
How legal is it if someone gets hurt in your backyard or in a process of entering your yard or home by a traps of different kinds . ?? I must know a true legality of it in california . I have being robed several times and have alarm an they stil or he still keeps getting back. Cops can’t do nothing they are harmless ticket givers only . Please help
Just In Case Jack says
I’m not qualified to provide any legal advice on such matters. I’ve never attended law school. The suggestions in this post are for a future TEOTWAWKI type of a world. A world where there is no law and order, and one where you must ruthlessly defend what’s yours from bandits. So you’re best bet is to seek a qualified lawyer to get your legal advice for such a situation.
Daphne Shaw says
Help. I’m 48 single female and I’ve got a criminal record from years back. I’ve had batteries stolen out of my cars & the latest thing is the Infiniti I30 I own had the back taillight cover broken & the bulb removed. All my Windows & doors have been kicked in and even the glass taken out of window & silicone put it back in place. All the meth heads know I sleep & won’t call the law.
Just In Case Jack says
I recommend you buy and set up a hidden security camera. If you catch the vandals on camera, you’ll have rock solid evidence you can take to the authorities.
Dan DeWitt says
Trail cameras are a nice deterrent put them out of reach so these vandals can’t get to them and then you’ll have them on camera. They aren’t that expensive in all honesty.
Luke Allen says
use fishing hooks preferably treble hooks hang them around problem areas on fishing string at least 20 lb test at different heights ankle height, waist height and eye level it’s a great non lethal deterrent
tammy says
i am single mother, 50 years old, whose Xboyfriend is in jail for battery and felony false imprisonment. He’s coming after me when released. I live on 4 acres northwest GA. He has broken in and waited, hiding, to try and kill me. I barely survived the last episode 5 weeks ago and still can barely breath from injured ribs. I have no family and am afraid. The TPO only fueled his flames of unfounded rage. Any tips or tricks to help me know if someone has been around my property could save my life. I don’t know where to start.
Just In Case Jack says
[“Any tips or tricks to help me know if someone has been around my property could save my life.”]
Check out the tripwire alarms we discuss above
Oroblanco says
Get a shotgun, and learn how to shoot it. I recommend a 12 gauge, and don’t worry about the kick because when your life is on the line, you could fire a howitzer and never feel it. Buy 000 buckshot ammo, or 00. Don’t shoot him until he is inside your home. I would recommend to yell at him that you have a gun and are not afraid to use it too, if he has a brain he will soon decide to head for greener and safer pastures. Tripwires and traps are great but can be very dangerous too, and you could get sued if some innocent (or in some cases a criminal) gets hurt by your traps. A shotgun will definitely protect you. They are not expensive, and it is cheap insurance for your life.
Scott says
For an in experienced shooter or if kids or others in the house #8 birdshot is better at extremely close range and will not go through the walls injuring others, but gives a very wide sweep especially down a hallway with much less kick.
bob says
NEVER YELL you have a gun BEFORE you shoot. By the time they see it be pulling the trigger WHILE yelling you have a gun ….. shoot 2x shoot to kill and shoot a warning shot….
Luke Allen says
Get a guard dog and carry a revolver
bob says
it’s going to be work but set up an area going all the way around your property that is very uneven, rocky, weedy (so they can’t see the ground), 6 ft wide so they will be in it for 2 or 3 steps, maybe use a heavy trip wire to pull or move a flag or move a wedge holding log by the driveway so you can see as you come up to the house. The ideas are to alert you trip/twist their ankle and give you a heads up to have your hand in your purse on a gun. That or call the cops if you see the alarms are tripped and let the cop clear the your house
Stephanie says
Any suggestions for a way to keep a neighbor from sitting on my wooden park-style bench that sits outside my front door? He sits there drunk at all hours of the night talking lousy on his phone and leaves a mess of sunflower seed shells. Not seeking to harm him, just deter him.
Punisher says
Turn your bench upside down and hammer some nails through it. Once he has chosen a new spot you can remove the nails.
Scott says
Wax paper stapled to the wood with roofing tar on it
Allen says
All you guys need to check out motion detector sprinklers. You can put FILTERED pepper oil or pepper spray into the water hose feeding it, and re-connect it, right there at the motion detector sprinkler.
Be aware you can be civil sued in these instances so you need to consider something in the hose that will be noxious to the person but not harm them permanently. SKUNK OIL is a very good one to put in them as is LIQUID ASS.
M says
I’m looking for ideas on something the scumbag can take with them. After several petty thefts from a meth head I’d like ideas on something that would result in a fireball or shocking experience when the scumbag plugs in that power tool or car speaker he stole.
Dan DeWitt says
I often camp alone in very dangerous areas and I have used an improvised version of the first two alarm traps as a kind of perimeter/ deterrent around my camp using round eyelets that I screw into the trees at about the 6-10 inch height and run 100lb braided fishing line through the eyelets then I secure both ends of the string taught to these extremely loud magnetic window alarms you can buy at Home Depot. When someone hits the trip wire it pulls the magnet apart activating the alarm These things will scare the hell out of anyone or anything trying to sneak into your camp while you’re snoozing. This system works very well and you can even build on it by attaching small 6 foot lengths of the fishing line (which is very light) going in different directions from your perimeter or add a second outer perimeter attached to its own alarm or attached to the first alarm to make sure your intended quarry doesn’t get lucky and step over your trip wire and get the drop on you. Also Ive made a modified and much more effective version of the spring trap that swings horizontally instead of vertical so you’re almost guaranteed to at least strike your intended target, Rambo used a similar device to impale one of the cops that were trying to track him in Rambo First Blood. Stay prepared.
Just In Case Jack says
Thanks Dan for the elaborate explanation of how you can expand this to cover a large perimeter area.
Margaret Thetford says
Thank you!! We have been robbed twice in one year, fishing poles, tackle boxes, 2 riding lawnmowers, tools etc!! I’m sick of thieves!!!!
JakeBlanton says
“Robbed”? They came up to you and said “give me your fishing poles, tackle boxes, riding lawnmower, and tools or I will shoot / beat the crap out of you”?
THAT would be “robbery”.
If they came on your property and stole it without you noticing or without threatening you, it would be either “burglary” or just “theft”.
There’s a big difference legally and in some states, you can use deadly force for some situations, but not others. Here in Texas, deadly force is allowed even in cases of criminal mischief if it happens at night.
Security is a layered approach… A DIY 12-gauge “perimeter alarm” with a piece of 3/4″ steel pipe to hold the shell and the pellets replaced with cayenne pepper for each door and window of your house makes for a nice “get their attention” layer. Does not work on Cajuns though… 🙂
lynda says
Thanks for ALL the education y’all. Thieves need to go get a job!!! Oh yea, and also make sure they have identity on them…. so their next of kin can be notified. What really pisses me off is most of the time, if they would just ask, it would be given to keep or at least borrow. Gotta go to work now, yea!!!
David parker says
I been robbed everything I own ba sickly clothes tools riding lawnmower and the list goes on I’m very poor and get everything I own from the junk yard I just need a couple cheap ways to stop this or else it’s going to drive me to my grave I’m absolutely going in sain they even meseed up my car where the tire flew off it and it blown up do to no oil filter at all cause of this monster
Michael says
Set up a big sack for them to get trapped in and then when they are in it tie it up very tight and hang it over a tree and leave it there for a week that would frighten the life out of them
Mark says
I remember watching a documentary years ago where they were interviewing convicts who were in the b&e, home invasion, robbery business. The one thing they all said was the one thing that would make them move on to another house? A dog. Dogs can hear intruders long before we can; smell them too. Dogs will bark when they detect an intruder. Dogs can attack the intruder in a floor layout that they know very well, but is likely unknown to the intruder. Anyway, they all said that it was too high of a risk to break into a house with a dog. And these were guys who did this stuff their whole lives. A side story… in a house that I once lived, the front door had a window about the size of a dinner plate at face level. I also had a Rhodesian Ridgeback, Gunther, who was big enough that he could stand up and look out that window. If he didn’t recognize the visitor, he would growl the most rumbling purr you ever heard and show them his teeth. No politician or preacher ever darkened our door twice. 😀