The use of gin traps is condemned from all quarters and with good reason. In inexperienced and irresponsible hands gin traps are basically murder weapons that catch and mutilate all moving things. It requires someone with excellent knowledge of predators and years of experience to set a trap so that only the black-backed jackal or lynx will be caught, and then without maiming the animal. It works well by covering the trap’s jaw with rubber tube so that the animal can be caught without hurting legs or breaking bones. If something like an aardwolf is accidentally caught, the animal can be released unharmed.

Jackal and lynx should be shot in the head with a centre-fire calibre so that the animal does not suffer. Only traps with jaws that have a groove and are also equipped with an adjustable tread plate, should be used. This allows smaller predators to step on the tread plate, set at 2kg, and not trigger the trap.