Most of us are not using said utility tool to harm another person, their property or their income. Your example is not a victimless crime and therefore warrants whatever sentence multiplier your state allows.

Now, why are you getting a cold shoulder? You see every so often someone comes in using a non-desript (pardon the ironic pun) 'Username' and then right off the bat starts lines of questions similar to "How do I evade laws in my state?", "What kind of tools would you have in your Escape and Evade kit?" "Whats the best rifle and caliber for punching through a zombie brain?" "I am the master of my domain and that is wherever I am standing so I will ignore laws so I can do what I want." (that was the basic concept of someone who came here last summer looking to hike across the country.)

I did a Google search for 'wisconsin folding knife laws', response time was 0.44 seconds. The first hit was a .pdf that says blades over 3 inches are illegal. My Leatherman, SAK, and gerber folder (all things I rotate in my EDC) are well under 3". My RSK Mk1 is a about 3.3' so while that's technically an illegal carry in Wisc., based on my demeanor, cooperation, and respect I show the officer I doubt I would get much more than a warning. I certainly would not be meeting said officer as part of committing an illegal act or acting suspicious.

I did the same search on Wisconsin trapping laws and downloaded the entire 2008 trapping regulation pamphlet. Not being a trapper I would think that trapping is a method of hunting and therefore not the same as controlling pests in your garden.

You will find this forum more along the lines of how to collect and purify water when the faucets don't work, how to start a fire, how to stay warm and dry, the pro/cons of GPS, Spot vs. PLB and links to current survival situations in the news. In this last topic, Mr. Ritter has been immeasurably helpful with his insight.

You will NOT find people on this forum who support weakening law on crime, supporting criminal behavior, advocating or teaching techniques akin to spying, breaching, evading capture, lock picking, or discussing The End Of The World As We Know It situations.

I have now explained to you what I believe it is 'your doing wrong'. In both of your posts, your looking for affirmation of deviant behavior. You won't find that here.
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From when I started writing this response till I posted, there was a lot more activity, (I started before Jeffs post).

Your asking people all over the world to comment on the laws in your state on if you can or can't use snares or practice snares. Why not call a game warden in your city? Do a Google search on what is legal.

You said that your relative got ten years for using the knife in the use of a crime, not that he had kept it in his pocket. Not that it made a difference. If he had just matched the description of someone who committed a B&E and had a screwdriver in his pocket he'd probably have gotten the same sentence, who knows. What is now known is that while Wisconsin is tight on the size pocket knife a man can carry they are tough on criminals. Good for them.