Home made Live Traps
- Thread starter soreloser
- Start date
I've built live mink traps using a 2 foot length of sewer pipe with a sliding door (no springs are needed):
Wire mesh is on one end of the pipe where the bait goes. An Alligator clip holds the bait. Dacron fishing line is tied to the Alligator clip then runs over the sewer pipe through small plastic conduit to a small turnbuckle. Dacron line is then used to attatch the turnbuckle to a 6 inch pin (I used an umbrella frame). The six inch pin slids through an empty ball point pen case. The pin holds a sliding door open until a mink pulls the bait. The turnbuckle adjusts the pin so only a slight pull is needed to drop the door.
The front of the trap is 8" X 12" plywood with a 6" hole for the sewer pipe to slid in. The pipe is screwed into the plywood. A hole is drilled in the plywood just above the sewer pipe for the ballpoint pen to stick in (but not to far enough to interfere with the sliding door). The door is a 6"X7" piece of plastic (I used plastic peg board). The door slids on guides made from drywall "J" framming??? (It was .90 cents for a 10 foot length). The "J" framming(?) is screwed on the sides and bottom of the plywood.
I've tried a three foot version of this for marten but as yet have not had luck.
Wire mesh is on one end of the pipe where the bait goes. An Alligator clip holds the bait. Dacron fishing line is tied to the Alligator clip then runs over the sewer pipe through small plastic conduit to a small turnbuckle. Dacron line is then used to attatch the turnbuckle to a 6 inch pin (I used an umbrella frame). The six inch pin slids through an empty ball point pen case. The pin holds a sliding door open until a mink pulls the bait. The turnbuckle adjusts the pin so only a slight pull is needed to drop the door.
The front of the trap is 8" X 12" plywood with a 6" hole for the sewer pipe to slid in. The pipe is screwed into the plywood. A hole is drilled in the plywood just above the sewer pipe for the ballpoint pen to stick in (but not to far enough to interfere with the sliding door). The door is a 6"X7" piece of plastic (I used plastic peg board). The door slids on guides made from drywall "J" framming??? (It was .90 cents for a 10 foot length). The "J" framming(?) is screwed on the sides and bottom of the plywood.
I've tried a three foot version of this for marten but as yet have not had luck.
Here's one I use to catch unwanted critters that show up from time to time at the wife's cat food dish at the back door. Also have used it along fence, wall, or with guide boards to catch armordillers... Night crawler fish formula or some dirt outa an earthworm box helps too.
The trigger is notched and the critter releases the door when he hits the stick trying to get through or to the bait in the back. Lil' bigger than the "rabbit gums" dad used to catch tibbar (rabbit runin backwards) when he was a kid. The screws pointing down at the top of the door cleat prevented a cagey old boar coon from lifting the door after couple of misses...Great for neighborhood problem critters that might be too dangerous with steel...
The trigger is notched and the critter releases the door when he hits the stick trying to get through or to the bait in the back. Lil' bigger than the "rabbit gums" dad used to catch tibbar (rabbit runin backwards) when he was a kid. The screws pointing down at the top of the door cleat prevented a cagey old boar coon from lifting the door after couple of misses...Great for neighborhood problem critters that might be too dangerous with steel...
StealthArcher
New member
My live traps are 60 long and 18x18... In the back of the trap i left 12 inches for a chicken. Its a really good trap.. I think the next trap im going to make is going to be a little skinnier just so the cats cant turn around in it.. My traps are heavy enough that they wont turn them over. I just think it wouldnt better to have them a little skinnier...