bushbug asked me for some info on stoat trapping and i thought a few here might find it interesting.
notes on mustelid trapping. These notes relate to trapping mustelids (stoats, ferrets, weasels) but can also apply to wild cats. They are methods that I use and work ok for me but it’s a learning curve and every trapper will have their own methods and secret tricks that they use. Mustelids are challenging to trap as they have very large ranges and travel around a lot, a very cunning and intelligent predator that can utilise nearly every type of habitat. They are fast, can climb well, swim and are very happy down burrows, they will attack prey much bigger than them selves and its believed they also kill for sport. There are all sorts of traps on the market, I have fen traps and they work well, I havnt tried any other types of mustelid traps and there may be better ones but the fens seem popular. The trap is set in a timber tunnel about 800 long made from aprox 250x20 pine. These are quite heavy but I’m trapping my own property mainly so don’t move them very far, if you were needing to be mobile I would design lighter tunnels. As long as there’s plenty of room for the trap to go off unhindered any tunnel will do. You can close off one end of the tunnel if you want to use one trap per tunnel or leave both ends open if you are using two traps per tunnel, I prefer two traps per tunnel with the bait in the middle. Try to keep as much human scent of your traps and tunnels as possable, use vege oil of lard to grease them every now and again, but only touch them if you need to. I can check mine from 5mtrs away by getting down and looking through the tunnel, and because I use eggs for bait I don’t have to change it that often so I only go near them to take out kills and reset. A bit of thought about were you set your traps will make a big difference to your catch rates. I have found that natural edges are a good spot, creek edges, tracks, roads, bush edges, gorse/grass edges etc, stoats seem to follow these quite a bit. If you can find a spot were two or more of these natural features meet, say a creek meeting a track, or a fence line between scrub and grass etc that’s a good place to start. Areas were birds congregate are an obvious choice, to give you an idea, my best trap site is a fence line running between native bush and an overgrown track and 5yr old pines, its north facing and heaps of birds hang out along that edge in the mornings. It has been a consistent catcher for a couple of years now. Mustelids also prefer to travel under cover, a trap set on open grass land will be less attractive to them than one inside a scrub edge for instance. So once you have got your traps together and decided on a location, how you set your traps is the next thing that will up your catch rate. Imagine how the stoat will approach your trap and make it easy for him. Keep it hidden, especially from above, but obvious at his level. Heres a few photos to show how i do it. This is a new site im trying as this traps site got flooded, its along a bush edge fence line with a small creek in the flax. I carry a machete and scrape the ground cover from the site The traps have been dug in so that the foot plate can drop easily and the jaws are clear of sticks etc, the floor plate is roughly level with the ground. The sticks are called “hazing”, they direct the stoat to run directly over the foot plate and set off the trap. I have baited with a hens egg in a small nest to make it as natural as possible, fresh rabbit is very good, fish, smoked fish or fresh meat will all work but they must be kept fresh. I like eggs because they are a natural food that stoats love and they last well in the trap so you don’t have to touch them all the time to rebait. A light dusting of loose soil or light leaf litter helps hide the traps and your scent. Make sure you have had the safety latch on your traps throughout all this so you don’t end up getting caught! While its still on lightly tap the trap mechanism to set it quite fine, a weasels weight has to set it off. Make sure you remove the safety catch and then place the tunnel carefully over the traps with an even distance at both entrances to the each trap. After you have made sure that the tunnel is sitting right and the trap jaws are free to close scrape the entrance down to soil at each end, stoats will always investigate freshly disturbed soil. Cover with a bit of natural leaf litter and see how you go. Give the traps a couple of weeks and keep moving them around until you have each trap in a good position. They will usually catch better once they have caught once, I think the tunnels etc get a bit of stoat smell to them so the next victim is more likely to enter the tunnel. The reason I like two traps is this, This trap was forgotten about after being reset in a new location prior to winter, it has one end closed off with one trap inside. It caught a stoat, skeleton still in trap, but notice that the egg has been eaten so a second visitor had been missed. This trap had both ends open and two traps inside. I had missed this one as well so hadn’t checked it since April, two stoat skeletons in the traps. This is the position of my most consistent catch site, this is yet to be covered up but shows you the sunny edge that the stoats like. It has two traps in it. I reset it with fresh bait and came back a couple of days later, it had a bush rat in one trap and a stoat in the other, I suspect the rat was caught first and also helped attract the stoat. Rat Stoat. ive been pretty slack in getting round the traps with all the rain, mud, feeding hay, calving and work, its good to check them weekly, well maintained traps will catch more, simple as that. kawhia had a great idea of dragging an old fish along a fence line and setting the traps on that, very good idea that i will try this summer, also traps is a very successfull trapper, the extra work he puts into having good natural sets definatly pays off. you will probably catch all sorts, rats, hedge hogs, possums, cats, blackbirds, mice, i even caught a bloody tui!! stoats are by far the most common mustelid and are blamed for killing up to 90% of kiwi chicks each year. theese little buggers are a real problem and a major predator,so any one you catch is a job well done! Good luck and enjoy your trapping! Its very satisfying.
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #1 - Aug 28th, 2008 at 3:47pm
well i checked the traps for the first time since resetting, the one i put in the new spot was the only one to catch and caught the biggest male stoat ive ever caught, a bloody monster of a thing!! hate to think how many kills hes made and litters hes sired in his time, not any more though!! note how the "hazing" sticks have meant that he runs directly on the trip plate. resulting in him activating the trap and being well and truely caught! no more kills for this one, this is unusually large for stoats in my area so im real happy to have caught him. ollie the boarder terrier gave him a chew just to make sure he was dead!!
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #2 - Aug 28th, 2008 at 7:54pm
That's a really good post, Chris. You've been much more successful with stoats than I have over the years. I've got a bit lazy, so I guess that is the key. Other readers, learn from my mistake: the first two years on my Wairarapa patch I caught 14 ferrets, 24 wild cats, plenty of rats & only 2 stoats. I used 4 box traps with guillotine fronts. I used to service them faithfully. Now 18 years later, I use 6 fen traps, hardly ever go near them, so catch f** all. It gets down to individual keenness, & from Chris's post, individual understanding & skill.
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #3 - Aug 28th, 2008 at 8:07pm
Eggs are a great bait for stoats particularly if you can't get round your traps as quickly as you'd like. I've had good results with fresh rabbit, with the skin on, though its only good for a couple of days in the summer. From December onwards all the young stoats will be coming out, so checking and clearing your traps as often as possible will maximise your catch rate.
Keep the wind in your face and your freezer full.
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #5 - Aug 29th, 2008 at 9:26am
yes fresh rabbit is no1 bait wise but must be fresh, in northland that meens almost dayly checks so i go for eggs, good advise re december, i will be going hard then to catch the young ones. young females are more often than not fertilised by the father prior to leaving the nest so they leave with a belly full of babys!!
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #6 - Aug 29th, 2008 at 10:38am
probably around 30 or 40 over the last 2 or 3 years just off my place, surprising how many there are around. always love getting those females kawhia, i figure its about ten stoats worth to kill a female!
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #9 - Aug 29th, 2008 at 5:02pm
I have heard you can use boiled eggs in the traps as saves on breakages during transportation and as a club have recently got a grant to purchase traps from Enviroment Waikato and i believe there are other places to get funding from for this type of work
The kill is not the bottom line reason for the hunt, but it cannot be removed from the equation
yeagh i cant see why boiled eggs wouldnt work, i just carry the eggs in the egg carton in a small day pack. pays to carry a .22 as well, you never know when you will get a crack at a stoat or cat. ive heard you can get a mustelid paste for bait/lure in traps, havnt seen it but heard about it somewere. also thought about tanning some rabbit skins and using pieces as a lure in the trap, i think the scent would leave the skin to quickly. i applied for funding through the northland enviroment grant for fencing off bush, they pay 50% of all the costs which can include your time and ongoing maitenance, im sure they would also pay for traps if i applied, they have a grant each year. dukshutr, if your wanting to catch cats as well, try a cage trap baited with "catnip", just put the catnip in a bit of nylon stocking and firmly tie it to the bait hook, cats go totally doolally on it, i use that at my pheasant release sites for a few weeks prior to letting the birds go, works a treat.
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #11 - Aug 31st, 2008 at 11:19pm
How many traps are you running Chris for the acerage you are covering ?? Am looking to start trapping 600 acres and need to know how many traps/tunnels i will need
The kill is not the bottom line reason for the hunt, but it cannot be removed from the equation
im running 5 tunnels, 1 trap in 2 and 2 traps in 3, on 50 acres, i have 20 acres of grass so really only trapping 30 acres, i rekon i could use another 3 to 5 tunnels easily and am in the process of making more. im not sure if thats the correct coverage but i think its far better to have what ever traps you have in good positions and serviced regularly, the trap location and quality of your set is what gives you a higher catch, having said that, if i was doing 600 acres it might be better to just have heaps of traps every were and go for really high coverage. one things for sure though, if its in a crap place or has rotten old bait in it, it probably wont catch a thing.
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Have you tried dried rabbit as a bait, have heard it works a treat and can last as long as eggs. My nana and poppa have a dehydrator they use to make dried apricots and fijoas, thought about chucking a rabbit in there but I think I would get odd looks ... Anyway if rabbit is the best bait it would be worth a try. Where can we buy the traps for cheap, they have them at gun city but probably over priced . Have also heard wearing rubber gloves to cover the smell and even putting rabbit piss and blood, even watered down in a spray bottle, give the box a quick spray to cover the human smell each time you check it will help improve your catch rate.
your nana and pop might get a bit tichy finding rabbit blood on there dried apricots bro!!! i havnt tried dried rabbit but have used salted rabbit quite a bit, it did catch but not as good as eggs, could be worth a crack with the dried. traps definatly seem to catch better once a stoat has been caught, must be the scent they leave in it i think, rabbit piss could be a good plan, i think rabbit blood would go rotten smelling and maybe only work when it was nice and fresh. ive heard of a guy putting folded up paper from his kids pet mice cage in the traps as well as bait, the paper reaked of mice piss and he rekoned it worked as a lure, could be worth a try but i think plain old eggs works ok for me. the lure paste i read about was a concentrated rat smell, designed especially to target mustelids so there must be some merrit in it.
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200 metres is a good spacing for stoats. But like Chris says location is the key. The boundary edge is a good place to start, along with any existing tracks on the property. Ridge lines too, If you were not going to check them for a month or more go eggs, but if you can check them weekly or better then its hard to go past fresh rabbit with skin on. Besides, it gives you an excuse to go and knock some bunnies over.
I experiment a lot with the trap site, I believe if something is not quite right most dont go near. I found no bait is required if you got them set up in the right spot and I think lures and baits may alert the smarter ones to the danger actually reducing the catch rate, my understanding is they like live food and this is why 1080 has no effect on them and so its better to think of providing them cover rather than food. I check mine daily along with my possum line, this gets them going big time, once I get it right I often catch every day in the same trap for a bit - up to 30 on the trot and once 2 in one day. This is how to get the numbers up more than any other trick. Also I make it natural as possible, heres another pic of the punga tunnel set which is productive year in an out, Also fully agree with every attention to the way the traps are set, bed well, hide with local material, guide with same, and set light as possible and check from a distance without touching.
now that is a quality set!!! it looks like its set on a rock wall? rock walls are very good sites because they provide a lot of shelter for all sorts of critters that stoats like to eat. spot on traps!
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Keep us up to date with how effective you find it. As in the next couple of months I will probably start to trap ferrets/stoats as I don't think the AHB are going to be doing any control here this coming year.
"the only good Wallaby is a dead one"
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Got 70 traps to manage over 14 kms for 10 years down here. some of us took the plunge and bought 70 DoC 200's. It is an all volunteer trapline I am going to be asking you a lot of questions Chris and Traps if you do not mind, I can learn something here. We are protecting mainly Whio with Kakariki Mohua and Kaka benefiting. yeah one tagged stoat spent 10 days in the middle of a trapline and never went near the traps
"There he goes. One of God's own prototypes. Some kind of high powered mutant never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live, and too rare to die.”
I was contemplating the same for here! Kiwi are getting nailed badly in the beech country now. Where did you buy yours from Weathered? Was considering getting local High School involved to try and keep up a good stream of young ones in the bush.
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #30 - Mar 11th, 2009 at 10:30pm
Wellington $47 each all assembled and shipped to us. I like the natural process Chris and Traps use it is more like trapping than dumping boxes on the track which DoC do. We have total control of our traps and I am keen on killing as many stoats as I can get into the traps their technique is logical to a hunter
"There he goes. One of God's own prototypes. Some kind of high powered mutant never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live, and too rare to die.”
The method they employed up the Hawdon was more akin to cluster bombing than anything else!! Yes placing traps in the right position makes a huge difference in success. You have to learn to think like your prey. Don't think you will have that much trouble with getting the idea. Those slinky sneaky little shites do take some nailing. I used to catch quite a few on the coast when I was a young'n lining my pockets with possum money. Even with a gin trap jaw closed across their mid sections they were ferocious little blighters. The stink they let go is something you never forget! I'd put it on a par with skunk but less volume Often had to chuck the trap in a creek for a few days to make it usable again. No self respecting possum would travel across that stench.... Just a conclusion I came to and it may not apply always but I think they used the possum tracks quite a bit. Especially in more open areas like bracken fields etc. Suppose they could motor along without getting wet and also out of sight. HTH
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #32 - Mar 12th, 2009 at 11:01am
good stuff weathered, thats bloody interesting about the tagged stoat spending ten days on the trap line without getting caught, cunning little bastards, one day he will make the fatal mistake! one thing that really lifts your catch rate is when you catch one, give it a real good rub around the inside of your tunnel, especially around its arse, the scent seems to attract or give confidance to other stoats.
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #33 - Mar 12th, 2009 at 11:05am
Good thread,trapping is so interesting and you just never stop learning. It's great reading various posts, without someone else posting in and rubbishing differing methods. We may all benefit to some degree from this, experienced trappers and emerging trappers alike.
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #34 - Mar 12th, 2009 at 11:39am
Very good thread this. I've had a wander round with Chris on his land to check the traps. And i've had the pleasure to sit around with him of an evening, having a drink and a yarn and listening to the kiwi's call up on the ridge. It's worth the small effort of trapping to have the pleasure of kiwi calling of an evening. Nice one Chris
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Going through this topic with great interest, maybe looking at tendering on some predator work in the future. Like weathered i are ready to soak up as much info/advice as possible
Best advice is spend a weekend going with a professional trapper. My mate Graeme showed me so many tips. If you are using the blue noose traps smear hare blood over sides and inside. Really lifts the kill rates. Dont forget the road kill it saves a heap of time looking for bait. Particularly for ferrets or cats clear a bit of soil before you set the trap on it.Attracts them to activity.Beware of the sore legs and arms after getting on and off the bike whilst setting 50 traps. Far more strenuous than the gym.
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #37 - Mar 23rd, 2009 at 3:42pm
This may be of interest to you guys. Another 80 traps or so were set over the weekend. Area in blue is now mostly covered plus some other areas. Hopefully it's readable.
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #38 - Mar 23rd, 2009 at 3:51pm
Also some regional councils will help support community groups that are undertaking pest control in some circumstances, so that may be worth investigating if you are looking at starting up a control program.
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #41 - Mar 29th, 2009 at 5:18pm
Thanks for that link Hillclima - ive been doing ferret control for AHB for last 2 years and never seen that link. So have just printed it out and will read it tonight before starting back tomorrow.
"the only good Wallaby is a dead one"
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #42 - Jun 25th, 2009 at 1:41pm
great stuff guys! i've got a mate trapping the crap out of the Retaruke Valley on the Wanganui River - he reckons his blue ducks are thriving.
there's a real hard-case couple in Southland who trap stoats as part of their jet boat operation - quite a cool idea, they have rigged 'flags' on their traps so that when they trap is triggered, the flag is raised, so they only have to check the flagged ones. Good idea when you're trapping from a river.
We're in town these days but we've got pheasants, paradise ducks and herons across the road - i wonder if we'd pick up any stoats? probably.
We need wilderness whether or not we ever set foot in it. We need a refuge even though we may not ever need to go there. [Edward Abbey, "Water"].
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #43 - Jun 25th, 2009 at 3:33pm
Hey, I have been running a few lines of double set DOC200 traps for a couple of years, mainly around rivers to try help the Blue Ducks. Usually trap from August to March around the breeding season.
The problem I have been having with the double set traps is that setting one trap off (98% of the time) sets the second trap off, only rarely if the Stoat is large will the second trap remain set. Does any one have any ideas how to remedy the problem of the second trap being sprung? Can the traps be isolated with rubber or something similar? I have tried hardening the triggers with no success.
i only have that problem if possums or feral cats go into the trap, not familiar with your trap type(tunnel traps?) but i would lengthen the tunnel to seperate the traps more or shorten the chains on the traps right up so the stoat cant bounce around to much and trigger the other trap?
Did our traps yesterday and had to chisel the lid open cos they were frozen solid. but nice stoat in one trap. Mate caught monster cat in his noose trap. Bloody heavy to tie up in the tree.
My guess about the doc200 set both going off is down the the power of the trap. I've caught heaps of double set stoats using fenn traps. the extra power of the doc 200s prob causes both to go off. i'd try using a bigger box, increase the spacing between the traps.
Either that or use fenns.
Keep the wind in your face and your freezer full.
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AHB or DOC is currently trialling a poison paste like cyanide to be used on cats and stoats. Apparently it is very effective on stoats when mixed with meat. Another tip that DOC is using on cats are feed stations until the cat gets used to them before using a trap. The evidence is that cats will avoid a trap unless it can be lured back to it without fear. Mate is going to supply a dvd which shows the trials on cats and ferrets.
My mate reckons that the panthers etc they see down SI are nothing but wild cats but he says they grow far bigger than NI cats. The biggest he has killed are between 12 to 13 kilos.
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My guess about the doc200 set both going off is down to the power of the trap. I've caught heaps of double set stoats using fenn traps. the extra power of the doc 200s prob causes both to go off. i'd try using a bigger box, increase the spacing between the traps.
Ive got a heap of boxes already made to the 'best practice sizes' so Im trying to get them running properly in the re-made boxes. If I cant improve on my % the chainsaw is coming out and Ill just run twice as many single sets. I have also heard that the traps are supposed to be facing opposite directions, my ones are all facing to the same side of the trap. So Ill need to have a play round with trap orientation and see the results.
Cheers for the reply
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #56 - Jan 14th, 2012 at 5:07pm
Might have to put a prunned down version in the Info section..
Good Idea Headcase
Another thing to remember everyone, is that a lot of Regional Councils or even some District/City Councils do have a trap loan scheme. Usually only for short periods of time 2-4 weeks or something but all assists in the Biodiversity of the Region if people out their trap mustelids.
"the only good Wallaby is a dead one"
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #59 - Jan 20th, 2012 at 4:07pm
Awesome thread,,,so much good info. going to get serious after watching a stoat clean my place out of baby birds and young rabbits, guess it had young it was feeding.
Another thing to consider is cost. DoC 200 and 250 traps are expensive to set up and heavy to move around. They are fine if you want to be politically correct but you will get far more bang for your buck by using Fenn or Connibear 110 traps. In the USA and Canada,the home of trapping, most weasel trappers just use Victor Pro rat traps in a box. I am trialing some at present for a project, I have beefed them up a little but will keep you posted.
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #63 - Mar 12th, 2012 at 4:51am
We now put a dab of marmite on the inside of our traps to get the cats. Do not use magpie meat for traps unless you want to catch hedgies. We found out with a camera of cats ignoring magpies as bait.
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #66 - Feb 15th, 2014 at 9:26am
I have plenty of time on my hands and am quite keen to trap a bush reserve near my home. Just for interest sake, and to see what is living in there. We have lots of Tui in our backyard, so probably not a lot! But even if I only get a couple of the little bastards, it will be worth it!!
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #68 - Mar 18th, 2014 at 6:55pm
Road kill - spotted him on the side of SH2 - 500m down the road from where we live - so went back for a closer look Can anybody tell me what it is - stoat or ferret? I have been trying to get the locals interested in predator control round our subdivision - but most of them say there is just a few rats - when I suggested they use my stoat traps - they say - don’t be stupid I have got 12 stoat traps set round our farm property - but just catching mice and rats - still to get my first stoat
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #69 - Mar 18th, 2014 at 6:57pm
oscar is correct. they are quite rare up north here. it always amazes me seeing how many there are down south. its my trapping goal this year to get one
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #72 - Mar 21st, 2014 at 8:44pm
I used to run a few gin traps round Tokoroa as a kid. I often caught stoats when the trap was set on a log or branch across a road or track. I just used to nail the trap to the log sit it on top, sprinkle a few pine needles over and bobs your uncle a stoat!
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sako
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Over Xmas we did a bit of touring out to the beaches in southern HB/Wairarapa. Could not believe the amount of stoats and ferrets we saw on the road in the daylight.Once coming back from Herbertville to Dannevirke we would have seen at least 12 on the road. What was noticeable is that they did not scamper like other wild ones.
Whats the cost of the 20 x 20 welded mesh? Can't find any online price.
Only place I could find round Tauranga that would cut it was on my back yard - after I went all over town - Carine Garden Centre Cant recall cost but I think it cost me about $3 to get enough for the last five I made If anyone wants some - let me know - size and numbers - I can buy a strip, cut it and mail it - flat stacked and not much weight - shouldn't cost much
Oh OK, I've got stuff for rabbit and guinea pig cages from Bunning's before so I'll see if they have the welded stuff too. Given the need to be corrosion proof it needs to be well made too. Cheers,
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Our chooks have been getting harrassed lately and in recent times our egg numbers have dropped. We discovered eaten hollowed out egg shells under the chooks shed and shortly afterwards started having sightings of a stoat nearby. I've been soaking up as much info as I can on these critters (thanks Cruz for showing me this thread it's gold).
I decided in the end to get a few DOC200 traps and set them up on the property two weeks ago. I've baited them with an egg and a piece of dried rabbit meat. I also shamelessly poached Chris's idea of making a nest for the egg! It makes it look heaps more natural.
Here's a couple of photos of my sets. Mustelids are all a bit new to me so I'm still trying to figure out the best places for setting the traps. I've set one with the chooks which has caught a rat and a hedgehog. The first one here is near a bridge, a fallen tree and where two fencelines meet. I haven't had anything visit so far.
The second is on the edge of a stream and two fencelines, there's plenty of trees and rabbit holes nearby but it's quite a damp area.
This morning I checked the traps and caught this fella in the trap in the second photo, happy as. I didn't realise ferrets could fit into these boxes.
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #80 - May 8th, 2014 at 3:57pm
OH! what a happy little trapper ,great when you get a result, especially one of those little bar stewards. Keep on with the trapping, it becomes a real useful hobby.
Great result wellycoaster - I bet that makes you feel good - man that is a serious piece of hardwear - hope he enjoyed his last egg I like the look of the way you covered your box - I am going to pile a heap of stuff over mine - they are just not working - other than dumb mice and rats
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #84 - May 8th, 2014 at 4:42pm
from what the others have said dont forget to rub its butt all over trap... good work on the kill. if you have rats in/around chook house try setting trap with fat greasing the trigger and bluebird rashuns for bait..only need a few and good excuse to eat the rest of the bag
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #85 - May 8th, 2014 at 5:55pm
Cheers guys, it's all very addictive Hi Cruz, I wonder if they look less suspicious when covered and more like part of the surroundings. One other thing I did yesturday was use the claw on the hammer and gave the dirt a real good rip on each side of the tunnel, it looked alot like the entrance to a bunny hole so maybe that helped too.
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #86 - May 9th, 2014 at 9:56am
Cheers guys, it's all very addictive Hi Cruz, I wonder if they look less suspicious when covered and more like part of the surroundings. One other thing I did yesturday was use the claw on the hammer and gave the dirt a real good rip on each side of the tunnel, it looked alot like the entrance to a bunny hole so maybe that helped too.
absolutely! styoats are very inquisitive and will investigate any turned dirt for rabbit/rat burrows.
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #87 - Jun 24th, 2014 at 4:35pm
Just gathering a bunch of trapping and bait station gear together for a project - a kind person from Council gave us this Philproof cover with two traps From what I can see on this thread - the traps may need to be let into the ground a little to create an easy run to the bait - likely I will use a couple of eggs in the middle The main question however is - how the heck do you load the traps without munching some fingers? I set some Timms up in the bush today will be interesting to see how they go - certainly easy to set - but not sure that I like them on the ground - I may try tying them up on large logs
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #88 - Jun 24th, 2014 at 5:55pm
use the wee safety catch on the front while you set them cruz. i have a few of the exact same set ups around home here. they are a reliable catcher but the fenns do suffer from lite gauge metal and corrosion. i give them a good coat of aerosol fishalene oil.
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #91 - Jun 25th, 2014 at 11:54am
thought i would update this thread a bit with some info on doc200 and doc250 traps. im still using my fenn trap box's mainly around home but the doc traps are on my main trap lines. for use on doc contracts these traps must be used as they are humane certified for the target species. doc200's for stoats, weasels etc and the larger doc250's for ferrets.
the traps consist of the box and two doc200's per box.
the box interior has room for a trap at each end and bait holders for both egg and meat baits. each end of the box has two metal mesh grills. each with a hole the right size for mustelids, rats etc. the holes are off set to prevent critters like possums reaching in for the bait and getting caught by an arm.
the box is shown here set and ready to close up. the bait is salted rabbit. i use dead leaves underneath to help prevent the salty liquid that oozes out of the bait getting onto the traps and causing rust. it also makes it easier/cleaner to remove the rotten baits. the traps are stainless steel and are robust but do still corrode over time.
here is another box set up with an egg bait. its important to position the traps in the box correctly. the front edge of the foot plate should be about 1mm off the box and the trap should be as far inside the box as it can be. ensure the bait holder cant interfere with the trap working correctly. if the trap is closer to the mesh than the bait holder you can end up with live captures, not ideal. this is because the trap is sprung as the animal first enters the box with its feet rather than allowing its full body, or as much of it as possible to get in the box and in effective range of the trap.
amputated rats paw. as seen here not positioning the trap correctly can result in live captures and unnecessary suffering or amputated limbs and an escaped and now very trap shy critter.
this stoat has been leg caught. not because the trap was set incorrectly but because it has entered the trap by crawling over top of the dead rat in the first trap. probably to have a chew on the rat or just curious but it has sprung the trap with one leg and become caught. you can see where urine has matted its fur meaning it has taken a fair while to die. almost impossible to prevent this happening sometimes but a humane kill should be the aim of all trapping imo so try and avoid it as much as possible.
this weasel shows the ideal victim position in trap resulting in a very fast death.
you can see here that by having the gap between the mesh and the trap as large as possible has meant this stoat has been able to get well inside the box and directly under the trap jaw. this is a usual kill position for stoats and is again a very quick death.
the most common catch is likely to be rats. the doc200 is overkill on rats and a very efficient killer! dont be discouraged if your box's are full of rats. rats are a very underrated predator and good to catch. its also very common to catch a stoat after one trap has a rat in it. i believe the stoats are attracted to the dead rat and it makes your box more attractive. as does the scent of rats in the box once they are removed. it also shows your box is in a good area as rats are a major prey item for mustelids.
rat numbers at times are incredible in the bush and they can be a little frustrating when they end up filling up all your taps leaving no room for stoats to be killed!
even sometimes three rats from one box! to maximise the effectiveness of your traps its important to put some thought into each set. you want EVERY trap to be in the most likely place to catch a mustelid rather than just plonked down on the ground when your sick of carrying it. there are several things i look for when deciding where to position a box that have proven to increase my catch rates.
using features. by features i mean things in the bush that are likely to be of interest to a hunting stoat and that he will be attracted to even before he see's or smells your baits. stoats move rapidly over large areas constantly hunting. their preferred prey is mainly rodents but pretty much anything is on the menu! i look for structure or features in the bush that are likely places for rodents to feed or nest in. groves of good fruiting trees like tarraire or miro are likely to attract rats over summer. old logs or piles of rocks, astelia clumps etc all offer good places for nesting rats and there for good hunting for stoats.
this box set up in an old rata log is a reliable stoat catcher. the stoats come hunting around the log which is full of holes and places rats nest in. stoats also like to use existing tracks or areas the same as mentioned for the fenn trap sets on page one. creeks, walking tracks, fence lines, roads edges, hedges etc are all areas stoats seem to like to travel along.
this box is set on a feral goat game trail. it runs up a predominant spur with an old fence line separating native bush on the left and high kanuka on the right. another reliable set.
using terrain. another very successful way to increase a box's kill rate is by using terrain. i look for areas that funnel stoats towards my traps because the terrain dictates thats the most likely place for them to travel. this little creek has an old goat trail running along it. the sides of this creek are very steep and in very thick scrubby bush. it is most likely that stoats will use the old goat trail as they travel this creek. i have positioned the box at a place where the goat track is very narrow leaving little room for anything but the box. and also at a junction of two creeks as these creeks are often used as highways by stoats.
i then use old punga logs to create a situation where any stoats traveling the goat trail are funneled towards the box and hopefully into it.
the finished set ready to catch. you can see that any stoats traveling the creek are highly likely to encounter the box, smell/see the bait and enter the trap.
another example. a small terrace on a corner of a creek with another side creek opposite. a likely place for traveling mustelids. note the rocks on top of the box. its a good idea to place something heavy on top of the box. this helps prevent "sympathetic set off" where the jarring of one trap going off sets off the second trap and renders your box inactive. i will take some photos of the doc250 ferret traps im using when im next in the bush later this week. overall i find the doc200 traps to be robust, efficient, and reliable. the only downside is they are quite bulky and heavy to get into the bush and quite expensive. the expense comes from the stainless steel construction and this does mean they will last a very long time if looked after so probably still good value for money despite the high initial set up cost.
i carry some basic maintenance tools for adjusting the trap etc and two or three times a year every trap gets a good clean and oil. the traps are easy to adjust by using pliers and bending the trigger bar at the top. i also carry a weight on a string to check and adjust trigger weights. ideally your trap should go off with 8 grams of weight. this is fine enough to catch lighter weight predators like weasels and juvenile rats etc. good luck with your trapping guys!
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #92 - Jun 25th, 2014 at 6:52pm
Great post and photos Chris lots of helpful info there, cheers
Caught my first stoats on the weekend, caught two in traps set on opposite sides of the property but on the edge of the same stream. A 44cm male and a 26cm female. I've rubbed their scents through my other tunnels, man they stink
good work..thats two more good ones I have same type traps but they are 250s and have changed some of their holes to 16 squares eg 4x4 instead of the 9 or 12 they came cut with....have caught some BIG hedgehogs and a huge ferret that I dont think would have fitted in otherwise.
Good result, gives you great satisfaction to remove those sneaky little predators from the environment. Useful, informative thread, keep it going folks.
Thanks for the link on the Fenn trap Karl - that guy makes it looks real easy - I must be getting soft cause I am finding them bloody hard to set - certainly need gloves and they still have a bite - hope the DOC traps we are getting will be better Thanks for all the new pictures Chris - this thread just keeps getting better and has a vast amount of valuable information Fantastic result wellycoaster - I bet that makes you feel good Been round most of my own 12 traps on Sunday - a few traps off and chewed out eggs - but no animals - yet to catch my first stoat or weasel - I am going to replace the eggs maybe smash the old ones outside Looks like the Victor traps are very easy to set off - catch the odd mouse but sometimes just set off by themselves - rat bait is starting to move again but maybe mice
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Just gathering a bunch of trapping and bait station gear together for a project - a kind person from Council gave us this Philproof cover with two traps From what I can see on this thread - the traps may need to be let into the ground a little to create an easy run to the bait - likely I will use a couple of eggs in the middle The main question however is - how the heck do you load the traps without munching some fingers? I set some Timms up in the bush today will be interesting to see how they go - certainly easy to set - but not sure that I like them on the ground - I may try tying them up on large logs
Just bought 18 of those. Cost 3X as much just to freight them up from SI. Havent finished your wooden box traps. Thinking of using the rat traps in them?
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #104 - Aug 20th, 2014 at 7:45am
A mate has been looking after our Doc traps which we are using orange point pong balls as per Paul Stenning's suggestion. Apparently we are having very good success on big male stoats and one of them is the biggest my mate has seen bearing in mind he did it previously as a living.
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #105 - Aug 20th, 2014 at 8:22am
The size of those stoats and rats are amazing guys The rats I have been getting are smaller - but I got a big buggar in a Fenn last week - he had a tail on him like a piece of rope What is an orange point pp ball Sako?
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #106 - Aug 20th, 2014 at 9:36am
think he means ping pong ball Cruz. your fen trap certainly nailed that bugger! some of the norway rats are enormous! a serious predator and highly underrated as such imo.
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #107 - Aug 20th, 2014 at 8:36pm
Typed it without my glasses. Mate and us are servicing the traps on Saturday. He got a huge cat which resembles the SI black panther that featured on tv. Makes you shudder what damage they can do to our native species.No longer get upset if the trapping replaces hunting time because it is the same skill set involved but a different prize.
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #108 - Aug 25th, 2014 at 9:58pm
In 18 yrs on my tiny lifestyle block I've seen one stoat in the middle of the day. It was rolling a dead rat and I tried to stomp on the stoat. It was too quick so I set a large cage trap using the rat as bait. Two hours later the rat was gone and the trap hadn't been set off.
I have only ever seen two ferrets, one a tame escapee and another that killed my pet turkey. A month of setting a Fenn trap and i got one rat and two ferrets. I used no bait, set it on a fence line and put the trap inside a tunnel made from pieces of wood. The guy who owned the trap kind of knew what he was doing when he set it the first time
Another trap was baited with fresh eggs, boiled eggs, fresh fish, canned sardines and smoked fish - all at different times and caught zilch.
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My first two DOC 250 sets - Jeez - the springs are powerful - be hard to set without the tool Had five of these sitting in the shed for a month or so - can’t catch anything there - so out they go Looked OK on site - but not so happy now I look at the pics - might need to enhance - also need to study the baits in this thread Might set the other three on levels where the rabbits are bad
Boundary of the Quarry property and an orchard - bush our side lots of rabbits and rats on their side -
Top ledge of Quarry under a rock wall and beside a rock drop off - patch of manuka - plenty of rabbits and rats - the rock wall is a dry haven for rats - seen one come out of a bait station today
If anyone round Tauranga has time on their hands and wants to kill some bird predators in the Te Puna Quarry Park - 88 acres - this job is getting too big for me - about 60 bait stations out and another 40 or so to go - I need help - I have a couple of helpers - one is 83 years young and he looks after the area with roads http://www.quarrypark.org.nz/index.htm
those sets look good cruz. rock walls are a good spot for stoats. if there are rabbits and rats about there will be predators there. we get some helpers from the local polytech conservation courses. practical experience for the students etc. might be worth asking. yeah those doc250's are a shit to load ay. a mate got two fingers caught trying to set one. hurt like hell he rekoned and even harder to get the trap open one handed! we have the setting tools for them now.
If anyone round Tauranga has time on their hands and wants to kill some bird predators in the Te Puna Quarry Park - 88 acres - this job is getting too big for me - about 60 bait stations out and another 40 or so to go - I need help - I have a couple of helpers - one is 83 years young and he looks after the area with roads
Unfortunately, Tauranga's too far away for me in Wellington/Tawa.
If anyone knows of a trapping project that is ongoing around Wellington and/or up the Kapiti coast, and needs some help, let me know. I'd be very keen to help out...!
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….The hunter ordinarily has no gallery to applaude or disapprove of his conduct. Whatever his act, they are dictated by his own conscience, rather than by a mob of onlookers….
bloody good on you mate! im sure you will love trapping, similar skills to hunting and when you open a trap box and find you have killed a major predator its a real buzz fellas like Cruz getting in and doing this work need all the help they can get!
If anyone round Tauranga has time on their hands and wants to kill some bird predators in the Te Puna Quarry Park - 88 acres - this job is getting too big for me - about 60 bait stations out and another 40 or so to go - I need help - I have a couple of helpers - one is 83 years young and he looks after the area with roads
Unfortunately, Tauranga's too far away for me in Wellington/Tawa.
If anyone knows of a trapping project that is ongoing around Wellington and/or up the Kapiti coast, and needs some help, let me know. I'd be very keen to help out...!
good stuff Neil, if you want to get involved try your local land care groups through doc. im sure there will be a project ion your area crying out for help. if not, start one!
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Cheers chris, had a few yarns with Cruz about doing some bait stations where I hunt, be a good opportunity to help out locally and pick his brain at the same time!
Did a small amount of possum trapping and helped a mate with skins in my early teens, hopefully haven't forgotten everything!
….The hunter ordinarily has no gallery to applaude or disapprove of his conduct. Whatever his act, they are dictated by his own conscience, rather than by a mob of onlookers….
Had a look back through all the pics Chris - some great information in this thread on sets and bait I am going up to the farm tomorrow - will try to get a few young bunnies - failing that I have some fallow venison off cuts that the dog might have to share I will also get some straw round the egg - might make it look more natural I also have some Connovation brand Muscattract Lure that we got supplied with the DOC traps - wicked smell - just took the lid off it in the living room and the place is putrid - wife is not happy http://www.connovation.co.nz/index.php?option=com_mijoshop&route=product/product... I suspect we will get more rats than stoats for a while - the b@stards are taking bait faster than I can put it out - most of the stations are empty - just a few of the original ones are slowing down where we have thinned them out - onto the fourth 10kg bucket now Looking forward to catching up soon Nik
i havent tried that lure Cruz but sounds good, unless its your wife getting a whiff! did 26 traps yesterday, mix of doc 200's, 250's and cat traps. 11 rats, 2 weasels and a monster feral cat. the cat went for salted pukeko breast with mutton fat smeared on it. the amount of rats in the bush can be astonishing! will start that thread we talked about soon Cruz, just getting some photos etc together for it. i dont mind catching rats at all, they are a major predator.
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i havent tried that lure Cruz but sounds good, unless its your wife getting a whiff! did 26 traps yesterday, mix of doc 200's, 250's and cat traps. 11 rats, 2 weasels and a monster feral cat. the cat went for salted pukeko breast with mutton fat smeared on it. the amount of rats in the bush can be astonishing! will start that thread we talked about soon Cruz, just getting some photos etc together for it. i dont mind catching rats at all, they are a major predator.
Bugger me no wonder we are not catching as many as you. When did you complete your 5* chef course or is it obligatory under your health and safety plan they have a full meal before death.Countdown must love you.
well i dont eat pukekos and there are way to many on my place. i guess the lack of stoats here means all the baby pooks survive im not going to waste the pooks i kill and what better bait for our major predator than native bird flesh! most wild carnivores crave fat so that always goes down well.
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I am getting desperate to get my first one - I have got five of these DOC 250s set up at the Quarry - four with drum sticks and one with venison - plus an egg and a pp ball Not sure if there are stoats or ferrets around but picked up a ferret on the highway about 2km away a few months back Heaps of rabbits around - so there should be stoats This one up against a rock wall
just starting to get a few more mustelids now Cruz. numbers will sky rocket from dec on. been mainly doing possum control work lately but am about to get back onto my mustelid lines flat out now. still got a bunch of box's to carry in and cat traps to set up.
Only one good hedgehog - dead - I got one in a Fenn a couple of weeks back - very messy to get out - interesting to note in the link below - a warning about the disease they may carry - leptospirosis etc
Interesting to see a note in the Landcare document about cats - “Some secondary kill of cats can occur following targeting of large rodent and possum populations with 1080 or brodifacoum.” - although I do not ever recall seeing a dead rat in the bush where I am using Pestoff or Ditrac baits
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #126 - Oct 2nd, 2014 at 11:17pm
I am getting desperate to get my first one - I have got five of these DOC 250s set up at the Quarry - four with drum sticks and one with venison - plus an egg and a pp ball Not sure if there are stoats or ferrets around but picked up a ferret on the highway about 2km away a few months back Heaps of rabbits around - so there should be stoats This one up against a rock wall
Are you sure you are not watching one of those NZ cooking competitions. Lotsa grub there bro
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #127 - Oct 5th, 2014 at 2:29pm
went and checked sheep and traps today..sent son around for walk with dog while wife n I waited with .223 for pesky hare that keeps evading us ...plurry stoat popped head out of rock pile beside us .223 smacked into rocks must have been just under wee shite ....hope he got bellyfull of shrapnel . moved a trap into the brush beside rock pile and baited with a young bunny..hope the wee hua plays ball.
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #128 - Oct 7th, 2014 at 8:11pm
checked tonight and yahoo got the wee hua , female with teets so hopefully stopped before litter reared...rubbed butt all around inside of trap and re set.
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #129 - Oct 7th, 2014 at 10:42pm
I haven't caught much for awhile, one extra stoat in August and just one rat in the four traps for September.
My neighbour has a chook hut right next to a stream and has lots of rats. I talked to her and she had three of her five chooks killed a while back, she thought they were attacking each other. After a few questions she revealed they had blood on the back on their necks. I also saw a heap of feathers where at least one was killed. I bought a size 4 fenn trap and made a tunnel and have set it inside next to the feathers.
A question for the fenn users, I wonder if you guys do any adjustments on new traps? I've noticed the plate sits quite firm on the dog. Also in pics on these threads the plate looks quite raised when set, my plate sits perfectly horizontal. Thanks
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #131 - Oct 8th, 2014 at 8:11am
i use a few fenns here at home. i just adjust the trigger while the safety is on and get it as fine as it will hold. my plates mostly sit fairly horizontal. have caught weasels which dont weigh much at all so you can get them set pretty fine. sounds like a great trapping spot there!
« Last Edit: Oct 9th, 2014 at 8:39am by chris »
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #132 - Oct 8th, 2014 at 7:59pm
We have got five Timms traps up in the bush and getting a couple of possums every few days - several have been ripped open or devoured - see pic I didn’t see the one yesterday so no picture but trap is up on a large log and its guts is hanging down to the ground Any ideas on what might be doing this Just wondering if I should cart a DOC 250 up there tomorrow when I clean it up - maybe a stoat, ferret or cat still feeding on it Got our first kill in a 250 yesterday - bloody hedge hog Going to up the anti on the possums - ten Sentinel kill traps arriving tomorrow
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #133 - Oct 8th, 2014 at 8:12pm
No pigs Micky - Te Puna Quarry Park - close to Tauranga city Eighty odd acres of bush - full of rats and some possums - but very few birds Interesting thought about possum bait - I have been heaving them down a bank
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #135 - Oct 9th, 2014 at 8:42am
have had quite a few like that under my bait stations lately Cruz. im not sure whats doing it yet and have stoat ferret and cat traps set up in the areas where its happened. i noticed one possum had its main thigh bone crunched in half so what ever it is its got a strong jaw. i suspect ferret or cat. have ruled out pigs, dogs, birds, rats, and think the thigh bone break is to much for a stoat to do. this is another suspect. if you have ever had a good look at their teeth you will see they are easily capable of crunching a possum thigh bone. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-W5VweMDy8
and more possible proof filmed by a forum member. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtQUaFotDnM this vid is of particular interest as it matches what i saw on some of the eaten possum carcasses. broken chewed off ribs and all the chest organs eaten.
checked tonight and yahoo got the wee hua , female with teets so hopefully stopped before litter reared...rubbed butt all around inside of trap and re set.
and another one today thankyou whoever it was that gave tip of rubbing the victims smelly but around the inside of the box.
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #137 - Oct 9th, 2014 at 8:15pm
I get hedgehogs all the time in the 250s and have had two in timms man are they a pain in the arse to get out of the timms. easiest way Ive found for the 250 is hold bar up and remove netting with HH in it then put it back in .... try a rotting meat bait in a 250 and see how you go..they seem to like it really ripe!!!!
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #138 - Oct 9th, 2014 at 9:34pm
That is a revelation Chris - hard to believe unless you see those vids Certainly matches the picture of the possum in the Timms trap above - he got what he could reach - it was just in the bush on the edge of an orchard so ideal country for a HH I was talking to a lady at the Quarry today about HHs and the diseases they can carry - her reaction was typical of many - lovely little animals - love to see them round the back yard My mate beat me back to the possum in the Timms trap today - but he showed me a picture - he thought it may have been ripped open by a hawk as the bush was open where the large pine log had been felled My Lab picked up some bait or a rat on Tuesday - I thought I was going to lose him - vomited for about 12 hours - but Vet thinks he will be OK if he gets through the next two days - hasn’t got him on K1 yet - he will be wearing a muzzle next time he comes with me
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #139 - Oct 10th, 2014 at 6:22am
geez thats no good about your dog cruz, hope he comes right. one of mine ate 600 grams of rat-a-bait last year did a course of k1 and all good but bloody scary! hedgepigs are a very underrated predator, especially on invertebrates and eggs/nests. i have caught the odd one 3 or 4 hundred meters inside the bush edge.
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #140 - Oct 10th, 2014 at 8:37am
That is a revelation Chris - hard to believe unless you see those vids Certainly matches the picture of the possum in the Timms trap above - he got what he could reach - it was just in the bush on the edge of an orchard so ideal country for a HH I was talking to a lady at the Quarry today about HHs and the diseases they can carry - her reaction was typical of many - lovely little animals - love to see them round the back yard My mate beat me back to the possum in the Timms trap today - but he showed me a picture - he thought it may have been ripped open by a hawk as the bush was open where the large pine log had been felled My Lab picked up some bait or a rat on Tuesday - I thought I was going to lose him - vomited for about 12 hours - but Vet thinks he will be OK if he gets through the next two days - hasn’t got him on K1 yet - he will be wearing a muzzle next time he comes with me
Wishing you the best of luck with your dog Cruz.
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #141 - Oct 10th, 2014 at 9:36pm
Looking good today - no sign of lameness or blood so pretty sure we got off very light - vomited within half an hour from when he buggared off for a few minutes - then on and off until next morning Vet thought vomiting quickly helped but said the risk of bleeding into joints could take up to four days - so he is fine now Good wake up call for me - just cant watch them all the time - he will be wearing a cage over his face next trip We have put out about six 10 litre buckets of Ditrac rat bait over the last couple of months - it just keeps disappearing and I have still got new ground to cover Must be very satisfying for you guys to be catching those stoats - I love to see your catch reports - just keeps providing new ideas - hedge hogs have to go
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #143 - Oct 11th, 2014 at 10:57am
Some buggar wants to get in - he put in a bit of effort He cant get through a 50mm hole - rat bait within 50m both sides - so it isn’t mice or rats - stoat or weasel would just climb in? Noticed the marks on a couple of boxes within 100m Hedgehog perhaps? - might have to put a cage or an A24 somewhere near
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #145 - Nov 30th, 2014 at 8:24am
FM - was hoping no one would say that! Same time last year - I killed all the rats and rabbits and something got all my hen pheasants Built all those stoat boxes and never caught anything other than the odd rat I have left heaps of live rabbits this year - will a ferret go into a cage if I use half a rabbit as bait - or do I need a DOC 250 Lots of pheasants round at present - nearly trod on this one - hope she came back - all the cover round my place and she does it in green grass
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #147 - Nov 30th, 2014 at 4:46pm
Ferrets are rare up here so i dont know much about trapping them. i have a bunch of doc250's out but i think in about 7 years only three have been caught. two in the same box and a single. south island trappers will know, they get heaps down there.
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #148 - Jan 11th, 2015 at 6:32pm
the tip about rubbing their smelly butt all around inside of cage sure works well, we got 4 in same trap over a fortnight. I would say yes pop fresh rabbit in a cage trap and see how you go. Ive caught 5-6 over last three years on meat baits fresh through to rotten. covering traps in scrub sure seems to have upped kill rate here too.
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #150 - Jan 12th, 2015 at 9:47am
Thanks Chris. Since reading this thread I have started trapping my duck spot and have had success. 2 stoats caught last week.
excellent! should be a few extra ducks for you this opening
now is the time guys, mustelids will be at their most active right now. juveniles will be largely on their own and covering a lot of ground so much higher chance they will find your traps. get stuck into the little bastards!
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #151 - Jan 12th, 2015 at 9:58am
Thanks micky duck. Ive been using eggs but have 8 traps out so might experiment with some rabbit. Still plenty of ducklings around so its great to have caught some of these little bastards.
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #152 - Jan 12th, 2015 at 10:31am
i just processed thirty rabbits the other day for stoat bait Jack. fresh is best but will go rotten and fly blown real fast, also wasps will eat the baits. salting the bait makes it last a lot longer and helps stop blowies and wasps attacking it. it doesn't seem to worry stoats etc. if you cant check your traps every third day i would advise salting. stoats will still enter a trap with rotten bait but more out of curiosity than wanting to eat the bait. higher chance of some stoats not going into your traps with rotten baits imo.
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #153 - Jan 12th, 2015 at 10:49am
Ok chris thanks. What about using a strip of the skin rolled up fur side out? Would last better than meat and still have good smell to it. I do have the ability to change bait every few days if that is best though.
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #154 - Jan 12th, 2015 at 11:58am
it wont do any harm at all mate. i would put an egg in as well. that way if your meat bait is rotten you still have a relatively fresh bait plus the attraction of the fur/scent. other things i have tried are bottle caps of fish oil, mutton fat smeared inside the trap box, hay/poo from chicken laying box's etc. anything that looks/smells like there is food/prey in the trap box is worth trying, stoats are highly inquisitive and prey on pretty much anything that moves. scraping/digging over the soil/leaf litter at both trap entrances should be done every time you check the box. it gives the impression of prey activity. i often cut and scrape a wee game trail like track for ten meters from each entrance.
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #155 - Jan 14th, 2015 at 11:06am
I know this is a stoat thread - but dealing to all bird predators is really interesting, always a challenge and very rewarding as you see the results of increased bird numbers I would be interested to get your thoughts on what predator is doing the most damage to game birds in particular and birdlife in general The more I learn about killing bird predators with traps and toxins - the more I am hooked on the process and outcomes - I am really enjoying it and it eats up more and more of my time The great thing about using traps is you can see the results - but for me it’s still just possums, cats, rats and hedgepigs - the bloody mustilids have still got me beat - but I know they are around It’s amazing where the possums come from - I have some good piles of bodies round my best trees - more than ten at one tree - they just keep coming back to find their mates - which is easy as I don't throw them away I like my Sentinel traps and have come to really appreciate a Timms trap with a hair trigger - it will take out possums, hedgepigs and rats - I am now going to try some with meat baits to get some cats that I have seen - some folk don’t like the idea of me using a cage for pussy Rat bait continues to move through about 70 bait stations - although much slower than initially - I think we will swing over to 50% traps at some stage I have just ordered some oven dried rabbit bait and aerosol lure from Connovation - so maybe that will work better than chicken pieces and MusCattract lure - I have been using MusCattract lure but no one will come near me later - they reckon I stink like a polecat - http://www.connovation.co.nz/products/c/79/Lures%20and%20Pre-feeds If you get some mustilids - don’t forget to save the tails for the H&F Swamp Comp in November - they put up some great prizes each year I love to see your reports and success stories - we can all learn from them
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #158 - Jan 15th, 2015 at 4:01pm
Not about stoats but my son run over 3 ferrets in a group with his ute about 2 weeks ago they were half growen he brought them home i told him he will never ever do such a thing ever again and it would have to be some sort of a record.
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #161 - Jan 21st, 2015 at 7:58pm
years back we were out spotlighting for rabbits and such like when we had a swirling mass of tiny blue eyes come up light beam towards us by the time we worked out what they were, as they turned and went sideways, the little huas had gone out of shooting view, it was family of 6-8 of little huas all climbing over each other as they moved along, pity we hadnt twigged earlier as shottie would have cleaned up the lot
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #162 - Jan 22nd, 2015 at 2:33pm
Not about stoats but my son run over 3 ferrets in a group with his ute about 2 weeks ago they were half growen he brought them home i told him he will never ever do such a thing ever again and it would have to be some sort of a record.
SCORE!!! yep lots of young ones around now, great fodder for the traps!
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #163 - Jan 30th, 2015 at 11:54am
When threatened they form a group , which moves along to represent one single larger animal. a bit like a shoal. Ive seen this with other mustelids on TV, hard case seeing them all bob along.
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #164 - Jan 31st, 2015 at 8:47pm
A fortnight ago I was lying down in the grass on the edge of a bushy clearing with a view having a rest, when I heard a rustling beside me. I looked up to see a bloody stoat 1metre away from my face slithering away. I loaded the .223 pretty fast but was a bit too late unfortunately. I have seen a lot of stoats lately, shot one with a .22 a few weeks back. Are there quite a lot around at the moment?
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #165 - Feb 1st, 2015 at 8:46am
Finally got around to checking my traps and have found a manky hedgehog in one. How well do I have to clean the trap out ? Target is stoats and ferrets.
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #167 - Mar 14th, 2015 at 6:35pm
i try and keep mine fairly clean. otherwise they just get worse and worse with each stinky kill. i carry a paint scraper and of course gloves to get the job done. hedge pigs seem to go particularly putrid!
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #168 - Mar 14th, 2015 at 7:52pm
Once you get one Salmoner - they just seem to keep on coming - you are right Chris - nothing smells as bad as a rotting hedge pig I got some Fenn 6 traps and put a few in culverts to try to get some rabbits that were eluding me - trouble is hedge pigs use culverts as well - difficult to get them out of a DOC trap - bloody awful to get them out of a Fenn - one was so bad I have put it up in a tree for a few months to rot out I have been using Erayz dried rabbit in my DOC traps and my stoat traps - bloody rats love it - choice of chicken or egg and they always go for dried rabbit
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #170 - Mar 15th, 2015 at 8:23am
Once you get one Salmoner - they just seem to keep on coming - you are right Chris - nothing smells as bad as a rotting hedge pig I got some Fenn 6 traps and put a few in culverts to try to get some rabbits that were eluding me - trouble is hedge pigs use culverts as well - difficult to get them out of a DOC trap - bloody awful to get them out of a Fenn - one was so bad I have put it up in a tree for a few months to rot out I have been using Erayz dried rabbit in my DOC traps and my stoat traps - bloody rats love it - choice of chicken or egg and they always go for dried rabbit
Just get some gloves from Farmlands and pull them out. Alternatively get some long nose pliers. Been there done that.
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #173 - Mar 15th, 2015 at 5:32pm
Fenns are easy to get hedgehogs out of. Push down and release the spring, trap will then open right out. Shake out the Hedgehog. Put trap back together. Back in business.
Keep the wind in your face and your freezer full.
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Re: stoat trapping notes. Reply #174 - Mar 17th, 2015 at 3:26pm
Thanks for the info on releasing the back end of the Fenn springs mh72 - I tried it on an empty trap and it is simple Do you have a cure for the odd broken safety catch? Thanks heaps