Thread: Bird Predator Control

I recently mounted a NZ Auto Trap for a neighbour three sections away from me - he has a large partly bush covered section that runs down to the estuary - part of the day it is wet mudflats with plenty of scrub and rubbish on the other side - a haven for rats that run across to his section. He is overseas a lot and values his birdlife highly so has invested in about ten Victor boxes, three GN A24s, numerous bait stations and just recently two new NZ Auto traps.
He wanted the traps where he kills lots of rats - in a specific tree (so I had to install a post) - as well as on a nice cabbage tree at another site - in each case using a half round ramp for the rats to run up to the trap.
This has to be my most ugly trap mount ever - but I was required to ensure that Ringo and George were not able to access the trap - so I figured a mesh tube on the ramp might stop his wife’s beloved cats from having their heads reshaped. After mounting the trap, the ramp and the mesh tube - I left it to him to modify the top end of the tube to ensure the trap was cat proof - a bit messy but rats will climb over most things - will be easy to change if it doesn’t work.
I had the pleasure of filling the lure container and connecting the battery - watched the wheel turn around and I waved a piece of agapanthus between the light sensors - Whammo! - the spring power seems very similar to a Doc250.
No possums in the area so he is solely after rats and mustilids. I saw him just before the lockdown and he told me there was evidence of an animal having been smashed in the trap - but no victims left on site.
This is an impressive piece of kit (if you can afford $330) - in the right situation it will no doubt perform well for a year with no attention - and will kill anything from possums to rats. I was intrigued to see they provide a flexible rat ladder at the bottom of the trap to touch the ramp - up the ladder and into the kill zone of the trap - something we may be able to utilise on some other sets.
https://nzautotraps.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O736QM-wzo8