Catch of the day.
KH
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Catch of the day.
KH
nice pics Kiwi Hunter. Do you find painting the Doc trap black makes a difference?
Haven't done it BillyXmas546, I had some blue possum masters and painted them black! But couldn't say there was a remarkable difference.
KH
Hi Mimms2, some taxiderm,y not too much of late.
But good to find a good use of the fresh one's.
KH
This is today's catch, But iam about to go night shooting,so it may not be all as it's not midnight yet:)
KH
Possum Master do make black traps for some customers but blue is the main line - I put five in a couple of months back and my Mate reckoned they are hopeless as the possums always seem to go for a nearby Timms - but today one hung itself in a blue trap
Great pictures Guys – those mustilids put my catch to shame – first mustilid this year - not sure if it was a weasel or a small stoat - so small I lost its tail somewhere
Doing regular trips around my lines at the Quarry Park – most rat traps are losing the possum paste lure within a day or so - I suspect due to insects – around 25% of rat traps are tripped and many of those have fur or wax eye feathers on the kill bar. It is rare to find a body in a trap these days so I suspect the cannibal rats are cleaning them up and we also often find boxes dragged down the banks so I suspect we have a serious cat problem.
A cat was seen on Saturday with four kittens – so I put a doc250 and 4 doc200s together where she was seen – but no luck – she had moved on. I have opened up the mesh on all of my doc traps – maybe I will get some cats up to half grown. I have mounted some Timms traps on ramps with rabbit bait and I may have to get some Steve Allen cat kill traps.
The doc traps still pull in regular hedgehogs and the odd rat - by chance I found a small mustilid in a doc200 a couple of days back
I have just got twenty new Kness Snap-e traps for the Quarry to replace old Victor Pros – they are all in open coreflute tunnels and the possum paste lure on the yellow foot plates seems to be a big attraction for wax eye birds – I am hoping that the lure will be less obvious in the black Snap-e trap lure cup
I checked the top line this morning and found a cat in a doc250 – not a pleasant problem to solve – but female so I guess it will save many cat problems in the future.
I decided to pull in a couple of doc250s from the bottom end today as they needed a clean – one had a kitten – so I guess it was one of the four seen a few days back. Now cleaned and back out for the next ones – maybe a chicken neck and some erayz will pull them in.
My main success has been rats at one end of my street circuit – big buggars coming up out of an avocado orchard – in the D Rat and in an old victor pro - should have had the tape measure and scales - must have weighed half a kilo
A ferret was seen down by the estuary last week so I put a cage down by the water’s edge – fresh rabbit legs – first two nights caged local cats that were released unharmed – but no sign of the ferret yet – cages are definitely safer than doc250s.
So always some bird predators to trap.
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Cheer for that @time out. Enjoyed the read. That is a weasel in the first photo [emoji106] No black tip on the tail & it much shorter!!
Those tails are easy to lose, my boys have lost a couple, much to their disappointment as they too appreciate the swamp comp !!
Also with those weasels, once you have seen a few I think the main body color is slightly different from the stoat but that is only a personal observation and my be site specific on my behalf ?
On the cats.... I really recomend giving the steve allen a go. I have got a couple in my one that I've seen on the cameras and arnt sure i would have got in a cage!?!
@Sparrow how is your one going?
@ KH & Billy Xmas, I don't get many ferrets around here but I did get one once in a cage trap it was without a doubt the STINKYIST thing i have ever caught [emoji14]
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I like the cat pictures timeout:thumbsup: good to see the work and pictures you fellas put in as volunteers and it makes a difference.
But it's a continuous process and one that doesn't have a let up at this point in time, at least where I am and suspect where you are.
I encourage you to find others of like mindedness who can find others of like mindedness.
A family member a local! because some of us have health things and end up having the wrong timeout:oh noes:
Iam having a run at the moment, night shooting and fumigation of rabbit warrens during a day and my son trapping and setting up new trap lines and bait stations.
The forum is a mix of people that aren't as dedicated as the ones who contribute here or on what little pesties! Dundee's post.
Even I have runs and mostly come and go from the forum! I may not be here, but be sure I am out there! not so much in the rain these days,at least I can pick and choose what weather I work in now.
I don't know how to put a link to the post on carbon monoxide in rabbit control, it's work in progress and on the smaller block's that can't be shot, its working.
Yet to be tried on rats that have gone into a locals bird cages and set up their warren's under the concrete floor.
Camera and baiting has shown large Norway rats, hopefully this week we will try this method as well.
Rats are more likely to come out as they will react to the carbon! As for the rabbit! It just goes to sleep down in the warren.
KH
Yep, the Steve Allen’s are very effective @kukuwai , unfortunately mine is sat idol at present as I have changed jobs and no longer have my trapping round on private land it helped take over 40 cats in the 2 and half years I was there most going to cage traps, which is what I had mot of.
Still have my rounds on public land but the S A takes no prisoners so am a bit paranoid of a foxy or Jack Russell sticking its snout in, don’t need the drama.
Looking forward to getting round them this weekend. 👍
Here is your carbon monoxide link @Kiwi-Hunter -
https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co....control-62058/
Bloody rabbits are driving me mad at home digging up the lawn - fortunately up in the Park - Council have taken over control with a night shooting contractor who at long last has purchased a thermal scope - so its no longer coming out of my pest control budget
We rarely find rabbit holes - so many rocky banks where they seem to live they don't need to waste time digging
We have been lucky with good weather lately - but winter is coming - might take the shine off checking trap lines:roll:
Thanks timeout for the link, I know it's not quite in line with the post.
But someone may take up the idea on their patch.
It's affective with out using more serious poisons! which the application has to be handled right.
KH
Great posts fellas.
Just snuck over the 100 mustelid tails for the swamp comp. :thumbsup: frightening what happens in a mast year.
Good effort sore head stoat.
KH
Carbon monoxide.
Yet to be tried on rats that have gone into a locals bird cages and set up their warren's under the concrete floor.
Camera and baiting has shown large Norway rats, hopefully this week we will try this method as well.
Rats are more likely to come out as they will react to the carbon.
This fellow was trapped today.
KH[/QUOTE]
That’s a big Norway Kiwi-Hunter
I went back up this morning to check a couple of boxes - rare that I see a trap the very next day - the lure was gone off most of them and there were no furry victims - must be insects - ants or roaches
Does anyone have any ideas of how I can keep ants etc off traps?
What sort of pack/bum bag set up do you guys run when carrying your tools, replacement baits/lures, gloves etc when checking traps. I have an original NZ made Macpac frameless single bag pack that is 40 ? years old. Its light and comfortable but its a pain to find stuff in when you want to find a screwdriver or knife , what ever you want is always right at the bottom of the pack.
My estuary lines are obviously pretty flat so i just carry a 20lt bucket with every thing in so its accessible and the crescent in my hand/pocket for opening the traps, started with a pack but was always rummaging for this and that and breaking eggs :XD:
Yep thats me too...
I find the bucket quicker and easier than the backpack, however I also am not walking miles [emoji106]
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Too cold for me down there Mate - keep moving north to find warmer weather but still no good
I used a twin bag frame pack for years - but could never find things - so got an army surplus pack about three years ago - comfortable and works well as I can strap it in to suit my gear - my wife keeps telling me to get rid of the gear that I don’t use - but I might need it - always carry a small slasher, doc250 setting tool, hammer, screw driver, screws, bait etc - just about due for replacement
I like my hands free to carry a pole and hold onto stuff
https://www.armyandoutdoors.co.nz/co...25l-olive-drab
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Thanks for the replies, a bucket isnt really suitable for me, i am like time out i carry a mountain stick for balance and like my other hand free. I will have a look at that pack, thank you.
I like how your wife tells you about getting rid of gear... My mantra if you call it gear you never get rid of it... if you call it stuff, you get rid of it LOL.
Its blimmin cold alright, i went to a lamb sale today and at noon when i left it was 4 degrees... My guess is my high country traps will have a bit of snow on them.
Another question, i have a few traps set locally that i bike or walk past when taking the dog for a run/walk. I have a bit of flagging tape that protrudes 25 to 50mm out of the top of the box so that i can see at a distance if the trap has been sprung or not.. I have been doing this for a year plus.. Any thoughts that flagging tape puts off animals from approaching the trap ? I have caught plenty of animals in these traps but am always thinking of ways i can improve my catch.. thought please..
I've used all sorts of tapes (fluoro orange, pink and differing lengths etc as well as spray can orange paint ) and have not found any difference between unflagged and flagged traps. It was very interesting to look at footage from trail cameras that were placed overlooking DOC 150's and DOC 250's as many predators would visit the trap many times before actually entering the trap - they can be very cautious. Autumn is certainly a good time of year to be trapping for ferrets and feral cats especially if the rabbit population is unusually low. Had to shut down the traps a little early as snow was coming in down to 500m but got some good results including this largish cat and an albino ferret.Attachment 142906Attachment 142907
Thanks bing. Cool catch that ferret. I have caught a couple of stoats that were way whiter than usual in the middle of winter and know that a few pure white but not albino stoats are caught by one group trapping on the main divide. Yip winter is here.
Also a possum and two rats. Have been trapping for a bit but usually rats and hedgehogs. But the dog puts the possums up the trees for me. Was a bad day for vermin.
Welcome Orcrist,
Well done on the weasel, i always that Banks Peninsula area would be a blimmin dangerous place for a predator to be... lots of traps and some great work being done over there.
Thanks sore head stoat. The peninsula would be a great place to put a predator fence across the narrow bit and go to town on extermination of nasties. The weasel I saw on the road just down from my house and missed running it over. When I came home I shifted a couple of traps down to the road and managed to nail it. Not heaps of mustelid thankfully but lots of possums and rats.
Had 10 new ALP's to put into some A24s today....out of 10, 6 of them looked like this.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...8ca2a267b1.jpg
Gave them a good dose of fly spray ?!?
This however was the catch of the day [emoji106] Good old school styles [emoji3] note the duck feathers @sore head stoat !!!
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...b6654a65d9.jpg
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Good stuff seeing you all still giving the critters a hard time
Cleared 28 traps today for one insomniac hedgehog.
Evan have done a good job clearing the wilding pines along my dune line but you have to ask yourself why they couldn’t of left a couple of specific stumps 30cm higher. :wtfsmilie:
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That is just crazy stuff right there !!!
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Great results @ Orcrist – keep showing us the results – puts this post to shame
I had to take a trip to Auckland to see my Son’s new house – long grass on sections all round him so I took four new boxes with new Victor pro traps soaked in boiled linseed oil
Relaxing in the family room and we spotted a mouse playing around under the fridge – no worry – we can sort him out so got a Victor out of a box and put some peanut butter on the foot plate – positioned it beside the base of the bench unit beside the fridge
Only took the mouse a few minutes to come out and check out his new dinner – a bit embarrassing really as he accessed it sideways – in and out numerous times and had a few feeds – I thought maybe I had left too much sticky oil on the foot plate saddle - it took about ten minutes before he made a fatal mistake and climbed on the front of the foot plate – jeeze it made a bang when it tripped – poor little buggar
A good example of how a narrow box or tunnel ensures the rodent presents correctly to a trap
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Went and checked a high country line today, only 13 traps in the line but it is a bit of a walk.. 13 traps , 2 sprung empties, 4 not touched and 7 stoats in the balance... The back end had been chewed off all but 3 of them so no tails. 4 weeks since last checked. I did see a cat so might have to get a SA cat trap off Carol at Dead rat. Thoughts please on, would it be the cat that is cheweing the back half of the bodies off my stoats ? I am running all DOC 150s up on that line with fairly tight entrances... The sprung empties i suspect the cat is rattling the boxes and triggering the traps as quarter of my captures are weasels and i have a light trigger/spring off on my traps. I am now starting to put big rocks on my traps to stop any movement if the cat rattles the box. Thoughts please on the cat eating the bodies ?
@sore head stoat it could a cat but don't discount further stoats.
I have seen it before when having a run on weasels in a certain trap that if i have not checked it fast enough.....all that is left is a head.
Reset = another weasel
Having a camera or two if can answer a lot of guestions if you can source them [emoji106]
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Sore Head Stoat (or all head no stoat haha) I had a camera on a trap that caught a stoat and everything in the bush came over for a lick and a chew, cats several times, a possum also rats and hogs, we need to bottle that smell. Kiwi-Hunter I had a tunnel trap that I painted black inside and outside including the trap and it was about 6 months before anything went in it then it started catching everything maybe the paint smell put them off for a while, I also have a tunnel trap with the sides and top made of white corflute very visible and it catches all the critters and shitloads of possums.
Weasel caught on fresh rabbit only put the trap there a week ago, the rat caught using blue stuff. Remember Helen caught 4 weasels using mayonnaise well she got another one using mayonnaise on a golf ball, the weasels on my trap lines are a bit fussier.
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