Thread: Bird Predator Control

I bet theres not much that would take this big feral on, he met his match tonight!

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I got up with the very first of the light this morning, it’s wet here today, a soft gentle drizzle.

The bellbirds were just magic to listen to, even the dog was impressed. I’ve owned this block for 16 years and this summer is the first we’ve had bellbirds turn up. We have more pheasants, quails, pukekos, ducks than ever, kakas and kereru in increasing numbers, heaps of passerines.

The one neighbour has been running a trapping program for a good while - 125 traps all over the valley, a mix of DOC 150 / 200 and Victor rat traps. He’s retired but fit and busy, and his Tuesday trap run is a helluva good walk for an older fella. I shoot feral cats (sssshhh), dozens of magpies and trap on our block. The main farming property is a renowned riparian regeneration block with national awards.

It’s all starting to come together. We have a couple of problem people who let their cats roam, but that problem might be solved by the SA2 traps, hopefully.

Bellbirds feels like a big win.

Originally Posted by Flyblown

I got up with the very first of the light this morning, it’s wet here today, a soft gentle drizzle.

The bellbirds were just magic to listen to, even the dog was impressed. I’ve owned this block for 16 years and this summer is the first we’ve had bellbirds turn up. We have more pheasants, quails, pukekos, ducks than ever, kakas and kereru in increasing numbers, heaps of passerines.

The one neighbour has been running a trapping program for a good while - 125 traps all over the valley, a mix of DOC 150 / 200 and Victor rat traps. He’s retired but fit and busy, and his Tuesday trap run is a helluva good walk for an older fella. I shoot feral cats (sssshhh), dozens of magpies and trap on our block. The main farming property is a renowned riparian regeneration block with national awards.

It’s all starting to come together. We have a couple of problem people who let their cats roam, but that problem might be solved by the SA2 traps, hopefully.

Bellbirds feels like a big win.

Awesome! The bird song of our natives is a beautiful thing, one of my fav parts of quietly stalking thru the bush at stewart island. Great to hear it like that in your back yard.

Originally Posted by Flyblown

I got up with the very first of the light this morning, it’s wet here today, a soft gentle drizzle.

The bellbirds were just magic to listen to, even the dog was impressed. I’ve owned this block for 16 years and this summer is the first we’ve had bellbirds turn up. We have more pheasants, quails, pukekos, ducks than ever, kakas and kereru in increasing numbers, heaps of passerines.

The one neighbour has been running a trapping program for a good while - 125 traps all over the valley, a mix of DOC 150 / 200 and Victor rat traps. He’s retired but fit and busy, and his Tuesday trap run is a helluva good walk for an older fella. I shoot feral cats (sssshhh), dozens of magpies and trap on our block. The main farming property is a renowned riparian regeneration block with national awards.

It’s all starting to come together. We have a couple of problem people who let their cats roam, but that problem might be solved by the SA2 traps, hopefully.

Bellbirds feels like a big win.

I met one last Sunday, scruffy old thing who let me get within 2 meters and we whistled back and forwards. No idea what we chatted about but it was a neat moment

Originally Posted by GWH

I bet theres not much that would take this big feral on, he met his match tonight!

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That IR is certainly got your motivated GWH, he was well lit up then
I give you a 50 point sore on it
KH

Just been round the trap line with the lads we missed it last week (too busy fishing).

Amazing the difference a week makes...mostly just clearing rat fur from traps today.

I have charged them up with a whole heap of smoked snapper bones from last weekend so i reckon we will get a few inquiries this week
@Flyblown absolutly aggree with what you say above. We are running about 100 traps here & have owned the block for 6 years.

There has been a notable increase in bird life in that time. Pheasants, quail, ducks and natives also. It is a reasonable commitment but i have no doubt it works !!!

A couple of interesting things from today.

1. We picked this up, pretty sure its an Owl pellet, can often hear the little owl at night.



2. This trap was re gassed & lured about 2 months ago. I see it at least twice a week. I have not seen anything under it in that time yet the counter shows 9 strikes.



I am utterly convinced that as the ALP releases a droplet of lure (see that one on the tree below the trap) It knocks the trigger wire on its way past (i fail to see how it cant) recording a strike !?!

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I guess many of you have tried out most of the snap-back rat traps that are available on the market - there is a wide range of traps from good quality to junk – most of them work and either kill or frighten the daylights out of Mr Rat
I say Mr Rat as some of the buggars are big and take a bit of killing – if you just frighten them – they may not come back.
I don’t use a camera, so I don’t know a lot about what happens at a trap site – perhaps KH can help, I often find traps that are tripped and there is no victim or lure to be seen. Maybe he pulled out, got eaten by his mates or a cat, or maybe it was a clean miss.
If you want killing power in a snap trap – it is hard to beat a Victor Pro – it will clamp and hold most large rats or give them a severe head knock that kills them close to the trap. If you want an easy to operate plastic trap there are plenty of options but top of my list is the Kness Snap-E – followed closely by the Victor Power Kill. I have tried a few other plastic snap traps and rate them from soft and near useless to very powerful and almost dangerous to the user. I tried about 20 Gorilla traps as they have a steel trigger that will not break – but they were difficult to set, often tripped for no reason and our users disliked them – so they got hammered or biffed.
The Envirotools D-Rat traps with their safety hoods are powerful, user safe and would be good for tree trapping – but a bit more expensive.
I have tried most of the options on trap lines that are serviced by others (including my wife), and I always come back to the Kness Snap-E trap. It is user friendly, reliable and generally hits them around the head or neck providing a humane kill – but not always - perhaps due to the age and condition of the trap.
The line that I look after at the Park, is generally free of public so I use a simple core flute open ended cover - held on a log or tree root with a single screw so I can tilt it back to service the trap. Some of the covers have been chewed by rats and are a bit scruffy but they keep the trap dry and direct the rat to the front of the foot plate. The traps are held on roots and old logs with two screws - but some logs are rotting and the screws are getting pulled out by rats that are a bit pissed off with the process – I need to tidy up and get some longer screws or shift the trap position. I recently lost the last of my Gorilla traps that was only held by a single screw – we are pleased that the bastard thing is gone - I replaced it with a Snap-E.
Our trap lure continues to be GN Possum Paste as it does not go mouldy in winter and the cinnamon flavour is quite strong - but in summer I revert to Connovation blue smooth in a tube – if available.
Around my street lines I generally use a peanut butter/rolled oats mix as it is a low cost option.
So where to purchase traps – plenty of options but Carol at Grantley Imports (also trades as Dead Rat Ltd) is my first call, she has the best prices and a great range of products – www.deadrat.co.nz
Just in case you get sick of multiple pictures – I put a few of the Kness Snap-E pics on one page

I did a lot with cameras at one point and now years later it's common practice and with some who I have come in contact with.
But at present I am more involved with night shooting to top up the pension.
The camera's give your real information on what's turned up and what to target differently! if what's in place hasn't done the job.
The pictures are from one of the reserve a friend is involved with and the deadline are mine.
He runs two or three cameras at different locations and times, just depending on what feedback he needs.
The cat didn't go into the cage.
If I went through some of my pictures I would post more, there's stoats ferrets, rats and cats that just passed on by.
I am a believer that you have to mix up your methods of traps, bait and placement and the camera will give you details on a trap that has produced.
By doing this the trapping and the methods used keeps the pressure and the progress active.
Otherwise you just get in a routine that can produce very little other than your walk and a little bait top up, yes your numbers drop in time! but the ones that remain are trap wise and bait shy. That's why it's good to think out side the box so to speak and it's always good to have a win over a cunning opponent, rewarding for the effort that goes into all the hours of predator maintenance.

KH

Just saw a auto spelling error.
I am a believer that you have to mix up your methods of traps, bait and placement and the camera will give you details on a trap that h̶a̶s̶ [COLOR="#FF0000"]hasn't produced[/COLOR].
KH

Originally Posted by Kiwi-Hunter

Just saw a auto spelling error.
I am a believer that you have to mix up your methods of traps, bait and placement and the camera will give you details on a trap that h̶a̶s̶ [COLOR="#FF0000"]hasn't produced[/COLOR].
KH

I completely agree with this. The number of times I have shifted a trap and than the next visit there is an animal in that trap is uncountable. One trap in particular I had out for 18 ? months with no catches. I moved it a maximum of 5m and next 3 consecutive visits mr stoat has got the bad news. Last few visits it has been empty. I reckon that stoat recognises that a particular area is dangerous, I am in 2 minds if it recognises that a trap box is dangerous. Yip I think it may be game camera time.

Thanks for the morepork info @kukuwai - I never realised they regurgitated indigestible material – did you check out what it had been eating?
Just two ferret and two weasel tails this year in the swamp comp
I am just starting in a 10ha bush block on the west side of the Park - we have never trapped it as it is hard to get into – a young guy is keen to help me – the bush is thick and steep but he can climb and operate a chainsaw better than me.
I am going to set up a sentinel with an A24 about 50m apart up a few ridges to see what is around – not likely to be many possums as we got them as they came over our side
I put out four A24s – two with chocolate ALPs and two with possum paste in A12 lure containers – so far 3 strikes on possum paste and 1 strike on chocolate so I removed the ALPs and changed back to possum paste
I like to mount the A24s on a root or sloping tree trunk – the chocolate ALPs were just blobbing down the side of the barrel and touching the trigger but it didn’t cause a trip
Still trying to work out how to attack the rats in the new block – poison, A24s or snap traps – but steep access is not easy until we develop tracks

I have just purchased from Carol at Dead Rat a cage trap.

https://deadrat.co.nz/shop-%26-order...p-1-meter-long

I would like your tips and tricks in trapping feral cats please.

This was set up the other day by a mate to check if it was active.
It's now looking at the base for predators.
KH

Originally Posted by time out

Thanks for the morepork info @kukuwai - I never realised they regurgitated indigestible material – did you check out what it had been eating?

Yes. It was actually really interesting and I regret not taking further photos. Mostly just indistinguishable fur but there were at least a few feathers and 4 definite weta legs !!!

Originally Posted by time out

Attachment 185763

This is an excellant set that has got me thinking !

I know that you are a fan of the ramp set and your reasons for that but I'm wondering if it might solve my issue also?

Set in this fashion the droplet released by the ALP will most likely dribble down the plastic sidewall and potentially miss the trigger. Therefore not resulting in wasted gas and fictitious strikes on the counter

I will be well interested in your thoughts and observations mate



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Originally Posted by sore head stoat

I would like your tips and tricks in trapping feral cats please.

Here are a few that spring to mind

1. Cover the floor of the cage and the trigger plate with a good layer of stuff that matches the area. Have used grass, sand, beach mulch leaves.



2. I have cameras on some cages & sometimes encounter a cat hesitant to enter the cage. What can encourage them is to turn the cage into a tunnel, ie open ends. Have used a sack, an old rug, scrub etc. I remember @time out posting a photo of him using black plastic once which i thought was a good idea especially in wet areas

3. Make sure there are no twigs or small seeding plants in the arc of the swinging door when it closes. I lost one in the early days of cage trapping. Got it on film. Bloody coprosma robusta seedling stoped the door closing tight. Cat was out straight away !!

4.They always make a mistake at some stage..... & come in all colours and sizes




@Kiwi-Hunter those pictures above fully illustrate the value of a camera. Great shots mate thanks for posting, we are all about the birds round here. I love that stuff

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