Thread: Maramataha Trapline

Checked trapline along Maratataha river, south block Pureora FP yesterday. Got 11 Rats 1Weasel 1 Stoat. Tally for the year 320 Rats 9 Weasels 3 Stoats 2 Hedgehogs 7 Mice. 12th year Te Awamutu branch NZDA have been doing this line with 20 single set DOC 200's & 66 double set DOC 200's. Overall total 3728 Rats 170 Weasels 97 Stoats 19 Hedgehogs 35 Mice 12 Cats.

Those cats are a real prick to extract out of the traps. They have to do the lambada to get in there in the first place...then good night nurse! and yuk! in a fortnights time to extract

Well done. As usual the rats appear to be the main culprit

the number of weasels surprises me - just goes a bit against areas I have intensively worked - maybe the area suits them better ?? are they are being identified correctly ??- its just that it seems high - we would get only one weasel for every 20-30 stoats in areas I have done - suprising - no ferrets is good - but very well done

Stoats are larger than weasels & the tail is black on the end & bushier. That 's how I was taught to identify them.

I do 2 trap lines in the Canty high country, 20% of my catch maybe more would be weasels.

Line check Saturday 27/5/2023. 35 Rats & 1 Stoat. Due to bad weather & a Stewart Island trip it was 6 weeks since last check. 28/5/2022 we got 36 Rats & 1 Weasel. Some of the older DOC 200's are a bit stiff in the pivot pin need to know what's a good lube to use?

Originally Posted by techno retard

Line check Saturday 27/5/2023. 35 Rats & 1 Stoat. Due to bad weather & a Stewart Island trip it was 6 weeks since last check. 28/5/2022 we got 36 Rats & 1 Weasel. Some of the older DOC 200's are a bit stiff in the pivot pin need to know what's a good lube to use?

I would go with a product like break free - or mechanics nut cracker - lasts longer than CRC - once freed up maybe a grease - when we finished with our traps for season it was a water blast - dry - then we dipped in diesel hung in dry place - then before season water blasted and left out side for a period of time to loose diesel smell -

Graphite

I'd go with fish oil.

We use lanox, a lanoline base spray for our traps on Stewy Is. I think crc makes it. Works well.

I would lube with vege oil or fish oil, something that doesn't scream "human scent" for sure.

i was sitting over a small clearing not far from your trapline in january when a stoat came out from the undergrowth right up to my boot .....too close to have a shot at it i slowly lifted my rifle preparing to smash him on the head .......at which point he looked up and saw the dog and turned tail back into the undergrowth , the noise it made while barely audible alerted the dog who tried unsuccessfully to catch him ..... just too fast..... also cameras we set are always catching cats

keep up the good work and i hope DOC appreciates it as much as we hunters do