Predator Free

Hi all- I started volunteering with Predator Free Titahi Bay in Wellington around June this year. We are a small peninsula north west of Porirua.
This has been a sorta 2 or 3 person operation for many years, some people come and usually go, life- work, relationships etc get in the way.
So we have built our reserves trapping team from 3 or 4 up to near 16 people now. Monitoring rat tunnel trap lines weekly in reserves and parks.
I've pretty much inherited the planning and implementation of the reserves trapping side of things in our group as well as making timber paling rat tunnels to put the plastic traps in, installing them into the planned lines, training new trap liners and getting them started, so they can then monitor the liens themselves.

Its a whole lotta fun, and its in ma backyard, and I've learnt a TON of stuff.

Every area/suburb in Aotearoa has a group.
If ya looking for something easy close to home to get into, this is a great thing.

We are all working towards being predator free by 2050.

Cheers
Ants
antsman70 on IG


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Awesome work!

Nice. I think the future of hunting is going to be based on or at least closely linked with conservation partnerships. . .

they, starting a predator free area on the road i live on but i got bad feedback because i kill wild cats, go figure. Cant please some people

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Originally Posted by Martin358

they, starting a predator free area on the road i live on but i got bad feedback because i kill wild cats, go figure. Cant please some people

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just kill them but say nothing :)

yeh theres a lot of cat lovers out there- me included, but not wild cats- they all the the hammer.

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Originally Posted by Tentman

Nice. I think the future of hunting is going to be based on or at least closely linked with conservation partnerships. . .

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100% mate, hunting is herd "management" , if the hunters are smart.

Wild cats suck I get my shear

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Originally Posted by Martin358

they, starting a predator free area on the road i live on but i got bad feedback because i kill wild cats, go figure. Cant please some people

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The only place I did pest control on was on the condition I bury any cats I found without a collar. That was an old lady with pet cats as well, she was a great to deal with.

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Originally Posted by 57jl

Wild cats suck I get my shear

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yeah man they're on the hitlist

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Originally Posted by Martin358

they, starting a predator free area on the road i live on but i got bad feedback because i kill wild cats, go figure. Cant please some people

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yah- there's a lot of people "love" hedgehogs for some reason, and a lot can manage the thought of killing feral cats, sorta 10%vegan people i reckon :) , meat eaters(supermarket meat) but cant handle the thought of anyone killing anything.......

Hi @ANTSMAN, awesome work!
I'm currently travelling through NZ and was thinking of maybe getting involved in some sort of volunteering in conservation long the way. Do you think there would be a way to help out for a couple of days at a time or so?

Thank you, cheers

yes some of the bloody greenies wanted any wild cat caught desexed and released - what then a very pissed of cat bent on revenge - hide the carcass say nothing my motto

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Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

yes some of the bloody greenies wanted any wild cat caught desexed and released - what then a very pissed of cat bent on revenge - hide the carcass say nothing my motto

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Yup, apply the SSS principle. Shoot, Shovel, Shut up.

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Originally Posted by gonehunting

Hi @ANTSMAN, awesome work!
I'm currently travelling through NZ and was thinking of maybe getting involved in some sort of volunteering in conservation long the way. Do you think there would be a way to help out for a couple of days at a time or so?

Thank you, cheers

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pretty much check the below

https://predatorfreenz.org/about-us/national-map/

shows all Orgs affiliated with Pred free NZ, should be able to get hold of someone in the areas you're going to.
Also maybe check Facebook-Insta all /most of those Orgs need volunteers and have social media pages for the are you're going to.

Also don't be disheartened if you get slow or no response- this time of year, but also, these are mostly volunteer orgs, so the pred trapping is a hobby to most.

good luck!
Ants

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Originally Posted by ANTSMAN

Hi all- I started volunteering with Predator Free Titahi Bay in Wellington around June this year. We are a small peninsula north west of Porirua.
This has been a sorta 2 or 3 person operation for many years, some people come and usually go, life- work, relationships etc get in the way.
So we have built our reserves trapping team from 3 or 4 up to near 16 people now. Monitoring rat tunnel trap lines weekly in reserves and parks.
I've pretty much inherited the planning and implementation of the reserves trapping side of things in our group as well as making timber paling rat tunnels to put the plastic traps in, installing them into the planned lines, training new trap liners and getting them started, so they can then monitor the liens themselves.

Its a whole lotta fun, and its in ma backyard, and I've learnt a TON of stuff.

Every area/suburb in Aotearoa has a group.
If ya looking for something easy close to home to get into, this is a great thing.

We are all working towards being predator free by 2050.

Cheers
Ants
antsman70 on IG


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Cunning way to anchor that trap. Cool . Nice work.

Also, adding to the above- I've come to realise there are a fair amount of people in communities that are out there trapping/rats/mice/mustelids in residential bush reserves, with no external organised assistance, meaning they're doing what they do on their own , in their backyards so ta speak. This is huge- the more people start to catch on, and go "do" something about the problem, the more effect we will have-this is aimed at the negative people out there sitting back typing "pred free2050 will never happen- ya cant this or cant that- it will never happen".

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Originally Posted by TeRei

Cunning way to anchor that trap. Cool . Nice work.

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yeah mate- just "heavy" carrying 400mm warratahs through a bush reserve- screws-drill etc :) makes the DOC200 reset was easier tho- if its anchored into the ground.

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Originally Posted by ANTSMAN

yeah mate- just "heavy" carrying 400mm warratahs through a bush reserve- screws-drill etc :) makes the DOC200 reset was easier tho- if its anchored into the ground.

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The alpine lines I help with use lengths of rebar bashed into the ground, with a saddle clamp fixing them to the side of the box. Bit lighter than a waratah, and seems to secure them well enough.

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Originally Posted by ANTSMAN

yah- there's a lot of people "love" hedgehogs for some reason, and a lot can manage the thought of killing feral cats, sorta 10%vegan people i reckon :) , meat eaters(supermarket meat) but cant handle the thought of anyone killing anything.......

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I have 3 hedgehog traps around the property, I've caught quite a few but I'm worried about their inability to swim...so I try and teach them, unfortunately I've had zero success....could be due to the heavy rock in the top of the bucket maybe?!.

I get annoyed when a post comes up on the local community page "I have a baby hedgehog - how do I care for it" people don't like it when I suggest swimming lessons, or when ya suggest to them to look at the teeth on an adult hedgehog and think about what those teeth do to snails, skinks etc.

On a side note I checked the traps a few days ago and there was a bloody stoat inside one of them...quite pleased about that!

The whole community based predator free thing seems to be getting legs. I literally had a meeting with one of guys in our community who is really good at managing people, planning, etc, to get the Te Horo trapping underway.
Being largely rural, a lot of trapping and shooting already takes place. But just a handful of properties not doing their bit means there are large corridors for critters to move through. The thought that making it easy to get involved, shown how to use the respective traps, and given traps at no cost, will mean there should be a a noticeable uptake of those actively involved.

We are very well aware of the impact of trapping and cats in our suburb. Death threats, police, social media uproar from around the world, all because a pet cat was caught, and later release unharmed. In our case easier to just leave feral cats off the list of predators.

@ANTSMAN - do you have any advise for those starting out? Things like how you manage records of catches, location of traps etc.

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Originally Posted by Twodiffs

I have 3 hedgehog traps around the property, I've caught quite a few but I'm worried about their inability to swim...so I try and teach them, unfortunately I've had zero success....could be due to the heavy rock in the top of the bucket maybe?!.

I get annoyed when a post comes up on the local community page "I have a baby hedgehog - how do I care for it" people don't like it when I suggest swimming lessons, or when ya suggest to them to look at the teeth on an adult hedgehog and think about what those teeth do to snails, skinks etc.

On a side note I checked the traps a few days ago and there was a bloody stoat inside one of them...quite pleased about that!

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excellent! great result with the stoat!

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Originally Posted by quentin

The whole community based predator free thing seems to be getting legs. I literally had a meeting with one of guys in our community who is really good at managing people, planning, etc, to get the Te Horo trapping underway.
Being largely rural, a lot of trapping and shooting already takes place. But just a handful of properties not doing their bit means there are large corridors for critters to move through. The thought that making it easy to get involved, shown how to use the respective traps, and given traps at no cost, will mean there should be a a noticeable uptake of those actively involved.

We are very well aware of the impact of trapping and cats in our suburb. Death threats, police, social media uproar from around the world, all because a pet cat was caught, and later release unharmed. In our case easier to just leave feral cats off the list of predators.

@ANTSMAN - do you have any advise for those starting out? Things like how you manage records of catches, location of traps etc.

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yeah mate- records- most/all in NZ
use Trap.nz website- create a login for yourself- then search for projects close to you- then ask to have access- or do same but can start you own project- and maybe get people close by to join,,,,

Trap.nz is a great tool- was revamped a couple years ago, so functions way better now for recording trap checks-kills-sex-size-baits used... yada yada.
Easiest is prolly to join an exisiting group- the one you mentioned in Te Horo, request access, meet people get on board, start trapping in ya backyard, then traplines.I did this May last year and discovered Im now the pusher behind our projects Trap.nz system.
All traps recorded in a project you have access to on Trap.nz can be found by using the app while in the field.

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here's a shot of our project in Titahi Bay- can see all traps and traplines =coloured lines. I had to downsize it hugely to get it uploaded.

320 odd backyard traps in our suburb, dating back to 2017 ish- most are likely defunct, not there, not being checked, rotten as.... that's our biggest issue right now- auditing "all" of those backyarders to see what sup- and deleting them if not there,,, which will apply to probably most/90% or more.
People get bored-move on- change circumstances....

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Originally Posted by StrikerNZ

The alpine lines I help with use lengths of rebar bashed into the ground, with a saddle clamp fixing them to the side of the box. Bit lighter than a waratah, and seems to secure them well enough.

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yep I've seen this method on one of our lines where Greater Welly Regional Council guys have placed traps on bait lines.

Just joined Auckland central parks animal pest control project, targeting possums and rats with none poisonous baits (peanut butter for rats, cinnamon dusted apples for possums)

Get my trap line next month in the Waitarua wetland....let's go

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Originally Posted by Scouser

Just joined Auckland central parks animal pest control project, targeting possums and rats with none poisonous baits (peanut butter for rats, cinnamon dusted apples for possums)

Get my trap line next month in the Waitarua wetland....let's go

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Shit yeah mate , bloody well done!

I volunteer on one down here, we get a few University kids turning up to help, initially they won’t pull a dead rat out and are shocked that we catch hedgehogs but explain the damage they do and they come around, after a couple trap clearings they start to clear the traps and get into it.
@ANTSMAN we use waratahs too @StrikerNZ do you have a photo of clamp to box

Something like this, in whatever diameter is appropriate. They seem to be tight enough on the rebar and provide enough friction to generally keep the box in place. A determined person might be able to lever/wrench the box free, but it’s more to keep them secure in snow around where I trap.

https://www.mitre10.co.nz/shop/hydro...-grey/p/162620

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Originally Posted by outdoorlad

I volunteer on one down here, we get a few University kids turning up to help, initially they won’t pull a dead rat out and are shocked that we catch hedgehogs but explain the damage they do and they come around, after a couple trap clearings they start to clear the traps and get into it.
@ANTSMAN we use waratahs too @StrikerNZ do you have a photo of clamp to box

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yeah thats good as aye, that the uni kids get into it

I am a coordinator for a predator free group that is small village and rural and the thing I find important is keeping in touch with the 50 odd trappers we have. At the end of each month I send out an email with a bit of 'news' in it and we welcome any new trappers and I also ask for captures for the month just past which are logged on Trap NZ, if you caught nothing I still want a "we caught zero". Anyone who doesnt respond a couple of months in a row gets an email asking are you still using the trap ? If not we want it back. It is amazing the number that start out with a hiss and a roar and then find out they are not catching a rat every half hour and lose interest and dont bother using the trap again. We have a big rat competition.. 420mm is the longest rat so far.

If you have tiger traps you keep your mouth shut re captures.

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Originally Posted by Tentman

Nice. I think the future of hunting is going to be based on or at least closely linked with conservation partnerships. . .

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100% right if for nothing else, the fact that Govt sends a lot of funds the way of Conservation groups.