Rat traps
What do you guys think about rat traps being used to aquire small game as birds and squirrels. They are light, flat and two or three will fit into most any size pack you can think of. I think these would be a great benefit if needed it could be used to catch squirrels, pigeons, other small birds, chipmunks, and anyother animal that is 1lb and under.
I have considered this question myself...another use for them would be as triggers for larger dead falls..etc!
It sure would be effecient and save time, but I would rather use deadfall traps and snares because snare wire is as weightless as you can go. Also like you said, the mouse trap will only catch small animals, but a snare can catch anything up to a deer.
Pickin' n' Grinnin'
Not a bad idea at all. I have small conibear traps never thought of using a mouse trap outdoors? Things that make you say HMMM?
Keep in mind the problem may be extremely complicated, though the "Fix" is often simple...
"Teaching a child to fish is the "original" introduction to all that is wild." CS
"How can you tell a story that has no end?" Doc Carlson
Rat traps work well. For using them in the wilderness, you are never sure of "what" will end up in your trap, so it may be a good idea to secure them to an object so they won't be carried off. If you use the wooden ones, you may want to pre-drill a hole in the center and carry a few deck screws. This makes it easier to attach them to a tree, log, etc. Of course, you can use wire or cordage as well.
There are a number of posts that reference rat traps and how they are used. Crash summed them up pretty well.
Tracks Across the High Plains...Death on the Bombay Line...A Touch of Death and Mayhem...Dead Rock...The Griswald Mine Boys...All On Amazon Books.
Go with crash's idea nd put a hole in them. screw them on the side of a tree and a squirrel is sure to get curious. You could even add some foil or something to add some flash.
"A hero never lives forever, but a coward never lives"
EMT Instructor
That's a very good idea, I would have never thought of that.
Take only what you need, and leave the rest.
I bought (3) three the last time in Los Anchorage, they were $2.99 each, which I thought was darn fair price. I use mouse traps for Red back Voles in the grain barn, then the weasels/ermines cart the dead voles off. I sure hope they will kill a weasel.
How much rat traps cost where you are at.....?
I've used rat traps for squirrels, they work quite well. I would attach it to the trunk of a tree about 4 to 5 feet up from the ground, bait it and check it frequently. The only problem I had was one winter in Maine the trap had been sprung but no squirrel. this went on about 5 times. I finally gave up on that trap. Come spring I found 5 squirrel carcusses at the base of the tree. It seems that the cold weather had slowed the spring, giving the squirrel enough time to back out enough to be killed by the trap but not caught in it.
I know what hunts you.
I get them by the case. For the wooden rat traps (Victor) I pay about $2, For the plastic one (several varieties) about $3 - $4.Originally Posted by hopeak
Sorry if I missed it but, what can be used for baiting squirrels......? I saw tinfoil, what else......?
Nuts, grains, peanut butter.
I've been telling folks for years to add at least one modified (a eye screw in on corner to attach a line to secure it) to their daypack kits.
Rat traps here run around 6 bucks from lowes and home depot. You can get them a little cheaper at a farm supply house though.
i have used bread, crackers and mixed trail nuts in my live trap and they worked I assume the same would work in the rat trap.
So, I am surrounded by ground squirrels....a complete infestation- maybe 1,000 of them on my property. Will a wooden rat trap catch these guys? If yes what for bait/lure, if no, what will work
The way of the canoe is the way of the wilderness and of a freedom almost forgotten- Sigurd Olson
Give me winter, give me dogs... you can keep the rest- Knud Rasmussen
A herd of Mongoose's or a Flock of Ferrit's........Or two bricks of .22 Rim Fire, and a good, Rifle...
Last edited by Sourdough; 06-13-2009 at 01:08 PM.
Get some airline tickets (first class, please) for some of those little critters and fly 'em over here. I love watching those guys run around the yard and up and down the trees. Yeah, I know the damage they're capable of doing. But I just toss 'em a pound of peanuts everyday, and they're great neighbors.
“Learning is not compulsory. Neither is survival.”
W. Edwards Deming
"Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils."
General John Stark
Jason - for the numbers you are talking about, snap traps are not very efficient time wise. Live traps may work better - even homemade ones.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks