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School me on trapping

Horn said:
Do you guys think a 2 foot border of 1"x1" fence on the ground is enough deterrent to keep critters digging under and getting in? Or do I need to go down ? I've got 3 feet of 1"x2" welded wire fence around the outside or the pen, chicken wire up and over the top.
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That should help. If you see signs that they're digging farther out than that you can augment from there. And set additional traps in those areas. You might want to bury it an inch or two; the wire fence around my garden is a bit slapdash and is absolutely incompatible with my lawnmower, so I'll be edging it with bricks or lumber or something. If you have a drag harrow, or even a landscape timber with some spikes poking out the bottom, you should be able to churn up the top layer of dirt enough to bed the wire fence deep enough to protect it from lawn equipment.
 
Horn said:
Do you guys think a 2 foot border of 1"x1" fence on the ground is enough deterrent to keep critters digging under and getting in? Or do I need to go down ? I've got 3 feet of 1"x2" welded wire fence around the outside or the pen, chicken wire up and over the top.
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I would bury it 4-6" and make sure it hooks to the vertical fence structure. Sod cutter machine makes it a lot easier. Stake it down too.
 
SNIPERBBB said:
I would bury it 4-6" and make sure it hooks to the vertical fence structure. Sod cutter machine makes it a lot easier. Stake it down too.
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I think you're saying an L shaped piece 4-6" deep and secured to the walls of the pen right? They do have a separate coop inside of the pen, we had just been leaving that open but that may change

Are 2 inch gaps good enough? Seems like that big b-otch that got my ducks got in in an awfully small looking hole. Like a mouse can
 
Horn said:
I think you're saying an L shaped piece 4-6" deep and secured to the walls of the pen right? They do have a separate coop inside of the pen, we had just been leaving that open but that may change

Are 2 inch gaps good enough? Seems like that big b-otch that got my ducks got in in an awfully small looking hole. Like a mouse can
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correct

2 inch is ok for the buried section. but the coop section even chicken wire is borderline as coons can still reach in and kill or at least seriously mangle any it can reach
 
You could run electric fence around the pen and hang sardines wrapped in aluminum foil with a little of the tail end hanging out.
 
Horn said:
Do you guys think a 2 foot border of 1"x1" fence on the ground is enough deterrent to keep critters digging under and getting in? Or do I need to go down ? I've got 3 feet of 1"x2" welded wire fence around the outside or the pen, chicken wire up and over the top.
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For my chickens, I didn't dig down deep, I just went further out basically on top of the ground and let the grass/weeds grow up through the fence. It seems the animals aren't smart enough to back up far enough to get past the fencing and instead just dig into the fence and can't get through.
 
Thanks for you're input guys!

I'm going to have to put the camera back out. I zip tied a can in the back of my trap, put a couple marshmallows and a little duck food in it. Had a miss Tuesday night but there was a coon in the open pen, so still got one. Last night something got the marshmallows and my trap was moved 6+ feet and on its side. Not sure what to think about that.
 
Horn said:
Thanks for you're input guys!

I'm going to have to put the camera back out. I zip tied a can in the back of my trap, put a couple marshmallows and a little duck food in it. Had a miss Tuesday night but there was a coon in the open pen, so still got one. Last night something got the marshmallows and my trap was moved 6+ feet and on its side. Not sure what to think about that.
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Occasionally the coons will roll the traps. (I suspect those coon have been caught in cages previously)I've never had that problem myself but I know guys that have it often enough that they stake down the traps. If you have the traps that are gravity doors that use the rings to lock the doors, those traps have to be staked down in case the caught coon rolls the cage or nosey dog investigates the coon and rolls the cage thus releasing the coon. Which is why I don't use those cages.
 
SNIPERBBB said:
Occasionally the coons will roll the traps. (I suspect those coon have been caught in cages previously)I've never had that problem myself but I know guys that have it often enough that they stake down the traps. If you have the traps that are gravity doors that use the rings to lock the doors, those traps have to be staked down in case the caught coon rolls the cage or nosey dog investigates the coon and rolls the cage thus releasing the coon. Which is why I don't use those cages.
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Sounds like that's probably what happened. My trap is just a cheap one with the flap type latch on top that gravity holds down. I had wondered if it comes open on its side if you could just push the door open. Must be it will. I need to step it up!
 
Horn said:
Sounds like that's probably what happened. My trap is just a cheap one with the flap type latch on top that gravity holds down. I had wondered if it comes open on its side if you could just push the door open. Must be it will. I need to step it up!
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I've found that there are different grades of cage traps, which all vary wildly in price. I wonder if a more expensive / pro-level trap would incorporate springs or better latches or something? Either way, staking or wiring it seems to be the ticket.
 
Iron_llama said:
I've found that there are different grades of cage traps, which all vary wildly in price. I wonder if a more expensive / pro-level trap would incorporate springs or better latches or something? Either way, staking or wiring it seems to be the ticket.
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Today's " I'm not smart" story is : I staked the traps, baited them again last night. I even went out and checked them about 11. I left the saftey(?) Latch engaged. Pretty hard to catch things when the trap can't close D'oh!
 
Horn said:
Today's " I'm not smart" story is : I staked the traps, baited them again last night. I even went out and checked them about 11. I left the saftey(?) Latch engaged. Pretty hard to catch things when the trap can't close D'oh!
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Nah you're just getting them used to the traps being there lol. Hope you coontinue to catch em. (Couldn't resist, much like your quarry lol)
 
In my scenario are meat scraps decent bait? My family pretty much refuses to eat fat. I don't know what's wrong with them. I can only eat so much they trim off. I smoked some pork chops tonight, thinking of using the stuff they trimmed off. Or maybe tuna but I've only got garlic herb or lemon pepper on hand, feels like marshmallows are getting played out.

I have 4 more ducklings to protect now. Definitely going to keep actively managing predators , we'll trying anyway. The more I think the more I think a fortress is in order, new bigger better coop is in the works
 
SNIPERBBB said:
Occasionally the coons will roll the traps. (I suspect those coon have been caught in cages previously)I've never had that problem myself but I know guys that have it often enough that they stake down the traps. If you have the traps that are gravity doors that use the rings to lock the doors, those traps have to be staked down in case the caught coon rolls the cage or nosey dog investigates the coon and rolls the cage thus releasing the coon. Which is why I don't use those cages.
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I was just going to say stake the trap down or put some weight on it so it won’t roll. You can also thread and zip tie a couple of narrow boards along the bottom to widen the base of the trap to prevent it from tipping. Like a Catamaran or whatever. I use “T” rebar the same stuff for my beaver footholds to rig drowners to help prevent theft of the trap. A good Williams style Box trap is $40 or better now each.
 
I’ve known people that have had weasels and mink get in to kill their chickens too. Use the 1x2 fencing if you have it already but put some OSB or old plywood up the first 24” or so to prevent the slinkers from threading themselves through. Or get some plexi corrugated roof panels they use to let light in on a metal roof barn or whatever to fancy it up slightly more if you’re worried about looks.
 
woodsdog2 said:
I was just going to say stake the trap down or put some weight on it so it won’t roll. You can also thread and zip tie a couple of narrow boards along the bottom to widen the base of the trap to prevent it from tipping. Like a Catamaran or whatever. I use “T” rebar the same stuff for my beaver footholds to rig drowners to help prevent theft of the trap. A good Williams style Box trap is $40 or better now each.
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Oh I wish my cages were 40 bucks lol not that it matters that much as all but one or two have well paid for themselves. Last cages I bought for raccoons were 110-130 dollars each.And I have a few cages that double that!
 
I've already been robbed tonight. I'm declaring full war. My ducks aren't going down again. Reinforcements are planned. Recommendations welcome!

I'm sorry and a little embarrassed but extreme measures are welcome via pm. I don't care, the 'coons are going to loose
 
I'm sorry I'm fired right up.

Do I have 1 smart one to get or do I have a major problem? I'll build these ducks a house like ours if I have to. That's really stupid, but I'm not loosing this fight.
 
Sweet pepper and watermelon are the best bait for ground hogs here. When I know there's babies, I put 90% of the bait in front of the trip plate of a large live trap, so 2 or 3 will come in and start eating, then a 4th often wiggles to the back and springs the trap catching them all!
 
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