Though a Washington trapper has had a stretch of rough luck with nature and the elements, at least he had reliable cages that held up quite well under very unusual circumstances.
Glen, from Washington, got quite a surprise recently. He had caught a beaver in a 12x18x39 Comstock Swim Through Beaver Cage Trap, with an unusual twist. Glen suspected that the beaver was alive when captured, gaining the attention of a passing bear. As it turned out, yes the bear did have his way with the beaver and eventually made a meal of him, but not exactly as you might think. The interesting part is that the bear actually ate the beaver through the cage wire without breaking it, pulling the beaver through the wire piece by piece. This was one of the early cages that Judy and made in our shop in New York a couple of years ago using 2x2, 12 gage wire. Bottom line, though the cage wire was not in good shape, as you might suspect, the trigger unit and doors were fine, no damage. Glen is to receive a section of cage wire to replace the bear damaged wire and will be able to bring the cage back to new.
Glen also had a beaver dam blow out of a culvert and take several of the Comstock cages with it. At present, he found 2 that appeared to be in working order, now looking for the third.
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Friday, October 24, 2014
Comstock Swing Panel Traps "Gitterdone"
Opossum:
With a family of opossums living in a building, I was able to set some of the 6x624 inch squirrel traps along a wall in a couple of places where the opossums are apt to travel. Because I had already captured the adults and one small one outside at entry points and knew there were more small ones still present inside, I was able to set the larger squirrel sized swing panel traps in a blind set.
*Remember, when setting blind or trail sets you don't have to find the "only" place an animal travels or necessary the "best" place where they travel most often either, but merely a location an animal is very apt to travel at least once during the course of the night. Since animals follow structure like a wall both inside and out, a trap up against the wall, parallel to the surface with do the trick.
First check produced opossum #4, another baby one in the 6x6x24 inch Comstock squirrel sized trap. done!
Gray Squirrel:
Earlier that day I got a call on a gray squirrel that had found itself in a basement. Sometimes animals can be captured immediately. Animals can be steered into cage traps by placing the trap against a wall or fencing the trap in with whatever is available. I have done it was muskrats, foxes and squirrels. Though a pan trap will work, a trap with either a wire trigger or swing panel trigger is superior. It is virtually impossible for an animal to pass through a swing panel trap without firing it, while animals often step or jump over pans.
If you do try this method of quick capture, it is best to get behind an animal and direct him into the trap without pushing him hard if possible. If he walks into the trap it is better than making him run, unless you are using a double door trap with the "back" door closed. An animal running at full speed can sometimes beat a door, depending on the length of the trap and speed of the door.
In this case the squirrel was huddled up in a corner, tucked in between boxes and I suspected he would be running when disturbed. I placed a longer 36 inch swing panel trap with an 8x10 opening near the squirrel and boxed in the area beside the trap. When I finally removed the a box nest to the squirrel he darted out and ran straight into the trap. Because it was likely that he would be running, I did close the back door. Since the squirrel could not go past the trigger without actuating it, he was caught in a second, far better than using a pan trap. It was quick closure in less than 10 minutes. With internal doors, both ends of this trap are flush mount, so they be placed right up against an entry point.
Having missed animals in similar situations with pan traps in the past, the confidence in the swing panel cage trap truly has no equal. That's why some call these traps in this series "the best cage traps for squirrels on the market."
With a family of opossums living in a building, I was able to set some of the 6x624 inch squirrel traps along a wall in a couple of places where the opossums are apt to travel. Because I had already captured the adults and one small one outside at entry points and knew there were more small ones still present inside, I was able to set the larger squirrel sized swing panel traps in a blind set.
*Remember, when setting blind or trail sets you don't have to find the "only" place an animal travels or necessary the "best" place where they travel most often either, but merely a location an animal is very apt to travel at least once during the course of the night. Since animals follow structure like a wall both inside and out, a trap up against the wall, parallel to the surface with do the trick.
First check produced opossum #4, another baby one in the 6x6x24 inch Comstock squirrel sized trap. done!
Gray Squirrel:
Earlier that day I got a call on a gray squirrel that had found itself in a basement. Sometimes animals can be captured immediately. Animals can be steered into cage traps by placing the trap against a wall or fencing the trap in with whatever is available. I have done it was muskrats, foxes and squirrels. Though a pan trap will work, a trap with either a wire trigger or swing panel trigger is superior. It is virtually impossible for an animal to pass through a swing panel trap without firing it, while animals often step or jump over pans.
If you do try this method of quick capture, it is best to get behind an animal and direct him into the trap without pushing him hard if possible. If he walks into the trap it is better than making him run, unless you are using a double door trap with the "back" door closed. An animal running at full speed can sometimes beat a door, depending on the length of the trap and speed of the door.
In this case the squirrel was huddled up in a corner, tucked in between boxes and I suspected he would be running when disturbed. I placed a longer 36 inch swing panel trap with an 8x10 opening near the squirrel and boxed in the area beside the trap. When I finally removed the a box nest to the squirrel he darted out and ran straight into the trap. Because it was likely that he would be running, I did close the back door. Since the squirrel could not go past the trigger without actuating it, he was caught in a second, far better than using a pan trap. It was quick closure in less than 10 minutes. With internal doors, both ends of this trap are flush mount, so they be placed right up against an entry point.
Having missed animals in similar situations with pan traps in the past, the confidence in the swing panel cage trap truly has no equal. That's why some call these traps in this series "the best cage traps for squirrels on the market."
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Live Otter Trapping with 12x12 and 12x18 Powered Door Comstock Cages
I just got a call from a fellow live trapping otter. He is using both the 12x12 and 12x18 inch Comstock cage traps, but wanted to know how to set the traps so that the otter would be most apt to fire them.
The larger 12x18x39 beaver/otter trap is usually set upside down, trigger on the bottom, with the trip wires pointing upward. For a live catch the trap should be set in about 9 or 10 inches in the water, leaving 2 or 3 inches open for the otter to breath, no different than usual, just like trapping beaver. With the trigger wires about even with the surface of the water when the trap is set upside down the otter will plow right into the trigger wires and fire the trap easily. I know of a pair of Washington trappers who caught 45 otter in one season.
The 12x12 differs from the 12x18 in that it has a side mounted trigger instead of a top/bottom trigger. This trap is usually set with upside down doors on the bottom and a side mounted trigger. To duplicate the way the 12x18 is set with triggers pointing upward for live otter, after setting the 12x12, roll it 90 degrees until the trigger comes up from the bottom. The doors will then close from the side. This will put an otter right into the triggers for live trapping.
Remember, "There is no wrong way to set a Comstock trap," the most versatile traps in the world.
Working on new devices all the time, we are chomping at the bit to get new products into production, while continuing to produce the most advanced traps you will ever use. One of our signature accomplishments is the self contained feature in all of the traps we make, no parts sticking outside of the cage to catch or for animals to foul.
The larger 12x18x39 beaver/otter trap is usually set upside down, trigger on the bottom, with the trip wires pointing upward. For a live catch the trap should be set in about 9 or 10 inches in the water, leaving 2 or 3 inches open for the otter to breath, no different than usual, just like trapping beaver. With the trigger wires about even with the surface of the water when the trap is set upside down the otter will plow right into the trigger wires and fire the trap easily. I know of a pair of Washington trappers who caught 45 otter in one season.
The 12x12 differs from the 12x18 in that it has a side mounted trigger instead of a top/bottom trigger. This trap is usually set with upside down doors on the bottom and a side mounted trigger. To duplicate the way the 12x18 is set with triggers pointing upward for live otter, after setting the 12x12, roll it 90 degrees until the trigger comes up from the bottom. The doors will then close from the side. This will put an otter right into the triggers for live trapping.
Remember, "There is no wrong way to set a Comstock trap," the most versatile traps in the world.
Working on new devices all the time, we are chomping at the bit to get new products into production, while continuing to produce the most advanced traps you will ever use. One of our signature accomplishments is the self contained feature in all of the traps we make, no parts sticking outside of the cage to catch or for animals to foul.
Thursday, October 9, 2014
New "V" Setters, Will Fit Comstock 9x11, 12x12 and 12x18 Powered Door Cage Traps
FIRST SET CENTER SWING BAR TAB AT THE TOP OF THE CAGE, SQUEEZE SETTER HANDLE TOGETHER AND PLACE SETTER AS SHOWN ON CAGE DOOR WITH THE BOTTOM HOOK ON THE LOWEST CROSS BAR AND ANGLE END ON THE TOP CROSS BAR , SIMPLY LIFT WITH ONE HAND AND LATCH DOOR HOOK ON TRIP ROD TAB.
This small, light weight, simple setting tool in a “one size fits all” configuration is designed to work with all of the Comstock powered door cages with 9x11, 12x12 and 12x18 inch openings, yet it weighs only 6 ounces. By adding a great deal of leverage, this handy setter not only makes setting the Comstock powered door cage traps fast and easy, it allows for the safe release of captured animals too. The handle keeps your hand up and out of the way, well above the trap as the animal exists the cage. Of course, Comstock cages do not require the use of a setting tool, this just makes setting easier and releasing animals safer.
Note: If setters are not used, a Tomahawk cage separator tool can be used to keep the animal away from the door while using a single rod to hold the door of the Comstock Cage traps open.
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