"Escape Proof" Rugged Cage Traps

When we first set out to tackle the huge undertaking in designing a wire triggered, humane, live cage trap with powered doors, not to be overlooked was a desire to build a trap that would be solid, rugged enough to take what animals can dish out when captured.  The trap would have to be strong, configured in such a way so that escape was a virtual impossibility, even for beaver, otter, armadillo, woodchuck and raccoon.  Because the new design was so different, a major improvement over standard cage traps, other accomplishments were sometimes overshadowed.  When the dust had settled, we knew that not only had we put together the most effective trigger system ever developed that in turn would make the traps the most versatile in the world, we also beat the issues the plagued many of the other cage traps, escape and trap damage.

Because the trigger, function and versatility was the initial driving force behind the development of these innovative cage traps and what sets them apart from all the others, we sometimes neglect the accomplishments in durability.  These traps are essentially "escape proof."  When the door closes, "What goes in stays in."  Having some issues in the early going with coon four years ago when using 1x1 mesh door wire, it has been years since we switched to 1/2x1 door wire.  The change over has translated into no escapes of any animals in the past couple of years in any of the traps we make, a remarkable accomplishment in and of itself.  Wire, doors and frames are tougher than coon, armadillos or woodchucks can dish out.  Not only will the catch be there waiting for you when you get there, whether you get there in an hour or at the end of the day, it's also reassuring to know that the trap will also be intact and likely will require no repairs other than standard trigger wire straightening or occasional trigger wire replacement.

Coon in Chimneys

For coon in chimneys we do make an adapter that clamps onto the 9x11x30 or 36 double door traps.  The adapter goes into the chimney while the trap remains above the chimney.   This adapter is for smaller chimneys, but not necessary for larger chimneys.  If the chimney is large, a 9x11 trap can simply be slid into the chimney with a rod wired through the trap to keep it from dropping.

Again, for larger chimneys, no special equipment is necessary as the 9x11x30 or 36 double door traps will work in a chimney as is.  The adapter will work in smaller chimneys.  In each case you still have a trap that will work for chucks, skunks etc. while saving money on an expensive singular-purpose chimney trap.

Spring Break Up, Beaver

It's that time of year, beginning to break up, even though we have not had much for warm weather.  With longer days, short nights, unless the temps remain really cold, break up begins.  On pond colonies, beaver will often break out up stream where the ice is thinning, looking for some fresh eats after the winter cache has soured from spending a winter under the ice.  If you find a break out, it's a good bet a beaver will return to feed again, a great place to put in a blind set.  Unless the area is a large open area, only one beaver will visit a break-out.  After you make a catch, it's a good idea to look for others.

Ice is a great dead-man, which keep the beaver swimming on the bottom in channels since they are unable to swim on top.  There is no better narrowing agent than ice.

A few fresh poplar twigs are a great bait, especially if they don't have any that is readily accessible.  Beaver have a great nose and are able to smell fresh poplar sprigs from quite a distance.  Late March, early April is a super time to look for beaver.  

Another Competitor's Cage Failurre

Above is another example of a very typical not so heavy duty cage trap, the type of trap that has been around for years with few significant changes or improvements.  The lock bar is light duty, allowing the equally light duty door to twist and the coon to escape.  In the morning the coon was gone.  Coon are very strong, smart and incredibly persistent.  Traps with this type of door configurations are problematic and were the reason we built our Comstock Cages with 1/4 inch diameter rods in all components, frames, doors and lock bars.  With triangulation combined with stout material, the Comstock traps are essentially "escape proof."

Remember, though you may hold some of the small or weak, if  you are going to lose one, it will be the big one!  

Flush Mount Squirrel Traps

Not only do the newest double door, swing panel traps catch critters coming or going from either direction, because of internal doors they will easily flush mount against a vertical opening.  Just yesterday I had a squirrel job where the squirrels had chewed the weather stripping under a door.  It took little more than seconds to set up.  I just set the traps and placed them on the floor up against the door over the opening, done!  With recessed doors, there was no blocking, no fabricating and no accessories needed.  As quick as the traps were set on the floor, the job was complete, nothing simpler.  Today a pair of squirrels were waiting to be picked up. 

Any vertical opening like this is a gimme with any of the flush mount swing panel traps.

 

Testimonial Otter Trap User

We just got a call from a older fellow from the midwest.  He was 84 and his wife 75.  Otter were destroying their pond raised fish.  Though they had used body gripping traps to catch one otter previously, the body grippers were difficult to set and of course potentially dangerous, especially for someone of that age.  There were a couple of ponds with a connecting channel between them, just the  right size for the 12x18x39 beaver / otter cage.  Calling to say how happy they were with the results, the first night they caught a 44 inch otter.  They reset the trap and caught a second 44 inch otter the very next night.  These traps are so simple and easy to use we say, "just add water."

In between sized Beaver Traps, 12x15x33

Last fall I made several 12x15x33 inch beaver cage traps to see how small I could push it and still catch in a trap with a large appearance.  The height was the standard 12, while the width was in between the 12x12 and the 12x18 at 12x15.  In an attempt to go as short as possible, the length was only 33, probably about as short as you could go simply because beaver are large, with a 50 pound beaver measuring about 32 inches head to the base of the tail.

It was a tough winter and not worth the fight, below zero many nights, lots of ice and a fair amount of snow.  I didn't set any beaver traps for the past couple of months, but break up is beginning.  Finally I got a chance to experiment with the new traps and went two for two, not a surprise, a large beaver just under 40 pounds and a small one.  This trap is only 71% as large when comparing the volume of this trap to the 12x18x39, while it has an opening 83.3% as large as the bigger trap.  The new trap weighs only 17.5 pounds.