Using traps for pest control to control small predators such as stoats, weasels and rats is time-consuming, but is nevertheless important for those of us who want to try and nurture some wild stock. Foxes and crows might be at the top of the list but, once their numbers are under…
Traps
Trapping grey squirrels – do I need a licence?
Advice on trapping grey squirrels has been distributed by the European Squirrel Initiative
The Larsen trap – a vital tool
Of all the pest control activities that we carry out, Larsen trapping for crows and magpies is perhaps the most visible. It therefore follows that the better we do it, the more likely we are to make the right impression on passers-by. Filthy Larsen traps, with dejected-looking decoys, standing on…
How to set cage traps for rabbits
A reader asked a question regarding rabbit traps: I have been given some cage traps by a farmer friend, but the only things I have caught have been birds and hedgehogs (all of which were released unharmed). How and what is the best way to set this type of trap? Professional…
How to control magpies without Larsen traps
Question: I am not able to operate Larsen traps on my shoot as I can’t check them daily, so I do my best to control the magpies by shooting birds flushed from nests. Do both sexes incubate the eggs, or am I only culling the females? David Tomlinson, highly regarded writer…
How to make a mole trap
How to make a mole trap Moles are certainly a pest and can cause a lot of damage. If you’ve been considering trapping some, remember that the most important thing to remember is that the trap must ensure that the creature has minimal suffering and dies swiftly and cleanly. In…
DOC trap
The DOC trap was designed by the New Zealand Department Of Conservation (DOC) for trapping non native species such as possums. The traps are available in the UK but have to be purchased with, and fitted into the trap box. The DOC 100 is ideal for smaller ground predators like stoats, squirrels…
Court dismisses RSPB covert surveillance case as abuse of process
Magistrates at Northallerton have dismissed a case brought by the RSPB alleging misuse of a cage trap by a grousemoor keeper on the grounds that the way the charity carried out its investigations amounted to an abuse of process and denied the defendant the prospect of a fair trial. The court held…
Don’t let secret camera fears derail crucial corvid trap study, says GWCT
Potential participants in an important corvid trap study in Scotland shouldn’t be put off by fears of covert surveillance, the Scottish government forensics laboratory Science & Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA) and Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) have said. The study, which looks at how and where traps are…
Gamekeeping: Ground predators
Cunning and fieldcraft will catch more predators than hundreds of traps alone
Gamekeeper guilty of recklessness with trap
A 26 year-old gamekeeper has been convicted of reckless trapping on the Swinton Estate
Environment secretary criticised for trapping squirrels
Animal Aid and other animal rights groups have criticised the environment secretary for trapping squirrels at his home near Shrewsbury, in Shropshire.
Will a non-local bird in my Larsen Trap attract more crows?
This past spring I caught no fewer than 35 carrion crows in a single Larsen trap. In previous years the totals for this same trap have only been in single figures.
Corvid control – Gamekeeper
Corvid control - Gamekeeper: Corvid control with Larsen traps is a good example of sustainable activity.
What trap can I set overnight to catch a lost ferret?
Can you recommend a make of live cage trap to leave set overnight to catch a lost ferret? How's it best used?
Trap-ease artistry
Springtime calls for a clearout — Liam Bell offers advice on how to get the better of the smaller pests that plague your shoot
Using Larsen traps
Q) Can you explain why I have little success with my Larsen traps in the autumn and winter? I have one with a magpie and the other with a crow on my smallholding. There are plenty of magpies and crows in the area, but they seem reluctant to be caught.…
Using Bolt Traps
(Q) I recently purchased a few cage “bolt” traps while attending a country fair. At the time I thought it would be logical to use them while ferreting, but on reflection I feel unsure how or where to use them. Have you ever seen these contraptions? M. TAYLOR By email…
Game keepers urged to display trapping poster to public
The Campaign Against Accidental or Illegal Poisoning (CAIP) is encouraging game keepers and shooting enthusiasts to display a poster designed to discourage members of the public from interfering with legal traps.