njc110381 Posted June 28, 2014 Report Share Posted June 28, 2014 Well it's better late than never I suppose! Having shot a lot of magpies this year I didn't bother with the Larsen trap. That was until I was leaving a patch of ground that I stalked the other day. As I was driving up the ride a magpie was hopping in front of me, and it had all it's tail feathers trimmed off! I can only guess that it was a call bird that had been released by some numpty? Anyway, it seemed too good to be true so I jumped out of the truck and chased it. Chucked a coat over it and put it in my welly (I was short of ideas, but it seemed happy enough looking out of the top and as it couldn't open it's wings it was stuck there!). I took it home and set the trap up... Wednesday I think it was. This morning I heard the trap spring, so I got up to have a look. The first bird was in, and his mate was hopping around trying to wok out what was going on. I stood and watched for a while and for the first time actually witnessed the second bird finally hopped down into the open trap and triggering it. I had a little giggle to myself as it was quite a funny sight, then decided I should get dressed and go and sort them out. I now have two spare call birds in case anyone is in need locally? Probably not by now, but I'll give them a week in the spares cage before I give them the chop. My call bird seems quite tame. I think he was pretty well treated by his previous owner as he doesn't fuss at all when I top up his food and water. Just sits on his perch and watches me. It's the first time I've had that happen. As a final note, do any of you trim your call birds? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lordripon Posted June 28, 2014 Report Share Posted June 28, 2014 I am sure its against the law to trim them now I could be wrong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennett Posted July 1, 2014 Report Share Posted July 1, 2014 I don't trim, if it was it's tail are you it wasn't a young one just fledged? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted July 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2014 Could be fairly young as it's not that big. The feathers had been visibly cut though - looked like someone had given then a very rough hack with scissors! It's pulled in five magpies in the last week. Not a bad little effort really. All seems quiet around here now. I haven't heard one close by for a couple of days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alycidon Posted July 9, 2014 Report Share Posted July 9, 2014 I don't trim, if it was it's tail are you it wasn't a young one just fledged? Thats spot on correct. Get a lot of fledglings this time of year after a quiet patch in May/June usually. I run NJCs old 17AH, that makes a fair mess of a Maggi. A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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