Frenchieboy Posted July 5, 2014 Report Share Posted July 5, 2014 I built a larsen Trap a while ago and placed it on one of my permissions where I had been asked to try to control the magpies. The story behind this small permission (Around 50 odd acres) is that the lady who owns the land wants me to help to try to make it as "wildlife friendly" as possible, with particular attention to protecting the songbirds. I have shot a reasonable amount of magpies and crows in the woods there but shooting them isn't the most efficient way as there are ponies which I had to be careful not to frighten too much with my shotgun. With that in mind I decided a Larsen Trap seemed the best option. The permission is less than a 5 minutes drive away from my home so visiting it at least twice a day to check the trap and care for the call bird is no problem, and to be quite honest I really enjoy going there, especially in the mornings when I can often sit in the car and watch the roe deer that tend to live in the woods on this permission - The roe there seem to be doing very well with a few fawns spotted already over the last week or so!. The hardest bit was catching the first bird as I was starting without any call bird at all in the trap. That took a few days and I had to try the trap in several different locations using some cat food for bait and a "nest" with a couple of hens eggs inside the trap. (By all accounts these magpies had a habit of stealing the hens eggs from the chicken shed and chasing the cat off and stealing the cats food) It took a couple of days to get the first bird in the trap but since then the trap has been catching regularly every day, sometimes two birds a day. I have kept a bit of a video diary and might post that in a couple of days time. (All be it that there are a few days missing due to me forgetting to take the video camera with me a couple of times and an unexpected stay in hospital when the lady had to shut the trap down and feed and water the call bird for me) At the moment there seems to be that many of these wretched little "balck and white thieving pirates" about that I think I am going to have to finish off a second Larsen Trap that I am working on and get that working on the same permission also. Anyway, I am really happy with the results from my first home made Larsen Trap! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinF Posted July 5, 2014 Report Share Posted July 5, 2014 Good work, keep it up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickeylove Posted July 5, 2014 Report Share Posted July 5, 2014 Ive had a larson for over a year, baited with allsorts, never caught a thing other than a cat. I got a magpie off a mate on monday and have caught 7 this week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted July 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2014 Ive had a larson for over a year, baited with allsorts, never caught a thing other than a cat. I got a magpie off a mate on monday and have caught 7 this week. Yes mate, I know what you were up against getting your first bird as a call bird. Once you have one it is so easy and efficient isn't it! 7 in a week is pretty good going. Get the thieving little "balck and white pirates" caught! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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