Larsen Trap

[game_boy]

I bought a larsen trap at scone yesterday to help control the black stuff round the hen house. Its a double side entry variety in galvansised steel. However I am puzzeled as how to set the spring doors on it? It didnt come with any bits do do this and I have just a bit of garden cane teetering on the edge of holding the door open in an attempt that something lands on it and gets pushed in by the door.

 

The trap is like this but has side doors opening outwards.

 

 

Can anyone offer some advice as how to set the thing?

 

Many thanks.

[dorianbuilders]

You need a split perch for the trigger, you probably should have received this with the trap.

 

Basically one piece of dowel approx 10-13mm thick that's long enough to prop open the door holding the door open from inside the cage, this then needs to be cut in half and placed back together in the set position so as when a bird lands on it it will collapse and hence the door will snap shut trapping the bird inside.

 

Hope this helps and good luck.

[unclemicky]

GB as Dorian has said the crow walks up to the opening and hops onto the split perch , the door shuts under the tension of the spring and traps/pushes the bird into the trap , there is a 13 second clip on u-tube showing what I have described .

[game_boy]

GB as Dorian has said the crow walks up to the opening and hops onto the split perch , the door shuts under the tension of the spring and traps/pushes the bird into the trap , there is a 13 second clip on u-tube showing what I have described .

 

 

Thanks chaps. I tried garden cane cut in half but the pressure of the spring kept forcing the two peices apart.

[wy111]

Why buy dowel? 2 X12" lengths of 1/2" - 3/4" thick STRAIGHT Hazel, each cut in half. Make sure the cut ends are at right angle to the stick, open doors and wedge open using 2 pieces, end to end, at the bottom.

Bobs your uncle

Dave

Have a look here

http://forums.pigeonwatch.co.uk/forums/ind...howtopic=128326

Edited July 3, 2010 by wy111

[game_boy]

Why buy dowel? 2 X12" lengths of 1/2" - 3/4" thick STRAIGHT Hazel, each cut in half. Make sure the cut ends are at right angle to the stick, open doors and wedge open using 2 pieces, end to end, at the bottom.

Bobs your uncle

Dave

Have a look here

http://forums.pigeonwatch.co.uk/forums/ind...howtopic=128326

 

 

Any chance of a diagram? It would make a bit more sense to me if I could see.

Cheers.

[wy111]

Any chance of a diagram? It would make a bit more sense to me if I could see.

Cheers.

 

I'll see if I can remember to take some photo's tomorrow when I check my traps again.

Dave

[wy111]

Here you go GB.

Hope this helps

Dave

 

1st, showing the sticks for one trigger mech.

2nd, showing in position. I put a leaf in between, for visual reasons only.

3rd, showing in working order.

[game_boy]

Dave,

 

Thanks for the pics I shall set them up just as! I'll post the results soon hopefully.

Thanks for taking the time to post the pics

[wy111]

No probs, just glad to help If door feels a bit "tight", move door side stick out one mesh. It needs to be "slack, but tight", if you get the gist, so that when used as a perch, the sticks drop easily. Hard to explain, but think you will see when you try.

If no call bird, put half a rabbit, owt with guts hanging out, in one of the trap sides, NOT center of trap. Soon have a caller

Good luck

Dave

[game_boy]

Dave,

 

I have had the trap set for a fewe days now but the doors seem to be getting sprung but nothing getting caught. I 've had to raise the trap off the ground as the farm cats were getting involved! Also one section of hazel wasnt entirely straight so I think it has been setting off the other door when it gives in. All in all it seems to be taking a while to get anything. Does the spring pressure make any difference?

[stubby]

you'd get far better results with a top door larsen, as the doors are held open in the same way, but inside the trap,

[wy111]

Dave,

 

I have had the trap set for a few days now but the doors seem to be getting sprung but nothing getting caught. I 've had to raise the trap off the ground as the farm cats were getting involved! Also one section of hazel wasnt entirely straight so I think it has been setting off the other door when it gives in. All in all it seems to be taking a while to get anything. Does the spring pressure make any difference?

Gb. Know your problem well.

OK, when set sticks, give cage a slight shake, both sides should hold reasonably firm, BUT, cats and cubs are a big problem. They have the strength to push their way out again. Top entry, MAY, be the way to go, as when the door shuts on a cat or fox, it will try to push it's way in, as the door tightens up if it tries to pull out. I'm no lover of cats here, they can cause more bird deaths than most other things. Get rid of cats (presumably feral farm cats?) and perseverance will pay dividends.

It's strange, usually side entries have worked well for me in the past, BUT, have had more carrions in top entry myself this year.

Another thing, try moving your trap. Especially under where the crow is sat in a lookout tree. I also put a couple of feed bags under the trap, to stop grass growing through, nowt to do with catching, just helps. Problem is, a lot of people call anything black, crows, when most of them are rooks and they are a different ball game.

Dave

[game_boy]

Unfortunately these are the farm cats so i can't sort them. The trap is now on a pallet about 3ft in the air. Its in a great spot beside the hen house which is under the tree that they sit in, silage bales and relatively near the steading. I've shot 2 in this area but that was 2 weeks ago. They could be rooks, big ******* they are. Frustrating as I paid £50 for the trap.

[game_boy]

Checked trap again today and both doors sprung again! I had put a bread roll in one section and it has been partially eaten so obviously something is getting in. I shook the trap and the perches didnt not off, so they dont seems to be so sensitive. This is really racking my brains!!!!

[wy111]

Checked trap again today and both doors sprung again! I had put a bread roll in one section and it has been partially eaten so obviously something is getting in. I shook the trap and the perches didnt not off, so they dont seems to be so sensitive. This is really racking my brains!!!!

 

And the problem deepens

Right, sticks seem to be ok, so that not the problem. Bread, no good for crows..............blood and guts is what you need. Many birds will eat bread and use the obvious entry, sticks drop, but are small enought to get out through the mesh. Can you beg, borrow or steal a Mk 4 Fenn trap? Place inside where your bait is, and using the split ring, fasten it to the mesh. Problem is, might get Blackbirds etc. I had a similar problem, with "meat" bait a few years back, put 2 Fenn's in, got a load of Stoats and Rats.

Keep trying GB, we'll get there in the end

Dave

[game_boy]

Dave,

 

There is a bit of trout in there as well as some rotten rabbit, the bread was just to bulk it out till I get out with the rimmy to replace the bait. Originally I had tied the rabbit to the back of the cage so that it didnt go walkies but unbeknown to me at the time the farm cats were ripping the bate to shreads. Now the cage is on a pallet 3ft in the air on stilts. I like the sound of the Fenn but knowing my luck I'll by miracle catch a cat or a hen!! But I may have to do it.

[wy111]

Dave,

 

I like the sound of the Fenn but knowing my luck I'll by miracle catch a cat or a hen!! But I may have to do it.

 

Unfortuately **** happens. But look on the bright side............cat.............fox bait, hen...................dinner. I won't say nowt, if you don't

See how it goes, we'll get it sorted eventually.

Just had a thought ............Not your mysterious bloody Haggis?

[game_boy]

Heh no not the haggis! I'll let you know what happens..

[game_boy]

Nothing biting today but mostly likely due a lack of rabbit.It has now been reset in the last 30mins and it looks like this. How does it look?

[wy111]

Looks ok. Only thing I can mention is, put the sticks in further a couple of mesh, on the door. Maybe when shutting, it's knocking whatever, sideways and not inward. May have to slightly shorten sticks tho, as may be too tight to break.

Dave

[game_boy]

Looks ok. Only thing I can mention is, put the sticks in further a couple of mesh, on the door. Maybe when shutting, it's knocking whatever, sideways and not inward. May have to slightly shorten sticks tho, as may be too tight to break.

Dave

 

 

Checked this morning and untouched. Have shortend the sticks now and hopefully something will take. Otherwise I'm thinking of moving it near to a rookery. Do you think the ones that have been coming to it have got wise or will they still visit?

[2nd Barrel]

I think there may be a fundamental problem with this set up - I'm not saying that it will never catch, but I think it's working against you.

 

As a general rule I have found that top entries work well for magpies as they like to perch above their target and then drop down. Side entries appear to be more attractive to crows and other corvids which prefer to land a little way away and then walk up to their target, having a good look around as they go.

 

Having your trap up in the air like this would be fine for a top entry but I suspect that the platform is not large enough to allow the 'walk up' space. Particularly given that the openings of the doors are off at an angle. Also the slats in the pallet might make this a bit uncomfortable.

 

I would suggest a couple of things:

- Forget the trapping aspect for a day or two and just prebait. Get the crows / rooks used to finding food there and being able to take it. You could do this but putting the bait on top of the cage or by wiring the two doors together fixed open. It's about building confidence. If you can observe the trap from a distance and see if you're getting any visitors.

- when you redeploy the trap place something underneath it so that there is a flat surface at the front to walk on. Maybe also put a pallet tower either side so that there is a bigger platform area - or just have two towers with the trap in the middle of the two.

 

 

You should be very careful about placing an uncovered FENN trap inside as it would be very difficult for you to prove that you were not trying to catch the birds with it - regardless of your true intentions. If you do think that you have rats or stoats stealing the bait then use a FENN but put a tunnel over it, even if it's in the cage.

 

John

[game_boy]

I think there may be a fundamental problem with this set up - I'm not saying that it will never catch, but I think it's working against you.

 

As a general rule I have found that top entries work well for magpies as they like to perch above their target and then drop down. Side entries appear to be more attractive to crows and other corvids which prefer to land a little way away and then walk up to their target, having a good look around as they go.

 

Having your trap up in the air like this would be fine for a top entry but I suspect that the platform is not large enough to allow the 'walk up' space. Particularly given that the openings of the doors are off at an angle. Also the slats in the pallet might make this a bit uncomfortable.

 

I would suggest a couple of things:

- Forget the trapping aspect for a day or two and just prebait. Get the crows / rooks used to finding food there and being able to take it. You could do this but putting the bait on top of the cage or by wiring the two doors together fixed open. It's about building confidence. If you can observe the trap from a distance and see if you're getting any visitors.

- when you redeploy the trap place something underneath it so that there is a flat surface at the front to walk on. Maybe also put a pallet tower either side so that there is a bigger platform area - or just have two towers with the trap in the middle of the two.

 

 

You should be very careful about placing an uncovered FENN trap inside as it would be very difficult for you to prove that you were not trying to catch the birds with it - regardless of your true intentions. If you do think that you have rats or stoats stealing the bait then use a FENN but put a tunnel over it, even if it's in the cage.

 

John

 

Thanks for the advice I've since moved the offending article to a field near a gate and a hedge. Its still been set off without catching. I was thinking of converting it to a top entry. Any thoughts?

[2nd Barrel]

Thanks for the advice I've since moved the offending article to a field near a gate and a hedge. Its still been set off without catching. I was thinking of converting it to a top entry. Any thoughts?

 

 

Rather than do that, why not just make another pair of catch cages (top entry this time) and put them on the other side of the call bird compartment ?

Or if you don't have any spare mesh maybe just convert one of them so that you atleast have a mix.

 

I have a double ended single catch cage that I made somewhere - these are a few photos of it

 

 

 

 

As far as the missed catches are concerned, assuming that's what they are, how powerful in the spring ? It needs to close pretty fast and firm.