I've got a Squirrel in my roof!

[Dekers]

Well I got home this afternoon and my dad had spotted the ladder... "Don't block that hole up yet" he said, "I spotted another poking it's head out about an hour ago"!

 

What to do? I looked up those Kania traps and although they look good I could buy ten Mk4 Fenns for the price of one of those so I think I know which it will be. And I'm not thinking of saving money - I'm going to buy ten and set them all around the garden in Squirrel boxes!

 

Generally Fenns are more than enough, tie them down just the same, as I said earlier, Peanut butter or maybe chocolate!!

 

The Kania is evil, as a general warning to anyone thinking of buying one of these BEWARE, it WILL take your fingers off if you make a mistake!

Edited September 9, 2011 by Dekers

[JR1960]

"I've got a squirrel in my roof!"

 

So has my ex-missus mate, I suspect the best solution is similar in both cases!!!!!!

[njc110381]

I had a spot of luck on the trap front today at the Frampton country fair. In the NGO stand I found Pro Trapper ( http://www.protrapper.co.uk ). It seems that what this chap doesn't know about traps really isn't worth knowing! He spent a good ten minutes talking me through all the options, the Kania, Fenns, tunnel traps, and a very smart and also quite cheap contraption called the BMI Magnum Bodygrip. There are three models in the UK and I went for the 116 which I think is the biggest single spring trap, good enough for Mink and Rabbit. If you need a trap check out this guys website. His prices are reasonable and I got a real feeling of customer care. He made no suggestion at all that I should buy his traps, in fact I didn't even think he had any for sale at the show until I asked if he had any hidden. Luckily he had a few but I think his main aim was to promote his website for future custom.

 

He talked me out of the Fenns which were my initial plan - apparently although very good they can at times get a non fatal catch by a leg and looking carefully at the design I tend to agree. These bodygrips however look to be a much safer design. They fit snugly inside a special cage or a home made box if you prefer and unlike the Fenn, no matter where the animal tries to pass through it will be caught because of the design of the trap and trigger. It kind of reaches out and grabs rather than snapping shut over the trigger. Hard to explain but after several demonstrations I could see that these things are 1. very well designed and 2. almost impossible to trigger without getting a catch. They even have three weight settings for the trigger so they can be set in water for Mink without being set off by floating debris!

 

For an extra pound you can also get a little spiked clamp which can be hammered into a tree trunk or post, then the trap locks into it as it's set. When the trap is sprung it drops from the clamp and hangs by a chain. So if you're trapping where there's no public access the trap can be set in a box in such a way that when it makes a kill it drops from the box and hangs in open view. I think that could be very useful as it means you don't have to get close to the box to check it, meaning no chance of scenting the trap site until the target is in the bag and you need to reset it.

 

So look out Squirrels - you're in trouble now!

[Dekers]

I had a spot of luck on the trap front today at the Frampton country fair. In the NGO stand I found Pro Trapper ( http://www.protrapper.co.uk ). It seems that what this chap doesn't know about traps really isn't worth knowing! He spent a good ten minutes talking me through all the options, the Kania, Fenns, tunnel traps, and a very smart and also quite cheap contraption called the BMI Magnum Bodygrip. There are three models in the UK and I went for the 116 which I think is the biggest single spring trap, good enough for Mink and Rabbit. If you need a trap check out this guys website. His prices are reasonable and I got a real feeling of customer care. He made no suggestion at all that I should buy his traps, in fact I didn't even think he had any for sale at the show until I asked if he had any hidden. Luckily he had a few but I think his main aim was to promote his website for future custom.

 

He talked me out of the Fenns which were my initial plan - apparently although very good they can at times get a non fatal catch by a leg and looking carefully at the design I tend to agree. These bodygrips however look to be a much safer design. They fit snugly inside a special cage or a home made box if you prefer and unlike the Fenn, no matter where the animal tries to pass through it will be caught because of the design of the trap and trigger. It kind of reaches out and grabs rather than snapping shut over the trigger. Hard to explain but after several demonstrations I could see that these things are 1. very well designed and 2. almost impossible to trigger without getting a catch. They even have three weight settings for the trigger so they can be set in water for Mink without being set off by floating debris!

 

For an extra pound you can also get a little spiked clamp which can be hammered into a tree trunk or post, then the trap locks into it as it's set. When the trap is sprung it drops from the clamp and hangs by a chain. So if you're trapping where there's no public access the trap can be set in a box in such a way that when it makes a kill it drops from the box and hangs in open view. I think that could be very useful as it means you don't have to get close to the box to check it, meaning no chance of scenting the trap site until the target is in the bag and you need to reset it.

 

So look out Squirrels - you're in trouble now!

 

 

The Magnums should do the trick, but to be honest they are my least favourite, they can be hard to set and fiddly, especially after a while when the rust sets in, and to be honest they do not hit that hard despite their appearance!

 

ATB!

[southeastpete]

i'd have stood right under with tge 410 and shot straight up as they jumped out...

[corvid wings]

SO HOW DOES THE TRAP TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A GREY AND RED ?

[njc110381]

That's a very good point. Nobody I know has seen a Red around here so that's not an issue. There's a 10km ban on poisons which means they can't legally be used within that distance of a known Red population. The same would apply to the use of traps with a little common sense.

 

In an area where Reds are known to be active you would use different methods, live catch traps or by shooting, so the target could be identified before any harm comes to it and either be ignored or released.

 

There's no chance at all of me getting a Red by mistake in this area.

[corvid wings]

Thanks didn't know about the 10 km ban,

[Dekers]

SO HOW DOES THE TRAP TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A GREY AND RED ?

 

 

You are more likely to find Rocking Horse **** in many parts of the country than you are a Red Squirrel!

 

ATB!

[Dekers]

That's a very good point. Nobody I know has seen a Red around here so that's not an issue. There's a 10km ban on poisons which means they can't legally be used within that distance of a known Red population. The same would apply to the use of traps with a little common sense.

 

In an area where Reds are known to be active you would use different methods, live catch traps or by shooting, so the target could be identified before any harm comes to it and either be ignored or released.

 

There's no chance at all of me getting a Red by mistake in this area.

 

 

So how many Greys have you caught, time seems to be rolling on, I can all but Guarantee a catch in 24 hours with peanut butter, commonly in less than 30 minutes!

 

They cannot resist.....

[Beretta28g]

Magnum Bodygrips can be a evil bit of kit, but they kill squirrels well.

Edited September 16, 2011 by Beretta28g

[Dekers]

Magnum Bodygrips can be a evil bit of kit, but they kill squirrels well.

 

 

As I said earlier, I am not all that happy with the Magnum, I get on better with the Fenns or Kania, but frankly the live trap is probably No 1 for ME.

 

These work, and in my general environment (client facing), they seem reasonably humane, just the same, if asked, I am honest about the life expectancy of the caught squirrel!

 

Have you used the Magnum over a period, and have you tried it with rusty ones, they can be a pain to set, many traps rust as we know, but the Magnum does seem to develop into a problem, and like I said, I am not that confident about it's strike power!

 

ATB!

[Beretta28g]

I have used the Magnum traps for about 3 years, and i like them for certain things; having said i do prefer Fenns.

 

 

I do rate them very highly for squirrels and i do think they are more than powerfull for squirrel sized animals. I do find that you get a few semi dead squirrels with fenns, but not with magnums.

 

I do think though that when they get rusty they can be interesting, however i t.end too use them in dry situations, so itts not too much of a problem

[Dekers]

I have used the Magnum traps for about 3 years, and i like them for certain things; having said i do prefer Fenns.

 

 

I do rate them very highly for squirrels and i do think they are more than powerfull for squirrel sized animals. I do find that you get a few semi dead squirrels with fenns, but not with magnums.

 

I do think though that when they get rusty they can be interesting, however i t.end too use them in dry situations, so itts not too much of a problem

 

 

[njc110381]

Well I can vouch for the power of a Fenn Mk4 - I got my thumb stuck in it today!

 

I've not seen a Squirrel for days. I heard one today but it wasn't in our garden. I think/hope I've nailed all the family I'm having issues with now.

 

I'll let you know what I think of the Magnum Bodygrip just as soon as I've been stupid enough to stick my hand in it.

[Dekers]

Well I can vouch for the power of a Fenn Mk4 - I got my thumb stuck in it today!

 

I've not seen a Squirrel for days. I heard one today but it wasn't in our garden. I think/hope I've nailed all the family I'm having issues with now.

 

I'll let you know what I think of the Magnum Bodygrip just as soon as I've been stupid enough to stick my hand in it.

 

 

Be grateful you didn't buy a Kania then!

[Woodcock Magnet]

Surely you've got enough idea's from the lads how to knock off a squirrel by now, air rifle stake out would be my option, then plug up the entrance hole and most important of all lag your loft a foot thick and save yourself a lot of money, I'me sure the wide spread use of loft lagging is killing of the sparrows??? best wish's and good luck with your kill :good: