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Goodnature squirrel traps


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Hi Stuartyboy

At the last management meeting, our Society decided to buy a couple of Goodnatured traps to trial in an area far away from the nearest red squirrel. 

The idea sounds interesting but as always there could be disadvantages like the public sticking their fingers in! And catching non intended species.

These traps are the ultimate recycling machine that leaves no evidence, so it is intended that the traps are monitored by trail cameras to see if they are as good as advertised. 

I am not involved in this scheme but as soon as I hear something I will give you feedback.

 

 

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Thank you. That would be great and much appreciated.

Killing of non intended species is a concern of mine too, but I'm guessing it's been sufficiently tested and that has been ruled out. 

I was thinking of locating it near one of my feeders. But first, I think I would try it out in a garden which has a lot of squirrels. For my own piece of mind i woukd likely put a open wheelie bin under the trap to catch anything killed,  to test how accurate the counter is and to ensure no non target species are being killed. 

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  • 1 month later...
On 12/03/2019 at 13:28, stuartyboy said:

Just seen that the Goodnature Co2 trap has been approved for grey squirrels in a slightly larger configuration. 

Anybody used one/had any experience with them? Like the look of them and the thought of a trap killing squirrels without needing to be reset appeals. Though it is expensive 

I have now heard on the grapevine that our trial was not very successful,. It was felt that the design needs changing because the tunnel was too long and deterring greys entering the trap and that there were issues of cylinder leaks.

Has anyone else tried the GN18 trap?

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Our local Park has started using them in small numbers over last Winter but only in areas where it is impossible to shoot. They have put them up high enough that you need a ladder to reach them as one was stolen and camouflaging them makes them less effective because Squirrels are naturally inquisitive and drawn towards them being strange. No non target species have been found dead so far but foxes tend to remove anything dead within hours of it hitting the floor. Downside to date are price and the need to attend the trap regularly to see how many times it has triggered or change the Co2 capsule. WORD OF WARNING - these things keep a charge in the "chamber" even if you remove the capsule - I know of at least one person who put his finger inside an "empty" display model only to get his finger smashed. 

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  • 5 weeks later...

I've been using the trap over the last 3 or 4 weeks. 

The site has been in a large garden that is heavily populated with greys. A lot of young ones this time of year. Usually have 3 or more squirrels at a time on the bird feeders. I normally catch 50 to a 100 in a season with live catch traps. They are not trap shy.

Set up the goodnature trap on the tree that the feeders are on. Used the supplied bait. Tried using the trap with feeders out on the tree and feeders taken down for comparison. 

Absolutely nothing caught. Not a thing.

I've been catching squirrels for 25 years so have a bit of experience. 

 

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2 hours ago, stuartyboy said:

I've been using the trap over the last 3 or 4 weeks. 

The site has been in a large garden that is heavily populated with greys. A lot of young ones this time of year. Usually have 3 or more squirrels at a time on the bird feeders. I normally catch 50 to a 100 in a season with live catch traps. They are not trap shy.

Set up the goodnature trap on the tree that the feeders are on. Used the supplied bait. Tried using the trap with feeders out on the tree and feeders taken down for comparison. 

Absolutely nothing caught. Not a thing.

I've been catching squirrels for 25 years so have a bit of experience. 

 

You aren't the first person I have heard tell a similar story. 

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Whatever trap you use it should be in a place where you can check or have it checked twice a day.  I like others have said would be worried about non target specieis being killed.

I use modified cage traps in my small wood. I have made wire mesh peanut feeders which fit at the end, ahead of the treadle. Small birds can enter and access from outside and help themselves without setting the trap off.  I did start to catch the occasional hen pheasant, so now have wire mesh covers over the whole trap which allows, tree rats and brown rats plus the occasional magpie to enter.  Checked twice a day and if succesful despatched with air rifle or 410.  I rate my 10 acre wood as a squirrel free zone as a result.

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