The American Beagler Forum

Just wondering what type of traps everyone uses and what they use for bait. I have a couple of the wire traps from tractor supply but haven't had much luck. any pictures would be great.

I posted this yesterday but can't find it so thought i would try again.
Thanks

I have used the box traps and the pyramid traps and they both catch rabbits however the pyramid has produced the most rabbits. My buddy has caught them in the Have a Heart wire cages also. We use apples and carrots. Both catch equally as good. If you catch a possum, find him and eternal resting place as he will ruin your traps. His scent will need to be cleaned from the trap and let to hang outside for weeks. I also keep 2 Smokey Mountain Cottontails and store my traps under the kennel so that the droppings and urine fall onto and in the traps to cover any of my scent.

I have had good luck using canned peaches and also strawberries. sometimes I will wire the door of the trap open for a day or 2,just to get the rabbits used to going in the traps.and then surprise them.

I mostly use the pyramid style traps. They have produced a lot more rabbits then the box style. I use an apple with vanella. Here is a photo of how I built mine and it works great. The main thing about the fisrt trap is the rabbits can' chew on it. The second style they can and do chew on them alot. They chew on them so much you have to replace parts of the wood. All I do it put grass, sticks, weeds or whatever else is laying around on top of the wire and they seem to think they are going into a brush pile to get the apple.

Here is a photo of how I get the rabbits out.

Here is a photo of the other style of pyramid trap. You can see why I don't like it. It takes so much longer to make and it weights twice as much and you can see how the rabbits can chew the heck out of it. If you look close enough you can see where rabbits chewed clear through some of the boards. Mainly on the front, 3rd board up. They chewed all the way through it. I had to put another board on top of it. Also look at the top back board. You can see that they have chewed it alot also.

Elliott

We use an rectangular one we got at the CoOp. We use apples covered in vanilla as bait!

How does the pyramid trap work. What sets it off. Can't tell by the pic how to set it and how it closes.
thanks

We build & sell pyramid traps like the last one shown. I use both figure 4 and treddle triggers, although I like the treddle trigger the best. I use a whole apple, sometimes w/ vanilla extract and tame rabbit droppings, but the last 2 aren't necessary.

Try 7 grain brown bread along with apples in your traps. I think you'll find a big improvement in your catches. I know it sounds silly, but I've told this to a few guys and they were pleasantly surprised when they finally started to catch rabbits and hare. Best thing is to bait your traps in the evening (just before dark) so squirrels won't set them off. Terry McBride

Cut apples and softener salt works everytime. Put a little on the outside of the entrance too.

I think water softener type salts is toxic to them use salt blocks (mineralized)

sem wrote:How does the pyramid trap work. What sets it off. Can't tell by the pic how to set it and how it closes.
thanks

Below is how the trigger looks. Seps from start to finish. This is the best I can show you.

eddywilliams wrote:I think water softener type salts is toxic to them use salt blocks (mineralized)

First I heard that eddy. Of course I wouldn't use the kind with Red Out in it. I trapped some last year using cut apples and softener salt (Duracube).

i have used both kinds of water softener salts the pellets n crushed salt no problems where we run deer got holes dug soooooo deep ya can bury a wheel barrell i scarttered it n poured it out in piles i have also used the block in white n the mineral take a hammer n bust it up then throw around in the brush jb

Ironjawdawgs, on the trigger, is the upright AND the horizontal both notched out. Hard to tell. Do you need to put a bottom on? Would like to build a couple of these. Thanks

Doug

padeerhunter wrote:Ironjawdawgs, on the trigger, is the upright AND the horizontal both notched out. Hard to tell. Do you need to put a bottom on? Would like to build a couple of these. Thanks

Doug

Doug,
Between the long one going into the back of the trap and the short one going stright up and down the long one is the only one of the two that are notched. It's notched an inch from the end on the top of the stick where the end of the 45 degree angle stick goes and then on the side where you put it on the stick that goes stright up and down. The ends of the 45 degree angle stick should be cut at a 45 degree angle and the one end of the stright up and down stick. If you don't understand what I'm telling you just PM me and I'll give you my number and you can call me. Good luck and make sure you post a photo of your finished product.
Elliott