EmeraldOaks
In the Brooder
Nowadays, many wild critters are wary of those fancy wire cage traps that worked so well in the past.
I guess they are just getting smarter! That being said I tried a trap I found online for the striped varmints that smell so wonderful.
It has worked without fail for me several times, and best of all, no smell! So here goes:
Taking a 30-gallon trash can with lid, I secure it to a tree or post with a bungee cord.
If you don't secure it, the critter can bounce against the can and knock it over and escape.
Next, I use some masking tape and newspaper to cover the can...
After the newspaper is secured to the can,
I take a sharp blade (an X-acto knife works good)
to slice the paper so that it makes a big "X".
Then I carefully raise the paper and tape it back together so it is barely holding itself up.
Then using a ramp I made out of scrap lumber,
I place the ramp onto the edge of the trash can.
Using my favorite bait (dry cat food) the skunk eats its way up the ramp,
and goes for the small pile I left on the other side of the newspaper.
Once trapped, the can is too tall to jump out of, and the skunk will not spray in a confined space (so far!).
I always know when I've caught one, they really make a racket!
On goes the lid, up in the pickup, and away about five miles to a new mountain home on BLM land!
I don't know if this will work for other critters, it depends on their climbing and jumping abilities.
It has worked faithfully for me on several occasions, and no spraying yet!
You might check with your local laws about relocating critters,
but what you do with Pepe Le Peu after you've caught him is up to you!
My happy skunkless flock!
I guess they are just getting smarter! That being said I tried a trap I found online for the striped varmints that smell so wonderful.
It has worked without fail for me several times, and best of all, no smell! So here goes:
Taking a 30-gallon trash can with lid, I secure it to a tree or post with a bungee cord.
If you don't secure it, the critter can bounce against the can and knock it over and escape.
Next, I use some masking tape and newspaper to cover the can...
After the newspaper is secured to the can,
I take a sharp blade (an X-acto knife works good)
to slice the paper so that it makes a big "X".
Then I carefully raise the paper and tape it back together so it is barely holding itself up.
Then using a ramp I made out of scrap lumber,
I place the ramp onto the edge of the trash can.
Using my favorite bait (dry cat food) the skunk eats its way up the ramp,
and goes for the small pile I left on the other side of the newspaper.
Once trapped, the can is too tall to jump out of, and the skunk will not spray in a confined space (so far!).
I always know when I've caught one, they really make a racket!
On goes the lid, up in the pickup, and away about five miles to a new mountain home on BLM land!
I don't know if this will work for other critters, it depends on their climbing and jumping abilities.
It has worked faithfully for me on several occasions, and no spraying yet!
You might check with your local laws about relocating critters,
but what you do with Pepe Le Peu after you've caught him is up to you!
My happy skunkless flock!
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