Magpies?!

arctictree

OK, a magpie has started going into our henhouse and breaking our hens eggs.

Can anyone suggest the best method of getting rid of it? Would a .22 do the job?

Thanks!

A

Callow Man

A larson trap might be the safest option.

Tom Donnavan

a shotgun would be handier than a .22.

johngalway

.22 & shotgun will certainly kill them, if you get one to stand still for long enough for the .22 in a safe place.

Larsen trap will certainly kill him and you won't even have to get out of bed to nab him.

Callow Man

Magpies certainly dont stay still for long and you dont want to be firing shots in or around your henhouse.
The larson trap could be used again in the future if the problem persists.

No6

Magpies are very clever the will hop around the garden almost beside you when you have no gun but when you do you will see them dissappear over the nearest hedge at a rate of knots. a larsen trap is your only job for the magpies, I borrowed one this summer as I had the exact same problem with my duck eggs got about 15 of them no problem anymore!!!:D

Deerspotter

With instructions on this forum, I made a home-made catapult and shot two of them and two grey crows stealing the dogs food.
I have never seen either since.

Tackleberry.

Air rifle also a good option but if you own a 22 tis also ideal, just watch your back stop.

rrpc

Magpies are very easy to kill, anything hits them and they're down and out.

But as No6 said, they have an uncanny ability to know if there's a gun nearby and disappear immediately. I could stand at my window all day and move around and they'll stay put, but if I even walk into the room with the rifle, they're gone!

Larsen trap or else be prepared for serious frustration

ayapatrick

on average were gettin nearly a mag a day with the larsen!

Trojan911

Put up a "No Magpies" sign at the entrance.

If that fails then a larsen trap is the safest way forward.

E mc kiernan

i've the same problem,a few magpies outside the window at daylight having the same loud conversations every morning.Thinking of bringing them for a swim but need larsen traps.i seen the plans here for traps but cant find them have to make some for the gunclub anyway!any one know where i can get the plans???

Dusty87

I got plans off cavan shooter here if i remember correctly. If you google them you'l get results.

E mc kiernan

thanks dusty

pm.

just use the rat pellets for the .22 packs a nice punch for about 20-25 yards

cavan shooter

send me a g mail i'll send you the plans. They are all available on a google search

yessam

the larsen trap is the best way to deal with magpies, but you will need to get a live magpie to use as decoy. i think you would be better getting in contact with someone locally that is at this as there is usually a circle of people swapping decoy magpies. you will need a magpie from outside the magpie territory that you intend to catch. i have no doubt that you will catch more than one if you go the larsen trap route and get the magpie decoy from a little distance away. i have found if you use cheap tinned dog food to feed your decoy magpie, you will be able to get quite a length of time out of your decoy magpies and eventually you will be able to use the magpies you catch in your territory to catch magpies in other areas

gavinO668

see if your gun shop has some sort of poisen. then shoot a rabbit, cut his belly open and poisen him. instantly sorts out the mag pie's...

bunny shooter

gavinO668 wrote: »

see if your gun shop has some sort of poisen. then shoot a rabbit, cut his belly open and poisen him. instantly sorts out the mag pie's...

Using meat & poison, eg "Alpha....." is now illegal have to use non meat bait

mac80

Yes, Buzzards other birds and animals could be poisoned mistakenly.

gavinO668

traps are definately the best way to go though... have over 100 caught so far this year and i haven't been usuing them all the time either.. gives me something to do in the evenings..

mac80

They are clever baxtards ! I have put out dead rabbits etc as bait and lay in wait 60-70metres away and so far have only got 1 Grey Crow with my HMR.

I think i will have to get a camo net cos I have managed to call them in to the bait ( I had 5 around me at one stage ) but they just would not land for me to take a shot.


Mac