Larson Traps

EPointer=Birdss

Lads,

Been looking at the cage during the week & thinking of ways of improving the design etc given how cute some mags seem to be about traps.

Was thinking if I replaced the walls between the holding cage & the traps with a clear perspex with few holes drilled in it or even without any would it entice them in more...
Reason being I looked in from the top when one of the doors is set & there seems to be a double layer of mesh which I was thinking might put em off.

Interested in your opinions or if you've tried anthing similiar...
PS I Don't think it's too hairbrained an idea. After the flower seed cartridge it has to be mild! (No offense OP on that one but jaysus like;))

johngalway

How would you gauge it's success rate compared to a normal trap though?

EPointer=Birdss

Good point.
Just find I catch all the silly ones in first few weeks & then there are a few that will hang around it for weeks but not go in!
Must see the others getting trapped or somethin!

johngalway

Yeah, I figure the same myself, they do seem to learn. I have been thinking of making extra catch compartments that I can temporarily attach to the Larsens I make. In a new area a trap with 4 compartments would catch up quicker than two, giving the resident population less time to learn.

EPointer=Birdss

I sat watching em at a trap few years back that I had in the garden.

Few things I learned which helped me...

If putting trap on legs to keep off the ground (even few inches), the buggers will keep going under it to fight the call bird, so I block the gaps with few slates. This encourages them to hop onto the top of the trap instead.

I found by sheer fluke when I left a shovel in the ground for a few days beside it that I caught more all of a shot.
Reason, by watching them I noticed they will fly from a near tree & land on a perch near by the trap & weigh up the situation. if this launch pad is within a few feet of the trap they are more inclined to hop from it onto the top of the trap & hence drop in. When not there they usually glide from the trees onto the ground beside it & prowl around it for god knows how long & often sha*g off then!

Try it out if haven't already. I always place a goal post type thing beside the traps now...

Studying your quarry is the best way to learn

Glensman

Have you tried the side banger traps? I have 2 of these, although the doors are Slightly harder to set than a normal larsen, they seem to catch more as the crows/mags prowl around they go in for a closer look and BANG!

Great Job!

dicky82

EPointer=Birdss wrote: »

Good point.
Just find I catch all the silly ones in first few weeks & then there are a few that will hang around it for weeks but not go in!
Must see the others getting trapped or somethin!

ive caught 13 in my first week and then only 2 this week.(even with fresh call bird) my trap is the cyclidrical shaped one with four trap compartments. that they hop in from the side on ground level. but have watched four or five just sit round it squalking in at the call bird and then fly off. they are clever little gits

greenpeter

EPointer=Birdss wrote: »

Lads,

Been looking at the cage during the week & thinking of ways of improving the design etc given how cute some mags seem to be about traps.

Was thinking if I replaced the walls between the holding cage & the traps with a clear perspex with few holes drilled in it or even without any would it entice them in more...
Reason being I looked in from the top when one of the doors is set & there seems to be a double layer of mesh which I was thinking might put em off.

Interested in your opinions or if you've tried anthing similiar...
PS I Don't think it's too hairbrained an idea. After the flower seed cartridge it has to be mild! (No offense OP on that one but jaysus like;))

What about of green netting tied to the mesh? mite take the prison look off it

EPointer=Birdss

greenpeter wrote: »

What about of green netting tied to the mesh? mite take the prison look off it

I actually had green plastic mesh on one before & a neighbours dog ripped it open to eat the dog nuts I was feeding the magpie! :mad:

Wonder if was over the wire mesh would it be very dense looking. Worth a try...

No6

Can anybody reccomend the best place to get mesh for building lasron traps, I don't need tons of it just enough for one or two traps. The trap I have is borrowed and the owner wants it back!! My call bird is currently although well fed completely mute as far as I can see and has done no buisness at all in about three weeks, so he can go back with the trap!!:D

johngalway

Cohen steel in Oranmore do 2x2" galvanised weldmesh, it's good stuff for the job, nothing will break in or out. Keenly priced compared to some of the merchants :eek:

greenpeter

Sorry to hijack EP,
My trap keeps getting raided, all i do be left with is feathers!:(
What mite be taking my birds?
Moved the trap two fields and the same thing keeps happening?
What ever is doing it is getting trough the two inch mesh, getting p**ed off now to be honest.

No6

Any idea of the price & size John?

dicky82

as they say nowdays there is no such thing as a new idea only a differant version of an old one, heres my stab at it.

the old spring traps that were used to catch animals by the foot or leg.....
well what about somthing of that design but alot bigger, 14'' or so. attached to either side would be a net, something like the fishing nets they sell by the sea to kids. . .

bait the trap and when the magpie/crow lands on it it gets caught in the net. . ??

not sure if ive described it well enough for you all to picture it. . .? but having watched how f##king clever the mags are i wonder would this new tactic have some success?:rolleyes:

EPointer=Birdss

jap gt

what bait are you using, its nearly impossible to get a call bird around here

Dusty87

dicky82 wrote: »

as they say nowdays there is no such thing as a new idea only a differant version of an old one, heres my stab at it.

the old spring traps that were used to catch animals by the foot or leg.....
well what about somthing of that design but alot bigger, 14'' or so. attached to either side would be a net, something like the fishing nets they sell by the sea to kids. . .

bait the trap and when the magpie/crow lands on it it gets caught in the net. . ??

not sure if ive described it well enough for you all to picture it. . .? but having watched how f##king clever the mags are i wonder would this new tactic have some success?:rolleyes:

Its been done. Seen it on youtube. Works though but you'd probably keep catching songbirds

dicky82

ah figured as much,:( though it would be effective if it was baited with rabbit carcus or something. i tell ya the real thing for the job would be on a bigger scale 4ftx4ft with a remote spring. . . for the truely obsessed magpie trapper. . . (slowly becoming one of them:rolleyes:) where you could let 5 or 6 magpies tuck in and then bam. :D:D

Holdover

Hi All,
This is my first post but I have been enjoying viewing the forum for a while now.

I recently got my first Larsen trap and despite baiting it with eggs etc I haven’t managed to get any volunteers to hop in, I am looking for a Magpie caller to get me started if anyone has got one to spare.
I live in Clare and I work in Galway but I will also travel to the Limerick or Tipp areas if anyone has a Magpie to spare,
Thanks

EPointer=Birdss

jap gt wrote: »

what bait are you using, its nearly impossible to get a call bird around here

Was baiting the fox trap with cat food & kept been set off by mags & this one blackbird! (tagged him to see)
Caught 5 or 6 mags though..

I have dog nuts in the cage now to help tempt a few in. Got 4 cock pheasants so far including that melanistc!
Had a mag in the trap in the photo & when I went back to get him for a fella the pheasant was in it however the f**k he managed to swap places!! :eek:

Dusty87

I have been trapping goodo for nearly a week i suppose. Although i had plenty of action around the trap they just werent going in.
Put a bit of bread in the trap compartment and 1st day i got one, 2nd, another one and 2 so far today