Empty larson trap..now how to fill it??

djflawless

Have a loan of a Larson trap for a few weeks.got the trap empty and don't know where to get a "bait" magpie.
Only setting it out now as I didn't want too many people to see it during pheasant/duck season.
Any ideas how to catch a bait bird lads?
Cheers in advance

deerhunter1

djflawless wrote: »

Have a loan of a Larson trap for a few weeks.got the trap empty and don't know where to get a "bait" magpie.
Only setting it out now as I didn't want too many people to see it during pheasant/duck season.
Any ideas how to catch a bait bird lads?
Cheers in advance

From what I know the calling bird you need for bait needs to come from another territory. try and contact someone in a neighboring club who are using a trap and ask them to keep you the next bird they catch.that is how we get them
good luck

djflawless

Now all I have to is soften down the bad blood with the nearest club :P

Nekarsulm

Could you drop it to some farmer a few miles away? With a few eggs in it, one broken.

djflawless

Would a half dozen of any eggs do it or a specific type?

standard one

use any meat ie rabbit or sausage or an egg and place a large mirror under one compartment and don't worry about where the bird is from.

the scudd

I know a lad who always gets his call bird by baiting with fast food wrappers with some scraps

djflawless

Got 1 this morning in the trap.got a few gone off duck eggs from a fella who keeps them.
So I've the trap set for the morning.call bird looks a bit miserable/sickly.hope the eggs won't give him a short expiry date!!

Kinzig

djflawless wrote: »

Would a half dozen of any eggs do it or a specific type?

free range is best!

Backfire

standard one wrote: »

use any meat ie rabbit or sausage or an egg and place a large mirror under one compartment and don't worry about where the bird is from.

He should worry, the bird must come from a different territory. They are territorial birds and good bait comes nowhere near as good as a live bird from a different area.

I only have 25 magpies got so far since last september. Yearly trapping has drastically reduced their numbers. A fellow club mate has over 70 caught so far for this years count.

Nekarsulm

could you leave it to another lads farm a couple of miles away, and catch a local bird there? then bring it back to your place with only the foreign bird in it, and you should be in business.. bait not important then, but look after your foreign bird well.

Eddie B

Backfire wrote: »

He should worry, the bird must come from a different territory. They are territorial birds and good bait comes nowhere near as good as a live bird from a different area.

I only have 25 magpies got so far since last september. Yearly trapping has drastically reduced their numbers. A fellow club mate has over 70 caught so far for this years count.

This time of year birds are so territorial that it doesn't really matter where the bird comes from! A field or two away is enough to send birds into attack mode! Once you keep moving the cage around it'll work!
The main thing is to get a call bird and get your trap working, and then you have all the time in the world to go looking for a call bird outside your area if you wish!

Backfire

The bright white colour of duck eggs i find are very good for trapping magpies. And got the few grey crows last year with them too.

But our ducks dont lay many eggs these months so i havnt many to spare

djflawless

1st 2 magpies despatched this evening
Delighted