Gonna do my best to keep this going but let's hear some tips or trick on using these things. Here's a few of mine:

-PAINT YOUR CAGES: I paint all mine with a flat brown Rustoleum and even I have a hard time finding them sometimes. Of course this has no other benefit other than hiding them from people.

-BAIT PROPERLY: Some guys say to put some bait in a hold dug under the trap but this poses a few problems. Cats, fox and even coon can dig under the cage and get at the bait. If you don't have your cage securely stablized, what ever your trying to trap can knock them over or at least off your bait hole. Try suspending your bait from the top or rear of the cage using wire. If they have to fight the get the bait free, there's better chance all that fuss will cause them to step on the pan.

-STAKE YOUR CAGES: Well that sounds bit misleading but what I do that helps get rid of any wobble you WILL get if your trap isn't on completely flat ground is I take a piece a piece of 24" rebar I cut myself and just hammer it in through the top and down through the wire mesh floor. Use a couple if you want and you can also use your regular trap stakes of course.

-USE A STEPPING STICK/STONE: Use this especially for cats and fox. Just set it in front of the pan. When trapping fox or bobcat, also cover the floor of the cage with either dirt or long grass from thee area in which you trap. Just up to the pan is necessary.

-USE CHAIN: Some folks roll their eyes but I use a 6-8' piece of chain and a master lock when setting on most public land. Seems the deal with theft is if someone sees something out in the woods, no matter if they even know what it is or even have any use for it, thee may steal it. When confronted they usually say things like, "Oh, I didn't know it belonged to anyone. I thought it was just trash someone tossed out here". Make it all that much harder to steal. With the high cost of these things, it pays to take an extra measure against theft.

So..... whatcha got?

Great tips, thanks. I would be targeting red fox. What is the common or best size cage for them?

-Paint the pan white to attract coons at night.

(A good idea when trapping where the public isn't going to see or mess with your cage.)

-Make a 2nd handle at the rear of the cage, out of cable threaded through the bars. This helps greatly if you have to transport something live, just throw a tarp over the cage to protect yourself from coon scratches, and pick up the front of the cage and the back by the handle. Sure helps you lift and carry it while full.

This is good when you need to transport them somewhere to dispatch, like out of a city.

Tip #1:
Push the bottom of the cage into the dirt and grind back and forth, like a reverse dirt sifter. The object is to bury the wire floor of the cage. I may think about putting my paws on wire. Dirt is natural.

Thought #1:
Trap odor - debate worthy topic - may attract or repel? Maybe neutral (no odor, clean trap) is best.

Lugnut - I've not had much success catching red fox in cages - caught one fox in 25 years. Have not experimented that much. Try a very large trap, pre-bait, set around big hay bales, use a mouse squeaker, etc. This needs a research pioneer!

Good stuff guys.
monstertom, i like that idea but when I set my coon cages, if it's on dirt i move the cage back and forth to kind of dig it in and cover some of the floor. By the looks of the other thread you posted with your fir, I may try the plywood bit next year. Nice job.

As far as odor, none of my traps hold more fur as the ones that have had skunks "poorly dispatched" in them. Maybe it kind of "seasons" them? I do however paint early so they have all spring and summer to sort of air out from the paint fumes. As the season goes on, the more animals I catch that make a mess in the cage, the more consistent my catches are.

I was thinking about making a heavy canvas cover made specifically to fit my cages. Something where I'll have enough reaction time if a skunk sprays while I'm moving the cage. Also, the heavier and stiffer the material the better. I've had more than one over sized beach towel shredded when left over a caged coon over night.

Well I took some smaller 7x7x24" traps and cut holes in them. The holes are big enough for a rat or squirrel to get out of so I patched my holes. This also poses the problem of how to get a pole in there so I figure I could move the cage to water or cover and run hose from my trucks exhaust pipe to the cage. Any advice?

Also, I am gonna build my own traps this summer and it's all pretty straight forward. I just have to get an idea of how to make a spring door on it. Any suggestions?

Also, Yancy and another fellow who isn't on here make and sell from what I can see is a very nice and effective cage trap. Gonna pic one or two of those this year also. You guys going after cats with cages should do the same if already haven't. I'll let Yancy chime in on his cages for contact info and all that good stuff.

Where do I get chloroform or ether?

Very nice. Care to share your set up? What kind of cage trap is that?

Could you go into a little more detail on this? I've set a live trap for raccoons a few times and failed each time.

I tried a can of tuna and a can of sardines wired to the back of the trap and then tried a can of sardines wired to the bottom of the trap with the trap staked down.

Not sure if the problem is me or the trap (the trap is a cheap Harbor Freight one).

I have built a few Cage traps & mine have a small troft across the back to hold the bait. When I am trapping Coon I use the Cheap dry Cat food & smear some peanut butter in back & throw a few Large marshmells in for sight. I have no trouble catching Coon this way, might want to give it a try, it works.

I had a couple harbor freight cages but noticed on one that when the pan was completely bottomed out, the door still didn't budge thus giving the coons a free meal. Check that out first. I've caught more with just an opened c an of sardines in the back of the cage.

Ah, yes, I forgot about that. Kinda give them a trail to follow to the back of the cage.

Anyone know where to get GOOD, AMERICAN MADE 1x1" wire for cage making?

Just curious if this is a common trigger mechanism on other cage traps. Can't find the make or model this one is.





Finally, I add this to use as an anchor point and an extra handle when I got something heavy in the trap. Yeah, I realize it won't take much to get around that to steal the trap but I had to try something.

on some of my live traps i put under bridges on backroads and put an ear of corn in the back. I put a aluminum name tag on the trap so people know it is mine along with my number. I have had none of them stole YET. I only have 4 cages but i cought somewhere aroud 20-30 coons in them.

Not to hijack anyones thread but pictures would great it would be great to see pictures of everyones live traps and how they are made, to help us guys(and girls) that might be interested in making one since season has ended here.

they've held up for me but are they along the quality lines of say a Havahart or are they more like the Tomahawks?

TTT

I agree, it would also be nice to see some sets.

I put an ear of old corn in there in the back of the trap, with a few dry dog kibbles just thrown back there. The ear is for eye appeal, it stands out in the dark. This coon was so hungry that he ate the ear, not just the corn off it, but the cob too!

It's common for them to reach outside the cage and try to throw dirt around, I guess they think they are digging out. It rained on him that night, so, it's possible to have a muddy coon in a cage.

As I mentioned above, I pre-baited a month before season started, throwing dog kibble, dry, in the back. I wired the cage door to stay open.

I tried many baits, wet cat food, tuna, sardines. All I got were cats on the tuna and sardines, and the coons ignored the tuna for days. I finally just had to throw the rotten tuna out.

But dog kibble, they can't resist it. Sometimes eggs will make a nice attractor, but beware that skunks and possums like eggs too. I've had coons visit and ignore eggs, but they have never ignored dog kibble.

Public cage set

This picture shows how a "White Pan" stands out at night....

Castor and Cages........

Very common for them to dig outside the cage...



Here's how I set my coon cages. I put a chunk or three of fish under the trigger, under the cage not in it. I then make a trail of salmon oil and marshmallows from a few foot out side the cage to the back of the cage it's self right through the door. Just how I do it, it works great for me. I never have any stolen bait unless the mice get it.

Here's a few results, I usually nail 30-50 in cages every season...















~ADC~

The "Culvert trap" in the back of the golf card was made to fit inside of a existing culvert that was a Muskrat Freeway

Wire a piece of 1/2 inch pvc pipe to the top back of your cage ,stuff a cottonball with lure on it into the pipe. waterproof lure dispenser for cages.

Great looking culvert trap there Vinke.

Wow, that culvert trap has really given me some ideas. Thanks for showing that. Now I have a new summer project.

TTT

ya scooter thats something i be woeking on, a doubble door cage. it will have two straight drop doors. hope to have it ready for the NTA in UT...John

heres the range of cages i`ve tried.."NO DOGS WERE HURT IN THIS DEMO!"lol

I like the pvc lure tube idea.

I usually put my bait in a soup can with some holes in it and wire it to the back of the cage. Often it is ripped down - just wire it back up. Dollar General wet cat food with a squirt of fish oil seems to work for me on coon.

Keep on throwing ideas out there guys...

Looks like some work lugging those traps up those mountains!!!

VERY impressive guys.

scooter-what are the dimensions on that double door?

Vinke-in the first set pic of the public one, where is the cage?

Livetrap the size of the traps are 16x20x60.

16" wide or tall?

16" wide 20" tall

Thanks guys. Now, what is the perfect size cage trap for mink?

K9Wolfer - do you have any problems with critters tripping the trap from on top? Any ways to avoid this?

Anyone?

i would say the 6x6x24 would be good,they work good for ringtails

Here's a recipe for preparing and presenting bait to coons next year. I'll give it a try and tell you how it works.

1. Go to your nearest feed store and get corn, the kind still on the cob.
2. Either drill or punch holes through the cob at one end. This will be to run wire through. I plan on using 6-8" pieces of wire coat-hanger. It's rigid enough to attach and leave on the cob. It will also help in the preparation.
3. In a 5 gallon bucket, arrange the corn so they are packed in there veritcally with as little space around them as possible. Do as many layers as you can fit.
4. Next, heat to the dollar store and load up on maple syrup and/or molassis. Cover the corn as much as you can. It shouldn't take TOO much syrup because you packed the corn in tight there.
5. Put the lid on the bucket and let sit for as long as you like. I'd say a week should get the sweet smell soaked in.
6. You simply hang the corn from the inside top of the cage with the pre attached wire.

If you can prebait in your state, I'd suggest some cracked corn or cheap dry dog food in syrup too.

Not sure if you're attracting them with the corn or the syrup. I bet the syrup smell travels further. Good luck.

The 12x12x raccoon size worked best for me........First.....
.....Because I was able to catch the raccoon that would only trip the 8x8 trap
8x8 are cheaper, and easier to hide.... so you can put out more one you trapped the raccoons

"Vinke-in the first set pic of the public one, where is the cage?"

EXACTLY!

ttt

Thanks for the pics. Still kinda curious about the pan set up.

I am mostly a lurker here, a beginner who has learned a lot just reading posts. As I am in Massachusetts we are for the most part restricted to using cages, or bailey/hancock type traps for beaver. So I always follow these "cage trapping" threads with great interest. So Vinke, would you care to elaborate a bit on how you made that "Castor and cages" set that you show in the picture? Just curious as to any details.
Thanks!

-AL

Livetrap,the pan for our traps sets on a rod in the center so that it will tip to either side .I put a stepping stick in the center of the pan so that the cat will step on either edge and tip the pan witch realeases both doors at the same time.

Ahhhh, I know what you mean. Have a squirrel trap that works the same way

Very good thread! I am going to try and build some live traps this summer.They look fun!

Scooter..i like your traps,i have experimented with the double door cages and have`nt liked anything i have come up with,still can`t tell for sure how your trigger system is made up...but cool

Very cool I see how it works now! Thanks for taking the time out on your line for the pics, I know that is hard to do sometimes. Congrats on the nice catches as well.--JM.

Great thread!

Thanks for all the replies guys.

Scooter, are the trigger mechanisms welded on your double door trap? Any close ups of the mechanism itself? Thanks again.

I see they offer a bucket type gravity door trap on F&T. Since I don't weld, I'm thinking I'll buy that and then fab the cage that goes behind it. Any thoughts?

hey scooter, is there anyway you can show a little closer pic on how that trigger mechanism works on that cage???
thanks
Vtrapper

any body sell fox cages???

Get a hold of Yancey on those fox cages cody. He makes and sells a bobcat/fox cage.

I was curious if the door springs on spring door traps ever get too weak? If so, how easy are they to replace?

I remember a thread about a pipe trap with pics but can't find it with the search feature. Anyone?

?

ttt

anybody have a pattern to make these? trigger and all. and how would you set these for foxes?

Great thread

I'd be interested in a pattern too.

As far as fox, a lot of them are caught in cage sets made for cats anyway so other than putting it in a different location where fox are found, I'd guess you could use the same set.

what is that? we dont have any cat here so there would be no mistake of catching a cat. but what is a baisic set for fox and with a cage?

Check out Cameron2. He catches plenty of fox in cages. There are some pics on the first page of this thread.

heres a trigger deal i made up for Heavy doors on big cages

this is a yancy cage and hard to beat,i like the drop down doors because the other style are sometimes set off when a big tom hits his back on the door,but ya gotta use what ever suits you..this is just my opinion and nothing else

Looks like that trap just paid for itself along with a couple others, lol.

So I've been doing A LOT of thinking about that double door cat trap on the 2nd page. I'm thinking about making a few of these and perminately setting them up in the high country. Before and after season I'd have to secure the doors open.

I'm thinking I can pack it in in pieces and assemble it on site.

Some questions:

What kind of paint? Rustoleum? This has got to stand up to the elements year-round. Also, what would the best thing to use to tie all sides together? 14 or 12 gauge wire?

Your thoughts?

live trap,I use to dissasemble these traps between sets but got in the habit of just laying one across my shoulders and going.they are handy when you have a bunch to move to lay each panel down then both doors on top an fasten together.
when putting these together I just doulbe a piece of bailing wire.wire door top center and bottom,sides also in three spots.never lost a cat once the doors shut.
I do leave a few of our traps in the woods yearound.I move them away from the actual set and use heavy gage wire to wire to rock or tree just to make it alot of work for someone to get away with.I have never painted one,just never felt a reason to

you might want to read your regs on leaving them,i know in some places you are not supose to leave them out even unset,but thats your deal not mine..lol

Thanks guys. I'll look into the regs part but I don't ever remember seeing anything the dozens of times I've scoured CA regs.

Any cage makers on here? PM me please.

Anyone?

ttt

someone asked for a place to get good american made wire, called them for a catalog, had one in 3 days. hope this helps

http://WWW.KLUBERTANZ.COM ph # 608-884-9481

I seen Were Someone Was Asking What Bait To Use For racoon? I Catch 2 to 3 a Day, I Own, And Raise Coon Hounds, I Am Constantly Having To Catch Coons In Order To Train The Hounds, I Usually Use The Live Racoon For About 2 - 3 Hours, Then I Release And Get A Diferent One.. And All I Use To Catch Them Is A 39 Cent Honey Bun.. Usually A Catch Everytime.. Hope I Could Help.. If Anyones Got Anytime To Spare, i would Like Some Help On Bobcat please.. Thats my goal.. Thank You!

What would you like to know? There are more than a few on here that cage catch them all the time.

SupaMan you need to put your location on your profile before the boss catches ya. There's alot of good cat trapper's on here and alot of help.

Sorry Troy, I Got The Location Took Care Of.. About Catching Cats I have Just Had No Luck With Cats, I Am using A 50" x 24" x 19" Cage, Seems Way Big Enough, I Have Tried Tons Of Different Kinds Of Bait, Meat, Live Animals, etc. They Just Seem To Avoid It.. Usually The Fox Is Caught. Just Wondering If Theres Special baits Needed, I really Have No Clue where to make a set... like close to creeks, rocks etc. any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank You Guys.