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The almighty cage trap thread #1775944
01/29/10 12:29 PM
01/29/10 12:29 PM

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Seems to be a lot of interest in cage traps, lately, and not just from guys in cages-only states. So I thought I'd start a thread on cage trapping.

Now, I know they've gotten a bad rap, but not because of their effectiveness. That is more because in some states the antis have dictated that they are the ONLY traps that can be used.

But, I like cages for coons. In areas where I don't have to worry about theft it is my favorite trap for them.

Easy to set, easy to check, don't have to worry about water level, and they can be weather proofed. Make a tent out of a piece of carboard and it can snow 6 inches and they're still working. Temperature drops to 5 degrees? Who cares? Set still works.

Almost never a miss. I think I had a coon get hit in the butt by the door one time and back out.

Non-target friendly, and I have never had anyone tell me they didn't want me to trap because I was using cages. I've even had farmers let me set them right next to their houses.

Now, cages are not the optimum trap for some species. I wouldn't recommend them for canines. And they take up a lot of room, are big and bulky, and very expensive compared to footholds. They would probably all disappear from ditches or from public land. You couldn't run a line of 150 of them without a whole lot of trips back and forth to get a line out, and like I said, WHERE you can set them is limited.

But on private land, where trespassers aren't likely, close enough to houses where trespassing deer hunters aren't likely to stumble on them, and where you can drive close to the set but they can't be seen from a public road, they are in my opinion the best trap there is for coons. If you are only running a couple of dozen coon traps, I think they would pay for themselves pretty darned quick because of, in my opinion, a much better catch ratio.

Re: The almighty cage trap thread [Re: ] #1775957
01/29/10 12:36 PM
01/29/10 12:36 PM

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Here's a coon in one of Rich Kaspar's cage traps. The coon isn't huge, but is bigger than it looks. That is a 15x15x36 trap.


Re: The almighty cage trap thread [Re: upstateNY] #1776040
01/29/10 01:14 PM
01/29/10 01:14 PM
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In 4 years of trapping I have NEVER had a cage trap stolen from private or public land.

When coon trapping I don't place my bait under the cage. Instead, I put it in a plastic "party cup" and wire it to the top/rear of the cage so it's hanging using soft 14ga. wire.

I camo paint my cages. Maybe that's why I have had none stolen.

I have gone from using 36" cages to a 30" cage for coon and skunk. The shorter cages take up less room.

Get yourself one of those orange-handled squeeze type clamps from the hardware store. The are handy for holding a spring-loaded cage trap door open when baiting or when trying to put a fiesty coon away when using a catch pole.

Last edited by Livetrap; 01/29/10 01:18 PM.
Re: The almighty cage trap thread [Re: Andrew N.] #1776049
01/29/10 01:17 PM
01/29/10 01:17 PM

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Livetrap, what kinds of cages are you running out there in California, and what kinds of critters are you targetting? You guys have a lot of coons? I see you live in sacramento. Any marten up there in them hills?

Re: The almighty cage trap thread [Re: ] #1776071
01/29/10 01:22 PM
01/29/10 01:22 PM
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I mainly trap withing 20-30 miles from home and that means lot's and lot's of coon and skunk.

90% of my cages are Safeguards. The others are Yancy/Reid built cages.

Martin, Fisher, Otter, and Red Fox are protected. That leaves us Gray Fox, Raccoon, Skunk, Bobcat, Beaver, Coyote, Opossum.

I may set out my fox/cat cages for a week or so on a somewhat far away ranch for grays and bobcats. Gas gets pricey and I haven't had much luck on those tougher animals.

Re: The almighty cage trap thread [Re: upstateNY] #1776075
01/29/10 01:23 PM
01/29/10 01:23 PM
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Can't argue with you Buck about either the pros or cons you listed and I love them for those reasons and hate them for those reasons! lol I've switched more to using Grizzes in a lot of locations. For about the same cost you could have had a couple coons in LG's in the picture above. Same for me in the picture below from two nights ago...






This big boar is also dwarfed by the 36"X18"X11" trap made by Schroeder in Grand Island, NE. Before LG's came out, I could say that cages were the simplest, most humane and effective coon trap on the market. Good topic! Beside their bulkiness, expense and a need for a fairly level spot to set them, does anyone NOT like cages for coon?


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Re: The almighty cage trap thread [Re: ] #1776150
01/29/10 01:40 PM
01/29/10 01:40 PM
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I knew the Guru of Grays and cages would chime in. Tracy, ya lost that bet, lol. Got any more tips? Any for cats?

Re: The almighty cage trap thread [Re: 4 Fur] #1776160
01/29/10 01:47 PM
01/29/10 01:47 PM

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4fur, I've got Kaspar's 2-ring gravity close traps, a couple of Havarharts, and Safeguards. The Havaharts and Safeguards don't need level ground, so there are really only 2 drawbacks to cages, bulkiness and expense. And in my opinion they have a better catch ratio than LG's, so they pay for themselves pretty quick.

The major drawback is the bulkiness. I thought about in warmer weather trying some 9x9 safeguards. They'd have a big coon pretty well squeazed in there, but I've read on some ADC forums that less space is better for coons in cages because they tend to fight less. Might be something I have to experiment with.

Re: The almighty cage trap thread [Re: ] #1776169
01/29/10 01:51 PM
01/29/10 01:51 PM
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I make cages out of 30gal drums, but I had one stolen out of a culvert this year. They work well I'd like to catch a cat in one. Any tips for baiting one for cats

Re: The almighty cage trap thread [Re: Andrew N.] #1776174
01/29/10 01:55 PM
01/29/10 01:55 PM
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As stated before, they are a crucial tool for ADC work...






Re: The almighty cage trap thread [Re: ] #1776182
01/29/10 01:57 PM
01/29/10 01:57 PM
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Originally Posted By: Cameron2
What bet is that?

Actually, there are lots of guys that are much better with cages than I am. The Masters of Caging cats would be Mercer Lawing (aka Furhrvstr), Jeff Yancy (flatlander), Reid Aiton, Otis Latham (Coloradocat), and lots of others. These are just guys that I know personally.


Remember last year when you said you would BET me that I could catch a fox in a cage if I followed a few simple steps. I messed up somwhow. No fox. I'm thinking I still need to gain an eye for LOCATION.

Re: The almighty cage trap thread [Re: Andrew N.] #1776193
01/29/10 02:02 PM
01/29/10 02:02 PM
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A couple sets. You would be surprised to know how many human and horse tracks were within 20' of these sets after I put them in. None but my own walked up to the cages. They either didn't see 'em or saw them and didn't care. Now if only there were some fox or cat tracks walking up to them too! lol.



Re: The almighty cage trap thread [Re: ] #1776197
01/29/10 02:02 PM
01/29/10 02:02 PM
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Originally Posted By: Cameron2
You can solve much of the bulkiness issue with the cages that nest inside each other. I can get about 40 in the back of my Toyota pickup.


Reid sold me on the "stackers" last year and I now see why! Makes so much more sense. I owe him.

Re: The almighty cage trap thread [Re: ] #1776200
01/29/10 02:05 PM
01/29/10 02:05 PM
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Originally Posted By: Cameron2
Originally Posted By: Livetrap
Originally Posted By: Cameron2
What bet is that?

Actually, there are lots of guys that are much better with cages than I am. The Masters of Caging cats would be Mercer Lawing (aka Furhrvstr), Jeff Yancy (flatlander), Reid Aiton, Otis Latham (Coloradocat), and lots of others. These are just guys that I know personally.


Remember last year when you said you would BET me that I could catch a fox in a cage if I followed a few simple steps. I messed up somwhow. No fox. I'm thinking I still need to gain an eye for LOCATION.


Hmmm, maybe you were holding your mouth wrong??? grin



LOL, probably! I know it wasn't scent. I was wearing a full body rubber scent lock suit. I also know the animals didn't see my footprints as I walked in on stilts with little female fox print track makers on the bottom of the stilts. Could I have breathed on the set too much? I am quite the mouth breather, haha.

Re: The almighty cage trap thread [Re: ] #1776207
01/29/10 02:08 PM
01/29/10 02:08 PM

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Cameron, just out of curiosity, why do so many cat trappers use the sliding doors instead of the 2-ring closure doors? Is it because you can remove the doors and nest them, like someone, I think it was Yancy, talked about in a post one time?

Re: The almighty cage trap thread [Re: ] #1776208
01/29/10 02:08 PM
01/29/10 02:08 PM
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Those are the ones. I think my camera is busted though. None of those cats or foxs show in my. I ought to return it I guess.

Re: The almighty cage trap thread [Re: ] #1776222
01/29/10 02:13 PM
01/29/10 02:13 PM
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My pride went bye-bye awhile ago. Send 'em on over.

Re: The almighty cage trap thread [Re: ] #1776244
01/29/10 02:22 PM
01/29/10 02:22 PM

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Cameron, you have any closeup pictures of the slides those doors are fitted into? And is there some kind of locking mechanism where a coon couldn't lift them up?

Re: The almighty cage trap thread [Re: ] #1776245
01/29/10 02:23 PM
01/29/10 02:23 PM
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Well those 2 look smarter than me so maybe that's what I'm needing.

Re: The almighty cage trap thread [Re: ] #1776249
01/29/10 02:24 PM
01/29/10 02:24 PM
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West Central Iowa
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Great pictures Cameron and Livetrap! I love Rich Kaspers products and I'll check out his cage traps, Buck. Another problem I have with cage traps is they get banged up pretty bad catching big coon. They always work better on the first 5 coon than the last 5 coon. I guess my favorite coon cage is the one made in Missouri by Custom MFG. They are pretty rugged and I really like the bait door. MTP sells them also, I think. Here is one...





These are the only stackable ones I have, Cameron.




They're expensive but they work, though. Shouldn't have showed my 5 year old how to set them LOL. Not sure if this was a non-target or not LOL...





She also had some other action...




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