Which are the most effective kill traps out there for tree squirrels?

Here are the commonly used kill traps that I can think of...

WCS tube trap
Koro--which size do you like?
connibears--what size and set up do you like?
Kania 2000

Any others that I have missed? What are the advantages and disadvantages of these various traps?

I see it coming... Steve's working on a new squirrel trap. This is pure speculation - do not spread the rumor. Unless, of course, Steve confirms this. ;-) However, to answer your question Steve, I have used the small Koros with reasonable success but generally use controllers and live traps.

Busted! Actually I am not really working on it, but I have given it some thought. Definitely would be a market for it.

HA! I can see it now... work benches filled with empty pizza boxes, Monster Energy drinks and Gophinator/soup can prototypes as you work feverishly through the night.

The tube trap is a squirrel killing machine and my favorite.

Second is a Victor 120 in a wooden box, mink box style.

These days I only set cages for squirrel when I just plain can't use one of the others.

Edit: I should add that this for gray squirrels. Neither work well for reds.

January 2014 Nwcoa convention in New Orleans I will be releasing the newest kill style squirrel / rat trap... "Rat Cracker"

I'll be interested to see it Bud.

I'd really like to see a multi-wack trap for squirrels.

SGS, you think the tube is part of the attraction to the squirrel? You think they actually like exploring that tube?

Bud, I look forward to it also. I should be there!

I don't know what the attraction is but they are much quicker to hit the tubes than the boxes. Not that the boxes don't work fine.

Tube trap is a mink trap came out in the 80s wcs sells a over priced version of that trap 10 bucks cheaper at F&T if your looking for tubs . Victor 55 size conibear would be the best kill trap for squirrels hands down . BMI makes a very nice 55 size conibear as well but has two springs like the 120 has I really don't use to many kill traps anymore after I started using the aes type mulity catch cage traps . I guess Scott quit making traps now days so we orderd 200' of that heavy gauge wire he used and we just build are own and made few changes that were mods we did with Scott's traps A.K.A tamks . Them traps just flat out get it done faster then the kill trap

The squirrels are not attracted to the tube you put one end up tight to the hole in the house and force them in the tube there's no bait used .

I agree with Pesky that in my experience we do much better with cages too. I also happen to know that there are a lot of guys out there that do more squirrels than we do, ( probably a couple of thousand ) using kill traps almost exclusively. I guess that's just one more thing that makes this business so interesting.

Why do they hold it in that He ll hole????????

I seem to have better luck as well using boxes, while friends of mine use nothing but tubes. I still like a 110 conibear layed flat in attics. or mounted over entry hole with a 50.

We havent had to use any kill traps for squirrels for a number of years. We do structural squirrel work like bat work in a sense. We either excluded depending the time of year or nose cone colony trap and remove them all in a couple of trips.

The sky is the limit with lethal means traps. It is just a matter of determining their travel/access/feed areas and using a kill trap of your choice to force the animal thru or invite entry into one with baited eye appeal.

we never use kill traps for squirrels here either. i havent seen a squirrel that couldnt be caught in a cage trap, either bait or forced. i would think a regular 110 conibear or similar size trap would work well.

fun for all

While Rick is right that we can't "technically" use kill traps for greys or fliers here my experience has led to me to "civil disobediance". Rick, the proscription against is purely regulatory and is not codified into law so if push comes to shove I'll take my lumps.
My reasoning is this, a properly placed 110 over the entry point is going to target the specific troublemaker rather than shotgunning the entire squirrel population with cages. It also allows the problem to be solved immediately rather than waiting for the squirrel to A)get hungry and B)lose it's fear of the unknown.

warrior, I have spent a reasonable amount of time proving that "catching every squirrel in the neighborhood" is an urban myth. ( At least in our area ) Our grey and red squirrels seem to be very territorial.

I had a job in the ghetto area of Milwaukee. This house was surrounded by black walnut trees and there were squirrels everywhere. The upstairs of the house was overrun with greys. I set six cages in and on this squirrel paradise. I caught two dozen squirrels in a very short time and then nothing for three days.

The third day I pulled the cages. There were probably at least a dozen squirrels running around the house but they would not set foot on the house. I have noticed this behavior time and time again. While this was the most greys I have ever caught in a single family home, if I would have set my cages on the ground I probably could have caught a hundred.

A more normal squirrel job for us is two or three cages on the roof next to the hole ( or maybe one over the hole also ) and an average catch of four. We then close the hole and are done. ( Of course, since a lot of people just love their wood homes, many of them will be calling back next year with a new hole and we can start all over again )

You beat me to it Rick. My observation as well.That is one big reason why we dont use lethal means traps unless structuraly set where not in easy view.

Some places you may get away with that routine but not many areas that I service that I would do that. Too many nosey rosies that may find that offensive and put it on the evening news.