Single Door vs. Double Door for Chucks, Lucky 13
#5149484
08/06/15 07:45 AM
08/06/15 07:45 AM
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 377 New York
Jim Comstock
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 377
New York
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Got the call yesterday afternoon, "you got one." The traps had been there 13 days without action of any kind before a chuck was caught. Best part, no non-targets, no maintenance at all, just double door cages waiting for a chuck to move. I remember discussing woodchucks at a convention with a trapper that just used single door traps over dens in positive sets, only able to catch the chuck coming out of the den, which is fine if you saw the chuck dive into the hole. But for all others, its best to err on the side of caution and use the double door traps to take them coming or going, because you just don't know for sure where the chucks are.
Its generally money in the bank after the trap is set, just a matter of time. I set the traps and wait for the call, pretty much putting it out of mind and then get calls days or even weeks later.
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Re: Single Door vs. Double Door for Chucks, Lucky 13
[Re: Jim Comstock]
#5149976
08/06/15 05:02 PM
08/06/15 05:02 PM
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,116 Killingly, CT
Brian Mongeau
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,116
Killingly, CT
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I use single door cages. Positive set. But, I don't use just one, I gang set. I want the option of catching more than one (anything) instead of one at a time. Ideally, two cages facing the hole, two cages facing out. No bait needed. Some situations are 1 in/ 1 out, or 3 in/ 3 out. Any combination needed. 'chucks aren't all that smart. They're habitual. Drop an open cage in a trail and he'll usually run right in.
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Re: Single Door vs. Double Door for Chucks, Lucky 13
[Re: Jim Comstock]
#5150671
08/07/15 08:00 AM
08/07/15 08:00 AM
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 377 New York
Jim Comstock
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 377
New York
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Yes, trails sets are great too, chucks are not that bright. Trails work pretty much the same as a den set, same success. If I don't have a great place for a positive set at the den I don't hesitate to set the trails with double door traps.
Since chucks are not that sharp, single door traps can work in a trails when doubled, or at a den when doubled, but you have to double up on the number of single door traps to cover the trails to duplicate what can be done with one double door trap alone, more versatility in a single trap. More work to set two traps, many times two won't fit, more space taken up in the truck with 2 to 1 ratio and you have to buy two traps instead of one. Some of the double door traps are actually shorter than the single door traps, easier to place. Not all dens have a littler or large numbers. Often there is a traveling male or dispersing young that return only intermittently. I like to cover those places with only one trap, maybe two dens as the traps can be tied up for long periods.
Where there are big numbers of chucks and many den holes, though you may sometimes catch more than one chuck at a den hole (little ones), usually it works well to cover many den holes with single double door traps at each den on the first go round, make a catch or not, then fill in dens behind you quickly as you go and move on to the next dens. This set and fill method takes the chucks quickly and lets you know where they are and where they aren't, and if you need to reset. Little ones may dig around you after a catch is made where there is a big litter with either single or double door traps. When they do, just set it again, while leaving the untouched dens filled in. In gang setting with this method you don't need as many traps, while most often filled in dens remain filled behind you.
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Re: Single Door vs. Double Door for Chucks, Lucky 13
[Re: Jim Comstock]
#5154626
08/10/15 05:55 PM
08/10/15 05:55 PM
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 377 New York
Jim Comstock
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 377
New York
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Patience is where it's at, pays off. It's been another 6 days since catch #1, after the first 12 days of nothing and finally a woodchuck catch on day 13 as mentioned. The client had said o.k. to pull after the first one, left a check, but because that chuck was a little guy, I decided to leave them not wanting to get a call about how the garden had gotten destroyed.
Got the call today, day 19, 2 for 2, catch #2 and #3, another little guy and a big one. Left them again as it is pretty common here for litters to be around 4. One of my really expensive competitors by a factor of about 10, $1,200 for five days, sets on Monday, pulls Friday, regardless, no good. If your goal is only going through the motions, "we tried," fine, but if results are the priority and providing a service for compensation, you need to work around the animals, not the calendar.
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Re: Single Door vs. Double Door for Chucks, Lucky 13
[Re: Jim Comstock]
#5155347
08/11/15 08:40 AM
08/11/15 08:40 AM
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 77 Virginia
Kurt in Va
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 77
Virginia
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Jonesie, Check when opening Comstock door. Make sure your not lifting up as you push in on the door, get the door bar sliding in at the top before lifting it or it will bind at top. Wire can be to tight where door top slides across wires, pry the wire up for better clearance. Make sure your support hand is away from where the door slides on the wire, the pressure of your hand downward can cause a bind.
Adding a wire hook to the door from the lower door bar, long enough to hook around the door frame bar with door open, will allow you to set the door for release. You can use the door hook to make trap setting easy, just hook your doors open then set your triggers and release door hooks.This way you don't have to fight holding the door up while trying to align the wire trigger and set hooks on the doors. I like easy! Not sure if this will help with skunk release. Kurt Temple
Last edited by Kurt in Va; 08/11/15 09:34 AM.
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Re: Single Door vs. Double Door for Chucks, Lucky 13
[Re: Jim Comstock]
#5157793
08/13/15 12:09 AM
08/13/15 12:09 AM
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,361 mequon, wisconsin
Paul Winkelmann
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,361
mequon, wisconsin
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I have a reasonable ( At least by my standards ) question. Why would you ever shake a skunk out of a cage? They are not non-target
animals! I don't recall a single customer that wouldn't pay for a skunk and said "let it go". Accidental skunks are few and far
between, but never the less, everybody wants them gone. All you need to do is say "Our normal price to catch a skunk is $595, but
because we caught this one in a raccoon cage, we will take it away for the bargain price of only $59. Or we can let it go and it will
probably spray your dog, cat, and kid. It works every time.
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