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.

I'm slowly getting more double door traps. The biggest draw is lack of maintenence needed without bait.

The biggest problem with our Comstocks is trying to figure out which technician is hogging them and then stealing them back when he

ain't looking. We have about 30 of them but you would never know it if you needed one.

No maintenance is huge, no baiting, rebating or changing to a new bait, very few non-targets too, no wasted time commuting to unproductive sets, gas saved. Only go to the set when there is a catch. Really no down side.

Never used a single door over a hole. I guess if you set it at night there would be a good chance of him being in there. Always use my comstocks, the only thing that beats them is a 160 but I very rarely use them. I do need a few more com stocks though!
Jim are you going to Olsen's?

Hadn't thought of going to Niels, pretty long drive, back roads, 5 hours, 250 miles. Its always a good show though. Went a few times years ago. Have gone to Vt. the past two years and was thinking of going to one more show after N.Y., maybe N.H. as we used to go there but that too is 172 miles. I'm sure Olsen would have a much bigger gathering than any of the others. I think Judy has to work that weekend. Just have to play it by ear. If there was someone from around here going, might be able to share a room.

I guess we all run short of traps at times. When I get a chance to make something for myself, I'm usually too tired.

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.

Had good luck with double doors blended into trails going from point A to point B in the tall grass.

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.

How many times after a big soaker i will get a call and ghog dug inbunder a porch...i set up 2 traps...one positive and one baited...and never catch anything even in 2 weeks...customer not happy...i cant control movement of animals...but about a month later ghog returns and easily caught

Know what you mean about chucks leaving, very frustrating. Clients like results and I do too. Hate to charge for non completion of a job. I tell a client "the chuck that can't be caught is the one that's simply not there." As you do, I tell them to call when the chuck shows sign again and return quickly, which usually works. If unsuccessful the first go, I let the client know that I will not charge for the return setup when the chuck comes back, as they will only be responsible to pay for catches made. I think that is fair and clients are happy. Reset one yesterday just like that. In the end the client pays just one set up fee and the usual for the animals caught, just takes more time and a bit more work for the NWCO. It is what it is.

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.

most of the time single door and baited. If I think I need to force then I use a snare from the get go. I want to add Jim Made me a double door and a single door the single out catches the double. only problem with his traps are the friggen springs are to strong. Jim put a door latch on them so we can open and let skunks or non targets out with out getting sprayed or bite .

Jonesie, I'm going to have Jim put a garage door on some of my cages so I can use a remote to open them. Or perhaps a keypad nailed

to the nearest tree. Maybe you should start working out with the raccoons. If there is no door lock, they don't seem to have any

trouble letting themselves out of Comstocks.

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

Like the energizer bunny, still going. Now at day 21 and just took chuck number 4, another big one. That's two and two, big and small, so there easily could be a small one or two left in the area and no telling if there are more large ones. Still, no bait or lure, just a positive set that now smells a bit due to the previous catches. Left them set.

That’s what I did Kurt. I most of the time cover a safeguard or whatever trap, open the door and hold it open and shake the skunk out don't have time to wait. They don't spray just smell my foot and run off. On his traps I get the door up and latched and then I can shake the skunk out or pull the tarp off. at first trying to hold the door open and shaking at the same time gets the fingers pinched LOL and the skunk upset with my hooting and hollering. The first time or two I will admit I cussed you Jim when the skunk sprayed LOL Jim made me the newer traps to my size specs with the drop ring locks. They are great traps no problems. Just with the rings needed to be all the way up then the door opens while the coon trying to bite my fingers or the skunk just waiting for the perfect between the eyes shot. Well I only set those traps where the customer wants everything gone LOL I still prefer to set the double with only one door open.LOL

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.

Because Paul for 36 years I have never forced a customer to pay for something they did not call me out for and I did not know was there. If I am there for ground hogs and catch a skunk that I did not know that could be there, and they do not want to or have the money for that non target I don't take it. that simple. if I take it I charge. I am a good enough adc man and trapper to not catch that many non targets but it happens some times. as a professional I better know if there are non targets like skunks or such and either avoid them or tell the customer that we will catch them and let them make the stay or go call. If they make the no go call and I know the critters are in the area, fine I will adjust my cost a little to cover for those catches oh yah and for those release's. I find that stuff out by talking to the customer and finding out all I can find out about my job not just run in and set traps on what the customers say so. If I am there for hogs and catch a nursing sow She gets a pass. If I catch a skunk and I know 2 houses down has a skunk family living under the shed it gets a pass. also just like you we can relocate under guidelines. if I want to relocate I am not waiting for the skunk to decide if it wants to come out I shake them out and get it done.

Usually clients are quite happy to have skunks removed, no matter what the targetted animal is. Its up to them. Whatever is done should be agreed to before work begins. When I remember, to leave things open and not get boxed in, I give a price for the target animals, set up fee and price per animal and price per trip in case a non target is caught as no one can assure that only targetted animals will enter a trap. You still have time, mileage in non targets, not anyones fault. If I catch a bunch of the targetted animals and only one non target I sometimes just tell them to forget it, no charge. Just treat people like you would like to be treated.

Just had a skunk spot that has so far resulted in 5 skunks in 21 days the same as the woodchuck job that netted 4 chucks so far. In each case, no non targets.