Hosp Count

[C.C.Martins]

Hahahaha! 2-fers! Great, thats just great, the van ert is a wonderful trap. You are really whacking them back. Trap in ernest now, they are looking for homes.
There are some gotta ways, every season. Don't think you will be losing many, your doing great!

[Thomas Maddox]

Nice! I've had 4 escapees this year, but I shot 2 more today! My count was 20, but one Escaped, but got 2 more today, so 21 total!

[C.C.Martins]

Thomas,
What are your favorite trapping strategies during off season and winter?
My second favorite is having a sparrow in the ground trap and catch as many fledges with millet as I can mop up.
My all time favorite is positioning the ground trap so I can cover and shoot them off of it.
Then I hang a feeder up in winter and shoot all the sparrows that come by.

[Thomas Maddox]

CC, I really have only gotten into unaliving HOSPS for about the last 3 years. I haven't done much in the off season really. I think I'll start this year. I have definitely increased the efforts as time passes. My favorite is sharing pellets with them, but can't get close enough usually. I need to get a small blind. My next favorite is the St1 trap baited with other HOSPS. Yesterday, at my MILs, she had a cavity with HOSP eggs. I placed the smaller entrance hole on and baited with the sticky rat paper. They managed to flip 3 different pieces over and avoided getting caught. I just put my Sparrow-0-door in their. It seems to be effective, but the trigger mechanism is soo sensitive. I think the wind blowing the house around often triggers it. We'll see!

[C.C.Martins]

Off season is a good time to get them. Should give it a try, the ST1 and the ground trap together are deadly. You will find the season a tad quieter.

A blind is like a good scope sir, you need one. It doesn't need to be enclosed like a traditional hunting blind. Mine is in a corner under our back overhang. I can cover the gourds and house, if they bothered to look all they would see is the top of my head and a scope.

Take a file to the spare o door arm and shave just a bit off the arm holding the door up, angle it so it will hold the door up but won't trip with the wind. Could also tighten the drop arm nut just a hair. May help, dunno. They are notoriously false tripping.

[Thomas Maddox]

Thanks for the tips CC! I'll give it a go. I did catch a male HOSP in the Sparrow-0-door trap yesterday. Happy hunting!

[Thomas Maddox]

Got my first Starling of the year at my MILs house. It had a nest with eggs. Easy to catch at that point.

[SE Wisc hopefull]

Great thread. Last year I took out 43 HOSPs - mostly traps and a few lucky shots. Best luck was trapping one in nest box trap and moving it alive to repeating trap. Then I could catch 6 or more a day.

This year caught 4. Good news is I haven’t seen anymore, so maybe last years hard work is paying off.

[Thomas Maddox]

Great thread. Last year I took out 43 HOSPs - mostly traps and a few lucky shots. Best luck was trapping one in nest box trap and moving it alive to repeating trap. Then I could catch 6 or more a day.

This year caught 4. Good news is I haven’t seen anymore, so maybe last years hard work is paying off.

I'm hoping for the same! I've read where many have reported results as yours. Keep up the great work!

[Thomas Maddox]

Up to 46! Most of the HOSPS lately are young. Almost every time I walk outside, I hear their chirps. More work to do!

[flyin-lowe]

I had a pesky pair I couldnt get and finally got a shot on the male 2 weeks ago. I haven't seen a HOSP on my housing since.

[Thomas Maddox]

I had a pesky pair I couldnt get and finally got a shot on the male 2 weeks ago. I haven't seen a HOSP on my housing since.

Looks like you have been taking action for several years (great job! ). I've done some trapping and shooting in the past, but obviously not enough. There is a few "bird" houses in my neighborhood that aren't managed and became over ran with the HOSPS and now I hear and see them everywhere. I've made up my mind to trap them all year long instead of just during PM season.

[C.C.Martins]

Not near as many as you guys but im neck and neck with starlings and HOSP. 27 all.

Most of the sparrows have been trapped; the st1 with a bait bird is #1, 2nd repeating ground traps, 3rd nest box traps, and the spare o doors coming in last....4 so far in those.

The fledges have dried up for now.

Starlings, PMCA nest box traps way ahead. Funny thing too, one of the best nest box traps is a simple 6x6 box, painted black with a white ring around the 2 inch entrance and a porch. Its got a van ert trap in it and they cannot resist it! Costs about 10 bucks.
The excluder gourd insert trap is doing well too.

Of corse I must say the bulk of the starlings have been shot.

[Thomas Maddox]

I've only shot 2. The rest are ST1. I clip the wings on all of the inmates now. I see some Starlings here, but very rare for them to mess with my PM house and gourds.

[Thomas Maddox]

I put my traps up mid summer after I quit catching any. I've been seeing a few of the devils flying around my house, so I put the traps out Monday. Caught 9 so far this week and 83 for the year!

[C.C.Martins]

Really?? That's great! Whack em all.
Caught a male in a nest box trap of all things, mostly been catching starlings. Shot one this morning, no kidding the pellet passed right through and hit the one behind it. Both dropped dead. There must have been 8 on that feeder so bound to happen.

[Thomas Maddox]

Wow! Nice shot! I don't have Starlings much, but i will share lead when they visit.

[C.C.Martins]

Its in the category of lucky now...I tried it again and missed them both! 14 in 2 afternoons, freezer bag is full now.
I'd rather it be HOSP!

[Thomas Maddox]

Freezer bag? I've missed my fair share for sure. I got 4 more HOSPS yesterday. I had one that I clipped its tail feathers and primary feathers and it got away. Dang, they are smart and quick. Wonder if it will survive? I think it takes over a month to regrow new feathers.

[C.C.Martins]

Well thats what I call it, just a gallon ziplock bag.

Well it happens, every season I loose one, like you said fast and smart! It will probably do just fine, little survivors! Had a friend knick one with a pellet. It stuck around for a week before she got it. Kept coming back!