Repeater Trap Questions - late winter/early spring trapping

[Indiana_Tom]

Hi All,

I have been trapping for a couple of summers with a Blair repeater trap. I have read a couple of posts about trapping in late winter and very early spring so I am asking for all the information I can get about this subject.

Any information would be appreciated. One specific interest is the best bird seed to use for this project. In the past I have used light tan or off white millet seed and bread crumbs.

I have to finish building it but I am also making a nest trap that works on the same principle as the Blair with a gravity lever but used in a nesting house.


Thanks in advance.

[Gobbler T]

I've often wondered if you could use one of the bell shaped bird seed feeders like goes in a bird cage. With a new trap it could be hung above the trap for a time to get then used to eating from it then moved inside to entice them. They are inexpensive so you wouldn't have to buy 10- 20 pounds of rat bird food at a time. I don't know the effect the rain would have on one of these though, it might melt it.

[Guest]

I have two uncle Blaine's repeating traps. I keep them baited year around!! It's worked well for me. I catch as many in the winter as I do any other time of the year!!! I caught two males just this weekend!
Good luck!

[Indiana_Tom]

Gobbler T, The bell shaped seed feeder might work and I may give it a try. The weather may cause it to fall apart but it isn't that expensive so it won't hurt to try. My wife feed anything that has feathers on it so in the past, I have just poured out a bunch of her mixed seeds and separated to light colored millet. It seemed to work ok and I didn't catch too many other species. As long as I checked it often and released the the other species it wasn't a problem.

I thought maybe someone else could give me some ideas of other types of feed that worked well.

I think the nesting box trap will work well. I can put it over by the brush thicket and it should catch quite a few if I get it setup right.

mjtaylor, I agree with you that the Blair trap works well. I also made a tunnel tray after getting the design from here and it does a good job also.
If you know of a seed or feed that works well, let me know.

Thanks everyone

[Bulldog1]

Strangely enough I took up my Uncle Blaine trap in September because I was not catching anything. Several times this fall I have put it out again with cracked corn for a week with no results.

This after sending at least 50 sparrows to their reward during last season. I know I haven't gotten them all, but I see very few.

[Gobbler T]

A nest box trap is about all I use. I built a funnel trap but all I seem to catch is purple finches ( I think thats what they are) The S&S repeater doesn't work here ether.

I do quite well with the nest box trap though. I catch nearly every sparrow that is interested in nesting in my vicinity. Most of the time I catch them before they nest anywhere. If not, when they start nesting in my martin cavitys I just reduce the hole size and glue trap them early in the morning. I catch my BB's in the nest box trap several times in the spring, but I enjoy holding them in my hand so I don't mind.

I actually do not have a huge problem with S&S here witch I am thankful for. It could be a whole lot worse.

[Tony]

Hey Gobbler T do you have any info or pictures of the box trap you use? Where have you found is the best place to locate the box trap in relation to your martin housing? I have a Kness funnel trap but never catch anything in it. Hey is is anyone out there having any luck with the Kness Kage-all repeating trap? I have not ever caught a sparrow in mine, any advise or tips appreciated. I want to add effective box traps. Please share some pics and tips of what is working for you. THANKS

[Indiana_Tom]

Hi Tony,

I have copied a couple of Instructional posts from this forum on building traps. I checked and the information for both are on my old computer. It had a graphic card go bad so I changed to this apple. I will try to bring it back up and get the information for you. I have another card I think might work.

If not, keep asking on here. Maybe start a new thread looking for plans on traps.

One was a tunnel trap that maybe the one you mentioned. I have had fairly good luck with it. Although I do loose one once in a while. If they can just walk in, they just have to be in the right spot to walk back out. There are a couple of simple modification I have thought of that would prevent them from getting out the way they came in but I haven't followed up on that yet.

The second trap that is here somewhere is what I call a nesting trap. It is a wood box house that operated like the gravity lever repeater traps. I have purchased the supplies but have not started constructing it yet.

If I can pull the instructions from the old computer, I will send them to you.

Good luck

[Ed Pace]

Indiana-Tom;; Try this web site, Entrances By Sandy. Larry`s and Brad`s traps are both exellent ,and there will be a lot of good stuff by Sandy.
Ed.

[V & B's Michigan PM's]

Tom, we had great luck with a repeating trap-plans off of u tube. works excellent!

[Gobbler T]

Tony
I don't have any pictures, but if you can wait a few days, I got my "wife" a camera for Christmas

It's basically a large Blue bird house with a holding cage on the back. It has a trip wire made from a coat hanger that releases the front door and opens the back door at the same time. It's designed to catch one at a time, however I have caught 2 sparrows at a time and 2 blue birds at a time. The cage allowes me to see what is caught, and makes for easier removal. Also the bird doesn't get too hot and die before I can get it out.

I put the trap up next to my house under a large crape myrtle. Its about 50 -60 feet from my gourd rack.