Shooting season 2020/2021

[The_Duke]

Only the one day in December with the rest of the season written off. The good news is that the boy is starting to come on. Settling down a little, more stable sat down as things go on around him and hunting better. Retrieving is very much a work in progress though. Looking forward to working him this season!

 

[wheelchairwarrier]

The weather was favourable today so I managed to finish off the ladder trap, a couple of weeks, but all my own work .
I have moved it to an area with a good magpie population , I havent put the roof and ladder on yet , but will shoot a rabbit in the morning and chuck it in there to

start getting them used to it being there.

 

[ex_colonial]

The weather was favourable today so I managed to finish off the ladder trap, a couple of weeks, but all my own work .
I have moved it to an area with a good magpie population , I havent put the roof and ladder on yet , but will shoot a rabbit in the morning and chuck it in there toView attachment 549841View attachment 549842View attachment 549843View attachment 549844 start getting them used to it being there.

I wish someone would do something like that near my town, we are infested with what look like dozens of the sods. The other day there were about 20 or so mobbing something in a ditch. Couldn't see what though. They flew off when I got near. They have really hit the local songbirds and we are also overrun with feral pigeons, starlings & grey squirrels!

 

[hicky]

Keep moving the ladder trap once you get occupants after a few days of the area will smell horrific.
I've been out with the lad and his 28bore after maggies and other vermin, I've realised he's very strongly left eye dominant so how he's managing to hit things is beyond me but there is a tale for the youth being sponges for learning.

 

[wheelchairwarrier]

Well the trap has been up for a week,nothing yet , I have tried different types of bait, rabbit ( dead ) eggs and dog food.I have even tried the decoy magpie that works in the larsen trap, all done under the cover of darkness.
Is located away from habitation next to a block of woodland with a population of magpie and crows , although ladder is for magpies.
Frustratingly in the next but one stubble field there is a mass of crows and quite a few magpies this morning, not interested by my free food.
Any suggestions / observations ?

 

[Tyk]

Well the trap has been up for a week,nothing yet , I have tried different types of bait, rabbit ( dead ) eggs and dog food.I have even tried the decoy magpie that works in the larsen trap, all done under the cover of darkness.
Is located away from habitation next to a block of woodland with a population of magpie and crows , although ladder is for magpies.
Frustratingly in the next but one stubble field there is a mass of crows and quite a few magpies this morning, not interested by my free food.
Any suggestions / observations ?

Any chance your body scent is on the trap? Maybe try washing it down with something so it doesn't smell of human?
I'm speculating here as I've never tried a ladder trap, but from a bit of googling they typically seem effective so no hits at all seems surprising. Maybe our keeper types with experience of the traps have some ideas.

 

[wheelchairwarrier]

Any chance your body scent is on the trap? Maybe try washing it down with something so it doesn't smell of human?
I'm speculating here as I've never tried a ladder trap, but from a bit of googling they typically seem effective so no hits at all seems surprising. Maybe our keeper types with experience of the traps have some ideas.

Hmm interesting thought, but what about keepers that have successful traps ?

 

[Mick9abf]

Well the trap has been up for a week,nothing yet , I have tried different types of bait, rabbit ( dead ) eggs and dog food.I have even tried the decoy magpie that works in the larsen trap, all done under the cover of darkness.
Is located away from habitation next to a block of woodland with a population of magpie and crows , although ladder is for magpies.
Frustratingly in the next but one stubble field there is a mass of crows and quite a few magpies this morning, not interested by my free food.
Any suggestions / observations ?

I assume you’ve left the door and one of the roof sides open for a while, have you see anything using it? Can you get a live hoody as a call bird off anyone local?

It’s maybe where it’s been sited, if there’s too much cover nearby they may be wary about using it, try moving it more out into the open.

If you are after magpies you may be better just working a few Larsen traps if it’s not going to cause you too much extra work.

 

[wheelchairwarrier]

I assume you’ve left the door and one of the roof sides open for a while, have you see anything using it? Can you get a live hoody as a call bird off anyone local?

It’s maybe where it’s been sited, if there’s too much cover nearby they may be wary about using it, try moving it more out into the open.

If you are after magpies you may be better just working a few Larsen traps if it’s not going to cause you too much extra work.

I did leave the roof off for a few days with bait, but nothing appeared on the trail cam, good point about the cover,its next to a block of woodland, I think I will move it , I have Larson traps that are successful especially with juveniles , I built this after seeing it mentioned on this thread (#115) as a keep the cripple out of mischief project !!
Going to ask around for call bird.

 

[Mick9abf]

I did leave the roof off for a few days with bait, but nothing appeared on the trail cam, good point about the cover,its next to a block of woodland, I think I will move it , I have Larson traps that are successful especially with juveniles , I built this after seeing it mentioned on this thread (#115) as a keep the cripple out of mischief project !!
Going to ask around for call bird.

I’ve seen them sited in grass parks 100m from the nearest wood and rammed full because they think they can see danger approaching so are happier to enter.