Animal trapping is a common method used for pest control or scientific wildlife management. The process requires careful planning, technical skill, and adherence to strict safety protocols and local regulations. Understanding legal requirements and humane practices ensures responsible outcomes.
Trap Selection and Legal Compliance
Traps are categorized as restraining or lethal devices. Restraining traps, such as cage traps and foot-hold traps, capture the animal alive and unharmed, allowing for relocation or safe release of non-target animals. Lethal devices include snap traps for small pests like rodents, and body-gripping traps (Conibears) designed to dispatch larger animals quickly.
Consulting local, state, and provincial wildlife agencies is mandatory before setting any device. Regulations vary significantly by jurisdiction, governing the species that can be trapped, the size and type of trap allowed, and required permits. Failure to comply with these regulations can result in fines and legal penalties.
Strategic Placement and Preparation
Successful trapping requires thorough environmental scouting to identify active animal signs, such as fresh tracks, droppings, or worn paths (runways). Placing the trap directly along these established paths maximizes the chance of capture. Trappers can also create a natural funnel using logs or fencing to guide the target species toward the trap entrance.
Minimizing human scent is important, as the residual odor can deter wary species like raccoons or coyotes. Wearing clean gloves throughout the handling and setting process minimizes scent transfer to the trap and surrounding area. A pre-baiting strategy involves leaving the trap un-set and baited for several days, allowing the animal to become accustomed to feeding from the device without fear.
Setting the Trap Mechanism and Baiting
Setting the Trap Mechanism
Setting a trap requires careful attention to avoid accidental triggering. For spring-loaded traps, the first step involves compressing the springs to arm the device, often requiring a specialized setting tool for larger models. The safety latch must be engaged before setting the trigger mechanism to prevent premature firing. The trigger plate, or pan, is then adjusted to the desired tension. This tension should be light enough for the target animal’s weight to set it off, but heavy enough to resist wind or accidental bumps.
Bait Selection and Placement
Bait selection should be tailored to the target animal’s diet. Raccoons are attracted to marshmallows or peanut butter. For rodents, a sticky combination of peanut butter mixed with oats or raisins is highly effective. Squirrels and other herbivores are generally lured by nuts, seeds, or fresh fruit.
Proper bait placement is crucial for a successful set. The bait should never be placed directly on the trigger plate of live traps. Instead, position the attractant slightly past the trigger plate or fasten it securely to the back wall of the cage. This forces the animal to step onto the pressure-sensitive mechanism, ensuring its full body weight is inside the trap before activation.
Safety During Setting
Maintaining physical safety throughout the setting process is paramount. Keep fingers away from the path of the jaws or door, and use setting tongs or sticks for final bait adjustments. For body-gripping traps, a setter tool is necessary to compress the powerful springs, preventing injury during the arming phase. The safety catch should only be disengaged after all setting adjustments are finalized and the trapper is clear of the device.
Handling Captured Animals Safely
Frequent monitoring is legally required and humane, often mandating a check at least once every 24 hours to minimize animal stress and exposure. Approach a live trap with caution, as captured animals will be frightened and may behave defensively. Wear heavy leather gloves and long sleeves to protect against bites or scratches, especially when dealing with rabies vectors like raccoons, skunks, or foxes.
The disposition of the captured animal must strictly follow local laws, which dictate whether relocation is permissible. Many jurisdictions prohibit moving wildlife, requiring the animal to be released immediately on-site or humanely dispatched. Relocation, when allowed, should involve transporting the animal a distance that minimizes its ability to return, typically 1 to 3 miles for medium-sized mammals.
Releasing an animal into an unfamiliar environment (translocation) presents survival challenges and risks spreading disease to new populations, which often underlies restrictions on relocation. If using a lethal trap, the humane dispatch of the animal should be swift and follow accepted methods, depending on specific regulations.