Best Groundhog trap?

[zachomega]

Any suggestions? I saw the havahart 1045 got mixed reviews. Mostly that the reinforcement bars are easily bent allowing the animal to escape.

I'm open to suggestions. I'll have my basic fur trapper license in July.

Thanks!
-Zach

[streaker69]

My grandfather built a trap out of a shopping cart basket. I still have it. The summer that he built it we caught 14 skunks and one ground hog. The hog killed itself in the trap when it got stuck underneath the trigger bar.

If you want, I could take pictures of it.

[zachomega]

My grandfather built a trap out of a shopping cart basket. I still have it. The summer that he built it we caught 14 skunks and one ground hog. The hog killed itself in the trap when it got stuck underneath the trigger bar.

If you want, I could take pictures of it.

Yeah, that would be awesome! If for no other reason than our parents' and grandparents' generations were infinitely more inventive.

-Zach

[streaker69]

Yeah, that would be awesome! If for no other reason than our parents' and grandparents' generations were infinitely more inventive.

-Zach

I get up in the attic tomorrow and get some. All you need to do is find a metal shopping cart and get some sheet metal and a latch. I'll never forget the day I went with him and he pulled it out of the swamp behind the Logan Valley Mall in Altoona.

[Emptymag]

Haha.
My neighbor was bitching about the groundhog I told her I saw going under her deck.
"How do I kill it?" she asked, shouting across the neighbor's yard.
"A twenty two!" I yelled back, with a laugh.
"I DON'T HAVE one of those!!!"

The next day she said she called someone about trapping it. Ha.

[bigandy1966]

If we arent shooting them we have done well with cable snares, make sure they are clean and wear rubber gloves when setting.

[Here4now]

Any suggestions? I saw the havahart 1045 got mixed reviews. Mostly that the reinforcement bars are easily bent allowing the animal to escape.

I'm open to suggestions. I'll have my basic fur trapper license in July.

Thanks!
-Zach

When I was doing Wildlife Pest Control back in PA, I used different sized Safeguard brand traps exclusively. I had a dozen of this model and caught hundreds of groundhogs without a failure. When setting any cage trap, wiggle it into the ground/grass and then press down on all four corners to make sure it is solid. If the trap moves, it can scare away the animal before it is fully in the trap.

https://www.wildlifecontrolsupplies..../NWS51700.html

[zachomega]

If we arent shooting them we have done well with cable snares, make sure they are clean and wear rubber gloves when setting.

Don't i technically need an additional training class to use a snare?

-Zach

[zachomega]

When I was doing Wildlife Pest Control back in PA, I used different sized Safeguard brand traps exclusively. I had a dozen of this model and caught hundreds of groundhogs without a failure. When setting any cage trap, wiggle it into the ground/grass and then press down on all four corners to make sure it is solid. If the trap moves, it can scare away the animal before it is fully in the trap.

https://www.wildlifecontrolsupplies..../NWS51700.html

Thank you! Looks very reasonably priced too! I'm open to other suggestions, but so far this is the winner.

-Zach

[DennisH82]

Hypothetically I have been fortunate to have the ability to sit for long periods of time motionless with a .22 pellet rifle and pretty good aim. I am 6 for 7 to date. #7 was a shifty fellow that seems to have it on the ball with stealth movement after I grazed his head. Its just a matter of time before he gets lazy.