Only a cat, but i out-foxed it. It got in the live trap once and i accidentally turned it loose. Clumsy and dumb of me. After that i kept seeing its tracks and it'd go up to the live trap, reach in and get only the enticement bait at the entrance and not go to the back where the trigger pan was. So i noticed its tracks where it crossed a ditch. It has to leap the ditch, same as if you or me was crossing a ditch. So i planted a steel trap right at the landing point.

This morning there was a tore up catch circle and the cat was hiding in the ditch. Caught by a front forepaw and it didn't get away this time. Maybe so many feral domestic types on my property that's why i don't catch anything else. I didn't recognize this cat; i would have let it loose if it had a little pink collar or something like that. But it was definitely wild eating dead stuff and constantly on the prowl. So i did dispatch it so it would no longer compete with the native species.

Plinker

Good job and good riddance! I have killed a bunch of the wild ones around my house.

I have read where feral cats are significant contributors to the decline of songbird species. They are predators, and become just like bobcats when forced to fend for themselves.

Cats are the leading killer of song birds, not just feral ones, the well fed house cat hunts all the time too.I suspect they are also one of the main predators on quail and pheasant chicks also.

Yeah, that's probably what happened to the quails i hatched out and turned free. It was a lot of work just for them to end up as catfood.

We used to have a lot of city type squirrels in the tree's til several cat loving neighbors moved out and left their pets behind.

I've found dead squirrels several times where I've spooked cats away. They've seen what I do to cats, so when they see me headed for the door they head for the fence before I can get there with the rifle.

While laid up with back surgery last winter/spring a batch of kittens were hatched under the edge of my patio in a hole. I've gotten four so far in the last few months and will get more eventually.

I recently got some connibears, but, can't squeeze the springs. Need to either make, or buy a handle to set them. Then I'll be doing more cat killin.

Should I put some bait on the trigger wires, or just block the crawl holes?

Thanks,

George

Yes only kill feral cats. There are a couple of sure fire tests to be able to tell with certainty. (1)are they alive? (2)Are they on your place or somewhere else? If either of these two are true they are feral. A little pink collar is just a diversion tactic on their part---they are feral.

Wow, this one got lost in the shuffle.

Carpetman, I like your way of thinking on this problem.

George

Cats.....? If they are not in your house and being attended to then they are fair game. I shoot them and trap them on sight.

Havent' seen a cat for months around or on my place. That's all I wanted.

Guess they got the msg after shooting some and throwing them over the fence in the vacant place to sniff.

George

Gidday Guys,

The best way to deal with feral cats is a multi pronged attack.

Shooting, trapping and poisoning. Once the first two are no longer returning results cubed beef with a pea sized dollop of cyanide paste inside cleans up the rest real quick.

You will be quite surprised at how many have become nocturnal and trap shy.

Happy Hunting

Hamish

Haven't been by here in quite awhile.

FINALLY snared one going into the shop thru the pipe in the foundation wall. My first snaring of anything. My own snare too, made the lock with fender washers bent and drilled.

Sure tangled himself up, caught between the front legs and fought it, wrapped around the legs and crossbar of a scaffold nearby. Then spun around a bunch. Had to shorten the cable about 8". Had himself snubbed up so short he couldn't move anylonger, just laid there watching me. .17M2 made quick work of that.

Another has knocked the snare out of the way twice since. Have a coni there now, seem to know what that is. Not any easy way to keep them in place. 6" pipe thru the wall, with a 2" pipe laying in the bottom of it. Just a flat concrete wall above. Any suggestions how to secure it? I've propped it up with a stick. They're still getting in the shop to mess in the dirt floor though. SO I need to thin the population down til they stop going in.

When I plug the pipe, they'll work at it until they get the plug dug out.

Appreciate all the advice I can get on this.

George

George, thats why i dont like using connibears they just seem to sort of flop around unless you can secure them. Maybe you can use a board as a platform to set the trap upon...Take roofing nails and drive in the board so the heads steady the inside bottom jaws. If done right, the nails won't be tight and the jaws will still be able to spring.

Plinker

Thanks Plink:

IT's kinda tricky the place those blasted cats get in the shop. 6" pipe thru the foundation wall, has a 2" pipe that has to run thru it. Iv'e plugged it up many times and they'll work at it until it's unplugged then come in the shop and bury their piles in the only trail thru the place. I never see it til stepping in it. They've also nested in my old cabin cruiser in there. Hell of a mess in there. But, it's got a hole in the hull and not being used so guess not much harm really. Jsut the idea of it mostly.

Against the bare wall there's no place to anchor, or hang anything without drilling into the wall itself. I may do that yet. It's also a PITA to crawl under things to get back to it. BUt, I can look down thru a hole by the steps and see if the traps sprung, or knocked down. Then get down and look back in to see if anythings been caught. Same place I snared the one a month or so back.

Iv'e even baited the trigger with hailbut, and fish sticks. They never seem to bother it.

Been using the 6" coni, have an 8 or 9" that I haven't been able to cock. That might let 'em walk thru it and not notice it. Been intending to make a cocking tool. Believe I can see the pictures well enough to figure out how to make it. I'm handy with steel, so no big deal once I get it in mind to do so.

Just had a notion as this posted. I might nail some boards together to extend the "tunnel and rig the big coni over the end of that. Bet they'd go thru it and get 'emselve's caught.


Take care, good trapping this winter, should be about time to start it up.

George

Other night I smelled a skunk so I set my trap. Caught a cat--great. Oddly it was black and white.

Good deal!
Check my snare a couple hours ago. Still MT.

Oops, posted to the other one about what happened today.

Snare, anchor wire and rope are all gone. Apparently I caught another cat in it and he took my stuff along. No trail as to where it went. But, am sure it's dragging about six feet of 5/8" rope and four more feet of snare and wire along behind it.

Sure hope no one see's it and tries to take the snare off and gets bit. They'll for sure be infected if they do. I can vouch for that as I got it bad once after trying to help one that had been hit by a car.

Need to make a new snare now too.

George