Its not a Rat its a Hogg

[Crackoff]

Took me ages to get it out of the trap

Left it to toggle off in its own time and 10 mins later it was gone

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Grant

[davelumb]

I've had a trap out for a while and only caught two hedge pigs (or one hedge pig twice). Their spines do make it difficult to remove them from the trap!

Not seen the rat for a while though.

[Crackoff]

I've had a trap out for a while and only caught two hedge pigs (or one hedge pig twice). Their spines do make it difficult to remove them from the trap!

Not seen the rat for a while though.

I Just shoved that stick up its backside after a bit it soon moved Mr


Grant

[davelumb]

I've had a trap out for a while and only caught two hedge pigs (or one hedge pig twice). Their spines do make it difficult to remove them from the trap!

Not seen the rat for a while though.

I Just shoved that stick up its backside after a bit it soon moved Mr


Grant

[Steve Dennington]

Rats are a bit too cunning for cage traps. I had one in the chicken run and got just one rat in over a month, despite there being plenty of rats (the little b******s were eating all the eggs!). Snap traps in the shed (where the hens have no access) got a few, but they soon wised up to those too.

[Crackoff]

I've had a trap out for a while and only caught two hedge pigs (or one hedge pig twice). Their spines do make it difficult to remove them from the trap!

Not seen the rat for a while though.

I Just shoved that stick up its backside after a bit it soon moved Mr


Grant

Errrrr that remark was in cheek Mr

Grant

[davelumb]

I've had a trap out for a while and only caught two hedge pigs (or one hedge pig twice). Their spines do make it difficult to remove them from the trap!

Not seen the rat for a while though.

I Just shoved that stick up its backside after a bit it soon moved Mr


Grant

Errrrr that remark was in cheek Mr

Grant

I didn't think you meant it literally. But it might have made a good bog brush if you had!

[Mike J]

I have also had a hedgie in a trap, it was not as large as Grants fattie and came out okay. It seemed quite weak so I put it in a box and gave it some of my worms from the wormery, it then went to sleep, the box was left open and walked away a during the night.

Coincidently a young rat appeared on my bird table two days ago, I shot it at 16.30 the next day in a safe place I bait with a clear view from the kitchen.

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[Mattjb]

Rats are a bit too cunning for cage traps. I had one in the chicken run and got just one rat in over a month, despite there being plenty of rats (the little b******s were eating all the eggs!). Snap traps in the shed (where the hens have no access) got a few, but they soon wised up to those too.

We had rats in our chicken/duck pen. I said to the mrs I’ve bought a humane cage trap.She said what are you gonna do with the rat if you catch one? Tip it into a sack and beat the b*****d with a piece of wood I replied. She didn’t think that was very humane for some reason!
As you say the buggers are too clever and I only caught a small one. Snap traps caught a few but poison blocks put where the poultry can’t get them was the only thing that worked.

[Steve Dennington]

Snap traps caught a few but poison blocks put where the poultry can’t get them was the only thing that worked.

I wouldn't dare use poison for fear of my dog getting it as well as the hens. Years ago I'd just shoot them, but rampant development has rendered air rifle usage in the garden too risky

My dog has killed a few though. I've never known a German Shepherd "ratter" before, but she'll marmalise 'em if she gets the chance!

[Crackoff]

Rats are a bit too cunning for cage traps. I had one in the chicken run and got just one rat in over a month, despite there being plenty of rats (the little b******s were eating all the eggs!). Snap traps in the shed (where the hens have no access) got a few, but they soon wised up to those too.

Got to say I don't understand this Steve

If there caught then released yes they would wise up

But if there caught then killed how do they wise up ?????

I'm not having a go just a bit confused

Cheers buddy

Grant

[Steve Dennington]

Got to say I don't understand this Steve

If there caught then released yes they would wise up

But if there caught then killed how do they wise up ?????

I'm not having a go just a bit confused

Cheers buddy

Grant

It happens every time I get the snap traps out. I'll get a full house (4 traps, 4 rats) straight away, then maybe 1 the next day and three unsprung traps and after that nothing at all. No traps sprung and even the freebies (crumbled Krill boilies are my bait of choice) left untouched.
Obviously I'm not suggesting that the dead rats learn not to stick their heads in the traps a second time, but the others seemingly learn from their mistake. When the traps are left untouched I often see rats in the chicken run, so it's not that there simply aren't any more rats, they're just avoiding the traps and refusing the delicious boilies.

[davelumb]

Got to say I don't understand this Steve

If there caught then released yes they would wise up

But if there caught then killed how do they wise up ?????

I'm not having a go just a bit confused

Cheers buddy

Grant

It happens every time I get the snap traps out. I'll get a full house (4 traps, 4 rats) straight away, then maybe 1 the next day and three unsprung traps and after that nothing at all. No traps sprung and even the freebies (crumbled Krill boilies are my bait of choice) left untouched.
Obviously I'm not suggesting that the dead rats learn not to stick their heads in the traps a second time, but the others seemingly learn from their mistake. When the traps are left untouched I often see rats in the chicken run, so it's not that there simply aren't any more rats, they're just avoiding the traps and refusing the delicious boilies.

I've watched rats crawl over dead ones in spring traps. Maybe they work it out that way?

Activ-8 boilies are my bait of choice for Roland.

[Mattjb]

Snap traps caught a few but poison blocks put where the poultry can’t get them was the only thing that worked.

I wouldn't dare use poison for fear of my dog getting it as well as the hens. Years ago I'd just shoot them, but rampant development has rendered air rifle usage in the garden too risky

My dog has killed a few though. I've never known a German Shepherd "ratter" before, but she'll marmalise 'em if she gets the chance!

I put the snap traps in the chicken pen but made some mesh cages with a small opening to put over the top and peg down . That worked to a certain extent though one rat was a clever b*****d. I had it set so the it was just on the pin and the next day it would be 5 mm on the pin so it had lifted it rather than pushed down on it.This happened quite a few nights so I made a reverse pin so if it was lifted it would snap but I still couldn’t catch the swine! Poison sorted it though!

[Mike J]

Snap traps caught a few but poison blocks put where the poultry can’t get them was the only thing that worked.

I wouldn't dare use poison for fear of my dog getting it as well as the hens. Years ago I'd just shoot them, but rampant development has rendered air rifle usage in the garden too risky

My dog has killed a few though. I've never known a German Shepherd "ratter" before, but she'll marmalise 'em if she gets the chance!

My advice is to construct a safe kill zone Steve.
The one I have is foolproof, ultra safe for air rifle use and its very very effective.
The zone is in a corner, it has a back, roof and a hangover all constructed from 1" boards of solid wood on an earth base. At each end is a entry/exit hole. All the internal boards are painted white.
It is in full view of the kitchen window and with the white backboards anything that moves within is instantly noticed.
I leave it unbaited but when a rat is spotted or suspected to be around I bait it with rice grains, rolled oats or similar, anything that means a rat needs to make many visits to the zone. Visitors are permitted to feed freely, only when the settle down are they dealt with.
The rifle is zeroed on the zone, and I use flat head pellets. Mr Walther normally outscores Mr Fenn by +7:1 per year.

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[John Milford]

I've had a trap out for a while and only caught two hedge pigs (or one hedge pig twice). Their spines do make it difficult to remove them from the trap!

Not seen the rat for a while though.

Perhaps it's left for its annual fortnight's holiday on Kev's boat?

[davelumb]

I've had a trap out for a while and only caught two hedge pigs (or one hedge pig twice). Their spines do make it difficult to remove them from the trap!

Not seen the rat for a while though.

Perhaps it's left for its annual fortnight's holiday on Kev's boat?

Or gone to Appleby Horse Fair.

[Crackoff]

I've had a trap out for a while and only caught two hedge pigs (or one hedge pig twice). Their spines do make it difficult to remove them from the trap!

Not seen the rat for a while though.

Perhaps it's left for its annual fortnight's holiday on Kev's boat?

Yep Kev's new boat

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Grant

[Kev Berry]

Snap traps caught a few but poison blocks put where the poultry can’t get them was the only thing that worked.

I wouldn't dare use poison for fear of my dog getting it as well as the hens. Years ago I'd just shoot them, but rampant development has rendered air rifle usage in the garden too risky

My dog has killed a few though. I've never known a German Shepherd "ratter" before, but she'll marmalise 'em if she gets the chance!

My advice is to construct a safe kill zone Steve.
The one I have is foolproof, ultra safe for air rifle use and its very very effective.
The zone is in a corner, it has a back, roof and a hangover all constructed from 1" boards of solid wood on an earth base. At each end is a entry/exit hole. All the internal boards are painted white.
It is in full view of the kitchen window and with the white backboards anything that moves within is instantly noticed.
I leave it unbaited but when a rat is spotted or suspected to be around I bait it with rice grains, rolled oats or similar, anything that means a rat needs to make many visits to the zone. Visitors are permitted to feed freely, only when the settle down are they dealt with.
The rifle is zeroed on the zone, and I use flat head pellets. Mr Walther normally outscores Mr Fenn by +7:1 per year.

.

What the chuff you shooting the rats with Mike ...a Desert Eagle ?

[Mike J]

Snap traps caught a few but poison blocks put where the poultry can’t get them was the only thing that worked.

I wouldn't dare use poison for fear of my dog getting it as well as the hens. Years ago I'd just shoot them, but rampant development has rendered air rifle usage in the garden too risky

My dog has killed a few though. I've never known a German Shepherd "ratter" before, but she'll marmalise 'em if she gets the chance!

My advice is to construct a safe kill zone Steve.
The one I have is foolproof, ultra safe for air rifle use and its very very effective.
The zone is in a corner, it has a back, roof and a hangover all constructed from 1" boards of solid wood on an earth base. At each end is a entry/exit hole. All the internal boards are painted white.
It is in full view of the kitchen window and with the white backboards anything that moves within is instantly noticed.
I leave it unbaited but when a rat is spotted or suspected to be around I bait it with rice grains, rolled oats or similar, anything that means a rat needs to make many visits to the zone. Visitors are permitted to feed freely, only when the settle down are they dealt with.
The rifle is zeroed on the zone, and I use flat head pellets. Mr Walther normally outscores Mr Fenn by +7:1 per year.

.

What the chuff you shooting the rats with Mike ...a Desert Eagle ?

If a round leaves your property you can be prosecuted, hence the belt and braces.
Rifle is a sub 12lbs .177.



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