Author Topic: How to tweak a harbor Freight live trap!  (Read 19445 times)

Offline PTsideshow

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How to tweak a harbor Freight live trap!
« on: June 27, 2012, 02:59:34 PM »
Until Sunday morning wifey thought the family of wood chucks was cute! momma and 2 siblings. I figured a brother and sister.

I came down and brother was chowing down on the ornamental sweet potato vines in the deck planters, after eating his way up the Petunia's in the stair planters! No female wood chuck would loose such a nice home! Running water pond fountain, sunflower seed from the bird feeder, bagels and a nice secure den under the lean to behind the garage!
Well she said they had to go now. I went to Harbor Freight and picked up the large animal cage the one on sale It needed a couple of adjustments, but nothing that seemed to need spending another $50.00 on another import trap. 

The hand protection plate is held on by bent over tabs, which the female unbent trying to get out this morning.

I put some steel framing screws in from the inside out, then hit each point with the angle grinder, so nothing would catch on them.

I couldn't find my block of beeswax so i used this locktite stuff to hold the screws on the bit till they started works great.

Latch trigger that holds the door open my need to be fine tuned a little. Black sharpie mark is the latch finger.

The biggest complaint about these type import cages is the release doors are loose and the animal can get it open or bend it. You can see the black sharpie on the section that i bent so the stake could pass through

I used the ground stake to hold the top of the door against the two sides. Worked like a charm.

Here is the stake in place.

I use a zip tie to hold the bait in the center of the cage floor as the varmints will tip the cage to get the bait out.
My neighbor is the only licensed trapper in the county.  He does muskrat and sells the pellets, his best bait for wood chuck is carrots, bagels and peanut butter for racoons. I can testify that it works for wood chucks I have caught two and mom is still outstanding.

brother the dimwit,

Sis the smart one she tried to bend the handle plate tabs to get out. She did make the handle loose on one side. and would work on the latch finger and spring. While brother would just throw his weight around!

Two wood chucks in less than 30 hours total time of the traps in use. Hope to get mom soon too, Seen a raccoon on Sunday morning that you could saddle and child could ride it. At first I thought that somebody dropped another dog off in the yard. People are such idiots.

If you have an occasional varmint problem I can say the the HF ones are good for the money. I dropped both of the kids off near the river and canal park wooded lot. Wife asked if they could find their way back. I told her I looked both over and I couldn't see a GPS receiver  :clap:  :dremel:
"The internet just a figment, of my imagination!' 
 
 There are only 3 things I can't do!"
Raise the Dead!
        Walk on water!
                 Fix a broken heart!
and I'm working on the first two!
glen

Offline stovebolt

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Re: How to tweak a harbor Freight live trap!
« Reply #1 on: June 27, 2012, 06:46:24 PM »
 So now that you have them it begs the question ....  How much wood can a wood chuck ...................... sorry I couldn't help myself , I'll go to my room now.    I promise not to do it again.


.   

Offline PTsideshow

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Re: How to tweak a harbor Freight live trap!
« Reply #2 on: June 27, 2012, 07:08:57 PM »
One hungry sucker can strip every leaf off the sweet potato vines 3 plants 12"each in under 40 seconds and make one Petunia flower head disappear in under 5 seconds. Don't have neither a fire pit or fireplace so no wood for them to chuck!  :thumbup:
"The internet just a figment, of my imagination!' 
 
 There are only 3 things I can't do!"
Raise the Dead!
        Walk on water!
                 Fix a broken heart!
and I'm working on the first two!
glen

Offline PTsideshow

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Re: How to tweak a harbor Freight live trap!
« Reply #3 on: June 28, 2012, 03:48:17 PM »
I have to make a correction It was Momma not sis that I got yesterday. I got the baby of the bunch this morning. See the lovely mug below.

All 3 were released along the same path to a wood land/canal river area park. I hope they have a nice reunion.
 :clap:  :thumbup:
"The internet just a figment, of my imagination!' 
 
 There are only 3 things I can't do!"
Raise the Dead!
        Walk on water!
                 Fix a broken heart!
and I'm working on the first two!
glen

Offline BiggerHammer

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Re: How to tweak a harbor Freight live trap!
« Reply #4 on: June 28, 2012, 07:31:44 PM »
Bought the same trap myself for the same problem. Have had it sitting around a while. I am single with no flowers or or veggies for them to snack on. I have also been wondering if I could train him/her to chuck up brass and aluminum instead of wood. It would be nice to have an assistant in my little shop area.

P.S. thank you for your post. You have probably saved me some trouble. Not so much the "trapper" type, more the shoot it and if it moves shoot it some more type.

Offline dsquire

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Re: How to tweak a harbor Freight live trap!
« Reply #5 on: June 28, 2012, 09:17:21 PM »
I have to make a correction It was Momma not sis that I got yesterday. I got the baby of the bunch this morning. See the lovely mug below.

All 3 were released along the same path to a wood land/canal river area park. I hope they have a nice reunion.
 :clap:  :thumbup:

Ralph

Very nice post and thanks for doing it the humane way. Mother and the babies probably appreciate it but will have a hard time showing it. We have to remember that the critters were here long before we cut their forest down and claimed it as ours. They are just like us, trying to exist from day to day. For your part Ralph you will earn some good karma for your humane actions.  :D :D


Cheers  :beer:

Don


 
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Never let it rest,
'til your good is better,
and your better best

Offline PTsideshow

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Re: How to tweak a harbor Freight live trap!
« Reply #6 on: June 28, 2012, 10:12:21 PM »
I shoot a few back in the day, when I was in West by God Virginny for a turkey farmer. When the turkey are in the field for the last part of the feed lot operation. The domestic turkey is the stupidest animal breathing. the chucks will chase the turkeys in to the corner of the fence line and they will pile to the top of the fence post killing the ones on the bottom of the pile.
Not to mention eating the feed,  But now if your not going to eat it, why kill it. is the way I look at it now. Only a 5 minute drive round trip to release em in a park area. Besides don't have to listen to the wife complain about killing em for the rest of my life! Since she would forget about them eating the flowers. But never forget if I killed em. :bugeye:
Neighbor is a big time hunter/fisherman. He is the only licensed trap in the county. Sells muskrat pellets. He is always offering fresh game or fish. Have to say no as wifey say's if it don't have a price tag on the package she isn't eating it  :lol:

B Hammer, looked to me to be the same import cage with a fancy brand on it and they wanted $75.95 on sale at the local "real" national hardware store!
Would have had to do the same to that one too.
The other problem is I don't own anything in a smaller caliber long gun. To many neighbors always watching
 :dremel:
"The internet just a figment, of my imagination!' 
 
 There are only 3 things I can't do!"
Raise the Dead!
        Walk on water!
                 Fix a broken heart!
and I'm working on the first two!
glen

Offline roygpa

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Re: How to tweak a harbor Freight live trap!
« Reply #7 on: June 29, 2012, 07:23:44 PM »
Canned tuna works great for raccoons. Mama raccoons growl like a mountain lion when you walk up to them in the trap. Don't ask me what I did first time they happened.  :D

Offline PTsideshow

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Re: How to tweak a harbor Freight live trap!
« Reply #8 on: June 30, 2012, 09:58:55 AM »
Canned tuna works great for raccoons. Mama raccoons growl like a mountain lion when you walk up to them in the trap. Don't ask me what I did first time they happened.  :D
The momma chuck's snap there buck beavers at 90 miles an hour! sounds like a pneumatic chisel in hard wood  :Doh: Thought it was eating way thru the wire cage at first!
 :clap:
"The internet just a figment, of my imagination!' 
 
 There are only 3 things I can't do!"
Raise the Dead!
        Walk on water!
                 Fix a broken heart!
and I'm working on the first two!
glen

Offline BiggerHammer

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Re: How to tweak a harbor Freight live trap!
« Reply #9 on: June 30, 2012, 11:57:26 AM »
To be honest I have not shot an animal in twenty years. However when it comes to varmints my first thought still goes towards the gun collection and which would be best for the job.

I bought the trap because he/she was causing some minor damage around the house. Have not noticed anymore damage so he/she is still roaming free.

Offline PTsideshow

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Re: How to tweak a harbor Freight live trap!
« Reply #10 on: July 11, 2012, 09:04:02 AM »
Continuing adventures of an Urban trapper!  :lol: Raccoon came back the other night, so on advice we tried the bagel and peanut butter first. Well since it I didn't have it tied down, in the morning the cage was still set and the bagel was gone.
So I tried some fresh canned cat food nothing the next morning. I did modify the area were the bait is placed.


I punched two holes in a deviled ham spread can, and wire tied it in the center of the cage so it would have to work a little harder for a meal. My neighbor did say that he forgot to tell me that he spreads some peanut butter, on the paddle so they will be working at licking it off and trip the door!
Well last night I placed the trap with some tuna fish in the bait cup. Since the raccoon seems to come by every other night or so. This morning this is what was in the trap!

I think it's Momma possum, as my neighbor the trapper was saying the other day he had seen her with 7 youngins on her back. The next night the babies were on foot following her. Since this was only a couple days ago I don't think it was one of the babies. If it is I think I should call somebody, and have them check the DuPont paint plant up the tracks! :bugeye:
"The internet just a figment, of my imagination!' 
 
 There are only 3 things I can't do!"
Raise the Dead!
        Walk on water!
                 Fix a broken heart!
and I'm working on the first two!
glen

Offline dsquire

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Re: How to tweak a harbor Freight live trap!
« Reply #11 on: July 11, 2012, 09:12:56 AM »
Ralph

I think your missing a golden opportunity there. You could start up a zoo. You don't even have to go out and purchase the critters.   :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Cheers  :beer:

Don

Good, better, best.
Never let it rest,
'til your good is better,
and your better best

Offline PTsideshow

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Re: How to tweak a harbor Freight live trap!
« Reply #12 on: July 11, 2012, 11:17:42 AM »
No thanks been there done that! When I was in show business I was on the end of a #8 scoop shovel following the bulls in parades. We breed finches,cockatiels and at one time had 52 of them. We only have 3 cats and 5 parrots now, that's enough for me. We have taken to good of care as the parrots are knocking on late teens and early twenties in age.
The back yard looks like a pet cemetery now, with all the assorted pets we have had.
 :thumbup: :clap:
"The internet just a figment, of my imagination!' 
 
 There are only 3 things I can't do!"
Raise the Dead!
        Walk on water!
                 Fix a broken heart!
and I'm working on the first two!
glen

Offline PTsideshow

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Re: How to tweak a harbor Freight live trap!
« Reply #13 on: September 02, 2012, 10:54:47 AM »
Having no luck with putting the travel bug with the very large raccoon in the last couple weeks, I did have better luck with the possums. Last weekend I shoveled one up that didn't make it across the street in front of the house. And this morning I checked the trap and we had a traveler waiting for transport! Which I promptly did so they could find breakfast at the new home. A riverside park in the area.


So no there are only 5 more of the babies that the trapper seen following mom a couple weeks ago and the other parent. Hope it continues with the catching will have to think about re locating the container for food in the trap as the trapper guy says to far away from the trip paddle and they will step over it. closer to they trip and they tend to forget about it. And set it off by accident. I know the raccoon ate the peanut butter off it with out tripping it last week.  :doh:
"The internet just a figment, of my imagination!' 
 
 There are only 3 things I can't do!"
Raise the Dead!
        Walk on water!
                 Fix a broken heart!
and I'm working on the first two!
glen

Offline PTsideshow

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Re: How to tweak a harbor Freight live trap!
« Reply #14 on: September 07, 2012, 09:24:08 AM »

Well another one bought a ticket during the night, and was on the first bus of the morning to the riverside park near town. This one was a nasty sucker I walked up to them earlier in the night clapping hands to get them to move. Not till I was close enough to smack him on the head, with a short handle hammer did they leave. at this rate I may have to carry going out to bring in the kitty food dish at night!  :borg:   4 more of the babies to go now if the raccoon will get the travel bug it will be great as it is really tearing up the garbage bags up and down the street, night before pick up!

The Harbor Freight live trap cage is still working great I have one shot some lube inside the roller on the door release, it is a long shank hollow rivet that they are using as a slip roller. :thumbup:
"The internet just a figment, of my imagination!' 
 
 There are only 3 things I can't do!"
Raise the Dead!
        Walk on water!
                 Fix a broken heart!
and I'm working on the first two!
glen

Offline PTsideshow

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Re: How to tweak a harbor Freight live trap!
« Reply #15 on: September 12, 2012, 08:52:47 AM »
Another one opted for a ride to join their relatives at the park this morning!  :clap:

Getting the number down,  There should be 3 more left from this family if no other met the rubber and road in the neighbor hood! :thumbup:

Wife did decline a possum fur coat, my neighbor the trapper said he would help me skin and tan the hides! I told him thanks but I don't need another hobby  :doh:
"The internet just a figment, of my imagination!' 
 
 There are only 3 things I can't do!"
Raise the Dead!
        Walk on water!
                 Fix a broken heart!
and I'm working on the first two!
glen

Offline PTsideshow

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Re: How to tweak a harbor Freight live trap!
« Reply #16 on: September 17, 2012, 10:45:22 AM »


Seems about every other day, I have one wanting a ride to the park. Trap is out every night and there is one every other morning, smiling back when I check!  :thumbup:
Guess their route is a two day trip, and this morning was garbage pick up day.
Hopefully there are only two more left from this litter/family group.
Raccoon hasn't been back since I brought the .22 LR cbee ammo and rifle home!  :clap:  :clap:
"The internet just a figment, of my imagination!' 
 
 There are only 3 things I can't do!"
Raise the Dead!
        Walk on water!
                 Fix a broken heart!
and I'm working on the first two!
glen