Just when you think you know what you are doing.

[markc]

I have been trapping hogs on the same piece of property for over 5 years now and have trapped around 50 to this point.  I have had to repair the trap a number of times due to damage done by large pigs.  


Yesterday as I arrived at the trap, I saw a large sow and 6 good sized (read good size for the smoker) shoats in there.  

I took my time walking down there intent on snapping some photo's.   My wife and I had repaired the damage done by the last two alrge hogs, or so I thought.  Before I knew it, the big sow and all the shoats except one went through the trap side like cheese through a grader.  I dropped my camera and tried to get around to shoot em, and only got one 30 # smoker shoat.   I looked that trap over and over and if I hadn't seen it for myself, I would swear that no pig over 50# could squeeze out  via the repaired section.  

Soooooo, Friday afternoon the trap gets new ,ower panels which will keep in even the smallest piglets.  
markc

[shb]

what is your procedure for getting them in the trap. Do you bait 2 or 3 times before you actually set it? I have always wanted to ask an experienced hog trapper what their advice is on the best way to do it.
 too bad all your pork chops got away. But now you get to try and catch them again. That will be fun.

[markc]

Well what I do is this.  My trap is a large round setup made from 6 14' long and 4 1/2 ft tall range panels.  They over lap a bit to make the trap 5' tall.  I have a guillitine type gate which is held open by a trip mechanism.   Then there is a trip wire which runs from the trip mechanism across the trap to the bottom of one of the panels directly across from the gate.  I have an auto feeder (55 gallon barrell on pipe legs) which spins corn for 2 seconds twice a day.  

I have chicken wire around the feeder causing the majority, but not all of the corn to drop directly beneath the feeder.  That way the pigs will eventually trip the wire while eating the corn.

Sorry I don't have a digital pic's of the set-up,  but will try to get my son to take some and then post them.   have trapped alot of hogs this way.

I usually lock the trap open only for a week or two, and sometimes I immediately re-set it after a catch.  Once you have hogs in there and they somehow get out, you will not likely ever catch them again.  Hogs become trap smart and will eat corn right up to the door,  but not re-enter.  But there are plenty of hogs in the woods and I will catch a different batch soon enough.  I came away with one pig for the smoker this time atleast.
markc

[shb]

Hey that's a good idea, all the traps I have seen were baited by hand. I assume that you put the legs of the feeder on the outside of the trap. Or do they bother it much.

[markc]

No the feeder is completely inside the trap and the legs are staked down to keep the hog from knocking it over.  So you can imagine that the trap is a big circle, big enough to surround the entire feeder.     Some day I will learn to post pictures.  If you bait by hand, you have to visit the trap more often and right there, which can leave your scent very fresh at the trap site.  Some pigs are more fearful than others and will stay away from a strong , fresh human scent.  With the auto feeder, you fill the feeder and it can last over a month depending on feed  times and durations.  You can check the trap from a distance so as to not have your scent fresh at the trap site.   Works for me pretty good.
markc