The Future, Where Do We Stand As Trappers?

[Outlaw Pete 2,224]

One of the problems is that we are no longer the great manufacturing country we once were. Even if someone came up with a good idea, it would end up being made in the far east. And so crap.

 

 

And there it is.

 

/Thread

[OldTrapCollector 377]

someone needs to develop a new all singing all dancing trap that will do the job efficiently and humanely

 

This is a critical point in this discussion, as well as a costing issue.

 

Despite hundreds of thousands of pounds and countless man hours in development and testing new designs very little has moved forward in the past 50 years. But then, not much moved on before that either, if you look back in history. Catching animals in traps is an emotive issue, and it will continue to be in the future, and this affects the task of development and use too.

 

One thing is certain - one type of trap will not be able to do the job in every situation, it is just not possible. But, it would be good to build on the designs that we do have to make them more efficient, and concentrate effort into a handful of proven traps rather than a load of subtly different versions of nothing much in particular, that work perfectly well in the designers workshop but are total impracticable for sustained in use in the field.

 

Who will design (or adapt) a properly humane and successful trap to use in the future? The opportunity is there for anyone who wishes to take it on

 

OTC

[heritage 202]

I don't think anyone will take it on otc as it simply wouldn't be worth the investment,the pest controllers have a vast array of poisons and gasses available to them now & the rabbit catchers have drop boxes & night vision...., both are potentially cheaper & also far less time consuming.....,in my opinion if you want to introduce a "new" trap to the British market it would be cheaper & easier to look abroad for a suitable model that's already in production..the mb450 for example...., this would take the trapping / fox control scene by storm if the powers that be recognised its potential.

[micky 3,325]

can anyone hazard a guess on how many rabbits ETC are caught in traps in the UK annually, i recall reading that before the Gin trap was banned they were catching 250000 animals a night [pre mixi] during the accepted season.

[moxy 617]

Some valid points there heritage. But although drop boxes, night vision and poisons are available for use, they don't make up the complete "kit" if you like.

There are always going to be instances where traps are the only viable option. And a much preferred method of control for some.

 

Trapping needs to be thrown into the spotlight and promoted for these reasons, otherwise in this country we will sadly loose it. As with most things it's a generational thing. More so with mine and younger generations. If gasses and poisons are seen as the future, then that's what it will become. Traditions lost.

IMO

[heritage 202]

You are exactly right moxy in what you say about a trap being an essential part of the kit but my real point was that its just not needed now as much as it once was. The modern day pest controller / rabbit catcher has a lot more alternatives than our predecessors and the humble trap & snare simply aren't utilised as much now, had there been fewer alternatives then there would be more trap users and more people willing to fight for the right to keep them..., with the trap now taking a back seat I just don't see there being a market for a new trap and unfortunately there just isn't enough interest to prevent the old skills being lost..a forum poll would be nice, just to get an idea of how many forum members trap regularly., I'd bet it would only be 5% or so......Atb

[Matt 160]

Wow, now this is turning into an interesting topic.

 

Heritage, I agree with most of what you say, except the bit about pest controllers etc not needing traps because of the chemical alternatives.

 

In the 25 years I've been in pest control, we've seen the number of products we can use for rats fall to just a few. Even where you can choose the chemical solution, it's now so tightly regulated that it becomes expensive. Added to that, we now have increasing resistance to second generation anti-coagulants (SGARs) which effectively precludes the use of them over an increasingly large part of the country.

 

One estate I look after has what's known as L120Q resistance. That means that any product you can legally use outdoors is ineffective and it's use actually makes the problem worse. For the last four years I've had to get control of the rat problems without using rodenticides. That means trapping and snaring a lot of the time.

 

The use of traps is likely to increase from now on, especially with the new label restrictions meaning that you can't bait unless it's around a building. What's going to happen on game crops, landfill sites etc? Trapping most likely.

 

Then you look at rabbits. Not many years ago, there were only pockets of rabbits left after myxi. Now they are more widespread, and recovering from it. Drop boxes have been around for over a hundred years, but they are no use when dealing with burrows.

 

In a couple of days I've got to clear some rabbits out of a hedge next to a poultry unit. The rabbits aren't really a problem, but their burrows provide harbourage for rats, so they have to go. I'll be using Imbras mainly, but I'd really like a good british alternative.

 

Mole trapping is having a resurgance since the demise of Strychinine. Gassing is ineffective, and with yet more new restrictions coming in with the RAMPS regs even the big nationals like Rentathrill are using traps more and more. What well made british traps do we have? Very few, and those we do have are flawed.

 

I actually think it's the post war generation that are more likely to reach for the chemical solution first. They were brought into a 'brave new world' where chemists came up with quick, clean solutions to their problems. I'm glad to say that these days things are thought through a little bit more.

 

So where are we now, and where will we be in ten years?

 

I suspect, somewhere very similar to where we are now, but more closely monitored and restricted.

[hutch6 550]

The main benefits to a trapper or the most valid points to get across is that chemical solutions are either indescriminate or the traget species build up a resistance?tolerance as MTR has mentioned.

 

Gas isn't a direct form of execution it can be carried all over and be inhaled by anything within the vicinity. Something only has to take an interest in a solid bait poison and it's ill or dies.

 

Myxi and VHD were never tested just slung out and fingers were crossed, luckily it doesn't touch anything esle but there were no formal tests on livestock, domestic animals, other wild species or humans. Now there is a resistance culture within rabbits building so it won;t be long until neith of those works to a high enough percentage to totally wipe out the species and what is left adds another building block of resistance.

Rats are getting a free meal now rather than being poisoned.

Look at what is happening on the human front with the world heath authorities wrorreid that the first generation anti-biotics are almost obsolete as they have zero effect and the second generation will be redundant in a few years if docs keep handing them out like penny sweets.

 

A trap is a wonderful thing and only since having a dabble have I realised this.

 

First off, anyone that is doubtful a trap they are going to use can carryout a fast and effective (humane) death to the animal should not be using that trap. You are not pitting your own bare skills against the animal as ther animal would more than likely win unless you invested an incredible amount of time and effort so pay the animal some respect and provide with the fastest dispatch you can regardless of target species.

Secondly a trap can be covered, placed out of reach, a different model can be used if another would cause a risk to anyone or anything other than the target species.

Thirdly, yes, there may be times when you get a casualty in the form of another species other then the one you were targeting but that is just one or two not tens or hundreds if poison or gas is used. If another species feeds on a poisoned victim then the chances are that that too may fall vistim and the next that prays on that untilthe poison levels are diluted enough to no longer have any adverse effect. Gas will just wipe everything out with lungs that gets in the way of it hence why it has been used in conflict so readily.

 

So no lingering painful death, safety is easily achieved and risk is greatly reduced or elliminated and only the target species is controlled with one or two accidents.

 

In my mind and I am sure any person with a conscience who wants a pest dealing wants just that pest eliminating without pain and suffering and without risk to other species, the only things that can do that are well manufactured traps.

 

My 2p for you there.

[The one 8,476]

The problem is we as a nation are weak we take everything flung at us and just get on with it , When i asked why S.A.C.S. where running the snaring courses and no fighting it i was told it was about money . you know the British public abroad there the ones in a queue while all the other country's are fighting tooth and nail for there right to hunt shoot etc we are seeing ours being taking from us . ive seen big changes from when i was a youngster doing what i did in the countryside things i doubt my son will ever see or be able to do . The goverment want our countryside as a playground for city slickers

[logun 91]

there are some people out there who capable to produce new traps i'm sure..traps that suit the uk pests better than the imports that we see readily available.... cost of manufacture aint a problem ,,its the funding needed to get the ideas off the drawing board to start with.. im sure a trap can be made and produced here at a far lower cost than say the tube or doc trap....

[Phil Lloyd 10,738]

Disregarding the emotive issues and arguments, for and against, the various humane spring traps that are currently available,....the facts are,...there is not enough money involved, in traps to warrant any canny entrepreneur investing his hard earned vonga, in such a project.

 

I no longer control public health pests, rats,.mice, feral pigeons,.etc....and today,.my target species are rabbits and moles...and unfortunately,... where rabbits exist in massive quantities,.Dales, Fells, moorland, etc,...the owners are not willing to endlessly pay out large amounts of cash to get them killed...In such areas,..there are scores of good, handy lads that are obviously prepared to travel the length and breadth of the UK ,. and to spend hours on end, day and night,..catching up the feckers, for FREE....

 

Where you have teams of men who require payment for their labours,...the situation changes abruptly..

 

Then,.the traps often come into play and one frequently has to set a few dozen Imbra, Fenn or Body grippers on a nice quiet,..safe, location,..and damn handy they are to,.but,.realisticly,..there is not enough folk needing such tools, to encourage a return to the great days of rabbit trapping,...with the often cruel,..but undeniably efficient Gin....

 

As a student of the subject, folk such as OTC will attest,...when the Gin was banned,...there was a plethora of weird and wonderful ideas, contraptions and crazy inventions, put forward to MAFF by engineers, designers,..etc,...

I have seen folders choc-full of amazing creations,...and after much deliberation,..we ended up with the prototype Fenn...

 

As to whether such a thing will ever occur again,.only time will tell.

 

All the best, and good trapping to you all...regards, Chalkwarren...

 

..

[micky 3,325]

the biggest problem for me when trapping rabbits is badgers, here in Leics you cannot have one without the other, the old time rabbit catchers never had this problem to the extent we have it now,trapping rabbits is my hobby and I enjoy it , though I often think :what those old time trappers would have given for a silenced 22 and quad bike.

[FENN 24]

This is one of the best discussions i have read on here in a good while .my own view is traps will always have a place in pest control .I hope anyway !!

[snakey 4]

I personally believe that if anyone thinks that chemicals and poisons are the way forward then we as trappers have no future ( yes chemicals and poisons play their part in certain circumstances ) to look forward to. We have got to advertise ourselves as the MODERN Trapper in a humane and qualified way.

If we keep on accepting the indefensible then there is no point

You are exactly right moxy in what you say about a trap being an essential part of the kit but my real point was that its just not needed now as much as it once was. The modern day pest controller / rabbit catcher has a lot more alternatives than our predecessors and the humble trap & snare simply aren't utilised as much now, had there been fewer alternatives then there would be more trap users and more people willing to fight for the right to keep them..., with the trap now taking a back seat I just don't see there being a market for a new trap and unfortunately there just isn't enough interest to prevent the old skills being lost..a forum poll would be nice, just to get an idea of how many forum members trap regularly., I'd bet it would only be 5% or so......Atb

[heritage 202]

This discussion has turned out to be an interesting one and there's been some valid points raised......but, the one thing I notice is a large percentage of the replies seem to be coming from pest controllers..., not a knock by any means but we don't seem to have as many non "pestie" trap users as I thought we may have had..,anyone that knows me will tell you i put a huge amount of time and effort into my traps & trapping as its something I really enjoy but I have to be honest here, in almost 20 years I've only come to know a couple of dozen others who are also into trapping and the majority of those have only been over the last 6 months or so.., im talking about keen trappers here though, not someone who owns 2 snares & a fenn.......so as much as it saddens me to say I'm convinced trapping is no where near as popular as it once was....