Am I going wrong?

[Suffolkpest 56]

I've started trapping (trying to) rabbits with fenns.

I'm placing them in rabbit holes, ones which look like they've had activity recently.

I'm scraping out a little depression about the size of the trap, covering the plate with grease proof paper (best I can do at moment) and then covering everything over with loose soil and sand from spoil.

I've got seven traps out, checking them daily since last Friday. I've caught two, one young'un which was caught round the guts and still alive when I got to it; then the other was caught by the head (in photo). I've also had three traps triggered but only had a bit of fur in the trap.

What am I doing wrong/could do better? Or is this to be expected?

 

Thanks in advance

[Suffolkpest 56]

Before covering with soil and then as I'm leaving them. This one is at the base of a tree and covered by branches - it's not as open as it looks in photos.

Edited February 25, 2021 by Suffolkpest

[Daniel cain 45,146]

I've never used a fenn to trap rabbits, just rats and mink etc inside a box... Maybe if you set them further/deeper back in the entrance... So it jams the rabbit up against the roof of the tunnel??? So it has a good hold and doesn't allow the rabbit to just  jump over it??? 

[EDDIE B 3,162]

All the decent rabbit traps have been banned recently 

[Suffolkpest 56]

1 hour ago, W. Katchum said:

Yip maybe it’s too tall am throwing rabbits off or even too wide, try using small sticks to guide rabbit in to the kill zone, fens ain’t the best for rabbits tho no matter who says what

Thanks for the reply, I can now see how the fenns might be knocking the rabbits up and out of the trap. Not sure how to deal with this problem if the holes are too tall?

What traps would you recommend instead of fenns?

[micky 3,325]

Your trap should fit snug in the hole with 15 mill   space  all round it [sides and top ]

The trap shoud be bedded down firmly so it does not     MOVE

The trap should not be set  lower than the orginal run 

Cover with Peat  [i used to use my old Tomato grow bags ]

Check the backof the trap will hit the roof of the tube the same time that the front does 

I see there is not a Pin on your trap .... if that is the case  something will soon f**k off with your next catch . The Fenn is a crap trap and i would not use them again as they only realy work well in a BOX  that has been customed made for it 

[Suffolkpest 56]

1 hour ago, Daniel cain said:

I've never used a fenn to trap rabbits, just rats and mink etc inside a box... Maybe if you set them further/deeper back in the entrance... So it jams the rabbit up against the roof of the tunnel??? So it has a good hold and doesn't allow the rabbit to just  jump over it??? 

Most of the fenns I set were quite far down the holes (the photos I've posted aren't a good representation of the majority). The holes I've trapped were the most used and I guess biggest for that reason. Should I be selecting holes based on suitability for trapping rather than how recently they've been used (and backfill the in use ones)?

[Suffolkpest 56]

3 minutes ago, micky said:

Your trap should fit snug in the hole with 15 mill   space  all round it [sides and top ]

The trap shoud be bedded down firmly so it does not     MOVE

The trap should not be set  lower than the orginal run 

Cover with Peat  [i used to use my old Tomato grow bags ]

Check the backof the trap will hit the roof of the tube the same time that the front does 

I see there is not a Pin on your trap .... if that is the case  something will soon f**k off with your next catch . The Fenn is a crap trap and i would not use them again as they only realy work well in a BOX  that has been customed made for it 

Thanks Micky, I like the grow bag suggestion.

So rather than dig a hole to set the trap so it's level with the run, I should try building it up to narrow the gap between the trap when closed and the roof of the tunnel?

I'm not using pins, instead I've tried 100lb fishing line on to the chain and clipped it to fence or wrapped around nearby tree.

[micky 3,325]

[Elchapo 3,166]

1 hour ago, Suffolkpest said:

Thanks Micky, I like the grow bag suggestion.

So rather than dig a hole to set the trap so it's level with the run, I should try building it up to narrow the gap between the trap when closed and the roof of the tunnel?

I'm not using pins, instead I've tried 100lb fishing line on to the chain and clipped it to fence or wrapped around nearby tree.

Micky is the man for trapping , I try look through his old post and pinch his ideas lol as he says don’t set a trap lower than the original run , a rabbit won’t want to drop down in a run but doesn’t mind stepping / jumping up , find holes suitable but if none the holes suitable are holding then there’s nothing to catch so try putting bit soil in the run to bed the trap on so it doesn’t move about but is close enough  to the top  to not chuck the rabbit out , bit of soft top soil sprinkled over ( or little gardening sieve) 

the fishing  line won’t stop a fox or badger from chewing through it ,better of with thin wire from bnq 

[DIDO.1 22,638]

Do these rabbits really need catching? Is it a nessssary pest control job? If so find a way to control them that's more effective. Ferret em, snare em, shoot em. If you are doing it just for the interest in trapping then buy a couple of bodygrips. They will make you think more and improve you skills as a trapper....and any rabbit that does trip your trap will die quicker than fecking fenns. 

There's always a better option than a fenn

[The one 8,467]

As said the tunnels too big the fen catches after its sprung by scrapping the catch off the tunnel roof easiest explanation , pick a better sized tunnel for your traps and block the bigger ones , Forcing the rabbits to use your tunnels 

[Staffy1 54]

I found caught more rabbits going through fence lines or hedges, put a wire tunnel over run and let rabbits get used to going through them for a week or two. then set fenn. caught quite a few that way. Either that or use cage traps. If rabbits are a nuisance then pest control a must .If your just getting a few for the pot then decent air rifle and some time waiting for them to appear

[Suffolkpest 56]

8 hours ago, Staffy1 said:

I found caught more rabbits going through fence lines or hedges, put a wire tunnel over run and let rabbits get used to going through them for a week or two. then set fenn. caught quite a few that way. Either that or use cage traps. If rabbits are a nuisance then pest control a must .If your just getting a few for the pot then decent air rifle and some time waiting for them to appear

Thanks, I'm on to that, I've put some old slate tiles over runs under fence.

How big does a 'tunnel' need to be (legally)?

[EDDIE B 3,162]

2 hours ago, Suffolkpest said:

Thanks, I'm on to that, I've put some old slate tiles over runs under fence.

How big does a 'tunnel' need to be (legally)?

Keep the tunnels the proper dimentions to suit the trap. This is important, and to not take this into account, may result in foul catches, and/or misses.