What's done this

[theobenmike 0]

After finishing my larsen catching for a while, as I haven't seen or caught a maggie for a few weeks, I gave my call bird to a mate for his trap and thought I'd bait my empty trap with egg shells and bread to see if I could catch a jay or two. I went to check on the trap this morning (as I do every morning) and both trap doors were triggered, nothing was inside the trap and there was a hole in the wire

 

The hole is egg shaped and measures about 5" x 3"

 

 

 

So what has done this? It's looking like I've caught a bird and before I have got to the trap something else has beat me to it? So what are you thinking fox, badger, mink etc. The wire is only the thin chicken wire stuff and not proper weld mesh - but it still takes a bit of effort to rip it. What do you reckon then

[murraywatt 0]

im guessin that was a billy mate iv seen something like that with a mink, bait it again and put fenns inside the catching chaber but close the doors nail them shut if poss so you cant be accused of illegal stuff if its a mink itl turn up, i wouldnt reccomend a wire just incase it is a black and white get some sand and wet it a bit put it round the cage and see what tracks turn up thats worked for me in the past

[SMOGGY 34]

I'd say someones been fecking round with your traps mate, they are both nicely situated in the bottom corner of your traps and there doesn't seem to be any hair left on the wire, which there would have been if something had sqeezed in and out,

 

had the bait gone or was there many feathers inside or outside cos if something had taken a bird from inside feather would have been everywhere

 

the whole thing justs looks to perfect for my liking, my bets on a anti.

[theobenmike 0]

murraywatt - I think I'll try the sand idea, billy does spring to mind - but is the hole big enough for him

 

SMOGGY - There was only the one hole in one catching compartment, the two photo's are the same just one is a close up. Wouldn't of thought antis as there's too little damage and the trap is in a pretty safe site at the end of my garden. There's a big thorn hedge bordering the fields and the neighbours are sound. Though the lack of feathers does suggest something after the bait and not after a bird

[woodga 170]

a badger would open that mesh as if it wernt there iv seen holes similar where a fox has had a rabbit out of a cage its one or the other deffinately

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

I'm tending to agree with Woodga on this one, now that the shots have fully unloaded. First shot gave a completely differant impression.

 

Yeppers. I initially thought a badger might have just thrust a foot in and scraped out the bread. But looking at the lower shot, and reading the scale? Can't ye just see a fox biting that wire till it makes just enough hole to start forcing it's own body through? Even the shape looks right - which it doesn't for badger. And, as Woodger points out; A Badger would have smashed its way through that wire like it was cob webs.

 

My money's on fox.

[SEAN3513 7]

i'd say fox aswell...................less likely to leave hair.......i think a badger would?

 

sand idea is the answer..............if he comes back??........very likely if it is a fox !!

 

keep us posted mate

 

all the best

 

sean

[scothunter 12,609]

Its the work of a chav mate lol

[woodga 170]

if that hole was kicked in the edges of the wire would be facing inside the trap and the hole wouldnt be so round think about it, that is unless you have round feet

[sidebyside 0]

Fox cub without a doubt, I have seen this three or four times, the little shittes get in after the decoy and knacker the wire when they can't get out. While checking traps a few years ago I could see a cub in one of my Larsens, by the time I got to the trap it had managed to get free, the damage was identical to your picture, not a hair anywhere.

[Nemo 0]

seen this before on 1 of my traps not 100% sure but i thought a billy was the guilty party

[cotn 0]

most definately a pyecost or a brafor seen this before hundreds of times

[Guest little_lloyd]

A pig or billy or badger or stripey or what ever you wish to call them would make that trap short work,, deffenetly not the work of Mr Brock.

[smasher 1,055]

After finishing my larsen catching for a while, as I haven't seen or caught a maggie for a few weeks, I gave my call bird to a mate for his trap and thought I'd bait my empty trap with egg shells and bread to see if I could catch a jay or two. I went to check on the trap this morning (as I do every morning) and both trap doors were triggered, nothing was inside the trap and there was a hole in the wire

 

The hole is egg shaped and measures about 5" x 3"

 

 

 

So what has done this? It's looking like I've caught a bird and before I have got to the trap something else has beat me to it? So what are you thinking fox, badger, mink etc. The wire is only the thin chicken wire stuff and not proper weld mesh - but it still takes a bit of effort to rip it. What do you reckon then

That has all the halmarks of a size 9 boot mate,

[lurcher-lad 2]

I WOULD RECOMEND THICKER MESH AND YOU WONT GET THESE SORT OF PROBLEMS JUST MY OPINON. AND I WOULD SAY ITS HAD A BOOT PUT THROUGH IT.