If you can get near it at all, might I suggest a fairy liquid bottle with water and mustard mixed, squirt the pest. The smell is off putting to them and when they lick their fur...they won't come back.
The cage is a good method , a cat will enter a box or cage very easily.
Glamour, can you post a pic of your traps, if they are similar to mine they have both a hook and a standup treadle, when the rat/squirrel stand with front feet on treadle to pull the hook, the trap goes off anyway.
H
You can read the pinned topics at the top of this board written by Snareman, in it he tells you how to make breakaway snares which will allow unwanted quarry to escape but retain the rabbits.
Read them all, they are very informative.
Does anyone use a monarch or similar trap on a regular basis, and how much success have you had?
It seems to me that it could not attract or hold more than 3 or 4 rats maximum.
Any thoughts?
I'll be doing the same this winter. I have a much larger pole for the snares and have some body grips in my armoury now too. I will be baiting up with maize, peanuts and hazelnuts.