Not Air Rifle Related But....

[Stuart1985 256]

Evening all

 

Just looking to get some tips from more experienced lovers of the outdoors.

 

Larsen trap set with eggs and nest as seen below

 

http://i1070.photobucket.com/albums/u482/stuart19852/2EC255C9-1ADD-4C04-A0C4-EA060C46760D-1337-000000C506E8DEA5.jpg

 

 

However no joy for the last few weeks, what else could I do?

 

I have tried tin foil etc but nothing, also dog meat (dry) again nothing.

 

Any tips welcome, that's what this forums for I guess

 

Cheers

 

Stu

[jandcguns 65]

The way you have it it is probs the best way have you tried a decoy. Once you have got a live bird in and keep it fed and watered they'll keep poring in the trap

[Alan Holmes 11]

Get a dead lamb from local farm, works a treat this time of year! Then as above keep it alive.

Good luck

[nangell 50]

this is how my mate catches them, bates an area with the trap at the side of it for a few days and when he know there are interested and feeding ,he sets the trap over it,

 

i ve been lucky as he usually gives me a call bird ,which work very well ,i usually have something in with in a day are two,

i move it after a few days to differant areas because they get a bit wise and the cage gets a bit messy ,i also put a perch in the corner of the trap where the call bird is and put a piece of plywood that's big enough the give cover from the weather,bowl of water and food

[Acuspell 329]

Borrow a magpie from someone until you catch your own - then as soons as you move the trap your magpie will be a stranger on the parish - the residents wil be there in an hour to "see him off!" That is you next magpie caught. Keep the stranger as the call bird. Keep swapping them so the one in the trap is always " a stranger on the parish". Swap with the local keeper - he will always be up for a new magpie call bird.

[Probuk 93]

Hi Stu, Im your man on this one fella. I took 168 magpies last year, i also always catch my own first bird with ease

 

Its as simple as this.. Imagen your magpie/Larson trap come magpie feeding station, Firstly forget the crap about putting dead animals on top or inside and the whole egg thing needs forgettin.!!

 

This is how i get my first birds...Put the trap somewhere the magpies are feeding, your back garden will be ok if you have one, I bait the top of the trap with dry cat food for a few days until the birds are feeding confidently. Then after a few days just put the food in the trap..I tie a plastic container leavel to the broken perch..theres no need to put food on top when you've put it in the trap..you want them to go in for the food AND THEY WILL.!!..Magpies are corvids and the same as rooks crows and jackdaws and jays are very intelligent and there exelent at working things out. They WILL go in the trap for the food.. Trust me on this one.!!

 

Once you have that first bird move it to another area, mapies are very territorial and it wont be long before birds from the new location come to investigate, and in turn will go in the trap. This is for two reason's... Attack & food That's what magpies do for survival. They have a very aggresive nature, and this is why there on the defra list. Come the warmer weather they'll be going through the gardens chasing birds out of nests and killing and eating young birds and eating there eggs... when they start this, this is the time to use eggs as bait..but in my experiance its not the easest way to get them in your trap even at that time of the year.

 

Its as easy as that

 

I've had 8 bird in the last few day's....

 

I MUST BE DOING SOMTHING RIGHT

 

Good Luck Stu, and Happy Trapping

 

ATB

 

Marty.

Edited March 3, 2013 by Probuk

[jandcguns 65]

now that sounds like a plan probuk

[The one 8,594]

A few broken egg shells about the trap ,a half rabbit or a mirror might help

[Stuart1985 256]

Probuk thanks

[Probuk 93]

Probuk thanks

Any luck yet Stu.?

[Stuart1985 256]

Nope gonna keep at it

[Probuk 93]

Well my mate has a farm and its got magpies visiting all the time. He has 2 larsons on the go that i suplied the call birds for and hes only had 3 in it since.

 

I've got one trap out and i've had 12 birds upto now and maybe a few more today.

 

Im starting to think that the birds dont like something about some traps.

 

What i've noticed about my trap and my mates trap is the dimensions are different in the depth of them, mine is only 18" deep but his is alot deeper. Im woundering if the birds arnt so confident to drop into such a deep small space. Mine is a full wier trap aswell with no blind spots apart from the weather sheild on top.

 

Im having a new trap built soon by a joiner who is working on my house at the moment and I've asked spicifficaly for it to be only 18"x30"x30" with double entrey trap doors..side & top.

 

I also tie a food container level to the perch that keeps the trap open rather than on the floor of the trap.

 

Maybe small details like these make all the difference

 

Marty

[nangell 50]

Hi Stu, Im your man on this one fella. I took 168 magpies last year, i also always catch my own first bird with ease

 

Its as simple as this.. Imagen your magpie/Larson trap come magpie feeding station, Firstly forget the crap about putting dead animals on top or inside and the whole egg thing needs forgettin.!!

 

This is how i get my first birds...Put the trap somewhere the magpies are feeding, your back garden will be ok if you have one, I bait the top of the trap with dry cat food for a few days until the birds are feeding confidently. Then after a few days just put the food in the trap..I tie a plastic container leavel to the broken perch..theres no need to put food on top when you've put it in the trap..you want them to go in for the food AND THEY WILL.!!..Magpies are corvids and the same as rooks crows and jackdaws and jays are very intelligent and there exelent at working things out. They WILL go in the trap for the food.. Trust me on this one.!!

 

Once you have that first bird move it to another area, mapies are very territorial and it wont be long before birds from the new location come to investigate, and in turn will go in the trap. This is for two reason's... Attack & food That's what magpies do for survival. They have a very aggresive nature, and this is why there on the defra list. Come the warmer weather they'll be going through the gardens chasing birds out of nests and killing and eating young birds and eating there eggs... when they start this, this is the time to use eggs as bait..but in my experiance its not the easest way to get them in your trap even at that time of the year.

 

Its as easy as that

 

I've had 8 bird in the last few day's....

 

I MUST BE DOING SOMTHING RIGHT

 

Good Luck Stu, and Happy Trapping

 

ATB

 

Marty.

 

 

i'am not sure why you say a dead animal wouldn't do ,my mate catches them all the time this way and ive shot more maggies than i can remember over a a dead rabbit or breasted pigeon,

[Probuk 93]

 

Hi Stu, Im your man on this one fella. I took 168 magpies last year, i also always catch my own first bird with ease

 

Its as simple as this.. Imagen your magpie/Larson trap come magpie feeding station, Firstly forget the crap about putting dead animals on top or inside and the whole egg thing needs forgettin.!!

 

This is how i get my first birds...Put the trap somewhere the magpies are feeding, your back garden will be ok if you have one, I bait the top of the trap with dry cat food for a few days until the birds are feeding confidently. Then after a few days just put the food in the trap..I tie a plastic container leavel to the broken perch..theres no need to put food on top when you've put it in the trap..you want them to go in for the food AND THEY WILL.!!..Magpies are corvids and the same as rooks crows and jackdaws and jays are very intelligent and there exelent at working things out. They WILL go in the trap for the food.. Trust me on this one.!!

 

Once you have that first bird move it to another area, mapies are very territorial and it wont be long before birds from the new location come to investigate, and in turn will go in the trap. This is for two reason's... Attack & food That's what magpies do for survival. They have a very aggresive nature, and this is why there on the defra list. Come the warmer weather they'll be going through the gardens chasing birds out of nests and killing and eating young birds and eating there eggs... when they start this, this is the time to use eggs as bait..but in my experiance its not the easest way to get them in your trap even at that time of the year.

 

Its as easy as that

 

I've had 8 bird in the last few day's....

 

I MUST BE DOING SOMTHING RIGHT

 

Good Luck Stu, and Happy Trapping

 

ATB

 

Marty.

 

 

i'am not sure why you say a dead animal wouldn't do ,my mate catches them all the time this way and ive shot more maggies than i can remember over a a dead rabbit or breasted pigeon,

Sorry, dont miss understand what im explaining. Im explaining how i get my first bird in the larson trap. I've always cought my first call bird, however..i've struggeld to get the first one in by useing dead animal's such as a rabbit on top or inside. It never fails me when i use the method i've explained in the above post, and by doing so i always catch the first call bird within days.

 

Once i have the call bird my trap is none stop, 8 in a day is not unusual, if i dont catch i move to another location.

 

When i've cought, i only put a rabbit in for the birds to feed on.

 

If i notice a bird not wanting to enter...i just wait and shoot it with my HW100 when it goes near the trap , so either way there getting it anyway

 

Marty