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No matter how much we like this idea, but every owner of a house or other private property sooner or later faces small mammals which may create inconvenience. Large animals like opossums or squirrels can enter your home and even become a threat to your pet opossums. Most municipal authorities are willing to catch such a large animal if you call them, but you can't always trust your local government to treat the animal humanely. This article will show you how to humanely and with minimal effort capture a small to medium sized animal. You will learn how to prepare a trap, place it properly, and set it up with effective bait.

Steps

    Get ready. Think about what you will do with the animal after the capture. The animal can be safely transported and kept in the Havahar covered cage for several hours while continuing to be fed and watered. However, you must be prepared to transport the animal immediately to the veterinarian at the center. wildlife trapping or releasing it in a new habitat that has food to eat and water (see Warnings section on wild cats). Contact your local animal control agency if you are unsure what to do with an animal after it has been captured. Ask them what to do with an animal that is in your trap. (Generally, wild animals such as squirrels or raccoons are recommended to be relocated to wilderness areas, and wild cats often euthanized.) Make as many phone calls as needed to figure out what to do with the animal after capture. Also, never try to catch the mother animal - this will only guarantee a miserable and painful death for babies.

    Buy a trap. There are many different traps on the market that are safe for the life of the animal to varying degrees. Experts generally note that Havahart models are the most effective for catching animals and are considered the most humane of all. existing traps. They are well-designed, durable and have a blunt grip so that they do not harm the animal. They are also considered cheap and do not require large expenses during operation.

    Set a trap. You are probably wondering where you would like to place your trap - where you have seen animals. Consider the following factors for placing your trap:

    • Patency. Set a trap away from the frequent flow of people. Animals usually have certain places where they visit regularly, and they tend to stay away from people and places they have recently been.
    • Pets. Set the trap away from pets. Leave your pets at home and warn neighbors to keep their pets locked up while you have a trap set nearby. The family cat or dog is also an animal and is more likely to be attracted to the bait in the trap. This trap can slam shut, pinning or injuring the animal, instead of accurately isolating it. Also, while trapped, animals can be harmed by other pets, family cats or dogs.
    • At home. It's not very good idea- put a trap under the house or on the veranda. You may forget about it, or it may be difficult for you to get the animal out of the trap under the house.
    • Water. Often, animals live near water sources such as springs, streams, rivers and lakes. If you're having trouble catching an animal, try looking for a spot near a water source. Look for footprints on soft ground and set traps along those footprints in shade and dark areas.
    • Animal hotspots. Place a trap in places where animals gather. If there are a lot of squirrels in your yard all the time, it will become good place to set up a trap.

  1. Choose the right bait. Peanut butter - a good choice for an unknown mammal. Try some of these bait options if you're trying to catch one of these common pests:

    • Proteins - cereals, grains, nuts (especially peanuts), sunflower seeds, shelled corn, apples mixed with nut butter and oatmeal, popcorn
    • Skunks - canned fish (sardines), crispy bacon, cat food, peanut butter bread crust
    • Raccoons - fresh or canned fish, vegetables in honey or sugar, watermelon, sweet corn, cooked fatty meat, crispy bacon, marshmallows

  2. Set up a trap. Open the valve and fill the plate with a portion of the bait. Follow the instructions that came with your purchase. Keep in mind that for correct setting The trap must be placed on a reasonably level surface.

    Cover the top of the trap with a sheet or towel so that both ends are exposed. This trick will calm the trapped animal, creating a sense of protection from predators, and thus the animal will not make noise and fight, attract the attention of predators or injure itself.

    Try to check the trap as often as possible. It is unreasonable and inhumane to leave an animal in captivity for a long time without proper supervision. Don't leave an animal in a trap - it may not be the right animal, or it may fight despite the cage and hurt itself.

  • You may notice that your bait is bitten (or even that it is not at all), and you have not caught the animal. This is normal, as sometimes pests take the bait and the cage does not work. Apply additional bait as needed and leave the trap open. Animals must adapt to the new environment, and the capture of a rodent can take several days.
  • Make sure you choose the correct size trap. Some animals, such as raccoons, can injure themselves while trapped if they have too much "wiggle room".
  • Animals are very sensitive to human activity. They can smell a person long after you leave the area. Because of this, it is recommended to wear gloves while handling the trap or bait. If the trap has had too much human contact, it is wise to rinse it under water or lower it in smoke for a few minutes.
  • Before releasing wild animals, check if there are any farms in the area. Some species of wild animals attack livestock, and a farmer or rancher will certainly be outraged if you release a fox or coyote near his chicken coop.
  • During transport, cover the cage with a towel or blanket to calm the animal.
  • If you find abandoned kittens but cannot catch the mother cat, you can use one of the healthy kittens as "bait" by carefully placing the kitten at the far end of the trap and closing it there with a small piece of cloth. You must be very careful and place the trap in a shaded area away from home. Do not leave the kitten there for more than two hours. Typically, he will make a distress call for his mother, and she will come running and fall into the kitten's trap. Be extremely careful when catching a cat: remove the cat and kittens to a safe, quiet place until you contact a local organization of volunteers who can accommodate them. However, most of these rescue groups are bombarded with calls for help, and they will be unable to help you. Be prepared to take care of the cats until you find the right owners.
  • If you are having trouble trapping animals, try placing baits not only inside the trap, but also around it. This will help "attract" the animals to that place. Try different combinations of baits and different places, continuing to stubbornly believe in the capture of the beast.
  • You can try to "tire out" the animal before entering the trap. "Fatigue" is, in fact, exhaustion of an animal so strong that it begins to seek more comfortable place for habitation. There are many fairly humane "fatigue" techniques, including noise, ultrasonic signals, and barrier adjustment.
  • If possible, clear the area of ​​food sources. Pet food or other bait left outside can attract unwanted guests such as skunks and raccoons. Also, carefully cover and isolate trash, especially food scraps.

Warnings

  • Do not release cats into a new area without keeping them in your area for a couple of weeks. If you release them in an unfamiliar place, they will try to find their way back to the old place and may get hurt or killed while crossing the streets and encountering predators. It is usually an irresponsible decision to leave the cat just anywhere. Other people will not tolerate stray cats in their area, and as a rule, all cats will be captured and sent to an animal shelter.
  • If you are bitten by an animal, see a doctor "immediately" and bring it with you. The doctor will ask you to examine the animal for any diseases that can be passed to you through the bite.
  • Do not catch an animal that you know is pregnant or nursing small offspring. The capture of the mother will guarantee a long, miserable death for her children.
  • Be careful when transporting or releasing an animal into the wild. Wear thick gloves and heavy clothing in case it tries to bite you.
  • Check with your local fish and wildlife department before laying out any baits.
  • In some states, it is illegal to transport animals. Massachusetts is one of those states. This ban is a measure to prevent the spread of rabies to animals that may be infected. Some states, like Oregon, require a permit to transport an animal.

The dream in which you are caught with bare hands hare, portends that you will become the winner in any competition. Catching one of the pets means that you will defend your point of view in a family dispute.

If in a dream, after much effort, they caught poultry- so ensure your well-being, and if you failed, expect failures in real life. To catch feathered game in a snare - in reality you will be more cunning than your enemies, songbirds - you will easily achieve love, honor and respect.

If in a dream they tried and did not catch waterfowl while hunting, it means that in reality you will waste time on useless deeds or idle conversations.

Catch a huge fish in a dream - to the illness of someone in the family. To catch a lot of small fish - you will be engaged in a hopeless and unprofitable business. If you didn’t catch anything while fishing, this is a nuisance at work.

Seeing frogs caught means that you are not paying enough attention to your own health, which can lead to serious consequences. Trapping a big rat portends deceit from hostile neighbors.

The dream in which you trapped your sworn enemy promises success in any business. If you were caught in a dream by throwing a lasso or net, spend your money by buying gifts for all your relatives. A dream where they tried to catch you, but did not catch up, means that in reality you will avoid persecution and punishment, having fully proved your innocence. Catch a louse - to a disease that you will give too great importance.

Interpretation of dreams from

In addition to classic fishing for pike, perch, crucian, carp or any other fish, many are addicted to at least an interesting activity- catching crayfish. It is no secret that these animals are found in freshwater reservoirs with clean water and appropriate conditions for the arrangement of holes. If you know how and where to catch crayfish, then the next exit to the reservoir will give a good catch.

Habitat and life cycle

Crayfish are particularly demanding when it comes to choosing a habitat. They are not interested in dirty, salty or cloudy water. These animals need the same supply of oxygen as the representatives of the salmon family, and their full life cycle is possible only with oxygen values ​​of 5 mg/l for the warm period.

Ordinary river species reproduce freely in light and dark water, provided that its acidity is neutral and does not exceed pH 6.5. If the reservoir is depleted in lime, then the development of the crustacean organism will slow down significantly. Animals are particularly sensitive to water pollution. Despite the ability to survive in various conditions, a significant part of the population is found in clean rivers.

When choosing a place of residence, crayfish prefer areas with a hard and clean bottom, where there is no silt. Terrain with a muddy bottom, near rocky or sandy shores, these animals are not interested. They "like" shelters with a rocky bottom, where they manage to equip a suitable home.

Crayfish burrows are so cramped that they can hardly fit an adult. Such sizes allow crayfish to displace larger representatives of the species, and also protect them from potential danger.

Cancer spends a significant part of its life at a depth of 50 centimeters to three meters. The most convenient points are often captured by adults with impressive body size. Young growth occupies coastal areas with shallow depth, arranging shelters near the coastline.

Given the lifestyle of the animal, it can be called a real hermit. They are uncharacteristic of a family lifestyle, so each representative of the species tries to create its own shelter, not letting close relatives go there. During the day, the crayfish does not come out of its hiding place, preventing other individuals from entering its hole and closing it with its claws. He goes to feed late at night or at dusk. Moreover, if the weather is cloudy, the exit from the dwelling may shift to noon.

Fishing methods

Since ancient times, crayfish have been caught by the most different ways. By the way, there are historical facts, which confirm the capture of these animals in antiquity. Until the Middle Ages, they were of great value and were used in medicinal purposes. It is known that they were burned, and the resulting ashes were used to treat wounds from the bites of a rabid dog, snakes or scorpions. Boiled animals were also eaten, for example, to combat exhaustion.

There is evidence in the historical literature that in Sweden at the royal court already in the 16th century crayfish were considered a special find for culinary purposes. The taste of the meat was highly appreciated by the nobles from Finland and others. European countries. Representatives of the rural population did not use the "armored beast" for food, but sold it for a minimal fee to noble citizens.

Currently, the inhabitants of Finland are engaged in catching crayfish from July 21 until the end of October. Already in the middle of autumn, the chances of catching trophy specimens are sharply reduced, and late autumn they are absent altogether. In addition, according to local laws, a ban on fishing begins in October.

In turn, the beginning of the season is a good opportunity to get decent crayfish from the water depths. At the same time, the success of such a lesson directly depends on the temperature conditions and the methods used. For example, if the end of May and the beginning of summer are accompanied by warm weather, the water warms up to a comfortable temperature, and the food supply becomes extensive, the animals can be especially active. Also at this time, many males and females are already molting, which increases the chances of a good catch.

Probability of catching crayfish in cold weather summer time is reduced, because insufficient temperature slows down the natural process of molting.

Using a crayfish

For centuries, several basic methods have been used to catch crayfish. Among them:

  1. Hand fishing.
  2. Fishing with bottom gear.
  3. Crayfish fishing.

The latter method is considered the most popular, because it is characterized by a minimum of effort on the part of the catcher and good results regardless of the time of year or weather conditions.

The design of such gear is very simple: it includes a strong frame made of wire covered with a metal mesh, to which a reliable rope is tied. In the basic configuration, the upper part is slightly narrower than the lower part, and as a result, the crayfish cannot get out of the trap and remain there until a person arrives. It is not difficult to make a good crayfish with your own hands, although most people prefer buying store-bought products.

As for the principle of operation, it is also very simple and understandable even for a beginner. The animal climbs inside the trap, trying to try the bait that is there. Once in such a structure, he can no longer climb back out. If the selected reservoir contains large population crayfish, then the chances of a decent catch will increase significantly. Based on such features, the crayfish can become a very promising tool for catching “armored creatures”.

The right time to "hunt"

In the cold season from mid-autumn to the end of the winter period, these animals do not leave their burrows and remain passive. It is not advisable to go fishing for crayfish at this time.

In March or April, a serious catch should not be expected either, because the animals are just beginning to wake up seasonally from hibernation. In May and June fishing does not bring good results, because the "armored" creatures begin to shed and get rid of the old shell, as well as spawn.

In July, a full-fledged fishing season begins, when the results can be very good. After shedding the old shell, the cancer remains active for a long time. Now his main task is to find a source of food, so with the right approach to choosing a bait, the result of fishing can exceed all expectations.

Baits and Lures

The biological description of the animal mentions its predilection for clean, flowing water bodies with an abundance of places for arranging shelters. To understand where to catch crayfish, you need to pay attention to the main features of their behavior and life cycle. Animal is currently widespread in the following places:

  1. Ponds.
  2. Clear lakes.
  3. Calm rivers.

Equipping shelters, crayfish prefer areas with a rocky bottom, where it is possible to reliably hide from possible dangers. The main share of the crustacean diet is occupied by food of animal origin, or rather, dead carrion. The smell of such prey attracts him in a special way. At the same time, the opinion that cancer feeds on decomposed fish or animals is erroneous. He will try to find fresher food.

But in order to arouse the animal's interest in the bait and provoke it to swim into the traps, it is necessary to slightly incise the carcass of the fish and rub the walls of the metal structure with it. As a result, this will give the latter a special smell and attract crayfish from a long distance. Often the bait is flavored with Borodino bread with garlic. The last ingredient is of incredible interest to creatures.

As bait to be placed in the trap, you can use:

  1. Fish meat.
  2. Animal meat.
  3. Frog.
  4. Insects.

As for the freshness of the bait, many people disagree on this issue. Someone argues that rotten-smelling foods attract crayfish better than fresh ones, while someone takes a completely opposite position.

In any case, there is no definite answer, because everything depends on the preferences of prey in a particular reservoir at a certain time of the year. If the food base of crayfish is extensive, then they are unlikely to react to rotten meat. If the diet is limited, then the animals will not be particularly picky.

A good bait can be a mollusk that lives in a local reservoir.

Seasonal features of luring

Depending on the time of year, the baits used should differ from each other. For example, in the spring, fish meat is well suited, or rather, fresh fillet or a small fish that is cut in several places and emits a special smell. An excellent bait will be ordinary crucian carp, gobies or other small fish. You can catch it with your own hands or buy it frozen. Before applying the bait, it must be brought to the appropriate state until the aroma appears.

In summer, it is difficult to attract crayfish with anything, because during this period the range of food is so diverse that animals begin to fatten. In order to increase the chances of a decent catch, animal or poultry meat, offal, and any other ingredients with an intense smell should be used as bait. The purchased product is pre-aged for some time under the scorching sun.

For capture a large number crayfish do not have to put a lot of fish in the cage. 1-2 small individuals will be quite enough, because the goal is not to feed the crayfish, but to lure them to the smell of food.

At the same time, in addition to carrion, any living creature living in the reservoir is also used. It can be snails, small frogs and other creatures.

After choosing the right bait, it must be properly prepared and presented. Otherwise, the expected effect will remain in dreams. If the cut option is used dead fry, then it must also be cleaned of offal with an air bubble and scales. Such actions significantly increase the chances of productive crayfish fishing.

When using meat products from the offal set, you do not need to cut them, because a specific smell is present initially. To avoid premature eating of the ingredients used, it is better to wrap them with gauze or a rag.

As for the suitable type of crayfish, you can choose any of two types:

  1. Open. They are considered the simplest designs that are easily made from improvised means. Even a beginner can create an open shell without spending a lot of time on it. It consists of a round or square frame and a metal mesh, reminiscent of a colander.
  2. Closed. Such traps are effective in a wide variety of conditions, but the manufacturing process takes much longer than in the previous case.

Catching crayfish on crayfish is really interesting. But the process will bring the expected success only if important subtleties, rules and recommendations are taken into account even before entering the reservoir.

Weasel - small predatory animal known for his cunning and dexterity. Despite the fact that the animal seems very cute, it is quite bloodthirsty and is capable of causing devastating damage to the house. So, what to do if the beast wound up in your house, how to catch affection?

How to catch weasel - a small predatory animal?

Do-it-yourself pet trap

First you need to choose the right bait for catching the animal. This will become part of the answer to the question of how to catch weasel - baits for weasel can be very diverse, the main thing is that this is what the animal eats, meat, poultry, eggs, sausages are suitable, sometimes it turns out to catch weasel for food for pets.

When you decide on the bait, you can start making a trap for the animal. The simplest live trap - put a bucket or box on a support, attach the bait to the support. Weasel will run for a treat, touch the plank and be locked inside the container.

A more complex version of this trap is as follows: cut the neck plastic bottle so that it does not narrow and a cylinder is obtained. Put the bait at the bottom of the bottle, place the bottle on a chair so that the end with the bait hangs above the floor, and place a bucket or box at the bottom near the chair. Install the bucket lid so that it slams shut with movement.

The animal will make its way for the bait, the structure will collapse, and it will fall into the bucket. original but effective way catching weasels - dig a piece of pipe, a cut bottle or any other cylindrical object into the ground, put bait and something soft on the bottom so that the animal cannot push off to jump.

Fishing with special equipment

Another way to catch an animal is a trap. Choose a frame trap, as it is designed to catch small animals, but do not be surprised if the animal manages to get out by chewing through the canvas of the trap. Therefore, it is best to also place a box on a support on top of the trap, which will block the beast from all exits to retreat, even if it gets out of the trap.

If you want to use a mousetrap, then take a large trap designed for catching rats, as a small weasel will easily wriggle out. A piece of raw meat will serve as bait in a mousetrap.