Another successful catch, this time a young ferret in a DOC 200 trap.

Stoats, weasels, ferrets, hedgehogs and rats have a significant impact on all of our wildlife, and when successful predator control is undertaken the increase in birdlife particularly can be quite amazing.

Several years ago the Department of Conservation commissioned the development of a series of traps designed to target all of the aforementioned nasties, with a requirement that the resulting traps were user friendly, cost efficient and ethically approved by the National Animal Welfare Council.

 Following several years of development and trial the DOC series predator kill-traps were released in three sizes – 150, 200 and the big 250 (to target ferrets). They have all now become the mainstay of species protection throughout NZ.

The project brief was well and truly met with these traps and the result is an affordable, effective and incredibly easy to use trap. 

I regularly use both the 150 and 200 but only ever bring out the big 250 specifically for ferret work as they really are overkill on the smaller species.

All DOC series traps come housed in robust timber tunnels and are baffled with mesh to keep out non-target species and pets.

• Trap spacing: All predators tend to have incredibly large home ranges (40-256ha). As a good starting point place traps 200m apart.  On properties up to 10 acres 1-3 traps is often all that is required to catch predators passing through.

• Trap Placement: Set traps on well-defined linear edges, ridge tops, pasture/forest margins, natural intersection features and along waterways. Trapping these features tends to catch more predators and makes traps easier to service.

• Baits: Many types of bait are used for predator trapping including rabbit, hare, possum, salted rabbit, freeze dried rabbit and fresh hens’ eggs.  The choice of bait depends on availability and how long it will last in relation to your trap-checking regime  but a really effective combination is a hen’s egg and a piece of rabbit.

It’s always a good idea to rub a piece of fresh rabbit on natural features leading to the trap, on the trap itself and then inside and replenish this weekly for good results.

It must be noted that even an un-baited trap tunnel can catch predators if its positioning is just right.

For more information on traps go to www.doc.govt.nz

Last month I wrote about broadcasting rabbit poison, I have since learnt that you can no longer do this without a controlled substance licence, many apologies.

For information on how to obtain a controlled substance licence go to www.ermanz.govt.nz

Please help us to provide the advice you require by sending all pest animal questions to info@coastalpestsolutions.co.nz