[flintknapper]

Cuerno Largo wrote:

BTW flint. Did you make your trap door?

No, I found mine at our local feed-store. It had every feature I wanted and was built to take punishment. So rather than break out the welder...I just bought it.

It is made by "BossHawg". I was able to get this one for $270.00 so it was a no-brainer. http://www.bosshawgtraps.com/

I have seen several designs and I am about to make my own for a large pen like yours.

Large pen is the way to go. Hogs are much more comfortable going into it.

I don't know if I want to go with a guillotine type trap door or a slant type that others can push in once several are trapped.

I used a guillotine door for many years with good success. "One Way" doors of various design....are a neat concept, but my experience has been that rarely do hogs continue to "root through" the door.

If you have a sow "in heat" inside the trap and a boar outside, yeah...he might go in also, but my game-cam pics show that whatever I catch when the doors trip is usually what I end up with.

Of course, I check my trap within 12 hours of setting it...but I can't point to a single incident where additional hogs have entered after the initial "trip". But that may be owing to the design (doors bang shut).

There are trap designs that utilize a "root through" door to begin with...and they may do better. I have had pretty good luck with a "Figure 6" trap and using nothing but the panel for a door.

I only have a small trap right now with a guillotine type door. I can't tell how tall your fence is, but I am going to guess cattle panel height.

I use 4 ga. utility panel 4" X 4" X 60" tall. If your panel squares are larger than 4X4, piglets can escape from the trap. I wouldn't even consider having panels less than 60" tall (if open topped).

Have any jump over that yet?

Absolutely, in fact the last group of 3 boars had a reddish colored one that only lacked about 8" from making it over the top. When I first checked the trap early in the morning he started "climbing" (another way they get out). The other two were trying to "root" their way out.

The reddish boar made several jump attempts and really rocked the pen. None of this group got out before I could dispatch them, but I have had larger hogs (on another trap) jump high enough to roll over the top (bending the panel). This happens more when you have a trap with "corners".

If there are multiple hogs...they will "ball up" in a corner and invariably... one will use the others as a stepping stone to launch itself to freedom. Hogs can jump, make no mistake.

A round, or teardrop shaped trap helps quite a bit...since it has no real corners, the hogs tend to "mill" in a circle, but they CAN get a little bunched up at the door.

If you stand at the door to shoot them ...it forces them to the back of the trap.

A pissed off hog can do remarkable things.

Amen!

Wait until you walk up on that has been snared. With any luck...I'll have some pics of a snared hog to share in the morning.

The worst case scenario...is when one manages to step through the loop with one leg (along with head). It results in the hog being caught around the shoulder. Yee-Hah!

When caught by the neck...they will usually stop pulling at some point. Likewise...you can catch one by the "snout" if they have mouth open when they hit the loop. They usually don't pull much then either. But, if you shoulder catch one...its pretty much "Katy bar the door".

Naturally, no matter how they are caught...they are NEVER happy to see you. So make sure you use good strong snares.

If your snares have "wimpy" stops CHANGE THEM.....or you'll have a hog come "look you up".


I even make heavy extensions with a swivel so they can't twist off or kink the cable. Then I add a spring to help cushion the shock load.