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Larsen success
Topic Started: 18th April 2007 - 05:36 PM (607 Views)
photopro
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I set the Larsen trap up about a week ago, since we are starting to see wild bird's eggs in some numbers.
The first task is to catch a decoy bird, not an easy thing to do but it is possible.
I start by placing the Larsen in a suitable place, ideally this should have a clear space round it of several metres but also have vantage points such as low tree branches nearby. Although I set the trap I don't bait it for several more days.
On day two or three you put a small amount of "shaped" nest material into an inner corner of one of the trapping compartments - the start of a nest.
Day four & five add to the "nest".
Day six put an egg into the "nest" and put a pigeon decoy into one of the other compartments. Leave for two days.
Next take out the pigeon decoy and crack open a second egg outside the Larsen trap. Now you should have some serious interest in the next few days, so check the trap at least once a day.
Usually this method gives you your first decoy bird within a couple of days, however I quickly checked the trap this morning before dashing out and I found this - TWO !!

Posted Image

You can see the split perches near the birds and how they are then re-set once the captive bird is in place.

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So now you know how it's done - what are you waiting for ??

photopro
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photopro
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Number three bites the dust (by the time you read this it has).

Posted Image

The second catching compartment has been sprung, probably by the activity of the two birds in the trap. This doesn't always happen - had it not in this case another magpie which was near the trap most of the morning would have probably been caught.

photopro
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James@Scarborough
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Well done Pro. *good*
Keep up the good work :D .

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Neil
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Pro certainly knows his stuff when it comes to Larsen traps.

How long do you keep setting these for then? Is it just Spring/Summer when songbirds are nesting?

Nice photos too! :D

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photopro
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Crows and magpies are territorial as we know so once you have "cleaned up" the locals and their neighbours that's about it for the season. However it's still worth keeping the trap set well into summer. I have averaged 7 magpies and 2 crows per year for the last 6 or 7 years. You can also catch squirrels in a Larsen and I once caught a cat !!

photopro
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photopro
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Magpie number five found it's way into the Larsen this morning, just think what effect this will have on the local song birds. If the usual pattern follows I should get a crow or two soon.

photopro
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photopro
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Magpie number six bit the dust today. One more to equal the yearly average and these are all adult birds not newly fledged. *good*

photopro
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chr15j
Resigent Legal Eagle & Bunny Basher
2 Questions

1, my land owner uses larsens and he has caught 2 recently but not yet dispatched them - would you suggest I put them out of their misery or leave him to do it?

2, How did you catch a cat? Reason for asking is we have a feral around here that is terrorising our cats and waking me up at 2 in the morning with its howling so may be good way to catch it and take it to the local rescue centre.

Thanks
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photopro
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If a Larsen trap is used it must be checked a MINIMUM of once per day, I usually manage twice. Captured target species must be despatched as soon as it practical or transferred to the captive compartment with food, water and a sheltered perch. None target species must be released immediately unharmed. This is a legal requirement so you must comply if you use a Larsen trap.
Birds in the catching compartments have no food, water or perch and therefore they cannot be left and certainly not longer than 24 hours. -angry2-

Regarding cats, they will sometimes use the catching sections to try and gain access to the captive bird - hence they are trapped. At the start of a season I have also caught squirrels no doubt after the egg placed there as bait.
Please be very careful as regards "sorting out feral cats" you may inadvertently get your hands on the pussy belonging to that woman in number 39 !! :o ;)

photopro
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chr15j
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This is def feral - our garnder asked around the village and no one knows about it and its been arounf off and on for a year but its taken up residence somewhere around my garden and is really asking for a lump of 40 grain lead but I wont be doing anything like that - will have to get hold of a trap to take it to the local cat sanctury - let them 'deal' with it.

Re the larsen trap - the birds were definately there more than 24 hours - will check again tomorrow to see if dealt with, if not I think I may shoot them!

.....Bloody Feral Cat!!!! **angr**
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photopro
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A quick word about handling magpies, because of their feeding habits wear a glove when handling them. Yes Hawkeye me wearing a glove yet again. They aren't particularly difficult to handle and I have done it many times ungloved but scratches will usually turn septic. If you catch a crow I would love to see you handle it WITHOUT a strong glove. I usually air gun any crows in the Larsen I'm not using as a decoy.

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chr15j
Resigent Legal Eagle & Bunny Basher
Ill use my co2 pistol - easier!! :P
.22 CZ 452 Varmint, Simmons WTC 4-12 x 44 PA
.22 Theoben Fenman, Simmons WTC 3.5-10 x 40
.177 Falcon FN12SW, Tasco 3-9 x 40
.177 Beretta CO2 Pistol
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rattman
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photopro
May 7 2007, 09:14 PM
Magpie number five found it's way into the Larsen this morning, just think what effect this will have on the local song birds. If the usual pattern follows I should get a crow or two soon.

photopro

As you know our garden and neighborhood had a BIG maggie problem the last 3 years, I most have killed 90% of them in 6 months that I had my airgun. (last year)
The effect? unbelievable mate, we have all kinda songbirds now, the litlle bush (500yards long, 350wide) behind my garden looks like the garden of Eden, and in the morning its a joy to wake up from all that singing. Past "winter" I put a birdfeeder in the garden and the amount and variety of visiting songbirds was almost not to count *good*
Destroy those maggie's -Eat Lead- when you get the chance guy's, its worth the effort.



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Full time feral species controller.

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photopro
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Absolutely Kris if more people did the same some of the very rare song birds would become a lot more commonly seen. There is also a certain satisfaction in knocking out some of the magpie & crow bullies !! *good*

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whippet06
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nice 1 m8
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photopro
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I have bumped this topic to prompt anyone interested to start thinking about buying or making a Larsen trap. I will need to be in place ideally in about six weeks or so so the Corvids get used to it. Then the fun can begiin..........!!

photopro
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dazz
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i once grabbed a crow out of the larsen trap never again.ive still got the scars :D heres a photo of the type of trap i use.im gonna have to find time and get them out of the shed.Posted Image
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photopro
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I picked a crow out of a Larsen a couple of years ago. It turn onto it's back and directed it's claws towards me. I threw an old towel over it and picked it up wearing gardening gloves, I wanted it in the captive side so it needed to be live. I got it in but I could feel it's claws almost through all of the packing round it - they have seriously sharp claws. I was happy to shoot the bug**r a week or so later when I had caught it's mate.

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slimwilly
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Don't take the pith
:o Oh i had a black bird once in wolverhampton,scratchmarks,you never seen anything like it,all down my back *aaaa*
Treat every day as its the last,,,one day it will be !
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Nige
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What does a wolverhampton look like then Slim?

Location :- Hull

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