site about feral hog trapping techniques & feral hog trap tools for feral hog control, Havahart traps for hogs and information about feral hogs in Texas.
For years, trappers and hunting enthusiasts have been searching for new trapping methods for feral hogs. Rather than finding a way to effectively trap these wild animals, a majority of this time has been spent developing ways to take them out faster with the use of firearms. While there are hundreds of ways to trap these destructive pests, only a few have proven to be effective at eliminating them from an area quickly and efficiently.
Feral hog trapping tools and technique
The figure 6 is a good trap design for hogs. It is easy to set and will hold an animal until you come back or it gets dark. The only concern is that if you don’t check it often, it may accidentally catch a calf or a dog.
Materials needed:
2×6 lumber
3-inch deck screws (1-1/4 pounds)
1×4 lumber (cut into three 7-foot pieces and four 3-foot pieces)
The figure 6 is a simple, effective and humane hog trap that can be constructed with common materials. The trap consists of two steel rails set at an angle of 60 degrees. The rails are connected by a 10-inch piece of 1×4 lumber with holes drilled in the top crossbar through which the lower rail passes. The lower rail has an opening cut into it to allow the pig’s head to pass through but not its shoulders.
This design allows the animal to push its head up through the hole in the top rail (as shown in Figure 6). Once its head is up, it cannot see where it is going and begins walking forward into the trap. As it walks forward, it puts more pressure on its head, which causes it to push harder against the top rail opening, further trapping itself.
This is a typical feral hog trap, or what we call a “Figure 4″ trap. It is made of 2x4s, with 5/8” hardware cloth (made for chicken coops) as the bottom. The front and rear sections move in unison by pulling on the rope connected to the center section of wood.
The trap should be set up so that when the pigs walk into it, they will step into the trap with their front feet and fall into it. This can be done by making sure that there are no gaps between the two sections of wood on either side. Another way to make sure that pigs fall into the trap is to place some large rocks or logs at each corner of the front section of wood so that when they step on them with their front feet, they will fall backwards into the rest of the trap.
This type of trap works best if you have a group of pigs in an area that you want to control and not just one lone boar roaming around on its own. If you only have one or two pigs, then they may not get caught in this type of trap since they will probably see it coming from a distance and avoid it altogether
The best way to trap feral hogs is with the aid of a hunting dog. There are several types of traps that can be used, but most are difficult to build and use. A good method is to use a funnel trap and bait it with corn or other food they like.
The funnel trap is made by digging a hole about 2 feet deep and wide enough for the hog to get into, but not wide enough for him to get out. The top of this hole should be covered with something that will hold water such as dirt or rocks, so that when it rains the water will collect in the hole making it impossible for him to climb out. You can also add sharpened sticks around the perimeter of the hole which will cut his legs if he tries coming out.
Next place a pan or tray over the top of your funnel trap so that when he goes in, he will step on it causing him to fall into your funnel trap below.
The hog trap is the most popular method of trapping feral pigs. It can be set over an area that has been baited with corn or other food. The trap consists of a steel cage with an opening at one end and a door at the other. When the hogs enter the trap, they cannot back out because there is no opening behind them. You can set a trap by hand or by using a trap setting tool.
Figure 6-1 shows an example of a basic hog trap design with dimensions in inches and centimeters (for those who use metric). This design will work well for most feral hogs and small predators like bobcats and coyotes. The completed trap will measure 24 inches long by 12 inches wide by 12 inches high (61 cm x 30 cm x 30 cm).
Figure 6-2 shows how to construct an improved version of figure 6-1. This version uses a larger door opening which makes it easier to catch animals without injuring them while they’re in the cage.