troyer V trap

Jim 1990 · Wed Dec 24, 2014 9:38 am

I have been seeing a lot of house sparrows around this week .I have all kinds of traps but I would like anyone's opinions on the V-trap . I thought about building one of these V-traps but I wanted to see if it would be worth the time in building one of these . I was wondering if a smaller version would work as well as the big size of trap I have seen from plans on the internet.

Louise Chambers · Wed Dec 24, 2014 9:47 am

Plans for the full-size trap are here: http://shop.purplemartin.org/Troyer_V_T ... tails.aspx

Would a smaller version work as well? Good question - you still need to be able to remove the trapped birds (and to release native birds unharmed) so if it's small enough that you can't fit inside, you will have to be able to reach the birds from the outside.

The V-trap is best suited for rural areas. In Texas, a similar trap is used for control of Brown-headed Cowbirds in a program run by the state, to protect some endangered songbirds.

This link has plans for a smaller trap - but it's probably not as small as you were asking about; it is portable in that it fits into a pick-up truck.

http://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/nui ... g_program/

Jim 1990 · Wed Dec 24, 2014 10:12 am

Thanks Louise for the links on the traps. I did not think about the trap needing to be big enough to get into to release the native birds good point.
thanks

~Ray~Gingerich · Wed Dec 24, 2014 10:19 am

A good time to trap or shoot starlings is when you have snow cover on the ground, they will flock to food scraps.

Jim 1990 · Wed Dec 24, 2014 12:40 pm

Speaking of flocks, I have had another thought of a trap to where it would be a large 5 foot square cage about 1 foot tall , then put 4 guides on all 4 corners with 4 smaller tubes to where it could be raised 3 or so inches, then have a way to trigger the cage so that when the big flock of sparrows are feeding under it it could be dropped on them . just an idea I need to think about this project more.

Jim Gramke · Tue Dec 30, 2014 8:06 pm

I just built and started using a v trap but suspect some starlings escaped. I had twelve starlings and 2 EHSPs by noon the first day of use but by nightfall could only count nine starlings. Any tips on preventing that from happening?

Jim Gramke · Sat Jan 03, 2015 1:07 pm

After using this v trap for a few days, I'm not losing any starlings. I probably just miscounted that first day. They move around alot when they are first caught making it difficult to count them. Decoys settle down after a day inside.
However, the EHSPs come into the trap in large numbers but after about twenty minutes they find their way out through the trap entrance. It's working great for the ESs.
I would appreciate any tips or suggestions on how to keep the sparrows from escaping.

phldave · Sat Jan 03, 2015 3:08 pm

Jim,

I suspect the slot needs to be smaller to contain HOSP but of course this would probably prevent starlings from entering. Perhaps you can divide the trap somehow. Half for HOSP and half for starlings. The HOSP that enter the starling side would more than likely escape but the ones that enter the side with the smaller slot would not.

Dave

Jim Gramke · Sat Jan 03, 2015 5:31 pm

Thanks Dave. It might be easier to just build another trap with a smaller slot. Are there any trappers out there that know what size slot is best for the house sparrows? Also, I'm going to watch closely and see where how they actually maneuver their way out; maybe get some ideas.

Jim 1990 · Sat Jan 03, 2015 7:59 pm

I have been thinking of a way to keep the birds from escaping out of the V-Trap. What if there was a separate cage area inside the trap that had a one way door so when the birds are trying to find there way out of opening of the V-trap cage they would go through the one way door of the cage and be trapped again but not be able to get out of the cage with the one way door.
This would be a trap within a trap .
Since the birds are trying to find there way out of the V-trap I have been thinking of some how making the one way door look like a escape route . I wonder if I used a piece of wood with a hole and a perch with the one way door attached to if it would attract the birds to it and push on a piece of plexiglass as the one way door. any one have any ideas on how to make the birds think the one way door is a easy way to escape into the second trap

Jim Gramke · Sun Jan 04, 2015 1:18 pm

I installed a "down-tube" outside of the "v" similar to those used in repeating nest-box traps in an effort to gather them up easier but very few go into it. I also put up the heated shelter that I have seen recommended. They don't go in it either. Perhaps it doesn't get cold enough here in northern Mississippi. So I have to go in with a net. No big deal with the small numbers I'm catching. It's so frustrating to see these thousands of starlings and not be able to entice them inside the trap. (Need a good snow cover.)
My martin colony in Florida luckily doesn't have a starling problem. Looking forward to getting back to check on them.

Archer · Sun Jan 04, 2015 1:49 pm

Jim, think your on the right track. The blaines repeating sparrow trap uses a one way wire mesh flap(hardware cloth) to trap the birds. The birds can see through it. If you would mount a porch on the inside wall of your cage, which leads to the one way door, and had a small cage on the outside of your trap, you could trap all your captures in this small cage, it would make removal easier too.

BuddyS · Tue Jan 06, 2015 12:58 pm

I built a smaller version and had great results. The bottom of the "V" needs to be close to the floor of the trap, causing the trapped birds to duck to pass under. They can't look up through the holes when they are ducking. The size of the holes are not as important as the distance between the holes and the floor of trap. I've caught starlings and sparrows at the same time. Food scraps for starlings and cheap millet based seed for hosp.

Lou Driy · Tue Jan 06, 2015 1:56 pm

Say Buddy, Could you post some more pictures of that V trap? When I blow the picture up it gets too fuzzy to see the holes in the bottom. Also I see 3 springs holding trap doors shut. Is that a seporate compartment at the top? How hard is it to get the birds out of this trap? Thanks Lou

BuddyS · Tue Jan 06, 2015 3:03 pm

Hi Lou. Unfortunately I had to reduce the quality to adhere to the photo upload requirements. There are two holes approx 2" in diameter and they are about 3" above the floor.
I put several doors on the trap with spring latches (no separate chambers) to get easier access to the inside. I also put smaller escape holes in the corners in case wrens or chickadees get trapped.
Getting the trapped hosp and starlings out might be tricky. I have my ways, but will leave that part to what you're comfortable with.

DornCounty · Tue Jan 06, 2015 3:11 pm

buddy if you host the photos on another site like tinypic.. you can increase the resolution to the point of being useful. then link them here.

Jim Gramke · Wed Jan 28, 2015 1:19 pm

Some animal has chewed a small hole through the chicken wire on my v-trap just large enough to drag a starling through. It was difficult to detect until I saw a starling escape through the hole.
Whatever it is, it's going after the decoys at night while I'm at work. I doubt a cat could break through chicken wire but perhaps a raccoon.
I'll have to capture the decoys and put them in the shed overnight.