I have heard that a very effective mouse trap can be crafted from a 5 gallon bucket and some water,etc.
Anyone have any experience or knowledge of such?
My cat doesn't get them like he used to.
Thanks in advance
Yes, used one at a backwoods camp.
1: Bucket.
2: Rope (string or wire is too small to for the mouse to get on easily)
3: Empty soda or beer can with hole in each end.
4: Peanut butter placed at centre of can so mice will have to reach for it.
5: Ramp so mice can get to the top of the bucket and on the rope.
Can be live trap or eternal swimming pool.
A bucket or 1 gal pickle jar 1/2 full of water with sun flower seeds covering the surface of the water works well.
I have heard to use old motor oil instead of water. prevents smell of rotten mouse.
Quote from: DDW_OR on September 07, 2018, 12:27:22 PM
I have heard to use old motor oil instead of water. prevents smell of rotten mouse.
Hey, good idea. And it won't freeze. I was thinking antfreeze but old oil is free. My old antifreeze is all tied up in a half barrel to put propane tanks in so they don't freeze up.
The antifreeze does keep them from decomposition it also strips the hair off of them if you leave them in there long enough. I haven't tried antifreeze with sun flowers on top.
Please be careful that pets cannot access the bucket with antifreeze or the discarded mice.
Another one is simply a 5 gallon bucket filled part way w/ water, and then a layer of perlite. It appears solid to the mouse, and the perlite is buoyant enough to put some light bait on it such as sunflower seeds, so the mouse jumps down to get the seeds, and falls through the perlite and drowns.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/43722/0308181231.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1536351510)
All you can eat at the High Dive Buffet.
I'll have to try the peralite or sunflower seeds. Way simpler. But where's the fun in that! This is called the "walk the plank" trap. How it works is a magnet hold the plank level. The release pressure is adjusted by the wood screw under neath. The washer is barely touching to not-touching the magnet. The mouse walks up the ramp and goes out on the plank to get the peanut butter. Once enough pressure, it drops - the mouse is unable to jump clear and down it goes! The screw and washer provide enough counterbalance that the trap resets itself automatically. I've had two poor swimmers one morning. I cleaned out 5 mice in 4 days with one.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180907_Walk_The_Plank_1.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1536352399)
The pivot pin is a long, thin brad stuck in a hacksaw kerf.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180907_Walk_The_Plank_2.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1536352364)
I think I had to add a couple split shot in that hole you see next to the brass wood screw to get the balance correct.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180907_Walk_The_Plank_3.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1536352430)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20180907_Walk_The_Plank_4.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1536352447)
If I make another it will be all out of plastic. I've accidentally dropped it in the water a few times. The wood swells up and it won't pivot until it drys up.
I use TV antifreeze at the cabin. Non toxic.
Your choice of bucket is also very important! I use a well-used bucket (for mixing concrete products) for a trap and got one or two mice. But then the peanut butter was getting cleaned off every night! Night after night! Driving me crazy.
One day I'm sitting by my shed sharpening my chainsaw and I hear a scratch-scratch. I figure it is just the wind blowing a branch against the metal shed. But its not that windy... Start snooping around the back of the shed and finely find it. I had a 5 gallon square jug with one of those pull-out short spouts. It was sitting on its side with the spout up. A curious mouse had look inside and fell. He couldn't jump up to the spout to get out.
So, I dumped him in my plank trap. He swims around a couple laps and CLIMBS up the tiny scratches in the bucket sides! I replaced that bucket with a new, smooth one and continued to catch few more mice without the bait being stolen.
I feed feral cats in the morning outside my house. So far, I've only had a blue jay wing turn up, but this will be the first mouse season I've been fully felinized. They hang around most of the day, but only get fed in the morning, so the hunting instinct should still be good. Gives me something to do anyway, and Fathead keeps the other toms off the property.
If a mouse gets in, me and my girl cat make a pretty good hunting team. She corrals the mouse, and I catch it live and take it for a long walk, or kill it in the process. If I leave the girl alone with it, she plays with it til it escapes, or I catch it after getting tired of hearing mouse screams :^D
We use a board on a five gallon bucket,little bit than half full of water,with enough black oil sunflowers seeds to make it look "full" for the chipmucks at the hardware-grain store I work at. We can control the mice and rats,but not chipmucks. I have no idea how many we caught,20-30. Black oil sunflowers,need to add more in 3-4 days to keep the "full" look.
Quote from: Jeff on September 07, 2018, 04:44:13 PM
I use TV antifreeze at the cabin. Non toxic.
Dang Jeff - It's so cold up there you have to put antifreeze in the Television? Wow... :D
Cant have the flux capacitor icing up.
We have 2 at our ADK camp, PB on a beer or soda can and a ramp for easy access for the critters.
one inside and one outside.
RV antifreeze in the water to keep smell down and help with freezing temps somewhat.
Have caught literally hundreds of mouses over the past 30 years at the camp.
We have found that the PB is gone on the outside one often, but strongly suspect one of our many red squirrels as the can gets crumpled.
The record is for the outside trap, 5 overnight last fall.
the outside trap needs to be re-built to keep the larger critters from having a free PB meal
a lid on the bucket
a hole in the side of the bucket just large enough
a rod just below the hole, running from side to side for the can to spin on
needs a shield to prevent detours around the trap
The All Time Best Mouse Trap I Have Ever Tested. Walk The Plank Mouse Trap In Action. - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsoVcrFyrF8)
Just an empty buck works pretty good for me. Whenever we leave on out for more than a couple of days, there will be dead mice it it. I don't like to put any food for bait because it just keeps them alive longer before the die of dehydration/starvation. Good luck.