Texas Sized Hog Trap - Round 4 started Jan 2022
Well, round 4 is starting off with a big boar hog. We've seen him on camera for a couple of weeks and while not as big as the last 4 we've shot, he's still respectable.
We added a 30 gallon feeder, close to the drop gate but the legs are 10' long, way too high. When the feeder gets close to empty, I'll be putting shorter legs on it.
The same trigger still works and I keep telling myself that eventually I'm going to put a wrapped steel cable up instead ... some day. That poly rope below, don't use that. It will stretch when wet and UV rays turn it to powder.
For those of you who may have missed the first 3 years, here's the threads:
Round 1 - 2019 We only trapped about 15 or 20, I think. I don't recall counting them all. The first set we trapped was the last time my dad and I hunted or shot together. 3 months later he was dx with brain cancer and passed soon after that. I might have to rename the trap to Daddy Trap or something. It was the only time I've seen my dad as excited as a 4 year old on Christmas morning.
Round 2 - 2020 We trapped 165 pigs in 2020 and made such a huge impact that my neighbors started giving me corn - but not enough to cover all of that cost.
Round 3 - 2021 was a bust - not much hogs last year. I think we trapped 20. But that's all that came on property.
Key points on why this has been working:
1. We used high tensile hog fencing. Why? Because a hog can run into at full speed and the fence will not break. It will throw the pig back. We added utility fencing (roll cut in half) to keep the babies from getting out. We also added cattle panels to round out the corners. The hogs will pile into a corner, making it very difficult to shoot them. Rounded inside corners keeps them moving.
2. The fences are so far apart, the hogs do not realize they are trapped and if they do, they do not stress about it. The plot is 1.5 acres, 100 yards long and about 60-80 wide.
3. The gate is 10' wide. Hogs figure out the narrow gates. 8 foot is desirable, but 10 lets me drive my tractor in there.
4. The trigger is 75 feet in. The majority if not all of the sounder will be in the trap by the time the bigger pigs push the tire. It is a standard pick up truck tire. Little pigs can't push it but their feeding frenzy bring the bigger pigs in.
5. There is plenty of cover for the pigs to take refuge in. Out of the sun.
6. Corn. Lots of corn. I typically dump a 50 pound sack and it will last 3-5 days depending upon how many deer show up.
Yes, we could put in a loading ramp to load out live pigs but the station is 45 miles away and just not worth the time and effort unless I think we are going to trap another 160 + pigs. My goal is to kill them all. My rule is no pigs leave the trap alive. Of course, that may change if I can't find someone to take them. Right now an old preacher takes them, cleans them and gives the meat to all in need. Rumor has it that he's selling it cheap, but I really don't care.
One design change I would like to make is to put in a gap for the ATV to drive through. Maybe this spring I'll have enough help to make that happen.
We added a 30 gallon feeder, close to the drop gate but the legs are 10' long, way too high. When the feeder gets close to empty, I'll be putting shorter legs on it.
The same trigger still works and I keep telling myself that eventually I'm going to put a wrapped steel cable up instead ... some day. That poly rope below, don't use that. It will stretch when wet and UV rays turn it to powder.
For those of you who may have missed the first 3 years, here's the threads:
Round 1 - 2019 We only trapped about 15 or 20, I think. I don't recall counting them all. The first set we trapped was the last time my dad and I hunted or shot together. 3 months later he was dx with brain cancer and passed soon after that. I might have to rename the trap to Daddy Trap or something. It was the only time I've seen my dad as excited as a 4 year old on Christmas morning.
Round 2 - 2020 We trapped 165 pigs in 2020 and made such a huge impact that my neighbors started giving me corn - but not enough to cover all of that cost.
Round 3 - 2021 was a bust - not much hogs last year. I think we trapped 20. But that's all that came on property.
Key points on why this has been working:
1. We used high tensile hog fencing. Why? Because a hog can run into at full speed and the fence will not break. It will throw the pig back. We added utility fencing (roll cut in half) to keep the babies from getting out. We also added cattle panels to round out the corners. The hogs will pile into a corner, making it very difficult to shoot them. Rounded inside corners keeps them moving.
2. The fences are so far apart, the hogs do not realize they are trapped and if they do, they do not stress about it. The plot is 1.5 acres, 100 yards long and about 60-80 wide.
3. The gate is 10' wide. Hogs figure out the narrow gates. 8 foot is desirable, but 10 lets me drive my tractor in there.
4. The trigger is 75 feet in. The majority if not all of the sounder will be in the trap by the time the bigger pigs push the tire. It is a standard pick up truck tire. Little pigs can't push it but their feeding frenzy bring the bigger pigs in.
5. There is plenty of cover for the pigs to take refuge in. Out of the sun.
6. Corn. Lots of corn. I typically dump a 50 pound sack and it will last 3-5 days depending upon how many deer show up.
Yes, we could put in a loading ramp to load out live pigs but the station is 45 miles away and just not worth the time and effort unless I think we are going to trap another 160 + pigs. My goal is to kill them all. My rule is no pigs leave the trap alive. Of course, that may change if I can't find someone to take them. Right now an old preacher takes them, cleans them and gives the meat to all in need. Rumor has it that he's selling it cheap, but I really don't care.
One design change I would like to make is to put in a gap for the ATV to drive through. Maybe this spring I'll have enough help to make that happen.
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