Deadfall practice.... lol

Diomedes Industries

Diomedes Industries

Joined
Mar 19, 2007
Messages
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So. I was working on a knife in my garage last night and a mouse (eek!) ran by my work bench. After I got down from the chair and stopped screaming like a girl (Hey AMY! COME HELP ME!) - I had to decide to do with my newest intruder.

Instead of using my live trap - I decided to test my split stick deadfall skills.

I found one of the splitsticks I had made and found a trigger stick that would work... (more on this later). I added some peanut butter, set the trigger, and went to bed.

This morning I got up - the trigger had been tripped - and I raised the weighted board I was using to crush him... and the peanut butter was all gone off the stick. However, and this is the reason for the post - there was no mouse. The two splits of the stick collapsed on top of eachother and left about .75 inches of gap under the weight... all a mouse needs I am sure - to escape!

This was fine by me - it proved my point (that this trap is GREAT) and that I should have taken my time - made a longer trigger stick and made sure it was near the point of the ground and the board. This would have crushed the mouse no matter what.

Funny stuff - and now I have my life trap set up for the little bugger!

TF
 
good luck! sounds like you have the idea down pretty well now.

one of the things i like about the figure 4 is that when you trip it, most of the trap gets shot out away from the weight, so it can't get in the way.

but i'm sure there are ways to solve the problem with your splitstick-and it sounds like you have figured it out. i bet it will work for you now.

keep us updated!
 
This thread is useless without pics ... of you up on the chair screaming obviously :D
 
I agree Simon. The tricky bit is getting a thin enough trigger stick that doesn't cantilever itself and trip the trap - but allows the bait to hold on.

The answer is a HEAVY stout rock that is held up but the split sticks and you can use a thicker, shorter, trigger stick.

TF
 
Hey T - remember, you have to eat what you catch. It is the only ethical thing to do :D
 
I'm jealous. I've gotten them set, but they won't hold for long. I'll keep at it, but its a frustrating trap for me.
 
You'll find fewer people that l;ove the split stick more than me... but for mice I use a paiute.. at leat that;s what I've had the most success with.
 
I made a split stick a couple of months ago..and man..I used a very light and small trigger...I found this trap to be the most sensitive of the crushing traps...maybe the piute would top it, but I dont know..I think its a tie!
 
imo in terms of ease of construction, and ease of setting I'd say the split stick wins as my favorite deadfall..in terms of sensitivity, and general sexiness I'd have to give it to the paiute....(sorry figure 4)
 
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