Hi Guys,

Just wondering where you get the sheet metal to make the funnel part of your muskrat funnel traps? And do you use Aluminum or Galvanized?

WT you can buy either or at your local building center. Galvanized will hold up better than aluminum.

Thanks MINNSNAREMAN!

Where can I find a funnel pattern?

hi

i use the aluminum i have a guy down the street that installs window and doors ...so he keeps me the bigger pieces of cuttings.(flashing)..yes the galvanized would be better but my aluminum is free....so maybe check with a door and window guy in you area...
hope this helps..
butcher

I got mine from FHA.
just email they send you a pattern...
butcher

Thank-you all for the help!!

flyrc are you a drafting tech by chance?

hey fly thanks for all the time you saved me

thanks

Would someone please post a picture of the rest of the trap?

Thanks
have a good one
just

How wide does the funnel hole have to be? I made on from the model but it seam sorta small.
Thanks,
Luke

Just,Here are some examples of what they look like. This one was made by former T-man member Smitty. He is disabled and in poor health the last time that I talked to him.

His traps measured 36" long and 12" in diameter, and the funnel hole is 4" in diameter.

Bandit, What size hole did you end up with? Getting the geometry of a cone pattern transferred and secured to something of intent can get tricky and deceiving. Its easier to practice making one that will suit your dimensions by first cutting one out of heavy Kraft paper. After some trial and error with the paper model, then cut your metal. A printable funnel pattern is shown below.

Jonathan

Funnel Pattern And Schematics References:







** Note: Smitty's trap is not equipped with a one-way hinged flap at the end of the funnel as many use with this design.

Smitty Trap:



Smitty Trap Funnel Detail And Attachment To Wire Frame:



Here is a funnel trap in action in a muskrat run made by a member here (trapperandhunterNS) from Nova Scotia, Canada.



View Of Colony Trap With Gates On Funnel Ends And Access/Retrieval Door On Side:

I have a trap similar to this for minnow trapping do you think if I take wire snips and cut the hole wider I could use it for trapping muskrats? Thanks guys

Thank you Jonathan and flyrc
the best 2ya
just

I just build the 8" X 36" square ones. They place in-line with the holes better. And stack in the truck better. And easier to make.
My $.02

Jeff, Those minnow traps are really too short to be modified into an effective muskrat colony trap.

Jonathan

Ok thanks Jonathan it just looked similar and reminded me of it. thank you for your time

Jonathan, I ended up with 3 inches, to small to work?

Bandit, That is too small in my opinion. Try to get the opening at least 4" in diameter. If you make it bigger, they may be able to find their way back out. For insurance that that doesn't happen, some guys even put a small hinged wire flap on the entrance hole as shown in the photo below.

It is based on the same principle as the flaps used on the rectangular versions of the colony trap. Keep in mind that with the funnel trap you'll need a trap door on the side of it to empty it, unless you want to diddle around trying to reach through the funnel to snag them out. You don't need one on the square traps - just hold the flap up and shake them out.

I can't use them in my state, but if I were to make my own, I think I would opt for the "square" style simply for the ease of construction - even though the round ones look niftier in their own way.

Jonathan

Note the flaps at the holes, as well as the "door" to facilitate emptying the catch. This trap is shown standing vertical to illustrate the detail of the flaps. In horizontal user position both flaps would be covering the holes.





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Thank you very much for your tips Jonathan!

You are most welcome young man!

Jonathan

The hole should be so that your closed hand can just fit inside it. The kick plates from the Al doors is what I use, it is also, RIPPLED so it holds the FLAT BLACK paint and does not shin up, like the one in the water. When they are trapped inside they swim with their feet and this polishes the metal, were as the ripple does not. There is no rust marks from the Al to consider.
The round ones can be made by incurements of 2 inches each , and then stacked with one end in place. The other end is wired in place at the site. Don't use zip lock plastic fasteners, cause for some reason the teeth find these unred water.

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores...ROSSSELL_SEARCH

Hey jeff I gave some thought to trying something like this at one time , I just have,nt gotten to it yet for some reason I am not sure if it matters but I think the cones are too short. A lot of the traps I have seen the ends / cones are 7-8 inches deep hth

When we did some test work in the 1970's it was found the longer cones were more effective. Seems when they get inside they swim/ scratch more trying to get out and use up the last breath. With the blunt ends they would hit it and swim back and forth and find the holes to get out. The flipper doors are not 100% effective and unless a weight holds the trap to the bottom so they do not roll over, can act as a ladder if the cage is sideways.

Thanks for the help everyone!

Squirrelchaser, Boy, am I ever glad that you showed with all of those years of experience and shared knowledge. I know a lot more about colony funnel traps today than I did two days ago.

Thank you, kind Sir, for the contribution to my continuing education. It is most appreciated!

Jonathan

Thanks for the tips and info in this thread!

A few tricks you can do with colony traps.

1. wrap in black plastic, then dig aritifial run, and cover with mud, plast doesnt let mud fall thru. you can make a fake rat run leading into the buried trap, that works great in some situations. A killer mink set at the right spot.

2. make and 8x12 or 8x16, put in double doors, and wings that you can block a 4' ditch with. double doors keep rats from plugging up outside door so fast. Ive caught 14 rats in one trap i nthe right spot. Kinda like using a 660 for beaver, can block off wider area. shim up w/ T bars to get trap about 2" from surface of needed, dive sticks to get rats into trap.

3. made 8x8, fairly short for hut runs. really just trails thru the reeds. wrap you trap w/ plastic, and attach styrefoam float so top of trap is about 1" underwater. You float trap in wider trails thru the reeds. These are runs per se, but trails that rats usually travel swimming on surface. floats at ends covered with a few reeds become dive sticks, plastic keeps them from sticking nose thru wire and staying alive. Can use in any depth water, usually these swin trails are 2-4' deep in my country.

yep, lot of things you can do with colony traps besides plop down in a run.

In the old days when mink would buy a Texas mikey, funnel traps shone when put around beaver houses, because a lot of times these mink never travel above the ice, but just lived in the houses and swimmed /hunted from them so you never knew they were there.
We did modify some and use them for salmon catches/ counts on the coast one time. There was 2 suprised mammals one time when the trap was lifted. 6 foot me and a 6 foot harbour seal. There was a lot of spashing that went on upon release.

CAD tech from TUNS in Halifax was raised drafting with AutoCad 6 started drafting mechanical plans for my fathers business now I love autodesks inventor and autoCAD 2007 and I play with them some at work for our Municipal unit.

That funnel trap set in the run in the picture - I would add a couple things to that setup.

At each end of the trap I would lay a couple of sticks for dive poles then I would pile grass and cattails up on the sticks to encourage the rat to dive.

They work well in the entry of abandoned beaver huts too.