Bigger Cages?

In the latest newsletter, Tomahawk is now building a 12x12x36 inch raccoon cage because customers were demanding a larger cage. For

what? Certainly not for raccoons. There isn't a raccoon alive that can't comfortably fit into a 10x12x32 inch. As a matter of fact,

if you set a 9x9x26 inch next to a larger cage, you will find that the smaller cage will be filled first. Why? Because the raccoon

is several inches closer to the bait before he has to enter the cage! Now since you guys are those demanding customers, I'd like to

know what you're using those big cages for. You can tell me; I promise I won't tell a soul.

I am with you Paul, 30" length is plenty for most Nuisance wildlife work in the East

12x12 would do for taller fox or bobkitties but no need for three foot of cage. Agree or the smaller, Paul.

Some western states have gone cage only, including Cats/K-9's.

I have way less refusals with the larger cage. Don't know why, but that's how it is for my style of trapping.

I have 5.5" custom made one way doors for raccoons and the largest coons we have will squeeze through them when they want out, but they wont hardly enter a smaller cage for me going in.

I just ordered on of jims, right time, right place.

You sure it's WCO's doing the asking? Tomahawk has a lot of customers who aren't in the business.

Steve, I thought about that too. I figured if I was in need of a cage, and didn't know any better, I would spend $25 on a cheap cage

rather than a hundred bucks or more for a 12x12 Tomahawk.

That's because you're a cheap Wisconsinite Paul. The rest of us pony up for what it would take to do the job hahaha

Not only am I cheap but this year I've got more deductions than income. If we don't get called in this year we never will.

WOuld think after 40 some years you would be able to do math, or at least know that you dont know how!

I can see where a 12x12 would be nice, of course truck space is nice too. I just dont feel to good about running a 9x9.

If I start experimenting with building my own traps soon I will probably do 12x12x36. Not because I think i need all that trap, but it will still be way cheaper than buy and way less cuts and waste. I dont want to waste, but dont know what I would do with all the scrap.

I'll have you know it takes a mighty shrewd mathematician to come up with more deductions than income.

Be careful what bait you use in that 12x12. I know a guy who caught a Tyrannosaurus Rex in one and got a fine for harboring

endangered species.

Silly how a 12x12 id large enough for a trex, but nothing is large enough for coyotes.

I like using the 12"x12"x36" traps when dealing with trap smart raccoons. Several times we've had clients say they watched the raccoon stretch itself into the trap to get at the bait and keep one back leg out of the front of the trap, when the trap fires the door hits them on the rump and won't fully deploy and they just back out. The longer trap seems to address this.

Gary

I know some catch fox in the 10x12 but I sure couldn't last summer...Just ordered some 14x15 Bridgers from (of all places) CABELAS! They were clearing out their MTP stock. I agree no need for longer cages.

I'm one of those guys that catch fox in 10x12x32. We don't get a barrel full of fox jobs but I have caught a couple hundred in the

regular sized cages and most are youngsters. Keep in mind that when I get a fox call, they are already quite used to humans. For

kicks I grabbed my tape and went up in our storage space above the garage. We own a 12x12x36, a 12x12x40, and three 12x12x42 inch.

I have no idea how we acquired these cages, but we've had them for some time. The first two are unidentified but the three 42 inch

are Tomahawks. I'm saving them because Vinke told me if I ever got an otter job, these would do the trick. I do recall one of our

guys using the Tomahawks for raccoon but got tired of the extra size very quickly. Instead of using a larger trap for a difficult

animal, I will resort to 2-door Comstocks.

That looks like a good buy!! I have caught a few bobcats in 10"X12"X32" single door cage traps in rural areas. Also, quite a few of both red and gray fox in rural and urban areas in the same size traps. In fact, I seldom set a larger trap in urban areas for fox, just never had a call for bobcats in a truly urban area. However, for cage trapping both fox and bobcat in rural areas I do prefer a larger (taller) cage trap, at least 10"X14"X36" and larger. I use bait/lure attached to the rear of the pan trigger. If and when GritGuy gets back in production,(and if legal in your area) the "The FurFindR" http://www.wasatchwild.com/teaser.html is an excellent tool to attract animals into the vicinity of your traps.

Paul,

As always thank you for the constructive criticism. Hope you had a great Christmas. To answer: Customers from all segments have been asking for a 12x12. We have had the 12x12 traps available in the Original Series traps for quite some time and I'm pretty sure that is the one you have in your stock. After quite a few custom 12x12 Pro Series traps we made it a full time product. I'm sure soon there will be a 15x15 before too long.

Tomahawk Live Trap

-Always Improving

Well Tomahawk, I used your coyote trap at the suggestion of one of your sales reps.
I wasn't convinced coyotes could be caught in cage traps, having trapped for over 40 years.
Coyotes, most of those.
I did connect on a pup female that weighed about 25 lbs.
It absolutely destroyed the end of the trap!
But, held the coyote...



I had to reinforce the damaged end.
Over the next two years of trying I was able to capture two more more coyotes that simply 'blew' out the door.
And I lost them both...

LT

It really doesn't matter how big you make the cages. The customer is still going to say, "That's not my animal. He was twice that size."

LT Grey,

Sorry to hear you had a bad experience with one of our traps. We have many customers that trap Coyote's with no problems. We stand behind our products and if you would like to contact me at kyle@livetrap.com I can have a replacement sent out. Here are a couple of pictures of other Coyotes trapped in Tomahawk's.

ANd the cycle of bigger cages will continue. The customer is always right. At least while they still have a a credit card

I have had to resort to a Taller Trap (one of Kirk's Advanced trap) for Big Boar coon, the Tracks were showing me that the Animal would not enter the 11" trap ... I put up a camera also and finally brought along the bobcat trap and Nailed Him. Several other times I have Set the Taller trap and found out that it worked better for me... those were sod rolling coons...



Transfer from Larger trap into smaller to leave the Big one in the Yard.

Tomahawk,Since everyone deserves a second chance and I'm taking it you're a man of your word...E-mail will be sent.

Tomahawk's 15 x 15 x 42 double-door is my favorite trap for otters on docks because it is big enough to prevent tail escapes and it holds 30 pound otters. Otters are TOUGH and have blown out the doors of lesser traps by two other companies. I have caught about 7 otters in my one Tomahawk in the past year and I'm about to buy another of these traps. My current trap is well-worn but still solid. My current theory is that one should gang set docks with otter toilets and try to catch more of the whole otter family. One otter in a cage is likely the best bait for other otter group members and otter will eventually learn to avoid cages after seeing their friends in them can't get away unless they are also caught during their introduction to cages.

Lt, Grey, I have responded to your email. Thank you for contacting me.


WAUrbanTrapper, Thank you for the compliments. I would love to get a picture of an otter in that model, 109 trap! I do not have one on file yet.

Speaking of Bigger Traps, I just Won this Trap from Tomahawk on Facebook!!!

Tomahawk Live Trap
January 5 ·


NEW PRODUCT GIVEAWAY! Like and share this post to be entered. Not only will we be giving a trap away each month to celebrate our 90 years in business but we will also be giving away new trap designs and other new products throughout the year. First up is our new model 609SS XL Pro Series 36 x 12 x 12 Trap. It is perfect for XL raccoon, woodchucks or any animal that needs a little extra room in the trap to feel comfortable. This trap features 1/2x1 wire mesh throughout and pan protector bar to prevent animal damage. The winner will be chosen on Thursday the 15th. Good luck!
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Tomahawk Live Trap Congratulations Scott Balts! You are the winner of the contest! Please send us an email at tomahawkfans@gmail.com with your shipping information so we can get the trap to you.

First thing I've won in 35 years!

I know when equipment fails, for any reason, the trapper ends up feeling like screaming, makes you sick to your stomach, as we have all had gear let us down at one time or another of every type, snares, footholds, conibears, cages, you name it, none are exempt. There is no one on the planet that feels more angry than me when equipment lets me down. In the imperfect world we live in it seems that trappers and trapping equipment are held to standards few other industries are expected to keep. We expect everything to work perfectly each and every time, but problems, though few for the most part, do arise.

I guess what it most important is fact finding, isolating what went wrong while putting problems into perspective, solving them, while first showing respect and consideration to whoever is making a product by going to him first with the problem, public later if necessary. There are two people who share equally in the success of a product, user and maker. Being on both sides of the fence I can assure you that both want and need the success to continue in their businesses. When I have something break or fail the first thing I do is go to others using the product and the source first. Find out, is this something that has been an ongoing problem or is it a freak one of a kind occurrence? If an equipment maker gets unfairly blamed for a rare failure, it not only does a disservice to the maker, but also slants how a prospective buyer will judge a what may in fact be a reliable device in the future, even if the accusations were not accurate or fair due to a one time failure.

I look for a few things. Does the maker stand by the product? Will he do what he can to make it right? fix what you have or provide you with a replacement on his dime? If you get no satisfaction, there is always the option to blow a gasket, go public and expose the problem for what it is. If you get mad first it's more difficult to go back to nice and never the same because words spoken can not be taken back. I don't like eating crow or apologizing, so I pick my words carefully to begin with, knowing that if I am treated with hostility there are no limits to how nasty I can get later. I guess it just comes down to respect and fairness, "do unto others as you would like them to do to you."

As long as Jim had that very intelligent post, there is just one thing I'd like to add: Most of the equipment failures were my fault.

Using a Havahart or any other cheap brand when raccoons already have litters is just asking for trouble. I do feel sorry for the

unwitting customer who falls victim to poorly made cages but all of us should know better. One of my jobs is to fix cages that have

been damaged and we use quality equipment so how do these cages get damaged? The majority of the problems are man-made. Just to name

a few; customers hitting them with their car, technicians dropping or throwing them off of roofs, and slamming the door on them in

the truck or van. If I just had to fix animal damage, I wouldn't know what to do with all my extra time.