Chucks, Patience, Closure, Playing by Ear

I guess I view trapping differently than some might, but from my perspective its not about going through the motions, but its all about doing all you can to provide a positive outcome, along with a satisfied client. I know there are some that offer three or five days of trapping or other with deadlines, but I have never boxed myself in with limiting time frames. The goal resides in closure, with success first, and most recently, also helping to protect a garden by just hanging in there.

At the end of June, early July, a chuck showed up, dug under a shed, ate some veggies from a garden and left. I set one positive set which produced a skunk after about a week, but left the set in place. The chuck by-passed the yard for some time. I guess the neighbor saw a big chuck and harassed him while back, which was part of the reason he remained missing in action.

After 30 days from setting the chuck returned and probably would have had great time with the veggie garden, but the maintenance free positive set nabbed him. The important thing is that the set required no attention from me from the day it was set, other than client to look out the window and for me to remove catches. If the trap had been pulled I would have gotten a call about a ravaged garden after the fact. Even if I was to return and reset the trap and catch the chuck, at that point the damage would have already been done.

I don't always leave traps this long. Depending on situation, 10 to 14 is often enough, but with a well kept garden, I didn't want to see them lose it, as I was pretty sure the chuck hadn't forgotten it. Last year I trapped one spot, a flower garden, for 36 days, taking chuck number one after 13 days and chuck number six the last day. As long as I'm not driving out to check or maintain, patience often pays off.

I like to keep a closer eye on my traps. We have a 24 hour trap check law and guess who is in trouble if the homeowner doesn't check. I also cant count on a homeowner to pick up on the fact that the trap is set off or there is a new dig under ten foot over from where the trap is set.

Of course, we all know that ground hogs can disappear for weeks at a time, and that creates its own problems.

I am to the point now where I very rarely trap anything outside of a structure. If they are under a deck I can sell an exclusion and then trap out of a gap I leave in the wire, I will do it. Leave a trap for a few days and verify nothing is under there. But in that case I am selling a solution and not promising a catch.

I don't even care if the homeowner does the exclusion but no reason to put myself in a position where I might look bad or get stuck trapping for weeks.

We each have a plan that works in our own area. For someone with dozens of jobs, it might be more than you want to leave sets in. I usually don't have a ton of jobs going, partly because the jobs wrap up so quickly. Our check is daily also. I don't do much for exclusions as they can be difficult and costly for a client, impractical money wise for many that won't go for it and can't do it themselves. When a trap is a few feet from the back door of the house and the client can look out the window to check a single trap, this kind of thing works very well. Fortunately dig outs are quite rare here, almost non existent with chucks, occasionally with a skunk. The trap sits in wait and then catches when the chuck returns. I don't really feel like I'm trapping for weeks as the traps are essentially maintenance free, just set and go and remove the job from thought. I just set a trap or two, forget them and look for the message on the machine, "got him." When I move, I get payed and the client sees results. I would not unduly burden a client with checking in a tough spot or resetting as most don't want to do be that involved. A fired trap without a catch is another rare occurrence, so clients do not have to worry, other than to look and call. One client last week had a competitor opening a baited trap p.m. and closing a.m. for skunks, lots of work. After a week of a.m. p.m., no catch, the client was tired. I got the call and set for the skunk, positive set under the shed, second night it was over. It's now been 31 days at this one chuck location, 2 catches, no misses, not much work. I think there was a litter somewhere close by, so the trap remains. Hate to see them lose a bunch of veggies after all the work they put in.

We have 24 hr check too. I will let the customer check on farther away jobs, BUT they have to call or text me everyday with a yes or a no as to a catch. To me it hasn't been checked unless I get the call or text. Worked especially well on a current skunk job. They waited too long to call to get it done. So the little ones are not so little any more. I put two forced sets in. One on each side of the shed. From existing holes. Then I put three smaller traps inside the fencing of each set. 7 days before the first skunk. That's when if I d the "babies" are not so small. Another 6 days. Second kit. Two weeks and nothing I pull out figuring just the two were under the shed. Last Thursday a call that mom is coming in from another property. Just baited sets now and still waiting

But at $135 a skunk those traps can set and wait. I have plenty

As you said Jim, 10 TO 14 days. Always seems the closer clients are around to call or text with a catch, The clients that are a good ride away are weekenders or away on vacation. Just looking over records & this season looks to have the most chuck calls in a few years. Followed by skunks, Raccoon calls seem lower than normal, except for the Great Escape, I think they breed them in the park. Oh, well. Have a new chuckster job for Tuesday, see how many days this one takes.

Do y'all call the customer once a week? In my experience, many folks get out of the habit of trap checking after a few dead days.

When I am in the area I usually swing in and give a trap a check myself to make sure all is as I left it. I do call from time to time to see if the home owner has seen any animals if the catch has not yet been made. I saw a big one when I arrived at a spot recently, but caught a little one first. No big one for a while. Knew there were more holes buried deep in the honeysuckle and bittersweet, but it was hot, so I didn't go in after them. Called and the client said she had seen the big one, so I went for it. Cut into the jungle and ended up crawling to find one hole. Found a couple of dens, set one, filled the other. No catch for a couple of days. Found a back door and set it. Got a slammer in the front door, left it. That must have been about 16 days. Went yesterday and had another big one, that was 23 days. It resonates with customers when you go the extra to make the catch and the word gets passed around. For the most part only time I leave is when the animal has been caught or left the site. I've always been obsessed, I guess you would call it, when it comes to catching anything. As long as I am not wasting time, I'll leave sets in place.

Back on the soap box for positive sets. Had a location where a set had been in place with broccoli and who know what else for 3 weeks. Got the call. "Will you go catch whatever is in the hole." When I go there in the evening a chuck was looking at me, a good sign. Set the den, came back an hour later, chuck in the trap. I have a feeling it only took 10 or 15 minutes.

FYI, if you are ever going to the New York State Trappers Convention and are positioned down wind of Paul, you better like the smell of VERY strong skunk essence a lot!

Jim , Good seeing you at the NYST convention, Liked your chimney trap. As far as down wind of Paul, Maybe he had mscat wear some new perfume he made.