Traces of crimes or how to understand that hares have taken over the area
The main signs of the presence of hares nearby:
- pulled carrots;
- eaten vegetables such as cabbage, lettuce or baby beans;
- damaged flowers and clover still at the growth stage;
- chewed bark of trees, most often apple or apricot trees, and broken young branches on the lower part of the trunk.
Hares gnaw the trunks and branches of bushes and trees, dig up roots, and eat plants. To understand that there was a hare on the site, you need to look at the cut on the stems of damaged plants: it will be very even.
Hares cause the greatest damage to plants in late autumn and winter. In summer they have enough food in fields and forest belts in the form of leaves, fruits and berries. In winter, it is more difficult to find food, and just at this time, summer residents, having finished the next season, leave for the city, and the garden remains at the complete disposal of the hares. Most often they appear at night.
DIY plastic bottle trap
Do-it-yourself trap from a plastic bottle
Making a trap from a plastic bottle is the easiest option. In every apartment you can find a couple of empty drink containers.
To make a simple mousetrap, you need to take:
- 2 liter bottle;
- string or fishing line;
- a small piece of food with a strong aroma for bait.
The manufacturing method is simple:
- Cut off the neck with the lid.
- Pierce the lower part with an awl or nail heated over a fire.
- Pass a rope (fishing line) of the required length into the hole, fix the end on the underside so that it does not jump out. To securely hang the structure, a wall kitchen cabinet handle or a powerful hook will do. The length of the rope should be sufficient.
- Place the treat at the bottom of the container.
- Place the mousetrap on the edge of a horizontal surface (table, stool) so that the bottom with a piece of food hangs over the floor.
As soon as the animal climbs into the trap and begins to try the treat, the device will fall off the horizontal surface under the weight of the tailed pest and remain hanging.
Hare as a hunting object
It is known that hare hunting is carried out at certain time periods, which occur depending on the physiological changes of the animal. Very often, hunters hunt without a gun, but only with the use of special traps. The hunter just has to check the installed devices and collect the game.
It is important to remember that hares, like any other animals, breed several times a year. The hare's gestation period lasts 40 days, then she feeds her offspring for a month. During this period, it is strictly forbidden to hunt hares.
During the birth of offspring, hunting rodents is prohibited
Squirrel snare
How to make a trap for squirrels? A wooden stick two meters long is used as a base. The pole does not need to be cleared of bark and knots; the more natural it is, the better. Along the entire length at a distance of 45-50 centimeters, 3-4 loops of flexible, inconspicuous wire are attached. One end of the cord is wrapped loosely around the log so that the wire swings to the sides. The loop should be directed straight up. Wired versions hold their shape better and are stronger than their rope counterparts. To increase efficiency, they are masked with branches or foliage.
The perch is placed in the upper position on the tree trunk in the squirrels' habitat. These animals are lazy by nature; they would prefer not to jump to the ground, but to run up a tree along an inclined platform. As a result, the animal ends up inside the loop, which begins to tighten. The animal, frightened, jumps down and falls into a trap, remaining suspended under its own weight.
Ways to hunt hares
If you need to find out whether it is possible to hunt this animal in the summer, you should study the legislation of the state in whose territory the hunting will take place. Since there is a large amount of vegetation in the summer, hunting with traps is much easier.
There are several methods of hunting hares, all of them are divided into two large groups: hunting with firearms and using traps.
The principle of operation of the traps is to catch a living but frightened hare, or to obtain a trophy while maintaining the integrity of the skin.
Hunting a hare using homemade traps will be more productive than other types of hunting
Mouse baits
It is believed that a mouse will never refuse a piece of cheese, but this statement is fundamentally wrong: the cheese will be eaten if there are no more delicious delicacies in the house.
Read more ► Ultrasound from mice and rats: types of devices, how to use correctly, which is the best
What is best to place in a trap so that the tailed animal is sure to climb into it:
- Smoked lard takes first place in the ranking of mouse delicacies. Not a single rodent can resist its smell.
- Aromatic vegetable oil is second on the list. Mice love both sunflower and olive oils.
- Wheat bread is in third place. To enhance the attractiveness of the bait, you can moisten a piece of white bread with aromatic oil.
- Roasted seeds - all types are extremely attractive to animals. For bait you only need to take a few pieces. Pumpkin seeds are preferable.
- Nuts - hazelnuts, peanuts or almonds will be an excellent bait.
- Raw smoked sausage is similar in aroma to smoked lard and can successfully replace it as bait.
- A piece of smoked fish is another tasty dish for tailed invaders.
- Fragrant baked goods with the smell of vanilla - the product will attract animals with its sweet smell.
Types of rabbit traps
There are a huge variety of trap options. Let's look at the most popular options.
Trap made from scrap materials
Despite the huge assortment of traps in specialized stores, you can make this device yourself. You can use wire, rope, fishing line, stick or branch. Most often, a metal plate with a thickness of 2-3 mm is used. One part of it is bent in an arc, and the other is cut into teeth.
A hare trap can be made from a metal plate 2-3 mm thick, which must be bent with an arc
Hanging trap
Its basis is wire or rope. The algorithm of actions for making a hanging trap is as follows:
- Attach the snare to a flexible branch at the level of the animal’s head;
- Secure the loose cord using a notched stake;
- Drive one stake into the ground, and hook the second one to a string that is tied to the stake.
A hanging trap for hares is made on the basis of a loop.
This method is not used to hold a hare, but to suspend it at a certain moment: when the hare falls into this trap, the released branch is straightened. Therefore, the wire or rope must be selected especially strong.
Crushing Trap
This method is used only as a last resort. It will require heavy logs or large stones, strong nylon thread or thick fishing line and bait. The stones need to be supported on one side with a branch to which a thread is tied, connected on the other side to a bent branch.
Bait is placed under the stone. In attempts to get it, the hare will knock down the peg holding the stone, the stretched branch will straighten, and the stone will fall directly on the animal.
Crush traps are more suitable for extreme cases
Winter troubles
Making a forge does not take much time or effort. They are made according to the algorithm:
- They cut off a piece from the log about the length of a hare: 40 cm - and 15-18 cm wide.
- In a short log, small splits are made in various places according to the number of pegs that were previously planed and dried.
- Pegs are cut from black alder, birch and other species; about 7-9 pieces are enough. After drying overnight they become extremely sharp and strong. They are inserted into the stuffed holes on the block of wood.
Technology for making winter rods
Now you can proceed to installing the rods. You need to go deep into the thicket of the forest, where nooses and other hare traps have not been installed before. There you need to find a hare trail where the trap will be set.
About 10-15 traps should be installed at once over a large area of hare trails.
To properly set the muzzles, a small hill and a path are required, along which the animals have walked several times. You need to approach the place carefully so as not to block the path. You need to dig under it as deeply as possible, straight to the ground, and you need to start digging about 0.5 m from the path.
To set the muzzle, you need to find a hare trail, under which the trap will be installed
The snow needs to be shoveled out, keeping only the top crust. Also carefully sharpen the ceiling; it must be left 3-5 cm thick. In this way, the path will be preserved, and the hare will not notice the danger. When he steps into the designated place, he will fall into a rut. The excavation hole must be covered with branches. You need to check the trap for game every day, sometimes every other day.
Silky
To make a snare, you will need a minimum of materials and tools. They can be purchased at any hardware store. The main element of this trap is a loop made of steel wire or cable 0.7-1 mm thick and about 70-100 cm long. Some even use horsehair, nylon thread, copper wire or fishing line, but such materials often break.
For catching hares, loops made of steel wire are most often used.
The wire must become soft and pliable; for this it must be burned in a fire. You can place the material in the coals until it becomes red hot. Twist the resulting material into a noose. Then, after cooling, it needs to be boiled in a container with herbs, bark and pine needles to get rid of the specific metallic smell.
The hare can smell any foreign smell, this will scare him and the animal will leave.
After boiling, the wire is placed in a clean bag and stored indoors so that it does not take on a new smell. The loop should only be handled with gloves that have previously undergone heat treatment.
Samolovs
In this way, you can save not only ammunition that would be wasted when hunting with a gun, but also precious time. Another advantage of self-catchers is that the skin of the game is not damaged.
Self-propelled guns do not damage the valuable fur of the animal
However, it is worth remembering that not everywhere the law allows hunting in this way.
There are several options for self-catchers for hares.
"Hare's Mouth"
First, a snowdrift is trampled on the found path. At its base, walls made of boards or sticks are installed parallel to each other. The roof will be made of one or two logs about 2 meters long. The logs are cut at the ends so that a thin, strong pole is fixed in them. A moth is also useful - it is a strong but flexible stick, a dummy stake, a guard with a fork-shaped peg and bait.
The trap is made as follows:
- One end of the log is laid on a trampled snowdrift.
- The pole is fixed in the slot at the end of the free end of the log so that one end protrudes beyond the log by 30-40 cm.
- The second end of the pole, the longest, is placed at right angles to the trap and rests on the ground. If the snow is too loose, then the end of the pole is placed on a driven forked peg.
- The end of the pole near the log is placed on the short end of the moth.
- The motyr bends over a dummy stake, bends and is tied to the gatehouse. In this way, two structures of levers connected to each other are formed: a pole with oppression, which rests on the ground and the mower, and the mower itself, which is held by a standalone stake, a pole with oppression and a rope.
- The guard, which has a hole in one corner and a hewn one in the other, is placed at a hewn corner under a fork-shaped guard peg. It should have a branch that faces down and to the side, but it should not reach the ground. It should also be shaped like a pitchfork, pointing downwards.
- To prevent the guard from flying out, it should be secured with bait inserted between the end of the guard and the fork.
Scheme for making a “Hare's Mouth” trap
Most often, the bait is a rod with the long end directed into the trap. It is best to use aspen, tallow and willow branches.
Thus, the hare will go inside the trap in order to get to the food. At this time, the guard will work, the rope will be released, and the moth’s support will disappear. He, in turn, will not hold the pole with oppression, and the log will crush the hare from above. Thanks to the side walls, the hare will not be able to jump away in time.
Pimen
They are made like this:
- One of the two logs, cut longitudinally, is placed on the ground and becomes a solid base.
- A second one is hung parallel to it from above, while the far end should be closer to the ground, and the near one higher, it is tied to the short end of the moth.
- The hoe itself is placed above the log on a stick, which is held in place with the help of supports.
- The second long end of the moth is held in a vertical position by a bait stick.
- In this case, the bait itself should have a fork at the end in the shape of a hook, which is directed upward. With its help, the bait is attached to a peg driven into the ground with a similar hook looking down.
Making the Pimena trap
As a result, the animal, in the process of eating the bait, will either unfasten the hooks or gnaw through a branch, as a result of which the moth will be released and the log will fall on the hare.
To prevent the animal from jumping away, the trap must be placed close to the tree or walls must be made.
Networks
For this method, it is necessary to use a diamond-shaped net with cells of 66 mm in autumn and 77 mm in winter. It should be about 20-30 m in length, 1.5 m in height, and the thickness should reach 2-2.2 mm. All these parameters are determined by the size of the hare's head, its mass and running speed. Most often, such models are made from nylon cord.
To install the network, it is necessary to place its upper and lower parts on 15-20-meter cords, which are also made of nylon up to 8 mm thick. They are tied to weak posts on both sides of the path. For a successful hunt you will need about 5-6 nets.
You can catch a hare using nets
This type of hunting is usually combined with a rut with dogs, since the animals, running away from the chase, without noticing the net, fall into it and become entangled.
Pits
This hunting method requires a lot of effort and careful preparation. You will need to purchase a shovel, a large piece of cloth, bait such as carrots or cherry branches, and vegetation to conceal the trap.
Using a shovel, a hole is dug about 1.5-2 m deep and about 1 m in diameter. The soil is folded onto a cloth and removed to the side. The hole is covered from above with thin branches on which the bait is placed, and then dusted with grass so that the depression is not noticeable.
An interesting option for hunting a hare by hand is to use a pit
In winter, you can make such pits in deep snow if you pour water over the walls of the pit. Thin branches or straw dusted with snow will serve as a roof.
Loops
This is a convenient method of catching hares, especially in the summer, when the trap becomes almost invisible in the foliage. The loop can be made from copper wire 1 mm thick and a nylon cord 1 m long, the strength of which will support the weight of the animal.
At one end of the wire you need to make a ring by bending the edges and twisting them several times. Then insert the opposite end of the wire into the ring and tie a cord to the free edge.
To set the trap, you need to attach the cord with a knot to a tree or a tightly driven corkscrew. The main thing is to take into account the distance between the loop and the ground: it should be from 5 to 10 cm.
Step-by-step process for making a loop for a hare with your own hands
Box
This is not the most reliable, but the most affordable option that will require the least amount of effort from the hunter. The trap is similar to a mousetrap: it is a box with a door that closes under its own weight if a hare climbs inside.
The principle of operation of this trap is simple. The door is held in place with a rope through a special PVC tube, and a latch is attached to its other end. A bait is placed inside the box, thanks to which the animal falls into the trap, hitting the latch, and the door slams.
Catching hares using a box is not the most reliable, but the most humane option
To make a trap you will need plywood, boards or other durable material, rope, a piece of PVC pipe or something similar, screws and bait. The steps are as follows:
- First, you need to determine the size of the trap and the required volume of materials (it is better to make the box a little larger).
- Then cut the workpieces according to the drawn up plan.
- For the box you will need three long boards; in the top you need to drill a large diameter hole to install the clamp. Holes can also be drilled in other boards - this way the animal will not be afraid to climb into the box. However, they should not be too large so that the hare cannot get out through them.
- Next, cut a board with a notch at one end to hold the PVC pipe.
- Make a groove at the beginning of the bottom board so that the closing door can fit into it.
- At the top, screw a small block that holds the door.
- The door also needs to be cut. It is important to remember that it must be sanded well, otherwise it may get stuck and not close in time.
- The PVC pipe must be adjusted to such a size that one end is placed opposite the hole with the lock, and the other opposite the door.
- Drill holes at the ends of the pipe through which the rope is tied.
- Tie one piece of rope to the door, and the second to the trigger.
- Then install a wooden bracket to hold the PVC pipe.
- Additionally, you should make a wooden hook to hold the door open. It should be such that the hare catches it while moving towards the bait.
- Tie a rope to the hook, and attach its other end to the PVC pipe.
- Also tie a rope to the other end of the tube and attach a door to it.
Technology for making a hare trap from plywood
The wood must be protected from moisture; for this you can use paint. However, the paint should not emit a strong odor, as this will undoubtedly scare away the animal. Mineral oil impregnation is also used to protect against moisture.
It is advisable to choose green, yellow or white paint, depending on the time of year, to camouflage the trap.
Bottle trap: 4 types
There are several other ways to catch a harmful animal.
Trap from a plastic bottle
Trap from a plastic bottle
How to make:
- Cut off the bottom of a container with a capacity of one and a half liters. Cut the edge into triangles with scissors (length 6-8 cm).
- Place bait with a pungent odor (cheese, lard) inside.
- Carefully bend the triangles with their sharp ends inside the trap.
- Lay the structure sideways on a horizontal surface. The mouse will sneak behind the bait, but the curved teeth will not allow it to get out of the trap.
Read more ► How to catch a mouse at home: effective methods and types of traps
Glass bottle mousetrap
Mousetrap made from a glass bottle
Manufacturing:
- Take a 0.7 liter glass container with a wide opening, a champagne bottle is ideal.
- Pour a tablespoon of warm oil inside. Oil should be chosen with a strong aroma (unrefined sunflower, olive).
- Shake the structure to coat it from the inside, coat the neck.
- Set the trap obliquely on the floor with the neck up. The mouse will climb inside, but will not be able to get out due to the slippery surface.
Trap from a cut bottle
Trap from a cut bottle
Anyone can make such a trap.
Step-by-step instruction:
- Carefully cut the two-liter bottle in half with a sharp knife. The bottom part should be larger than the neck part.
- Place a piece of food at the bottom of the first part, tightly insert the second part with the neck inward.
- Secure the edges of the device with tape, wire, or a stapler. Grease the top with oil. The rodent will get into the neck, but will not be able to crawl back out.
Trap from a bottle and bucket
Trap from a bottle and bucket
A basin, a small bucket and a bottle with a capacity of 0.5 liters, can also be used as a mousetrap.
To build a trap, you need to prepare:
- small bucket, basin;
- soda bottle;
- stick or thick iron rod;
- a strip of thick cardboard;
- bait
How to do:
- Pour water into the bucket (a little less than half). Prepare a stick or rod by measuring a length greater than the diameter of the bucket.
- Pierce the bottom of the bottle and insert a stick.
- Attach a delicious-smelling treat to the side of the bottle with tape (bread dipped in vegetable oil is ideal).
- Place the stick on the edge of the bucket.
- Cut a strip out of cardboard and make a “bridge” along which the mouse can get to the bait. Having climbed onto the bottle, the animal will turn the structure and end up in the water.
Where to set the trap
It is important to remember that hares do not live everywhere, so first you need to find their fresh trails. They can rarely be found in pine and spruce forests. It is better to search in small forests rich in young aspens. There are still many hare trails in ravines, along fields and forest plantations, on the edges and between thickets of bushes and dry grass. This is where traps are set.
It is strictly forbidden to step on the trails; you must step over them, otherwise the hares will no longer appear there.
Traps should be placed on hare trails
It is recommended to install 7-10 traps at a distance of 3-4 m from each other. If the path runs through wooded areas or open areas, an artificial “fence” should be recreated, because otherwise the installation of the trap will not bear any fruit. To do this, you need to randomly stick branches into the snow along the path.
Passage trap
Before building this type of trap, it is necessary to thoroughly study the drawings of the factory model or its real prototype. At the first stage, the springs are prepared. To do this, take a wire with a cross-section of 4-5 mm, a length of 35-40 cm. This part must have a high strength index, not bend and resist the effects of weather conditions.
A pair of ring springs are made from it, the internal size of which is 20 millimeters in diameter. Blanks for the frame of the walk-through trap are prepared from the same material. As a result, they should fit inside each other. To do this, the rectangular elements are bent together and welded together. The result is a structure in the center of the axis of which there is a disk or a nut on both sides. If all manipulations are performed correctly, they will fit tightly after the mechanism is activated. Next, the trap is equipped with springs and a “guard” is attached. If the hunt is for squirrel or sable, the device can be hung on a pole.
Time matters
Hunting is best in winter, especially in the middle. This is because it is quite difficult to detect animals in the summer, and in winter, hare tracks are clearly visible in the snow. This is also due to the fact that it is difficult for the animal to make its way through deep snowdrifts, so it prefers already trodden paths.
Winter is the best time to hunt hare
Piercing model
The most dangerous traps for hunting. They are used only where the appearance of people and domestic animals is excluded. The principle of operation of traps is based on the impact of spikes made of bone or steel, tightly stretched along the animal trail. These versions are designed to kill large game, including roe deer and wild boar.
The trap is made of a springy metal rod or a flexible, strong pole. The tension level is adjusted to ensure sufficient force and sharpness of the blow. A pair of sharp spikes are fixed on the edge of the rod, the length of which depends on the type of intended prey.
How to catch a runaway rabbit unharmed
The main thing in this matter is not to rush, as fast movements and chasing will scare the rabbit even more. First you need to observe the behavior of the animal. The following signs indicate severe fear:
- the body is pressed to the ground;
- the animal hardly moves;
- ears pressed to the back;
- the rabbit hits the ground with its hind legs - this also indicates the animal’s maximum tension and readiness to run at any moment.
If the hare's ears are pressed to the back, but do not touch each other, this is a sign of fear.
If one of the above signs appears, you should understand the reason for such fear and, if possible, eliminate it. Next, you need to carefully approach the animal, very slowly, smoothly and on your haunches. It is recommended to speak softly and affectionately to your pet during this time.
When the animal is at arm's length, you need to try to take it. To do this, you need to slowly bring your hand from the side, and not from above. You can also lure the animal with your favorite treat. You can also use a bath towel to catch an escaped rabbit: you should try to cover the animal with it.
If the location of the rabbit is unknown, it is worth inspecting all the cracks in the house, closets - any places where you can hide.
How to make a bird trap?
This trap is quite difficult to build. During manufacturing you will need to drill several holes. To begin with, take a flat log two meters high. The ends of the workpiece are sharpened with an ax. A through hole is drilled near one of the peaks for a pole of suitable diameter. The free edge of the log is driven vertically into the ground. A pole approximately 200 millimeters long is placed in the prepared nest.
- A fishing line or rope is taken and a regular loop is constructed.
- The resulting knot is placed on top of the pole so that it hangs freely on the sides.
- A knot is tied behind the loop.
- The free edge of the fishing line is threaded through the hole in the log.
- At the final stage, a suspended load is tied to the free end.
The trap, the photo of which is given above, works as follows: the bird sits on the pole, trying to eat the bait, the stick moves, and the knot penetrates the hole. The released weight pulls the line to the ground, tightening the loop on the game's legs.
Effective means for repelling hares
Ultrasound can be used to scare away hares. Modern equipment is accompanied by motion sensors. When triggered, they produce a sharp sound and a flashing light.
A dog can also scare animals. A good bonus is that it can scare away other wild animals too.
To get rid of rodents on your property, you should get a dog.
One of the most reliable options for scaring away hares is the installation of high-quality fencing. A mesh fence with small cells must be buried deep into the ground 10-15 cm around the perimeter of the site. Also around the perimeter of the garden you can plant plants that are unloved by hares, such as wormwood, onions, and sage. Sometimes sulfur, talc or red pepper are sprinkled.
There are many reasons why it may be necessary to trap hares. There are many different designs of varying complexity, and each of them serves its own specific purpose.
Have you ever managed to catch a hare? Tell us about your experience hunting long-eared.
DIY trap made from a bucket of water
Do-it-yourself trap from a bucket of water
Another way to catch a mouse is to make a trap from a bucket, a large saucepan, a basin and a wooden slat.
To make it you should take:
- spacious capacity,
- wooden slats or rulers
- iron wire and glue.
How to make it correctly:
- Glue the wire and wooden slats perpendicularly and dry.
- Pour water into the container, a little less than half the volume.
- Place the rack on top of the vessel so that one side hangs above the water, and place a piece of food with a strong smell on this edge.
- Place the mousetrap in such a way that the mouse can get onto the rail. The gray pest will follow the rail towards the bait; when the structure shifts its center of gravity, it will throw the rodent into the water.
Read more ► How to get rid of mice: effective control methods, the best remedy