How to make a bag for a marten. Box trap, Kulemka, Traps, Samolov

When hunting marten, the main task is to preserve its fur. And the best method, far superior in efficiency to traps, was invented in Rus', when a simple Arkhangelsk hunter Simonov invented bags. Being a type of pressure-type trap, bags made it possible to catch up to a hundred animals per day by one hunter - of course, with the correct manufacture of the traps and the selection of successful baits. Nowadays, various versions of this trap can be purchased in stores or ordered online. But since making a reliable bag is not difficult and does not require unaffordable financial costs, it is much easier to make it yourself.

Hunting

Despite the fact that this is an energetic predatory animal, it nevertheless loves to feast on berries and is not averse to pampering itself with the larvae of wild bees and the “product” of their vital activity. Apparently, this is why catching martens with honey traps is very productive.

Hunting with traps

Hunters use various traps for sable. These are traps and traps. Other effective devices are also used. Most often, these are traps with special bait. These devices should be placed away from the potential installation location. The animals are very careful. If they see certain activity in the territory, they are caught much less often. If you wish, you can make cunning sable traps with your own hands.

Traps and traps

When the snow gets very deep, hunting with dogs is no longer possible. In this case, all kinds of traps are used. These are blankets, traps, bags. Such devices have one significant advantage. They can be hidden under the snow. These methods are not as exciting as chasing an animal with a dog. It requires less effort and time from the hunter. Do-it-yourself sable catchers are especially popular.

First, the game must be fed. For this purpose, a log house is installed. Its size is one and a half by one and a half meters. Holes are made in the walls. It is necessary to put bait in the log house. After the predator begins to constantly come to the feeder, it is worth installing traps or traps.

Fishing methods

If the weasel has already visited the chicken coop once, you need to take drastic measures. To combat the pest, you can use one of the methods suggested below.

Important! Representatives of the mustelid family are repelled by strong smells and loud sounds. This feature must be used to protect poultry from weasels.

Repellers

You can get rid of weasels using different methods. First, you should try special repellers.

Electronic products. The operating principle of such mechanisms is based on the production of low-frequency sounds that the human ear cannot perceive. They also do not cause harm to health. But the weasels are panicked by these sounds and run away.
Flashlight with motion sensor. When an animal approaches, such a device reacts to the slightest movement by turning on bright lighting and emitting a sound signal. This scares Laska and she runs away.

Selecting a trap

Traps are iron devices for catching animals. They have special springs that are triggered when an animal hits them. At this moment the trap slams shut, and the body is crushed in half. For martens there are zero traps, No. 1 and No. 2. You need to choose depending on the possible size of the predator. The new trap needs to be wiped and washed from grease. Then it is boiled in spruce needles. If you are in doubt which one to choose, take No. 1, you won’t miss. A large number may not always be suitable. The animal breaks the bone and hides.

Traps for martens are divided into:

Plate. It looks like a metal plate with two arms. The base is attached to the spring. When triggered, the plate moves, the arcs hold the beast.
Frame. Looks like an iron frame with canvas. When the marten touches the canvas, the guard releases the arcs. They slam shut and grab the animal.
The bag is homemade and factory made. They place it on the ground and attach it to trees. When the animal pulls the bait, the guard is triggered. The frame presses down on the neck, the predator can no longer get out. Kulema is often placed in a box. This is necessary to ensure that the bait is not eaten by other forest inhabitants. It will not be covered with snow, and it will not fail in any weather. Kulema is light and weighs approximately 300 grams.

Bags and traps. Issue 1

Hunters usually include wood grouse, hazel grouse, black grouse, white and tundra partridge, and sometimes woodcock as upland game. The wood grouse is a typical taiga bird. Leads a sedentary lifestyle, only occasionally, irregularly, and migrates nearby in the autumn-winter period. Distributed in the forest belt of Europe, western and central Siberia (up to Lake Baikal). It begins to show even before the first thawed patches appear. The displaying male spreads his tail like a fan, quietly clicks and chirps. Where there are few wood grouse, the males display alone. The height of the current coincides with the intense melting of snow in the forest. After the mating period, wood grouse begin to molt, and they hide in dense and cluttered areas of the forest. Only the female participates in raising the offspring. Chicks appear in mid-June and later. In the first days they feed on ants and other insects, later they begin to peck at plants - green shoots, inflorescences, berries and seeds. In winter, wood grouse feed almost exclusively on pine needles. The larch forests of Eastern Siberia are inhabited by the stone capercaillie, a close relative of the common capercaillie, with which it sometimes forms hybrids. The stone capercaillie differs from the common capercaillie in its smaller size, black beak, and long tail. It talks on the ground (although it often starts singing on a tree) and does not stall. His song also sounds different - without clicking and chirping. The hazel grouse is distributed from the western border of the CIS to the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk. Inhabits spruce and mixed forests with dense undergrowth. A sedentary bird, it occasionally and irregularly migrates in winter. Willingly settles in the valleys of streams and small taiga rivers. Sexual maturity occurs at the age of one year. During the mating season, which begins in late March - early April, hazel grouse can form pairs. The male is always close to the brooding female, and then the brood. Usually there are no more than 10 eggs, rarely up to 15. They are shiny brown in color with rare reddish spots and streaks, sometimes without them. The female sits firmly in the nest, takes off from under her very feet and sometimes allows herself to be picked up by her hands. Incubation lasts about three weeks. Young hazel grouse, barely dry, leave the nest and, together with the female, go to forest clearings and edges, where they find food in abundance. The first broods occur in mid-June. Three-week-old hazel grouse spend the night in trees, and in August they are already indistinguishable from adults. They feed on insects, mollusks, berries, alder and birch leaves, and peck tree buds, birch inflorescences and young shoots. In autumn, the broods break up. Hazel grouse spend the winter in pairs or alone in the same places where they nest. The black grouse lives in the forest and forest-steppe zones of Europe and Asia. Prefers edges, clearings, sparse deciduous forests alternating with fields; avoids the remote taiga. A sedentary bird, only occasionally undertaking long migrations in winter in search of places rich in food. In the past, when there were many black grouse, wandering flocks of 300-500 birds were not uncommon even in the European part of the country, but now their winter flocks do not exceed several dozen. The grouse's winter food consists mainly of plant buds, primarily birch. During the day, the flock feeds in trees, at night it buries itself in the snow and spends the night there. In frost and snowstorms, black grouse can sit under the snow for a long time, until noon, but usually fly out to feed at dawn. If the thaw gives way to frost at night, the black grouse sleeping under the snow find themselves trapped in the ice in the morning. This is one of the reasons why black grouse die in winter. In the spring - in March - grouse currents begin with the first thawed patches. The place for leks is chosen at the edges, among the swamp. The scythes that have flown here “chuff”, “mutter”, fan out their tails, and fight. Where there are few black grouse, they display alone, sometimes in the middle of a field, away from the edges or in trees, without descending to the ground. The peak of the currents occurs in April. Black grouse do not form permanent pairs, and males do not take part in incubation and caring for the offspring. Nests are made under a bush or small tree, not far from the lek and near the berry patches. If the eggs of the first clutch die, the female lays another 2-4 eggs. In June - early July, chicks hatch from the eggs, and within a week they grow feathers on their wings. In the morning they feed in berry fields, burnt areas and unmown meadows and clearings; When the grains ripen, birds visit them regularly. At the end of August and beginning of September, young black grouse break away from the female and lead an independent life. The summer food of black grouse is berries, cereal grains, inflorescences of forest herbs, and partly insects. The Caucasian black grouse lives in the alpine belt of the Main Caucasus Range and the Lesser Caucasus. It differs from the ordinary one in its smaller size; Males have tail braids that are curved downwards, while females have a smaller “streamy” pattern on the chest. In winter it descends from the mountains into tall fir forests.

White partridge - (Central Russian subspecies is listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation). The distribution area of this bird occupies the north of the European part, Siberia, and Northern Kazakhstan. In the tundra it nests in moss swamps and burnt areas, in the southern parts of its range - along river valleys and willow thickets. In winter, it undertakes irregular migrations, the length of which depends on the food harvest. In the alpine belt of mountains and tundra, partridges wander, moving to places more suitable for wintering. These birds are interesting because of their protective plumage. In winter they are snow-white, with a black beak and black outer tail feathers; in summer the plumage is red-brown. Various combinations of red-brown and white are characteristic of the spring and autumn plumage of these birds. In winter, a flock of partridges stays among the bushy willows and birches, occasionally flying up onto trees and pecking at the buds. At night, birds climb under the snow. Their legs are densely covered with feathers, so the birds easily move on soft snow, almost without falling through. In addition to buds, in winter partridges feed on shoots and berries dug out from under the snow. In early spring, even before thawed areas, males begin to display. Then the birds are divided into pairs and placed in nesting areas, which are vigilantly guarded from other males. At this time, fights are common among cockerels. The nest is made in a fairly secluded place and is well camouflaged. An important condition for the chosen location is the possibility of a quick takeoff and good visibility. In the tundra, where humans do not disturb birds, there are open nests. The incubating female sits very tightly. Only the female incubates, but the male is near the nest. Chicks appear in late June - early July (depending on weather and terrain). Having barely dried, they leave the nest and, with both parents, go to dense bushes, to berry fields, where they remain until the young rise to the wing. It is not uncommon for several families to join together. Partridges are characterized by several molts: three for the female and four for the male. The white partridge is a herbivorous bird. Grass shoots, tree buds, plant seeds and berries form the basis of its food. Chicks also readily eat insects. The tundra partridge is a medium-sized bird. The body is dense, the head is small, the relative length of the wings is somewhat longer than that of other grouse birds, the tail is relatively short and slightly rounded. In winter the toes are fully feathered. The tundra partridge lives in the arctic and moss tundras, subalpine and alpine mountain belts, and to the north it penetrates further than other grouse birds. Like the white partridge, this species has a circumpolar distribution, but its range is less extensive and has a more complex configuration. The tundra partridge lives in the north of the Kola Peninsula, the northern parts of the Ural Mountains and the Yamal and Gydan Peninsulas, on Taimyr and in the Yakut tundra. Further, the northern border of the range runs mostly along the coast of the mainland, and the southern border covers the Verkhoyansk Range and the Aldan Highlands and along the southern slopes of the Stanovoy Range reaches the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk. Within the indicated boundaries there are no partridges in the lowlands of Kamchatka, the valleys of Anadyr and Penzhina, and the tundra of the lower Kolyma and Alazeya. The tundra partridge also inhabits the mountain systems of Altai, Sayan and Khamar-Daban, and is found on the Commander and Kuril Islands and Franz Josef Land. This species lives in North America, Greenland, Iceland, Spitsbergen, the northern parts of Great Britain and Scandinavia, and the Alps and Pyrenees. Within the range of partridges, 26 subspecies are distinguished. The color of the plumage in winter is white, with the exception of black tail feathers (at their ends there are white apical stripes), a black beak and dark claws. The shafts of the primary flight feathers are also dark. Males have a so-called “frenulum” - a black stripe running along the sides of the head from the corner of the mouth through the eye. Females do not have such stripes; only some individuals have individual black feathers in these places. In spring, males acquire their breeding plumage, characterized by the presence of brown feathers scattered over the head, neck and shoulders. Females do not have spring plumage. The summer outfit is variegated: the color of most of the body is formed by gray feathers with transverse black, white and yellowish stripes, the belly and wings remain white. The autumn outfit is similar to the summer one, but white winter feathers are already appearing in it. The winter moult is extended, which is an adaptation of birds to living in landscapes where snowless areas of the tundra alternate with spaces covered with snow. In general, in appearance, the tundra partridge is very similar to its relative, the white partridge, and in field conditions (especially in winter) it is not easy to distinguish them. The tundra duck differs from the latter in the grayer color of its plumage during the snowless period, the dark claws and shafts of the primary flight feathers, the presence of a “frenum” in males, a thinner and more graceful beak and somewhat smaller size. The tundra partridge leads a predominantly terrestrial lifestyle and moves well both on hard ground and loose snow. Like ptarmigans, in winter the birds sometimes fly up into trees when feeding, but this behavior is observed much less frequently among tundra birds. The periods of feeding activity are morning and evening. In winter, when daylight hours are short and feeding time is limited, daytime rest is poorly expressed. In winter, tundra partridges keep in flocks, which, however, are smaller in size than those of white partridges, and, as a rule, do not exceed 60-90 individuals. The most common are flocks of 5-10 birds. In places where they live together, white and tundra partridges often stay in the same flocks; the ratio of species in this case, as a rule, is in favor of the former. Living in mixed flocks, tundra partridges largely adopt the behavior traits of white partridges: they stay in stages that are not typical for them - willow forests, become more cautious and, in case of danger, are guided by the reaction of their more “vigilant” relatives. The tundra partridges themselves are very trusting birds: in every second case, even a relatively large flock of them can be approached quite openly to 40-50 meters before they begin to show signs of anxiety. Solitary birds allow a person to approach even closer, and it is often possible to approach them by 5-10 m. If you do not make sudden movements, the birds do not take off, but try to run away. Tundra partridges are silent. Only during the breeding season or on the eve of it can you hear the male’s voice, reminiscent of a booming “Crrrr...”. The female makes quiet moaning sounds. The favorite habitats of tundra partridges are rocky tundras, characterized by alternating stone placers and areas with grassy, moss, lichen or sparse shrub cover. In lowland tundras, partridges usually stay on the tops and slopes of hills. These birds avoid thickets of bushes during the snowless period. In winter, the distribution of partridges is determined by areas of the tundra bare of snow, where the birds can find food. In many areas they migrate from the breeding area. In wintering areas, they stick to shrubs (alder forests, dwarf birches, dwarf cedar thickets, and, less commonly, willow forests), since their buds and catkins form the basis of the birds’ diet during this period. The diet of tundra partridges within their range is very diverse. During the snowless period, the basis of the diet consists of seeds of various plants, flowers and leaves of blueberries, blueberries, andromeda, bulbs of viviparous buckwheat, berries, leaves and stems of crowberries, blueberries, lingonberries and bearberries, leaves of dryad and various types of willows, moss boxes. In the north of the Far East, along with the listed food, birds eat dwarf pine nuts. Animal food is rare in the diet of adult partridges, more often in chicks, although they are not as important in their diet as in other grouse birds. Tundra partridges are monogamous. Birds become sexually mature by the end of the first year of life. In spring, the male occupies a nesting site, which protects it from invasion by others. First of all, birds occupy territories freed from snow. As a rule, males display in the morning and evening hours. The timing of nesting is determined by the geographical location of the area and weather conditions in the spring. The nest is primitive and differs little from the nests of other grouse birds. Usually the female makes a nest in an open place among stones or low shrubs, sometimes among hummocks; the mottled grayish color of the female’s plumage makes her invisible against the background of the surrounding area. The size of a complete clutch usually ranges from 5 to 9 eggs, although in some cases it may be larger. Incubation duration is 20 days. The chicks leave the nest a few hours after hatching. One-day old chicks weigh 13-14 g. The chicks grow quickly and at the age of 10 days they can already flutter, and after one and a half to two months they reach the size of their parents. In most of their range, tundra partridges make seasonal migrations. The direction of migration of partridges is determined primarily by the direction of the river beds along whose valleys the partridges migrate. The return of tundra partridges to their nesting sites is timed to coincide with the beginning of intense snowmelt. Woodcock is widespread throughout the forest zone of the CIS, with the exception of its northern strip. Winters in South and Central Asia and southern Europe, partly in Crimea, and the Caucasus. Woodcock arrives in April. Soon after arrival, the draft begins - the woodcock's current. The craving begins at sunset, continues until dark and stops briefly, resuming at dawn. This pine sandpiper nests in dense and dark forests, rich in ravines, country roads and wet lowlands. It feeds mainly on soil invertebrates (worms and insect larvae), which it extracts from soft soil with its long beak, and in smaller quantities on plant foods. The female incubates and raises the chicks alone. Having barely dried, the chicks can run and feed on their own. In case of danger, the female carries them through the air, pinching them between her legs. Pigeons Of the representatives of this order, the most common among us is the wood pigeon or vitiuten. It is widespread in the European part of the CIS, Western Siberia, east to the Irtysh and in Central Asia. Migrant. Appears at the end of April May. Soon after arrival, it builds a nest on a tree (mostly CONIFEROUS) or finds a suitable (empty) crow. Both parents participate in incubating the eggs and in all other care of the chicks. Young chicks are completely helpless. Adult birds feed them by regurgitating “goiter milk”. Grown-up young animals, like adults, feed on plant foods. In autumn, wood pigeons often fly to the fields to feed. They drink often and willingly, flying to a watering hole in the same place several times a day. Wood pigeons spend the night in tall trees.

In addition to the wood pigeon, other pigeons are also found in the hunting grounds of our country - smaller and of less importance for commercial and amateur hunting: rock pigeon, clint pigeon, common and ringed doves, etc. A trip abroad is always an important step and so as not to “fly over” It's better to book tickets in advance. Early booking will allow you not to worry whether the tickets you need will be sold on the day of departure.

Frame trap

The frame trap has the following structure: a rectangular or round frame onto which canvas or threads are stretched, leading to the gatehouse. On the back side of the frame, several risers are attached, into which the ends of the arcs are installed. At the same distance from the riser, a guard should be installed between adjacent springs that close the mechanism.

There is also a hook mounted on the canvas, behind which, when setting the trap, they hook a guard thrown over the arches. When an animal steps on a thread or canvas, the frame trap is activated.

Kulemki

Commercial hunting for marten, first of all, is considered successful if the fur of the animals remains intact. The next criterion is the number of individuals caught. How to catch a marten, observing these two conditions?

Hunter A.M. Simonov, who once lived in Rus' in the Lensky district of the Arkhangelsk region, invented a bag for these purposes. Such a marten trap helped the hunter get up to a hundred unharmed skins a day, just like catching martens with traps. Nowadays, you can buy a bag at any hunting store. However, do not rush and spend extra money. Anyone can make marten traps with their own hands.

The principle of operation of the bag and its advantages

Spring marten traps have a similar operating principle to a mousetrap. The difference is that the bag’s catching mechanism is covered with boards on the top and sides.

Catching martens in this way has a number of advantages:

The trap will last for many years and does not require annual treatment.
Economical use of bait will save time and money.
Birds will not peck the bait hidden inside.
Will remain operational in snowfall and thaw.
The death of the animal occurs instantly, which eliminates catches.

Installation Rules

Hunting for marten with self-catchers will be productive if you secure them correctly and in the right place. The spring bag is attached to the tree trunk in a vertical position, and the bait is fixed inside. The higher the ambient temperature, the more often the aircraft should be checked to ensure that the caught animal does not become rotten. Every hunter can master this simple craft. Martens do not change their habits, which makes them easier to hunt.

How to make it yourself

To make a bag with your own hands, you need:

Make two side walls from 30x40 boards.
Make a lid from plywood with a longitudinal slot in the middle.
Attach a bait hook to the top slot.
Make the gatehouse from wire 14-17 centimeters long.
At the point where the hook comes into contact with the guard, make a recess in the latter to protect against false triggering (warning).
Make a spring-crush from strong wire 5 meters long.

Previously, hunters made traps right in the forest, using a single tool - an ax.

What is a bag

Initially, the first bags were intended for animals of medium and even large size (up to a bear), which is why they were made entirely from tree trunks, large hewn branches, and right in the forest. Drop bags were installed on roe deer, wolves or foxes, and pressure bags were installed on smaller animals.

For small-sized prey, a spring was later used as a crush - and bags of this type (ideal for catching martens and other fur-bearing animals of similar size) were called spring bags.

Spring bag installed at height

The principle of operation of the bag is identical to the operation of the familiar mousetrap (which is a unique type of bag - only of the open type). The marten, sticking its head and neck into the oblong box, tries to pull out the bait caught in the split - thereby activating the trigger, which with a sharp blow presses the animal’s neck.

Diagram of the bag mechanism

Considering that the bags for martens are fixed on trees, “ground” animals cannot reach them, and the samolov is so simple and reliable that it can last for decades without repair

Photo gallery: small animals that can be hunted with bags

Marten Forest ferret Sable Squirrel

Of course, before the advent of springs, hunters in Russian Siberia and the Far East even used bags to catch martens, much like self-catchers for small animals that mainly hunt on the ground. The main types of such bags were - and are sometimes used to this day:

riding bags (entirely composed of poles supported by 2 adjacent tree trunks) and an original alarm mechanism consisting of wire and small wooden guards and guards;
improved riding bags (using a long, perpendicular sill and crush pole, and in some cases also a rigid wire or bracket);
hollow bags (in which the role of the box of a modern spring bag was played by an artificial hollow cut into a tree or a tall stump);
walk-through nest boxes (a variation of the previous type);
Vorogovsky bags (with a base in the form of three tall stumps or tree trunks cut at a height of about 1.5 m and an ingenious guard system).

Schemes of homemade traps in the photo

An improved version of the riding bag. Horse bag. Vorogov design

All of the above types of bags (the structural diagrams of which are shown in the photo) were made right in the forest using the only tool of a taiga hunter - an ax.

What kind of animal is this?

The marten is a mammalian predator belonging to the mustelidae family. A fast, cunning and cautious beast. Thanks to its five-fingered paws with sharp claws, it easily overcomes obstacles and climbs trees, escaping from a hunter or confusing its tracks. The marten has a sharp muzzle with triangular ears framed by a light stripe. The color of the fur varies from chestnut to light brown, and there is a light throat spot on the neck. The length of the marten's fluffy tail can reach 25 centimeters, which is almost half the length of the animal's body. Life expectancy is 15-20 years.

In the European part of Russia, in addition to the pine marten, you can find the stone marten - the white-bellied marten. The wheatear can be distinguished by its white, and not yellow, like a forest species, throat spot. The fur of the white fox is tougher, vaguely reminiscent of the blue fox. The marten species can be easily identified by its tracks in the snow. The white lady leaves an imprint of each claw, the forest one is larger because of the fluff covering her paws.

During the daytime, the marten lies down in a bird's nest, hollow or squirrel nest. It goes hunting during the twilight and night periods. Prefers to catch squirrels, mouse-like rodents and small birds. He is not averse to eating bird eggs, snails, frogs, and will not refuse carrion. All these mustelid features should be taken into account for a successful hunt.

DIY marten traps. Homemade marten traps

Traps are metal devices that have a special spring and a mechanism that is triggered when the trap is pressed.

Once on the device, the prey (or animal's paw) is clamped by the metal parts of the device, preventing it from getting out. The principle of operation of any trap is to capture prey.

Traps may differ depending on who is being hunted, in the method of attachment, in size, in power and in other indicators.

When hunting martens with a trap, two types of traps are used:

frame traps. They look like stretched canvas over a metal outline. The device is equipped with two springs, a bar and a guard. The arcs spread on the sides slam shut when the canvas is touched, and the prey can no longer escape;
plate traps. They consist of a metal strip to which arches are attached. The action of the trap is similar to frame traps.

They also actively use culems (a type of trap).

Kulems can be installed both on the ground and on a tree. Most often, such traps are placed in a box, which protects the trap from snow, and the bait or caught prey from other predators. The culems are camouflaged with branches and sprinkled with snow more thoroughly to hide other approaches to the bait.

Regardless of what kind of trap is used, it must be attached to a chain or metal wire, which is attached to a tree or bush and will not allow the animal to escape with the trap on its leg.

Mane and tail care

Tactics for hunting martens with traps

How to catch a marten with a trap? To determine the location of future actions, you need to survey the territory .

It’s good if this is done before the start of the season , and you also added bait. If you already have a found place and martens are accustomed to finding food there, you can start directly placing traps.

If you are entering the territory for the first time in the snow, then the ability to read footprints will be very useful .

Determine approximately the territory where the animals can live. It can be a coniferous or mixed forest.

Check for old trees with hollows . This is important because martens rest in them. In their absence, the marten can also rest in the tangles of fallen trees.

Usually the bank of a river or stream is chosen for hunting martens . Examine it and try to find traces of marten . Moreover, they are interested in the paths they have found (this increases the chance that the animal will pass here again).

When you have decided on the territory, you need to figure out what to lure the animal to . Animal entrails, bird meat or rodents are well suited as bait. Moreover, it is good to keep them warm for several days so that the smell is stronger. Bird feathers can be added to bait or scattered nearby.

Setting a trap for sable

The easiest way to catch sable is to set traps on runs. Runs are a kind of place for the beast, through which it moves along its old tracks. Despite the fact that the sable leads a sedentary lifestyle, it is nevertheless a very active animal that is capable of covering long distances.

After searching for an escape, you need to cut out a small branch of a damp tree, and then tie the trap leash well to it. Then the trap itself and your hands - to eliminate extraneous odors, you need to rub it generously with fir branches. It is recommended to approach the run without skis, with your feet wide apart.

This is necessary in order not to severely damage the integrity of the snow cover located on the runway.

Setting traps on trails

On trails, traps are set in several different ways: under the cover of snow (for trimming) and in the wake (from above). It is recommended to install in the trail when the weather outside is unstable or sunny, clear.

The trap is placed inside the hole with a plate directly under the front paw of the animal. You need to lay a small layer of moss around the plate.

Then the installed trap is covered with a small layer of loose snow and an artificial animal trail is carefully made above it.

Many hunters are also familiar with setting a trap for this animal directly under the snow cover itself. To do this, near the sable prints, you need to use a hunting knife and carefully remove a lump of snow.

Then, directly under the trail itself, you need to dig and set a trap. The recess through which the tunnel was made must be camouflaged. To detect such traps, notches are made on the trees (on both sides).

Video of hunting sable with traps

source

Kulemki

Newborn foals - the first hours of life

Okhotnik A.M. Simonov, who once lived in Rus' in the Lensky district of the Arkhangelsk region, invented a bag for these purposes.

Such a marten trap helped the hunter get up to a hundred unharmed skins a day, just like catching martens with traps. Nowadays, you can buy a bag at any hunting store. However, do not rush and spend extra money.

Anyone can make marten traps with their own hands.

The principle of operation of the bag and its advantages

Spring marten traps have a similar operating principle to a mousetrap. The difference is that the bag’s catching mechanism is covered with boards on the top and sides.

Catching martens in this way has a number of advantages:

The trap will last for many years and does not require annual treatment.
Economical use of bait will save time and money.
Birds will not peck the bait hidden inside.
Will remain operational in snowfall and thaw.
The death of the animal occurs instantly, which eliminates catches.

Installation Rules

The higher the ambient temperature, the more often the aircraft should be checked to ensure that the caught animal does not become rotten. Every hunter can master this simple craft.

Martens do not change their habits, which makes them easier to hunt.

How to make it yourself

To make a bag with your own hands, you need:

Make two side walls from 30x40 boards.
Make a lid from plywood with a longitudinal slot in the middle.
Attach a bait hook to the top slot.
Make the gatehouse from wire 14-17 centimeters long.
At the point where the hook comes into contact with the guard, make a recess in the latter to protect against false triggering (warning).
Make a spring-crush from strong wire 5 meters long.

Previously, hunters made traps right in the forest, using a single tool - an ax.

Nets, nets and bags

This fur-bearing animal is successfully caught using nets and nets. They are installed on the bank of a forest river or near a windbreak, but more often - near a sable mink. The loop is placed in the middle of the frame. If a sable is found in a hole, it is smoked out from there. He runs out of his home and finds himself directly in a hunting trap.

Once caught in the net, the animal will not be able to escape anywhere. The stitches are made from strong thread one and a half meters high and thirty centimeters long, with a mesh size of four centimeters. This type of trap is fixed near the animal's hole. If the bell rings, it is a signal to the hunter that the animal is trapped.

After installing the net, all that remains is to drive the sable out of the hole. A kulemka is a sable trap consisting of a large pole, a guard and a threshold. At the animal’s place of residence, a “yard” is made of small stakes, and bait is placed inside. The threshold installed in the gate of the bag prevents the sable from approaching from the other side, since there is only one entrance.

The animal crawls under a strong pole and touches the guard. A fireball that falls on the prey crushes it to the threshold. This is one of the most ancient and reliable methods of harvesting fur-bearing animals, whose fur remains intact and unharmed.

These methods of passive hunting require good preparation, the ability to read the tracks of an animal, and the correct presentation of bait. Experienced hunters prefer to use old-fashioned self-catchers, which are considered more reliable than factory-made ones.

Lures

The choice of bait plays an important role in a good hunting outcome. Often the carcasses of rodents or birds serve as bait. To obtain a more pungent odor, the carcasses are kept in a closed bag for up to four days. Then the smell of rotten rot will spread over long distances and attract prey.

Advice! In order to increase the chances of catching a marten, the meat of two different species of animals is used as bait.

Experienced hunters advise sprinkling a little salt on the meat of the bait to prevent it from freezing. Marten fishermen sometimes use honeycombs to attract martens.

Place the bait on a branch, not far from the trap, or above the plate.

Draft horse breeds

Some trappers prepare solutions from anise and nutmeg oils, which they lubricate traps with.

The preferences of martens change depending on how productive the year was, weather conditions and other natural factors, so one type of bait is not enough: you need to adapt to the appetite of the prey.

Hunters only experimentally determine what mustelids eat, using several different baits at once . Which complementary food is most preferable for the marten, such bait is placed near the trap.

Features of catching marten with traps

Let's talk about how to catch marten with traps. She, like all predators, is a very cautious animal . She is awake mostly at night, which makes it difficult to hunt her with a gun.

The marten begins to molt early in the spring. The fur falls out and grows unevenly, but by the end of October the animal is already wearing luxurious winter clothing again.

When going hunting, it is worth remembering that the marten does not make houses, that is, it is not tied to one place . She moves freely through the forest, remaining in one place if there is food and a convenient place for daytime rest, or leaving in case of danger.

Tree hollows usually serve as daytime shelters for martens..

Only the female stays in one place for a long time, caring for the offspring.

The hunt for martens begins at the end of October . But even before that you shouldn’t sit idle. It is necessary to make constant rounds at the beginning of autumn: hunters look for places convenient for martens to live, make notches, feed the animal, laying out bait periodically in the same places.

What kind of animal is this?

The marten has a sharp muzzle with triangular ears framed by a light stripe. The color of the fur varies from chestnut to light brown, and there is a light throat spot on the neck. The length of the marten's fluffy tail can reach 25 centimeters, which is almost half the length of the animal's body.

Life expectancy is 15-20 years.

The fur of the white fox is tougher, vaguely reminiscent of the blue fox. The marten species can be easily identified by its tracks in the snow.

The white lady leaves an imprint of each claw, the forest one is larger because of the fluff covering her paws.

Hunting sable with traps

The sable is a predatory mammal that belongs to the weasel family. The body length of a sable can reach 50 cm, and the tail - up to 20 cm. The habitat of this animal is the Siberian taiga.

It should be noted that the sable is not only dexterous, but also a strong animal. Therefore, sometimes even experienced hunters find it difficult to get it.

As a rule, the sable adheres to a terrestrial lifestyle, and during movement it mainly uses small jumps.

Hunting for such an animal as sable is an entire art that has been passed down through many generations of hunters. Sable fur is very popular and valuable, so this animal is hunted in the taiga on an industrial scale.

DIY creation

To create a marten trap with your own hands, you should:

create two side walls from boards in a ratio of 30 to 40;
make a cover from plywood with a longitudinal slot in the center;
install a hook to the upper slot, which will serve as bait;
the gatehouse is made from wire 14-17 centimeters long;
in the area where the hook and the guard are combined, a recess is created that helps protect against false alarms;
create a spring-crush from strong wire (5 meters).

Hunting for an animal with a trap will bring results if you attach the traps correctly and in the right area. A spring bag is installed vertically on a tree trunk, and the bait is placed inside it.

Hunting for marten with snares is another fairly simple method of catching an animal for those who are trying their hand at this for the first time. The noose is considered a mobile device made from string, belt and wire.

The loops work according to the following principle: the animal suffocates if the loop gets on its neck or body. Also, the animal is restrained for some time in the case when it is caught with its limbs in a trap.

It is most effective to use marten snares on the predator’s path or near its habitat and burrow.

Step-by-step manufacturing instructions

a - trap in a charged state, b - trap with the mechanism released; 1 – spring, 2 – pressure, 3 – hook for bait, 4 – guard

Frame. After cutting the boards into pieces of the required length, we knock down 3 of them in the form of a narrow U-shaped box, open on both sides (without the top and ends for now). In the remaining board for the top we mark holes: a central one, about 3 cm in diameter, two side ones (almost at the front edge of the board, about 1 cm) and 2 very small ones, almost at the level of the central hole (for securing the spring elements - guard, pressure and hook). For the hook, a small longitudinal groove is cut in the board near the guard to prevent the trap from triggering spontaneously.
A crush is formed from the wire using pliers, the ends of which are inserted into small side holes.
In the same way, we fold the U-shaped guard and install it upside down (the bar goes under the board) with the rings facing up.
We insert wire staples into the rings to secure the hook and guard.
We install the hook and guard on the brackets.
We fix the finished, equipped top board.
On the back side we fasten with self-tapping screws a coarse mesh twisted from the same wire.

It is still advisable to paint the wooden parts (this way the frame will not rot in a wet forest, and if you choose a camouflage paint, it will also not be so noticeable). At this point - after the paint has completely dried and the smell has evaporated - the production of the bag can be considered complete.

Photo gallery: Spring bag design

Marten in a spring bag Attaching the bag mechanism Homemade box for the box Bag from the inside Finished bag close-up Finished bag before installation

Tactics for hunting martens with traps

How to catch a marten with a trap? To determine the location of future actions, you need to survey the territory .

If you are entering the territory for the first time in the snow, then the ability to read footprints will be very useful .

Determine approximately the territory where the animals can live. It can be a coniferous or mixed forest.

Check for old trees with hollows . This is important because martens rest in them. In their absence, the marten can also rest in the tangles of fallen trees.

Usually the bank of a river or stream is chosen for hunting martens . Examine it and try to find traces of marten . Moreover, they are interested in the paths they have found (this increases the chance that the animal will pass here again).

Where to look for marten

In areas where aspen and birch trees grow, where pine is rarely found, at the beginning of the season the marten can be found in the nest of a large bird.

There are still feathers and fluff left in it, so the animal can spend the day there quite comfortably. To make it easier to navigate where to look for the animal, you need to carefully examine the fallen trees. The marten really likes to move along them, and naturally leaves traces.

The marten often chooses hollows for the day, of which there are quite a lot in the forests.

To do this, she can choose any empty hollow in which she can fit. For housing and nesting, the animals choose spacious hollows in the old parts of the forest. Often, such a shelter may contain a certain supply of food, allowing the marten to stay at home for several days, waiting out bad weather. Male martens usually do not have a permanent home, preferring to use a nest. Sometimes it just hides in the windfall.

Hunting marten with husky

Hunting marten with a husky is a classic method of catching the animal. You should go out with your dog before deep snow falls.

and the onset of frost.

At this time, the marten somewhat loses its usual caution, and its activity doubles. Against this background, the husky easily picks up a fresh trail, and can even catch the animal while feeding.

Important!

You should go hunting at dawn. A well-trained dog can easily reach the animal following the “hot” morning trail.

Having discovered a marten, the husky begins to trail it and loudly call the hunter. The main task is to shoot directly in the head. This will help preserve the fur and save the animal from suffering. It is better to shoot with shot No. 5 and No. 6.

When catching marten

When catching martens with traps, as well as traps, it is of great importance to attach the animals to certain places by feeding them. Even before the hunt begins, they hang shot crows or other bait in the forest near the traps.

The marten, having found the bait, begins to systematically visit it. When the time to hunt for marten approaches, I walk along the path and load the traps.

General view of the trap in a charged state.

2. View of the trap with the mechanism released:

A - front view;

B—side view; 1 - spring;

2 - crush; 3 — hook for bait; 4 - gatehouse.

Rules for marten skins.

Marten bait: the best bait options for traps

Marten bait should be fragrant. It is used to lubricate the box. To prepare it, you should prepare a small vessel and a knife.

Recipe for making scented bait:

Melt 30-40 grams of butter;
Add a small piece of pre-crushed wax;
Simmer the mixture over low heat;
Add 30 grams of propolis;
Place the mixture on the stove again for 30 minutes;
Mix the mixture thoroughly and cool at room temperature.

Then you should heat the box and soak it with the prepared bait.

also use hare or beaver offal as bait, as well as capelin and muskrat.

. Some martens even come to the smell of the carcasses of their relatives.

Experienced hunters also say that these animals are attracted to shiny candy wrappers. Often martens react to bait made from honey and vanillin.

Option for installing a bag

The spring plane can also be installed horizontally, but not on fallen trees and stumps, but between standing trees.

For such an installation, 2 poles are packed between closely growing trees. The distance between the poles should not prevent the spring from moving freely.

The bag is installed with the spring down.

If the spring is placed on top, then a bag falling from a tree, snowfall or strong wind will cause the trap to work idle. Also, a marten or another animal, the same bird can disturb the bag. When installing the spring from below, all this is eliminated.

Horizontal bags have a board nailed to the bottom to prevent the marten from snatching the bait; vertical bags do not have a bottom, since their bottom is adjacent to the trunk. For the convenience of placing the bait, a door is made of mesh; closes with soft wire.

There are also two ways to secure the bag to the poles:

Along the poles;
Across the poles.

The sticks are attached to the side where the spring is.

Making a bag with your own hands

It is better to start the manufacturing process with springs. You will need wire No. 4, which should be cut. Next, we measure a length of 16 cm on 2 rods and set the width ="770″ height="441″[/img]

Holding the wire in a vice, bend the spring with a knob.

A similar operation is performed with the second rod. As a result, you should get 2 identical springs, in which one arm is 14 cm and the other is 16 cm.

Immediately, 2 more rods of 12 cm each are cut out. To simplify the work and to make it easier to fix the frames, a device is made from 2 planks. Grooves are cut into the boards and the structure is fastened with a bolt.

The springs are set at the same distance to the ends of which the previously cut rods are grabbed. The spring frame is ready.

Next we make the box itself. You will need a board on which we outline the required dimensions of 31x17 cm and cut out the part.

Mark 4 cm from the edge and draw a line.

We retreat 2 cm from the edges.

and put marks on the line.

We step back 1 cm above the line and below it and also put marks.

Next, you will need a screwdriver and a 10-point pen. You should drill 2 holes in the places marked on both sides of the line.

Then we retreat 19 cm from the line - there will be a guardhouse.

We make a mark strictly in the middle. Stepping up and down 1 cm, we also make an oval hole.

We draw another line, 7 cm away from the edge.

The bottom of the frame will be placed here.

The frame itself is secured using a plate and self-tapping screws.

Pressure frame and alertness

It is made from softer wire than the frame. Cut a piece of wire, taking into account 19 cm on the sides and 12 cm in the middle of the frame.

They bend it in a vice.

The height of the frame itself should be 15 cm, and the rest of the section is bent in a vice and then with pliers to make loops.

The frame is threaded from the bottom of the bag cover through the cut holes and placed on the spring.

We retreat 2 cm from the edge of the lid and mark the middle - this is where the guard will be located. A part is bent from the wire to which the guard itself will cling.

It is made from the same wire as the frame and bent with pliers. The hinge is attached to the lid with self-tapping screws.

Set up a guard and a guardhouse.

Next, screw the side and back walls. The trap is ready.

The principle of operation of a spring bag

The principle of operation of a spring bag is very simple. It is attached to the tree in a vertical position. I hang bait inside the trap. The marten climbs up the tree into the trap and pulls the bait down, thereby alerting the animal, and the animal is forcefully pressed with a wire crusher to the inside of the front wall. A spring bag has a number of advantages over traps, which is why I give it preference. The trap does not require annual treatment; it can be used for many years.

The bait is inside the trap and is not pecked by birds. And you only need a little bait; there is enough squirrel for four traps.

The spring bag is hung on a tree and does not require any additional cover. There is no need to be afraid that the trap will be covered with snow or frost will set in after a thaw - it will always remain operational. A marten, once caught in a trap, dies very quickly, so there are no catches.

And one more quality of the spring bag is that it is universal; martens, stoats, and squirrels fall into it equally well.

Checking the traps

I check the traps a week after installation, otherwise the marten may get caught in warm weather. With the onset of frost, I check less often. I bring the martens into a warm room and let them thaw. I remove the skin with a tube with a cut along the rump, with the indispensable condition of preserving the nose, lips, eyelids, paws with claws and tail.

Removing cartilage from the animal’s ears is mandatory. I straighten the skin and dry it on a wedge-shaped straightener in accordance with the state standard. In the end, I would like to remind you that a hunter who has thoroughly studied the habits of the marten and is fluent in fishing techniques can quite easily catch all the martens in his area.

Therefore, I advise young hunters: if you want to catch marten well every season, never catch them in full, always leave two pairs for brood.

Installing a finished trap

Installing the finished device is very simple. Its body is fixed to the tree vertically and high enough from the ground to prevent foxes or wolves from falling into a trap. At the same time, all mustelids are excellent tree climbers, and getting along the trunk to the trap to stick its head into the bag and grab the bait is a matter of a few seconds for the marten.

At the same time, the guard will become alert, and the crusher will forcefully press the animal’s neck to the front wall. At the same time, you don’t have to worry about the performance of the bag - the design and location will not allow it to be covered with snow, and a sharp drop in temperature will not affect the case, which is dry from the inside.

Photo gallery: Installing the bag at height

Bag made from improvised means Bag with a ladder Bag for marten in winter Bag at a height of 2 meters Disguised bag

The bait for fishing can be very diverse. It is believed that pieces of upland game - nutcrackers, jays, hazel grouse or partridge - are best suited, although you can replace them with any other meat or fish. At the same time, experienced hunters also use much simpler baits - making sure that their smell is attractive to the marten. For this purpose, diluted beaver stream, mink anal gland infused with fish oil, and even ordinary bread soaked in honey are used. They say that the marten responds well to dry cat food - Whiskas or any other.