Tip: Control Animal Movement

The process of trapping a nuisance animal is pretty simple in theory.

You get an appropriately sized trap and get the animal to go into it. The trap closes and the animal is captured.

But, in practice, would-be trappers sometimes struggle because they can’t get the animal to go into the trap.

Bait, foods that attract the targeted animal, are often placed in and around the trap to get the animal to go inside the trap.

This works in many cases. But, sometimes bait doesn’t do the trick; the animal is not captured.

What should you do if an animal is not taking the bait?

Positive Set Trapping

Today’s post revisits the concept of a “Positive Set” and shows why it is often the preferred method for efficient nuisance animal removal.

We have some pictures and videos which explain the concept and, hopefully, convince you that positive sets are the way to go.

The great majority of nuisance animals we deal with use very specific travel paths. These travel paths are often best defined where they are entering/exiting a den entrance. Setting traps at these points (like the gable vent to the right) makes sense because that’s where the animals are.

So, if you want to catch a raccoon, squirrel, groundhog, or skunk that is using a specific hole, set the trap right there!

Putting a trap on the travel path of a nuisance animal just makes sense.  And, when you actually incorporate the trap into the travel path, you’ve just made a positive set.

Defining and demonstrating what a “positive set” is in nuisance animal trapping is the goal today.  Understanding and executing the concept makes nuisance animal removal more efficient.

Examples of Positive Sets

For starters, watch this short video where Ryan explains the term at a raccoon removal job.

Here is a more recent raccoon job which shows a raccoon that knows where an entry is.  The raccoon wants to get in the house and is only given one way to go: through the trap.

Although creating a positive set takes some more effort, this method of trapping works when other methods fail.

Ryan describes that is this video.

Works for Squirrels, Skunks & Groundhogs Too

Since you’ve seen how this set-up works for raccoons going through a ridge vent and side of the house, you might be asking yourself if it works for other species.  The answer to that is a definitive yes.

In fact, anywhere there is a defined path of travel the technique can be used.

We use it for multiple species that are going in and out of structures at specific points: squirrels, groundhogs, skunks, raccoons, etc.

To the right is an example of a positive set for squirrels.

The trap is placed over the exit/entrance the squirrels are using. When they come out, as long as all of the other ways are blocked off, the squirrels have to go into the trap.  The only other choice is to stay inside, but that can only go on for so long.  There is no luring or tempting them to come a certain way.

Here is the same idea in a positive set for a groundhog.

There is no bait used for this trap and the trap isn’t in a random spot in the yard.

This trap is right in front of this groundhog hole and there is no way around it.

If a groundhog wants to come in or out of that hole it will go through the trap and trip the trigger.

What it Takes to Make A Positive Set

You’ve seen our examples,  now it’s time to put the plan in action.  Here’s what you need.

A clearly defined path of travel. Exits and entrance holes are great.  Finding them around foundations isn’t too bad.  Locating them on the roof presents certain challenges.

A trap that can be incorporated into the travel path.  For this, we recommend double door traps for the bigger animals and repeater traps for squirrels. Most of our double door traps have spring loaded doors that fire when an animal brushes by wire in the middle of the trap.

Blocking material. In order to get the animal to go through the trap, it can’t have any other options.  This blocking of other possible travel paths calls for creativity. The material can be anything.  We use a lot of wire and purchase blocking aids that are sold by trap manufacturers.

When you put all these things together, you are certain to capture an animal that moves through that spot.

Animal Removal & Control | Stark, Summit, Portage County

For all of your nuisance animal removal needs in the Akron, Canton, Kent Ohio area, give us a call.

We have the tools, methods, and experience to solve your critter problem.