wildfire wrote:
does anybody have plans on how to build a portable hog trap, any help would be appreciated
I have seen several types and built a few.
The best though is like this: Find big tree with limb you can hang a 55 gal drum that you can fill with whole corn. Make about 10-12 1" holes in bottom of drum, so when drum is hit, the corn will fall out a few kernnels at a time. Hang drum about 14-16" off of the ground.
Then get some 4"x4" x 16' cattle panels & T-Posts. Construct a heart shape pen around the tree and drum. NOW--here is key--Tie the panels open in two places: 1) at top part of the "heart", 2) at bottom of the "heart. Openings should be about 20" to 24" open so hogs have free access to the feed drum. Then at about 7-14 days after the drum has been found, late in evening, un-tie the panels where the hogs can push open and go into the feed drum(at the top of the 'heart shape enclosure". At the bottom of the enclosure, tie solid.
You can back a stock trailer up to the bottom end, un-tie the bottom end pointing into the trailer, go to the opposite side of enclosure with empty feed sack and make a "ruckus" and the hogs will load themselves, thinking they are getting away!!
Works real slick!!!
You may want to place a railroad tie under back of trailer, blocking light and exit. But, probabley not really necessary. When the first hog makes a break (like they are used to doing) out the bottom end of that heart enclosure, the rest will follow.
Size should be minimum of 12-15' across the widest part of the heart shape.
When enclosure is in "trap mode", hogs will smell the corn, travel around top of heart and funnel right into the trap. I've also, cut the last square on bottom, back about 4 ft on each side, to let the "gate" part of the panel to close without dragging on ground, mud, sticks, etc.
Good luck and if you have any questions, email me at
ccwlawson@aol.com
