Central Otago Branch Features in the News for Installation of Predator Trapline
1 February 2024
Read the full article by Otago Daily Times here.
At this time we've had the club has had sponsorship from Fulton Hogan Central Otago to buy materials to make the traps and a more for fuel and trapline supplies.
DOC Haast supplied the trap mechanisms and end plates, we built the boxes and positioned them all with help from Heath Sinclair and his Team from Haast DOC. We are very grateful for the help we get from the local DOC office, they have been fantastic
Our budget for the 5 year project is around $9-10k most of which is the cost of fuel to get over there.. some 340km round trip.
We are very fortunate to have Reid's Side x Side to get to the top of the track as it's been rain effected this last few months.. getting rougher as we progress further away from the hut..
Read the full article by Otago Daily Times here.
A typical set up..this is trap #2 on the access road into our hut
Ried Gare with Anna Sinclair ..regional manager of Futon Hogan Central Otago.. clearing traps on the press day/ sponsors day launch of the trapline 18th December 2023
Success rates:
18th November 2023
Stoats 24.. Rats 14..Mice 6
6 double kills
17th December 2023
Stoats 62..Rats 6..Mice 2
19 double kills
13th January 2024
61 Stoats..2 Rats..no Mice
22 double kills
Total kills so far.. 147 Stoats.. 22 rats.. 8 Mice from 59 double traps (118 traps)
Of those 59 traps 47 traps have double kills.. that is, a first kill has brought in a second animal
Another catch of many.. a young female..a fresh one
We have another 4 traps assembled to be positioned further along the trail and entered into Trapsnz and parts for another as spares should any become damaged
Traps are baited with a mixture of Rabbit and Pigeon.
As we are finding most kills are very decomposed when we clear the traps. We will be returning sooner rather than later to check the line again.. Rather than the 1 month interval recommended
Me doing the dirty work ..not having a sense of smell is a super power in this instance
Read the article by Otago Daily Times here.
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