NEWS

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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