# Dead in a Live Trap



## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

There has been a surge in the ground hog population. I've eliminated quite a few in recent memory. Bow, pistol and rifle. I was seeing multiples pop up mid morning so I had to resort to trapping with live traps.

Set it yesterday evening near the scene. Tossed cucumber and tomato peelings along with a whole banana, peel and all. Checked the trap about 11 today. I got one and it was dead. Not complaining but I still shot it to be sure.

Could the potassium from a banana trigger cardiac arrest? There was direct sunlight and it was mid 80s.


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## PaMike (Dec 7, 2013)

Why live trap? I used big conibear traps. Placed over the hole. They come or go and you got them...


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## glasswrongsize (Sep 15, 2015)

PaMike said:


> Why live trap? I used big conibear traps. Placed over the hole. They come or go and you got them...


Spoils too much meat. I wanna know how long sumn's been dead before I go to butcherin'.



Mark


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## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

PaMike said:


> Why live trap? I used big conibear traps. Placed over the hole. They come or go and you got them...


.... because I Havahart.

All I have available were live traps. I use them because if I catch something I wasn't trying to catch (like a rabbit), I can safely release it.


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## Farmerbrown2 (Sep 25, 2018)

There called ground hogs for a reason my grandmother would trap them and sometimes we would not get over there quick enough to shoot them for her.


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## glasswrongsize (Sep 15, 2015)

farmerbrown said:


> There called ground hogs for a reason my grandmother would trap them and sometimes we would not get over there quick enough to shoot them for her.


Was she trapping them for eating?

I assume she was... they're darn fine table fare if they's younguns. '****, ground hog, beaver, muskrat...all pretty good. I have to draw the line at "grinners" (AKA 'possums) as I just can't get past the mental aspect of the places I've seen 'em fetching their own meals.

Back on track, if it wasn't heat induced death, it is quite possible it was stress-related from being confined in the trap. A squirrel will tach-out and die fairly easily from the stress of capture. As far as being specific to a ground hog, I can't speak from experience...always shot them, here. I have only ever caught them in traps by accident while trapping around old houses for '*****. I've never had a groundhog in a trap that was still alive...but I use conibears, as well, when trapping openings under a house/barn or whatever (so long as I'm sure there are no dogs around. Cats?...catching a cat is a "bonus".

Mark


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## Farmerbrown2 (Sep 25, 2018)

No my grandmother did not eat them she always had several gardens and sold vegetables for spending money and church offering. Grammy would not shoot a gun but had a 22 in the corner of the closet to shoot stuff she would catch.


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## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

I still shoot them as I see them. Problem is there are so many and one of me, traps help when I don't see them.

I was reading up on the whistle pigs and found that some have played dead. I doubt this one was because of rigor mortis and the head shot that followed for insurance. However they can reduce their heartbeat to about 5 beats per minute.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Most likely it killed itself somehow or another so it wouldn't have to listen to Mrs Hog telling him I told you so.


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## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

mlappin said:


> Most likely it killed itself somehow or another so it wouldn't have to listen to Mrs Hog telling him I told you so.


Statistics do say males have a higher suicide rate because of females or maybe that's a higher rate 'than' females.

That's why I was curious if potassium played a role. I have forgotten traps before during a hot period and the animal was still alive. Have not used bananas as bait before but I threw it in there because it was trash and I figured it wouldn't hurt. The irony is it might have hurt. I do attribute it as cardiac related but I thought the buggers were tougher than that.


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## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

Saw her pop up so I dropped in the spot with .22 mag. I estimated the range at 105 yards. Grabbed the range finder afterwards and it turned out to be 108 yards. She was bigger than I thought 
















When I say there's a rise in numbers, I'm not kidding.


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## NightFisher (Oct 10, 2016)

I have heard from some farmers that when the Coyote numbers increase in an area, the hog population is almost eradicated. I have one guy that won't let my yote hunt on his land because of their affect on the groundhogs.


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## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

NightFisher said:


> I have heard from some farmers that when the Coyote numbers increase in an area, the hog population is almost eradicated. I have one guy that won't let my yote hunt on his land because of their affect on the groundhogs.


I had that observation of seeing more rabbits and hogs then I could ever remember and hearing less howls. Talked to guys and asked if they thought yote numbers were down and none agreed. They all thought they were after fawns and food was plentiful for the reason we are not seeing or hearing the yotes.


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