How To: Build a good hog trap under $50

[redkneck]

I've had a few folks ask me lately about building hog traps. I thought I'd post how I do it and hopefully will help folks get rid of them on thier property.

First of all, instead of going and buying frame materials that are both heavy and expensive, just go to your local ATV dealer and get a 4-wheeler crate. Generally you can get these for next to nothing. My local Yamaha dealer is happy to get rid of them for $5 each.

Put the frame together (bottom, top, and 6 uprights) and use a wire welder on every joint. You'll end up using the crate upside down (you'll notice the 4 metal plates that the tires of the ATV rest on are now on the top of my trap).

You'll need 2 hog panels. They are like cattle panels, but have smaller slats on the bottom to keep the little ones in if you happen to catch them. They are usually in the $20-25 range at the co-op. You'll need about 1 1/2 panels, so if you build 2 traps, you can get by with only 3 panels and save some money. Weld the panels on three sides of the crate, being sure to weld the bottom of the panels to the bottom bar of the crate about every foot or so.

Frame a door out of 1/2 tubing or angle (should be able to get this from buying another crate if you don't have any laying around). Weld another piece of panel on the inside of the door.

Get 3 spring loaded hinges from the hardware store and weld the door on so it swings inside the trap. Get a scrap piece of plywood and screw to the outside of the door as shown below.

This will make the hogs feel a little more comfortable pushing agains a smooth piece of wood, rather than hard cold steel.

It is important to make sure the bottom of the door hits a hard stop at the bottom of the trap. You'll see I added an extra piece of tubing to mine so the door hits this. The hinges will be ripped off if the door does not hit a stop once you catch a hog.

I use a piece of wire tied to the door to hold it up as shown in the pic. Do this when you first set the trap to get the hogs used to going in and out of the trap to feed. Also use this when you are not going to run the trap to avoid accidentally trapping hogs. After a week of heavy feeding, untie the wire and set the trap. I use a 2x4 about 2' long usually, but stuck a stick in the pic below to give you an idea. You want the door to catch the top of the hogs' back so the stick will fall down and the door will slam shut behind it.

The bottom of the trap should be wide open except for maybe one or two small cross members. Also you'll notice a ratchet strap holding the trap down. You need to tie it down to prevent a large boar from lifting it up. If you're setting this in a field, just drive a couple of T-posts beside it to tie it down. Hope this helps some folks out.

[redkneck]

Baiting tips: I like to take a bucket of corn and pour some diesel fuel over it and let it soak a day. Hogs love the smell and taste of fuel, and it will keep deer out of your trap (I know guys that have actually caught deer in thier traps, this will prevent that). If you don't want to use diesel, just sour the corn in water, add Kool-Aid or get a gallon of cheap mayo to add to your corn. Anything with a strong sour odor will bring them in. After a few hogs are trapped, the bottom of the trap will be a muddy mess, that's why I use a 2x4 to set the door up, it's flat end will not dig down as much in the mud (I have went to check the trap and found hogs were lifting the door up and down but the stick would not fall down becase of the mud built up around the stick, not letting it fall).

Always carry a .22 with you, whenever a sow gets trapped, her little ones will hang around the trap and you can pick them off.

Please check your game laws about trapping of nuisance animals, and by all means KILL the hogs. Most states have stiff laws about transporting live hogs, and we don't need more of them roaming around. Also check the trap often, a hog will not last long in hot weather without water, and although I have no lost love for them, I belive in responsible trapping.

Good luck, and feel free to add to this thread with your ideas.

[dogdoc]

very nice. trapping was the only way I was able to clear my land of a group of feral hogs. I had no problem cleaning off the little piglets either. Every hog was shot humanely and eaten. I ended up with a little over 50 or so in 3 years. Made a trap door out of a freezer door on an old fridge. Welded garage door frames on it with rollers---worked great.

[okiedog]

Nice set up.. we always built ours out of t-posts and hog panels in the "6" pattern. Like this one. We just never used that many posts though.