Hi there - we have a small project going here - just wondering if there is a generally recommended distance to space traps at?
Thanks!
It depends on the type of trap and target species.
Looking at this website for DOC200 trap, it recommends a grid with lines 1Km apart for stoats or 100M apart for rats and traps every 100m along the line.
For Victor traps set up your lines 100m apart, with a trap every 50m .
DOC200: https://predatorfreenz.org/resources/setting-up-your-trap/setting-doc-200/
Victor: https://predatorfreenz.org/resources/setting-up-your-trap/setting-victor-rat-trap/
As close as possible as your budget allows
We started at 70 meters now going down to 40-50 as we got more money
Rats home range depends on food source more food less home range
So the more traps the better never have too many
Here in Wellington we put victor traps 50m apart to target rats (to get one in each 50m2 home range - so 4 per hectare, plus more for edges). Council here has bait stations for possums which are 100m apart, but some times they are replaced with Timms traps or warriors depending on the situation. As above - stoats have larger home ranges so a DOC200 every 5ha should be enough (one every 100m, almond lines 500m apart). Good luck with your project. Talk to the Biosecurity people at your regional council for more info
In our rural project we have pied piper bait stations every 50m max, and a possum trap on top of every second or third. We have a few rat traps too just as a monitoring device to a) show if they’re about, b) show if they’re avoiding the bait, and c) kill the buggers.
I understand Miramar, Windy Hill and the Arc in the Park have all concluded 50m is the sweet spot, rats have a 35m home range if they’re not forced to roam (lack of food, water, shelter or mates.)
We’ve started using ‘Double Tap’ bait so no secondary kill, but solid knock down.
This is a common set up for us:
Distance between traps is not as important a good trap/ bait box location. you will be able to kill more with less traps/ bait boxes if you put a little thought in to where and why you are setting at a location. and if your not catching or the bait is not gone move the trap you might not need to move it far. I have had lots of stoat traps not been catching, moved the trap less then fifty meters and caught first or second night.
You don’t need to spend loads of money to make a difference if you Trap Smarter