I have been browsing through many of the forum threads – there is some great information on many trapping subjects. I have not seen a lot about the trusty old Fenn6 – so here goes.
I have been using Fenn6 traps for about ten years – it started off on a small rural property trying to catch mustilids and also rabbits for trap bait. I used to put them up the end of farm drainage pipes or in the centre of a large hollow Ponga. Rabbits and hogs seem to like walking through pipes and a washout following some rain was no problem. We sold the farm and moved to a rural/residential street close to the harbour estuary. Rabbits are an ongoing problem digging holes and peeing in our lawn, so I made a couple of tunnels with a central space for a Fenn6 trap. Covered the tunnel with dirt and a flip up cover over the trap site. I catch rabbits when they are around, frequently catch large Norways from the estuary and occasionally get a wandering ferret looking for a rabbit. Most animals are caught at the front end of the body, so it is a fairly humane kill. The Fenn6 is an amazing trap that requires no lure and minimal maintenance – the brass trigger is very sensitive and most trips result in a kill. The Fenn6 can be a challenge to set, and a challenge to release dead animals such as hogs – but the springs can be slipped off to each side and the trap falls apart. My wife hates setting them!
Remember using these in England in the 70’s when I used to spend time helping the gamekeeper on a nearby farm. He used them in wooden tunnels to protect the 5000 pheasants he reared each year. They seemed a good trap. I recall he told me he once managed to catch a badger with one (accidentally). The badger was obviously very much alive and none too pleased. I think he dispatched the badger since they were not popular over there then, but I remember him remarking that the badger must have a very thick skull.
I saw this one walk across our driveway between two hedges - mid afternoon a couple of days back - so I put a couple of Victor pros in boxes nearby as well as a Fenn6 in a black Philproof tunnel - forced him to walk through the tunnel with a board between a couple of hedge trees - he made a bad mistake last night. Hard to believe what is walking around your section 10m away from your house.
It’s great to discover new ideas and I’ll put the tunnel concept to work.
You won’t see them mentioned often in the forum as they failed NAWAC testing, so not really an option any due to the animal welfare issues.
Hi
not being NAWAC approved puts some people off but niether are traps like Timms or possum master
like you said unless you have the Knack they can be shits of things to set.
I still use them and one thing I love is that I can set them up as a RUN THROUGH trap, none of the crappy maze baffles like a DOC 200 plus you have a natural bare ground pathway, sometimes I use just the trap in my shed set it between a couple of paint pails if using them outside I look for freshly worn animal runs, i dig a shallow hole in the ground so the trip plate sits level with the ground ,can put a few leaves over it, and I use a wire mesh cover to keep none targets away
Ive used these traps very successfully in the past when they were allowed to be used on conservation land. But we did get a lot of tail catches with animals struggling to get out: so not the nicest. And a high percentage of sprung-no catch, suggesting near-misses and trap-shy animals. But they are great in areas where you know rats are running through such as tunnels going through the compost or entrances to a roofspace.