Well I baited my figure 6 hog trap and put a t post in the "gate" to leave it open the last 8 days and the hogs still arent coming in daily. They came in twice, 3 days apart. I
pulled the t post and "set" it Saturday night and a few hogs came to the trap but did not go in/push the panel in to go into the trap. They walked in the little alleyway and stopped right before where they need to push in. Since I wont be down until easter I moved my feeder inside the trap and put the t post back in so they can go in/out freely. Then over easter hopefully they will be coming everyday like they used to and I will pull the t post. The trap is real big, in hopes of catching the 15-25 hogs we consistently had coming to the feeder during deer season. So the ? is. Does it take some time before they realize they have to squeeze/push the panel to get in????? I mean yeah I only had it set for one day but I cannot be there to check it so I am not going to pull the t post. Anyone have any of the same experiences. Please help.
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I set a trigger on mine. I have a little bent piece of metal holding the door open just a little. When they push through the rest of the way the metal piece falls down and the door will close once the hog is through it.

can u explain that more?? or post a pic of it. I am confused. So u added an additional gate or used the figure 6 concept as the gate?

has anyone had similar experiences, and how long does it take for them to realize they have to push their way in?

I just have a hook holding the door open. My trap is the same as yours. The hook is on a additional T-post along the door. When ever a animal pushes the door in even a little this allows the hook to fall free. If this does not clear it up, on Wednesday I can take a pic of it.

I understand the concept but cannot picture it. Please do take a pic and post it. That will help alot. Also I dont know if i want to do that as I want to catch more then one hog at a time. I think these traps have the potential to catch MANY hogs, and most of my hogs run together so that was my plan. I just dont know how long it will take before they realize they have to push their way in.

It is just like using a stick to hold a swing door open. the hog only has to move the door a little to make the stick fall out.

You probably want to keep the door propped open for a longer amount of time so they will get more dependent on the corn. This will make them want it even more!!

put less corn outside and more inside just past the gate......pretty good size pigs....the bigger the pig the harder it is the catch....just keep with it.

yea all the hogs are about that size. Yeah I have the feeder going now and will not be down for the next 2 weeks. yanta61..you are the figure 6 expert, what do you think about my issue and how i built my trap? Yeah while I am not there I put a tpost in so it is like 12 inches wide, so they can freely go in/out and get used to the trap

I just built one like that and haven't caught anything yet either.
prop the gate open with a stick between the part that opens (round part) and the straight part. Just put about a 6 or 8 inch stick between the to to prop open the gate.

To prop it open when you are not there put the t post on the inside of the trap and just wire the gate open, that way you don't have to drive a t post every time.

good idea rick, lol because it was a pain pulling out the tpost and driving it back in. The only problem with a stick/trigger mechanism is you cant catch alot of hogs because once the first hog triggers it, it will close. I will remember that thought if I have trouble catching them in mass quantities, I can always put a trigger on it

If there is 1 inside eating corn the others will find a way in!!!!!

Usually once one goes in, the others won't be too shy.

I had this problem on one I built a few years ago, and decided to change the other end into a tear drop shape towhere they could push their way out of it. Whenever you put your t-post on the inside, tie the bottom towhere it is a few inches open but the top is still touching so they have to get used to pushing their way through it, and I did the same with the tear drop side, but a little more open at the bottom so they'd find it easier. They get used to pushing in and pushing out, then when you want to set it, just wire the tear drop closed.

i wouldn't say and expert....but i have built about 30 traps and have caught pigs in all of them......your trap looks great.... i wouldn't change anything right know, just set it the next time your out there.....if you still don't catch anything then you might change the V opening a little



first question is what is the steel post with the blue arrow for.....is this the one your using to tye it open

Second is you might make the V opening a little shorter......you can see in the picture that you might go about half way and try that.......if you do decide to make the one panel shorter dont cut it just un-tie it and over lap it more then re-tie it...this way you can adjust it as needed....

third put a lot of corn inside the trap and the V opening....


i don't see why your trap is not working the way it is. it just might be big smart hogs.....we usually always caught the smaller ones first....

keep at it and keep your camera going.....theres no telling how many hogs walked up to my traps and walked away....never put a camera up....

ok thanks yanta. I believe I will bungee cord it like mike said and leave the bottom open a bit but leave the top closed where the panels are touching. that way next time I leave and want to leave it open they learn to push their way in while also knowing they can get out. have u tried that method? that or the tpost on the inside and wire it open a little. same concept just little different ways. I cannot see pics on my work computer so I dont know what arrow your talkn about.

its the post at the V on the inside ....sticks up past the panel about 6 inches.......

i have used the post to tie it open and have used a stick about 8" to 10" to hold it open for the first pig...then when the pig walks through the stick falls and the panels close....then the next pig has to push it open.....

i just think time is the only problem......they might get used to walking in then you close the panel and the next night they see the closed panel and turn around....you might have to set it for a few night before they push in....

o that is just there for more support. It is in the same depth as the others, its just a taller/bigger tpost. Do you think I need to pull it out and let the gate be more flimsy and easier to bend?? The gate it pretty easy to open now, its doesnt take too much effort for them to get inside when it is set. yes I agree I just need more time. The gate still opens plenty with the tpost there and if it is pushed in by some huge hog there is ample room for the gate to bend in. do you think the walkway is too wide/narrow?

the gate looks good.......the only thing i would change if they keep turning around in the V is the lenght of the V.....you'll see what i'm talking about once you see the picture i posted.... the farther they have to walk, with panels on both sides of them, the more likely they are to turn around....

very true, they will go in there when its open just hesitated the one nigth I set it. So I will do that for sure because that takes no time really. And I will add the bungee/elastic cord to open the bottom but not the top

if they go in there when its tied open but not when its set i would add the stick to hold it open about 8" or so when set..

what are you planing on doing with the hogs when you catch them

i think the bungee cord will only work with the tear drop trap....
if they have to push to get in they might not be able to push it back open to get out...... the reason it works on the tear drop is he leave the back of the trap open were they push out... they come in one way and push out another.....then when he wants to catch pigs he ties the back shut....

i would just make sure if you tie it open they have enough room to get out....

I would put a prop stick holding the gap open about mid ways and get some picture hanging wire and fix atrip for them to set maybe a feed bucket.Alot of hogs wont go in a closed gap.Onc you have some trap they may figure out the gap then.

idk, I have a few people who want some meat other then that idk. I have some pens I plan on holding them until I figure out what I want to do. I will worry bout them when I catch some lol

the reason i asked is you really have to watch yourself around them.....i caught 11 hogs from 150 to 250 pounds....we drove up and tried to load them in a trailer and they started going crazy....they ended up busting a hole in the cattle panel and started getting out.....nothing a 30-30 couldn't handle until i ran out of shells......i think one got away and we loaded 2 of them....just make sure and watch yourself around the trap especially the first couple of times you catch hogs, they will work the trap trying to find a weak spot.......
good luck, hope you catch them all
AY

yeah I was forewarned about that. I will also add somemore t post next time. I plan on: shortening that v to half like u said and adding 5-6 more tposts. Do you think I should remove that post u highlighted blue? Also, once I leave after easter break and wont be back for weeks after, what do you think would be the best way to prop it open considering most of the hogs are 100-225 lbs with most being 150-175?? I thought the best way would be a bungee cord to holf the bottom open about 6 inches. Knowing that if I take that tpost out and just bungee it they can push it open as far as they need to get in since it will be flexible and not have a tpost behind it like I have it now. I just want to find a good way to leave it open/bait it so that I know for sure they will get used to it and understand they have to push their way in.