A Drift-Fence Pit Trap That Preserves Captured Rodents

Abstract

The efficiency of lead fences of hardware cloth to direct rodents into funnel traps is discussed; a new type of pit trap that excludes birds and automatically preserves captured rodents is described. Rodents entering the trap fall through a trap door into a gallon jar containing alcohol. The pit traps primarily catch dispersing rodents; resident populations do not appear to be destroyed. Each pit trap yielded 2.5 to 45 times as many rodents as did Sherman live traps set for only one night.