Big cats sightings back in the news

[on_one_wheel]

Here's one with treddle snare trace still attached to the front right foot.
Now and then we'd re-snare a dog that had previously evaded capture by chewing it's foot off... they were the tricky buggers to catch.

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Having personally trapped thousands of cats, foxes and dogs, how on earth did a dog be given the time and opportunity to chew it foot off?

Really, I guess we breed them differently down here

I've seen rabbits chew/twist their leg off (steel jaw) let alone a wild dog albeit only a few of the many thousands also trapped...

Traps were checked daily, happens quickly if they're determined enough. This was at the time of a mixture of steel jaw and snares, steel jaw obviously aiding in cushing the bone at times incentivising the animal to chew or twist off the foot.

We even invented the "Treddle Snare" to negate the need for steel jaw traps, the design afforded the snare to be thrown higher up the leg leading to greater success rates. Being a seasoned trapper, are you familiar with the Treddle Snare over in yonder?

Head out into the South Australian station country along the dag fence, there's plenty of old steel jaw dog traps along the fence that are lucky to be checked once a week, if the trap doesn't have a strychnine laced rag wired to the jaw you'll typically only find a foot.

[stihl88]

Head out into the South Australian station country along the dag fence, there's plenty of old steel jaw dog traps along the fence that are lucky to be checked once a week, if the trap doesn't have a strychnine laced rag wired to the jaw you'll typically only find a foot.

We aren't allowed to use that method in Vic. On the Humaness chart it features the highest.

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[stihl88]

In the mid 80's my old man caught and killed Geoff Abletts dogs, found him hound hunting on a couple of occasions and was given fair and ample warning to keep them out of the catchment areas or they'd be caught and destroyed, he must have been hard of hearing though...

Funny thing is we bumped into him at a workplace training session sometime in the early 2000's, we had a chat and reminded him about the incident, he didn't have much to say, mainly just nodding his head in recollection.

[on_one_wheel]

It's probably not legal in SA either, neither is using Luci-Jet on wedge tailed eagles, but unfortunately it still happens.

I remember being taught how to set the traps. I was told "if you mess up and get chomped by a trap, don't bother calling for help, you won't make it"

[stihl88]

It's probably not legal in SA either, neither is using Luci-Jet on wedge tailed eagles, but unfortunately it still happens.

I remember being taught how to set the traps. I was told "if you mess up and get chomped by a trap, don't bother calling for help, you won't make it"

As at 2012 I beleive in SA the following still applies;
Small steel-jaw traps are prohibited.
Large steel-jaw traps are prohibited in most areas except for wild dog control along the dingo fence and for research purposes.
The large steel-jaw traps are required to be bound with cloth soaked strychnine or modified.

[on_one_wheel]

Wow ...that's a surprise

[animalpest]

It's probably not legal in SA either, neither is using Luci-Jet on wedge tailed eagles, but unfortunately it still happens.

I remember being taught how to set the traps. I was told "if you mess up and get chomped by a trap, don't bother calling for help, you won't make it"

Only if you bite the trap. Haha

In a 24 hour trap check I never had a dog or fox chew their foot off. If traps are poorly set than commonly result is broken feet or legs, it could indeed happen. And of course, leave it in the trap and may eventually chew it off. Irresponsible (and illegal) trap setting is the most likely common denominator.

Strychnine on traps means we don't need to check traps for much longer periods.

Oh, and we kept extensive trap records for many years. Records include trap used, injuries caused, date, time, capture, non capture, lured used, distance to lure, weight, breeding status and stomach contents.

[stihl88]

These were from older gin style traps at the time mate nothing to do with poorly set traps. Probably before your time by the sounds of it.
We're talking multi generational trappers, experts and pioneers in their field with many decades of experience passed from one generation to the next, they don't set poorly set traps, every drop of soil is accounted for.

Still interested if you've heard of or seen our Treadle Snare (banjo) leg hold?

[on_one_wheel]

[]

Only if you bite the trap. Haha

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I think you've got ti the wrong way around around.
You don't bite the trap, the trap bites you, breaks the skin and your poisoned.

[wrenchman]

Hemingway had 6 toe cats and there are many of them on the island in the keys .
Every once in a while they talk about thinning their numbers because they are eating the wild life and some are endangered birds bleeding hearts get all worked up.
Then a hurricane rolls around and wipes the entire population down

[MG5150]

Highly recommend checking out the 'Missing Panther' podcast if you're into cryptids and the big cats stuff

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gz6oXcMZxg