Rabbit Box Trap

This is written from the point of view of a boy who had limited carpentry skills and lesser use of any blueprint design.  He had seen the box being built and simply wanted to duplicate the witnessed efforts using whatever material were available at a farm setting.  Materials needed:   boards, nails, hand saw, string, trap door and its mechanism.  No ruler was needed since the size of the box would be determined by whatever happened to be available.
He grew up in a rural environment, having access to a wooded area behind his home of about 10 acres of land, most of the cleared land was used as pasture for cattle plus there were other accessible wooded areas immediately nearby.
The rabbit box was basically a rectangular-/+ yard long construction, the size depending on availability of boards which was no problem.   Some construction was required as the instructions advise you on Christmas morning. Three of the sawed boards (perhaps 12 inches wide) were of the (hopefully) same dimensions, the fourth bottom one was somewhat longer if possible.  Then there had to be an end board and a ‘trap door” board at the front.  Additionally there were slats needed to guide the trap door into the prepared slots, closing the door to the box when the trap mechanism was activated. That was the tricky part since it was the most delicate, precise part of the trap. So the box was now finished.
A string was attached mid-way the top of the front door which then ran over the top of the box to a stabilizer/focal point hence to the gravity operated ‘trigger’ which ran through a  top hole to the inside of the  box waiting for an animal to ‘’trip” the lever which was notched in an appropriate place.
Of course some adjustments might need to be made to enable the closure to slide easily and effectively thereby preventing the animal’s escape.
So you are all ready to place the box which has ‘bait’ inside (carrots/apple cores, fruit) and wait for the unsuspecting animal to ‘take the bait’.
And one more thing.  Like the dog who finally ‘catches’ the automobile he has been chasing, now what?  Catch and release?  A meal perhaps? A humane end by relocation? Adopt as a pet?
Decisions, decisions, decisions?  Has the thought occurred of just enjoying the company of the rabbit in his natural habitat, forever free!?
*
Bill Lee, PO Box 128,
Hamer, SC 29547

Print Friendly, PDF & Email