Cage Trapping

Cage traps, also known as box traps, have the advantage of being portable so they can easily be moved to different locations on your property. However, they can only catch a few feral swine at a time and are not effective for whole sounder removal.

Cage traps remain popular with some landowners because they are inexpensive.  However, the cost and efficiency of a corral trap almost always warrants its use instead of a box or cage trap.  Steel framed cage traps are often available for sale commercially and also comes in circular designs—circular models tend to be the strongest because they lack corners which are weak points. 

Cage traps can be constructed entirely out of wood, have a wood frame wrapped in heavy gauge wire livestock panels, or with a steal frame with the livestock panels welded to the frame.  These traps often have a wire bottom – especially if purchased from farm supply dealers.  Stepping on or walking on a wire bottom is very unnatural to a feral swine, and can cause feral swine to be reluctant to enter. Some trappers spend considerable time covering or hiding the wire bottom which increases set-up time and reduces the efficacy of the design. 

Cage traps with wire tops are detrimental to non-target animals like bears, deer, and turkeys.  Releasing a large, dangerous non-target animal from a cage trap can pose a serious risk to the trapper.  White-tailed deer often experience so much stress from confinement in a cage trap that they die within a day or two of release. This condition is known as myopathy and is widely documented in white-tailed deer.  Hunting clubs managing for large deer should be aware of this risk.  

Cage traps should be constructed without any top, floor or door threshold for maximum effectiveness.  They should be located on level ground and may be secured to the ground with stakes.