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Trapping standards for feral pigs
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ONE of the most common methods uti- lised by land managers to remove feral pigs is trapping.
Steel mesh with a small grid size – 50x75mm or 50x100mm – is recom- mended to minimise the risk of snout injury if the pig should charge the mesh.
creating trap-shy pigs or impacting on non-target species.
Trapping should only be used by land managers as part of a strategic, co- ordinated and integrated management program where the available con- trol tools – including baiting, aerial shooting, trapping and ground shooting – are applied in combination and in a tac- tical order.
Trapping is time con- suming and take lots of patience.
Further information on trap designs, specifica- tions and construction for feral pigs can be obtained from state and territory government websites.
In the words of experi- enced feral pig manage- ment specialist Dr Jim Mitchell, “Trapping is a process not an event – it takes time and effort to successfully trap pigs.”
by HEATHER CHANNON National Feral Pig Management Co-ordinator
Trapping is best ap- plied when food or water supply and vegetative cover is limited – such as in late summer and early autumn in southeast Australia.
It is not the best method to remove large numbers of animals from the land- scape at once.
In many regions, traps can be borrowed for no charge from state or local government agencies to assist land managers with their control programs.
Generally, it’s better to bring bait to the pigs rather than hoping the pigs will find the bait.
It is important that all control methods are humanely applied to comply with the model code of practice for the humane control of feral pigs – available via the PestSmart website, pest smart.org.au
Land managers use traps in areas where poi- soning cannot be safely used and as an alternate to poisons to remove small groups of pigs or to focus control efforts on small defined areas – such as high-value agri- cultural crops.
Many trap styles are now available that are designed specifically for pigs and also minimise non-target species from being caught.
Where installed, ex- perienced operators can also use this information to remotely activate the gate or the trap itself – if suspended traps are being used.
Trapping will be most effective when bait is po- sitioned near fresh reg- ular activity.
The standard operating procedure for the trap- ping of feral pigs can be found here.
The different trap types include silo traps, panel traps and box traps.
However, effective trap- ping does not come down to having the latest and fanciest equipment.
Our feral pig signs factsheet – feralpigs.com. au/resources/#factsheets – may assist with knowing what signs to look for.
Trapping is viewed as a secondary control method that can be used to further reduce num- bers of feral pigs fol-
With trapping, land managers can see and ex- actly track the number of pigs that have been caught and dispatched.
The choice of which trap design to use will be dependent on the habitat, material available, loca- tion and accessibility of the site.
There are some key techniques that need to be applied to suc- cessfully catch whole groups of pigs without
One of the most impor- tant factors in successful trapping is the selection of a suitable trapping site.
lowing poisoning and aerial control.
Carcasses from trapped pigs can also be retrieved for proper disposal.
Field cameras are in- creasingly being used by land managers as a sur- veillance tool to deter- mine group size, assist with identifying suitable trapping sites and moni- toring feral pig presence in and around traps.
Adequate free feeding is needed to encourage pigs into an area to feed.
Interestingly, traps can be incorporated into ex- clusion fencing designs, where feral pigs run along fence lines into traps.
The key difference be- tween them is gate con- struction and design.
Care must be taken here to ensure that animals are not entrapped under gates or trap units.
Have a good look around the area for feral pig signs to select sites where free feed can be provided and could also be appropriate for traps to be assembled and placed.
Cameras can be used to assist with trapping and may be a good investment for daily checking and trap inspec- tion. Photo: Daniel Lewer of Hunter Land Management
Ensure that whole clean grain, fermented grain such as wheat, barley,
Traps should be set where shade and shelter are being provided by vegetation to manage the exposure of pigs to ex- treme heat or cold.
Using your property map can also be useful in determining baiting sites.
Stop any activities in the area that will disturb normal feeding behav- iours of pigs.
This includes removing any livestock from pad- docks where traps will be located, as well as any ground shooting or hunting activities with dogs that may be occur- ring in the area.
Speak with your neigh- bours to request that they stop any ground shooting activities.
Preferences for free feed will vary from area to area.
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Page 2 – Australian Pork Newspaper, March 2022
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