Hog Trap Doors
Trapping is a good way to reduce local hog populations, but trapping is only as effective as the trapper and the traps he or she uses. Corral hog traps and box traps can both be used with success, but both trap designs require simple and functional door design. Doors can either be swinging double-doors or hinged doors that hinge at the top or the bottom. With either door design, the door must be at least 30 inches wide for hogs to pass through without tripping the door when they first enter the trap. This is important so that the maximum number of hogs can be penned before the door closes.
Double-Door Hog Trap Door Design
In a double-door design, the doors are positioned much like saloon doors where both can swing open, but meet in the middle when pulled closed by springs. When set, the doors are propped open by a stick so that hogs can simply walk into the set hog trap. Of course, the prop stick must have a wire or cord attached that runs into the main part of the trap so that hogs inside the trap will trip the line, then pull the prop stick, and shut the doors.
The double-door design is very effective because it allows additional hogs to enter the trap even after the doors have been tripped closed. However, it is important to brace the doors at the top and bottom so they cannot be forced open from hogs inside the trap. To set the trip wire, a wire is run from the prop stick to an area of the trap furthest from the trap door opening. Hog bait is placed in a hole and the wire is stretched over that hole at ground level. As the hogs root in the bait-filled hole, the wire is stretched and the prop is pulled out from between the gate doors. They then remain closed due to the springs on each door, but additional hogs can push in!
Single Hinged Door Design
A single hog trap door works basically the same way as the double-door, but is hinged along the top and propped open by an “L” placed into the end of a pipe that has been driven into the ground at a distance inside the trap that allows the door to be opened and propped up parallel to the ground. The trip wire is then attached to the leg of the “L” that is not placed in the end of the pipe so that when it is moved by hogs rooting at the bait hole, it no longer supports the weight of the door and gravity causes the hinged door to swing down and close.
As with the double door design, more feral hogs can push in, but the door should completely close behind them. This single door design is a very effective way to trap hogs, but the double-door design makes it easier for additional hogs to get into a corral type trap. It will take a little more time to fabricate a double-door, but you will catch many more hogs. There is no one way when it comes to hog trap design, but these are a couple of options that will give you a good start!