When we bought our first automatic trap back in 2019 or 2020, our goal was simple: control ground squirrels around our chicken enclosure. What followed was five years of learning, tinkering, experimenting, and ultimately mastering these traps across two states, multiple climates, and a wide range of pest species.
This is our story—and the practical lessons we learned along the way.
Starting Out: Ground Squirrels, Chickens, and Early Mistakes
Our first challenge was discovering that our chickens really wanted to get into the bait. After watching them peck at the trap, we purchased a guard and got more creative with placement. Once we refined the location and dialed in our bait choices, we stumbled into another important lesson:
Anchor your traps.
Something carried off our first trap entirely. We ordered a replacement, only for the original to resurface around the same time the new unit arrived. After that, I made custom leashes using 16-gauge cable and secured them with dog tie-out anchors. That solved the problem permanently.
A Cross-Country Move & New Rodent Problems
In 2022, we moved from Colorado to Wisconsin, and our trap usage expanded dramatically.
Now we were dealing with:
- Mice instead of squirrels around the chicken enclosure
- Fall nesting activity in and around our vehicles
- Voles moving into garages and sheds during winter
We bought more traps because we now needed them in several areas:
- Inside cars that aren’t used frequently
- Under the hood of vehicles
- Along major travel routes to keep mice out of the house and garage
- Inside garages and sheds during the January vole surge
The more we used them, the more we realized each environment had its own “trap logic.”
What Worked for Us (and What Didn’t)
We discovered that the lure and tasters didn’t perform well in our environment, likely because we don’t have rats. When the basic trap kit was reintroduced—with bait cups included—we were thrilled. They fit our needs perfectly.
Our go-to baits:
- Chicken feed near the chicken enclosure
- Bird seed in areas away from the chickens
With these baits, our results were consistent:
- 1–2 mice per trap per day during peak nesting
- Multiple voles per week through the winter
- One CO₂ canister per trap per week when used in vehicles, for about three weeks of heavy activity
That’s a lot of mice.
Cold Weather Lessons: How to Avoid Leaks and Wasted CO₂
Wisconsin winters quickly revealed another important truth.
The traps work flawlessly down to –20°F, but:
- Let the trap warm up before removing the old CO₂ cartridge.
- Give the gasket time to return to shape before installing a new one.
Before we learned this, we had a few leaky cartridges—not from damage, but from cold-hardened gaskets that couldn’t seal properly.
The Simple 45-Degree Trick That Tripled Our Capture Rate
One unexpected discovery: the base tray seemed to deter mice from climbing up and in.
The fix?
We prop the trap up at a 45-degree angle.
This allows mice to climb in easily while still falling cleanly away from the trigger mechanism.
Our catch rate tripled using this method. A tiny adjustment with huge results.
Why Tinkering Matters (and Why Some Users Give Up Too Soon)
There’s a learning curve with automatic traps—placement, baiting, anchoring, positioning, seasonal patterns—and I genuinely enjoy the tinkering. The more I experiment, the better the results get.
A lot of the information that helped us originally came from the use-cards included in the early kits. I’d love to see those instructions included with the current basic kit again. Too many new users skip the learning phase, don’t get immediate results, and walk away frustrated.
I’ve read those comments on chicken and rodent control forums for years. A little guidance goes a long way.
Five Years Later: Still Going Strong
After hundreds—maybe thousands—of cycles, our original traps still function like new. Between ground squirrels, mice, and voles, these traps have proved their value many times over.
That’s our story, and we’re sticking to it. I hope these insights help someone else get the most from their traps, and I’m always happy to answer questions.
