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How to Make Hoop Net Turtle Traps

A hoop net trap is a simple trap for aquatic turtles. It consists of a long cylinder made of netting or wire mesh with a funnel-shaped entrance at one end. Turtles are able to enter the funnel and squeeze into the trap, but will find it difficult to exit. The trap can then be baited and staked to the bottom of a pond or stream. When it is placed with the top of the trap above the surface of the water, it is considered a live trap.

Things You'll Need

Chicken wire
4 rigid hoops, about 30 inches in diameter
Tin snips or heavy shears
Aluminum or galvanized wire
8 wooden or metal stakes

Instructions

- 1
  Cut a rectangular section of chicken wire 18 inches wide and 32 inches long using tin snips or heavy shears.
- 2
  Wrap one long side of the square around a hoop, forming a cylinder with the hoop at one entrance. Wire it into place using aluminum or galvanized wire.
- 3
  Form the other end of the cylinder into a slot-shaped opening one inch tall and 20 inches wide. Wire the ends into place to hold the shape.
- 4
  Wrap a 4-foot length of chicken wire into a cylinder, using four evenly spaced hoops as support. The funnel should be facing into the cylinder at one end of the trap. Secure the chicken wire to the hoops using the wire.
- 5
  Cut a round section of chicken wire 32 inches in diameter. Place it over the open end of the cylinder, bending and wiring it into place.
- 6
  Attach a pair of 2-foot stakes to each hoop, with at least 6 inches of each stake below the bottom of the trap.

Animals & Science