# NBA Slam Dunk Squirrel Trap!



## TennJeep1618 (Dec 31, 2009)

That is quite possibly one of the coolest things i've ever seen. :cheers:


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## PSE.Stinger (Jan 27, 2010)

ha cool i must say but at that point shouldnt you just shoot the squirrl...?


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## Barehunter (Feb 10, 2007)

PSE.Stinger said:


> ha cool i must say but at that point shouldnt you just shoot the squirrl...?



Lots of people ask that but this is so much more fun! Plus you can do catch and release and catch him another day. I've got mine set up 40 yards from the corner of the garage with a hole trimmed thru the shrubbery to shoot thru.


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## pappasmerf86 (Sep 29, 2008)

that looks like alot of fun. haha


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## ParkerBow (Dec 4, 2006)

that is just brilliant


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## Widgeon (Jul 17, 2009)

Now that looks like fun! I love the catch and release idea too


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## dixiedeerslaya (Nov 20, 2009)

does it work? have you actually caught a squirrel in it yet?


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## jstalljon (Jul 13, 2007)

This thread is BEGGING for a video!


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## hjort jagare (Nov 19, 2008)

:clap: After reading some recent threads about cat problems Im thinking you could be on to something. Just up-size it a little and open a can of tuna.:thumbs_up Then its off to the shelter for Snookums. :darkbeer:


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## dubllung4 (Jul 30, 2010)

Thats a great idea! In fact I might even try that! Did you make the pole that the ball sits on? 
And sorry to hijack but thats a little bit like this...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3Ya6z-NlDo


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## krachall (Feb 14, 2010)

ROFL! Love it!


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## Mapes3 (Aug 13, 2009)

brilliant


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## Belicoso (Aug 22, 2006)

:thumbs_up:thumbs_up:thumbs_up:darkbeer:


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## vnvgunner (Nov 7, 2009)

I like that.:thumbs_up


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## 05_sprcrw (Aug 18, 2009)

I am building one thank you for the idea it looks hilarious.


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## Barehunter (Feb 10, 2007)

dixiedeerslaya said:


> does it work? have you actually caught a squirrel in it yet?


Oh yeah! It works like a charm. I built the first one and a buddy of mine got to try it first and he's caught a sack full of squirrels. He has two beagles that have learned the sound of the blunt hitting the basketball and come running to harass the squirrel. 

Finally made one for myself and have several catches at 40 yards. It is just an absolute blast! The first one I made had a block of rubber attached where the ball is and it broke arrows. The ball absorbs the energy with this model and you just gotta watch for the arrow bouncing back at you.


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## Barehunter (Feb 10, 2007)

jstalljon said:


> This thread is BEGGING for a video!


You are so right! We plan to do that just haven't had the time to put it together.


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## Barehunter (Feb 10, 2007)

dubllung4 said:


> Thats a great idea! In fact I might even try that! Did you make the pole that the ball sits on?
> And sorry to hijack but thats a little bit like this...
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3Ya6z-NlDo


Yes, I fabricated all of it. Ball holder is just a piece of 1/4" round rod bent into a circle.


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## Barehunter (Feb 10, 2007)

05_sprcrw said:


> I am building one thank you for the idea it looks hilarious.


Axle for the trigger mechanism is 5/16" threaded rod. Use two locknuts to adjust tension against trigger so that it will easily stay vertical but still fall ok when the ball is hit.


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## Belicoso (Aug 22, 2006)

Barehunter said:


> This thing is a blast! Wait til squirrel is inside cage. Shoot basketball with a rubber blunt and the door slams. Minimum range 20 yards as blunt will bounce back!
> 
> View attachment 835875
> 
> ...


How much for trap like this , in a full size mother-in-law version??


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## Barehunter (Feb 10, 2007)

Belicoso said:


> How much for trap like this , in a full size mother-in-law version??


What will you use for bait?


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## jwatts (Jul 7, 2008)

This may be the coolest thing I have ever seen. I may rig something like this up on my live trap and take care of the possum problem I just acquired.


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## psu111376 (Aug 4, 2009)

That is pretty darn cool. Great idea all around.


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## Widgeon (Jul 17, 2009)

Barehunter said:


> What will you use for bait?


Twinkies.


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## 88jeeper (Aug 7, 2008)

Barehunter said:


> What will you use for bait?


Sunday afternoons during football season. That always brings her around.


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## Mapes3 (Aug 13, 2009)

Barehunter said:


> Oh yeah! It works like a charm. I built the first one and a buddy of mine got to try it first and he's caught a sack full of squirrels. He has two beagles that have learned the sound of the blunt hitting the basketball and come running to harass the squirrel. QUOTE]
> 
> gotta love beagles


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## Belicoso (Aug 22, 2006)

Barehunter said:


> What will you use for bait?


Good question,don´t know yet but will find out :thumbs_up


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## oldschoolcj5 (Jun 8, 2009)

look like a LOT O FUN


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## petrey10 (Oct 24, 2008)

o man that squirrel launcher video was hilarious!!!!!!!!


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## Mapes3 (Aug 13, 2009)

i like the video, but they need to feel pain. thats why i like shooting them haha


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## BowhunterJT (Jun 4, 2009)

Very COOL!:thumbs_up:thumbs_up:thumbs_up

JT


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## hunt123 (Jan 17, 2009)

This thread is one of the coolest, most hysterical threads I've read in quite a while. I'm definitely making one but mine is going to be bigger so dogs or coyotes will fit. I'll pass on the mother-in-law sized one.


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## yoda4x4 (May 11, 2004)

That's pretty funny and you can tell that some serious thought when into that. Nice job!

David


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## hunt123 (Jan 17, 2009)

As a modification, you could replace the ball with an upright metal plate. Then you have the option of bow, pistol, rifle. Assuming of course you live in a firearm friendly area. :wink:


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## vygr55 (Sep 25, 2009)

just dont use with broadheads!!!!!!!!!


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## ats (Jul 20, 2007)

awesome


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## Barehunter (Feb 10, 2007)

hunt123 said:


> As a modification, you could replace the ball with an upright metal plate. Then you have the option of bow, pistol, rifle. Assuming of course you live in a firearm friendly area. :wink:


Plate would probably be fine for a rifle but won't work with a bow. My first attempt had a piece of 1/2" thick X 5" X 8" rubber attached to the top and it broke arrows almost every time we shot it (not many...we are crazy but not fools). The basketball being free to be blasted away doesn't break the arrows. However, if you center the ball with the blunt it the arrow will bounce back toward you 10 or 15 yards!


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## Barehunter (Feb 10, 2007)

A little history as to how the design came about. I had built a squirrel trap about like this one but with a regular trigger mechanism so that the squirrel would activate the trigger...you know just a boring old standard cage trap. 

One of my hunting buddies borrowed it to trap some squirrels and one day when he went out to shoot his trad bow there was a squirrel in the trap (or so he thought) that had not yet tripped the trigger. He ended up shooting the door and making it fall but regretfully the tree rat was just on the other side of the trap. When he was telling me about it I KNEW I had to build this trap!


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## Barehunter (Feb 10, 2007)

Here is the latest tree rat to get the 40 yard slam dunk treatment!


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## builditall (Mar 24, 2006)

Great Idea. :thumbs_up

Video was hilarious:tongue:


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## AdvanTimberLou (Aug 8, 2005)

Sweet! Thanks for sharing! :thumb:


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## psefan (Jun 15, 2010)

lmao thats to funny


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## hunt123 (Jan 17, 2009)

builditall said:


> Great Idea. :thumbs_up
> 
> Video was hilarious:tongue:


After your comment about the video, I decided I had to go watch it. OMG! Hysterical! Now I have to build two things. The trap AND the catapult!!

Heck, a person could even bait it with some tuna and launch cats!


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## dave308 (Sep 16, 2006)

That is awesome :thumbs_up:thumbs_up:thumbs_up


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## matlocc (Sep 29, 2009)

*just a thought*

what if you made a square frame and hung a towel or canvas to shoot at instead of the ball. It would absorb the energy and not bounce back. Then you could have your kids pitch into it with a baseball to trigger it.


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## Barehunter (Feb 10, 2007)

matlocc said:


> what if you made a square frame and hung a towel or canvas to shoot at instead of the ball. It would absorb the energy and not bounce back. Then you could have your kids pitch into it with a baseball to trigger it.


My guess is that it would work. Good thinking.


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## dubllung4 (Jul 30, 2010)

Ok so I love the trap and the catapult. I have been thinking about this for quite some time and I am gonna put 2 metal poles in the ground like you would use for wire fences. I am gonna hook up bands to these and that will create the launcher. The launcher will be pulled back and "set" with a thin string just strong enough to hold it. It will have some type of target on top of a pole with a pendulum much like the trap posted. Instead of a trap release mechanism there will be a razor blade. So pretty much a squirrel gets in the launcher basket and I shoot the target pendulum with the razor that cuts the release string and squirrel goes flying! Sounds confusing but not so much. Thanks again for posting the trap cuz now my minds spinning!


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## bearauto11 (Apr 7, 2010)

I think you should shoot the string with a razor sharp broadhead!


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## Barehunter (Feb 10, 2007)

dubllung4 said:


> Ok so I love the trap and the catapult. I have been thinking about this for quite some time and I am gonna put 2 metal poles in the ground like you would use for wire fences. I am gonna hook up bands to these and that will create the launcher. The launcher will be pulled back and "set" with a thin string just strong enough to hold it. It will have some type of target on top of a pole with a pendulum much like the trap posted. Instead of a trap release mechanism there will be a razor blade. So pretty much a squirrel gets in the launcher basket and I shoot the target pendulum with the razor that cuts the release string and squirrel goes flying! Sounds confusing but not so much. Thanks again for posting the trap cuz now my minds spinning!


Nice! Build it and they will come....


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## Barehunter (Feb 10, 2007)

dubllung4 said:


> Ok so I love the trap and the catapult. I have been thinking about this for quite some time and I am gonna put 2 metal poles in the ground like you would use for wire fences. I am gonna hook up bands to these and that will create the launcher. The launcher will be pulled back and "set" with a thin string just strong enough to hold it. It will have some type of target on top of a pole with a pendulum much like the trap posted. Instead of a trap release mechanism there will be a razor blade. So pretty much a squirrel gets in the launcher basket and I shoot the target pendulum with the razor that cuts the release string and squirrel goes flying! Sounds confusing but not so much. Thanks again for posting the trap cuz now my minds spinning!


Another idea for your catapult. Instead of cutting the string with a razor blade, you could have a loop in the end of the string that hooked over a peg at the bottom of the pendulum. Shoot the basketball or whatever causing the pendulum to rotate releasing the loop from the peg and catapulting the squirrel into the stratosphere. Then you could just re-hook the loop rather than replace the string. Build it!


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## dubllung4 (Jul 30, 2010)

Haha I cannot believe I didn't think of that! Thanks for the input!!


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## daltongang (Jul 29, 2009)

I really love this trap! I need one!


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## John0341 (May 25, 2009)

*trap*

Just get video of all of them working this will be good!!!!!!!!!! I love pissing peta off


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## novich69 (Dec 1, 2006)

You guys cost me more money every time I come on here! Great idea!


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## hunt123 (Jan 17, 2009)

A bit OT but I've been trying to figure out a simple trigger mechanism for the catapult. Can't do it so far. Anyone have an idea? This thread seems to have plenty of mechanical minded warped guys like myself. :wink:


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## dubllung4 (Jul 30, 2010)

In the vid they just pull it back with a thin string and tie it off in their house. The string runs through the door and when there is a squirrel the cut it. If you want to trigger it with a shot from and arrow then use a set up much like the trap. Its a pole with a pendulum and instead of cutting the string put a loop in the end and have a small nail or peg coming off the pendulum that goes in the loop.


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## reezen11 (Oct 22, 2009)

might have to get my mig out and build one myself.


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## hunt123 (Jan 17, 2009)

dubllung4 said:


> In the vid they just pull it back with a thin string and tie it off in their house. The string runs through the door and when there is a squirrel the cut it. If you want to trigger it with a shot from and arrow then use a set up much like the trap. Its a pole with a pendulum and instead of cutting the string put a loop in the end and have a small nail or peg coming off the pendulum that goes in the loop.


Oh. I was thinking something like a mousetrap. When the squirrel pulls on the bait, it snaps and the catapult rockets him off. But I guess you wouldn't need that because you'd need to be there watching and might as well just cut a string.

Plus, you could keep it full of bait so they'd get used to coming. Only shoot it off when your there to watch.


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