6 Best Live Animal Traps for Squirrels
Protect your orchard with the right tools. We review the 6 best live traps for humanely capturing and relocating squirrels, ensuring a safe solution.
You spend all season tending your fruit trees, only to find half-eaten apples and pears littering the ground, each one marked with telltale rodent teeth. Squirrels, while charming in a park, can be a real menace in a hobby orchard, capable of decimating a small harvest in a matter of days. The goal isn’t to harm them, but to protect your hard work by moving them somewhere they can thrive without ruining your crop.
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Choosing the Right Trap for Humane Relocation
Selecting the right live trap is the first and most critical step. It’s not about just catching the squirrel; it’s about doing so safely for both the animal and for you. The trap must be large enough that the squirrel isn’t cramped or injured when the door springs shut, but not so large that it can build up momentum and hurt itself by ramming the sides.
Look for traps with smooth, rolled internal edges to prevent cuts and scrapes. The trigger mechanism is also key. A good trap has a sensitive-but-not-too-sensitive trigger plate, ensuring it springs with the light step of a squirrel but not from a stiff breeze or a falling leaf. Your primary goal is a clean, quick, and safe capture.
Material and construction matter for longevity. A galvanized or powder-coated steel trap will resist rust and withstand the frantic gnawing of a captured animal. Ultimately, the best trap is one you can set confidently, check easily, and use to release the animal without direct contact.
Havahart 1077: The Orchard Standard Trap
When you think of a classic live animal trap, you’re probably picturing something like the Havahart 1077. It’s a workhorse for a reason. Its single-door design is simple to set, and its trigger rod is located on the outside of the trap, preventing the squirrel from damaging it after being caught.
This model is sized perfectly for squirrels, raccoons, and other similarly sized critters. The wire mesh is sturdy, and the smoothed internal edges are a crucial feature for humane trapping. It’s a reliable, straightforward tool that gets the job done without much fuss, making it a go-to for many small-scale farmers.
The only real tradeoff is its simplicity. While reliable, the single door means a squirrel has to commit to walking all the way in, which can be a deterrent for more cautious animals. Still, for most orchard situations, the 1077 is a solid, dependable starting point.
Safeguard 52800: A Professional-Grade Option
If you’re dealing with a persistent squirrel population year after year, investing in a professional-grade trap like the Safeguard 52800 makes a lot of sense. This isn’t a flimsy, big-box store special. It’s built from heavy-gauge galvanized steel wire, making it exceptionally durable against both weather and angry animals.
What sets the Safeguard apart is its rear sliding door. This feature is a game-changer for both baiting and releasing. You can easily place bait at the very back of the trap without having to reach through the front door, and releasing the squirrel is much safer and less stressful when you can simply slide the back panel open from a distance.
This trap is an investment, costing more than many consumer models. But if you value a tool that will last for decades and offers superior safety and ease-of-use features, the higher upfront cost is easily justified. It’s the kind of trap you buy once.
Tomahawk 103: Durable and Easy-to-Set Design
Tomahawk traps are known for their rugged build and no-nonsense functionality. The Model 103 is a perfect example, designed for squirrels and small rabbits with a focus on durability. It features a simple but effective trip plate and a spring-loaded door that closes securely.
The simplicity of the Tomahawk design is its greatest strength. There are fewer moving parts to bend, break, or misalign over time. Setting it is intuitive, and its solid frame can handle being knocked around in the back of a truck or left out in the elements.
This trap is a great middle-ground between standard consumer models and the pricier professional ones. It offers enhanced durability without the higher cost of features like a rear release door. For a hobby farmer who needs a reliable trap that can take a beating, the Tomahawk 103 is an excellent choice.
Rugged Ranch Two-Door Trap for Higher Catch Rates
Sometimes, the smartest squirrels won’t enter a dark box with only one way out. That’s where a two-door, or pass-through, trap comes in. The Rugged Ranch Two-Door Trap allows a squirrel to see a clear path through, making it far more likely to enter without hesitation.
You place the bait on the central trigger pan, and the animal can enter from either end. When it steps on the pan, both spring-loaded doors snap shut simultaneously. This design can dramatically increase your catch rate, especially with trap-shy squirrels that have learned to avoid single-door models.
The downside is that placement is more critical. You need to position it along a known travel path, like along the base of a fence or a fallen log, to maximize its effectiveness. It can also be slightly more complex to set, but the payoff in catching wary critters is often worth the extra minute of setup.
Kensizer Humane Trap: A Compact, Sensitive Choice
Not all squirrel problems are in the open field. Sometimes you need to place a trap in a tighter spot, like near a shed foundation or up against a tree trunk. The Kensizer Humane Trap is a smaller, more compact option that fits well in these spaces.
Its main advantage is a highly sensitive trigger mechanism. This is fantastic for ensuring a catch even from a lightweight or cautious animal that might not fully depress the trigger on a larger trap. The lightweight construction also makes it easy to move around the property as you identify new problem areas.
That high sensitivity can be a double-edged sword. A strong wind or a non-target animal like a chipmunk can sometimes set it off. However, for targeted trapping of smaller or more skittish squirrels, its precision is a significant benefit.
OxGord Live Animal Trap for Budget-Conscious Farms
Safely and humanely trap small animals like raccoons and stray cats with this durable, foldable cage. Its smooth edges protect animals, while the user-friendly design ensures safe release.
Let’s be practical: sometimes you just need a functional tool without breaking the bank. The OxGord Live Animal Trap fills this niche perfectly. It’s one of the most affordable options on the market and provides a functional solution for occasional or low-level pest problems.
This trap gets the basic job done. It has a single door, a trigger plate, and a handle with a guard. It will catch a squirrel, and it’s certainly better than letting them destroy your crop.
However, the lower price comes with tradeoffs. The materials are often thinner, the construction may not be as robust, and it may not last as many seasons as a more expensive model. For a farmer on a tight budget or with a very minor squirrel issue, it’s a viable starting point, but be prepared to replace it sooner than a premium trap.
Best Practices for Baiting, Placement, & Relocation
Owning the trap is only half the battle; using it correctly is what ensures success. The right bait, placement, and release strategy are essential for humane and effective relocation. Get these details wrong, and you’ll either have an empty trap or a stressed, injured animal.
Baiting is straightforward. Squirrels are attracted to high-energy foods. A spoonful of peanut butter smeared on the trigger plate is classic for a reason—it works, and they have to spend time at the trigger to get it. You can also use unsalted nuts, sunflower seeds, or even a piece of apple from the very trees you’re protecting.
Placement is everything. Don’t just stick the trap in the middle of the lawn. Place it where you see squirrel activity:
- Along the base of trees they’ve been raiding.
- Next to fence lines or woodpiles they use as highways.
- Near the entrance to a known den or nest.The goal is to intercept them on their normal route. Camouflage the trap lightly with a few leaves or branches to make it look less out of place.
Most importantly, handle relocation responsibly. Check your local and state wildlife regulations before you set a single trap, as relocating wildlife is illegal in some areas. If it is permitted, plan to drive the animal at least 5-10 miles away to a suitable habitat, like a large wooded park or state forest, to prevent it from returning. Release the animal quickly and calmly by opening the door from a distance, allowing it to leave on its own terms.
Protecting your orchard from squirrels is a necessary part of hobby farming, but it doesn’t have to be a cruel one. By choosing a well-designed trap and using it with care and respect for the animal, you can safeguard your harvest effectively. The right tool, combined with a thoughtful strategy, makes all the difference.
