Trapper News and Updates
Since our last newsletter we have had a number of new trapping volunteers come on board to help across many of the trap lines across the cycle trails. Having new people join the mahi is really inspiring as we find that the average age of our volunteer group is escalating, so being able to refresh the team with new people helps to keep the work going. I would like to acknowledge and thank all these new people and will take the risk of naming them here. The risk being that I will miss someone out or get the timing of your joining us wrong – if that occurs, please accept my apologies for missing you, we wish to thank you all.
In Craters we have Paul Carpenter, Chris Metcalf, Craig Pattison and Bruce MacDonald
In Waikato River Corridor we have Debbie Chambers and Emma McCosh, Margo and John McCool, Alan Warren, Dave Hamlin and Brett MacKenzie.
In the Great Lake Trails, we have David Jennings helping organize from the Kinloch end, with Rose Blackley and Richard Balm on Orakau (there are others out there on these lines I am sure) and a new team of regulars on the new Waihora trap line (see the article on this elsewhere in the newsletter).
We are always looking for new volunteers, although sometimes it may take a while to be able to match them up with a line to work on. Many teams have a number of different trappers who can swap out and help each other as required when others are on holiday or out of action. If you know of anyone interested, please drop me a line on hukatrapping@biketaupo.org.nz or Stu Hutchings on 0274787901
Trapper News
Given the wide range of activities undertaken by our trappers across the network, it is important to provide some perspectives and updates from trappers working our there on different lines.
This is from Rose Blackley, who alongside Sharon Shanks and Richard Balm covers a range of trap lines on the Waikato River Corridor and Great Lake Trails;
“On the Huka Lodge trapline we have caught 2 feral cats in our caged trap this last month, compared to 7 in 5 months last winter. We used eraze as lure. The mink police sends us a text with every trigger, as it is a live capture cage.
We are getting a lot of mice piling up under our two AT220's which do not always show on the counters. 16 rats/20 DOC 200's was our largest June weekly catch.
On Orakau we currently only manage 5 AT220's, however there is always a 6-8 possum pile waiting for us, every 3 months. Sadly, wild cats have chewed their way through the carcasses.
Welcome to Brett Mackenzie who has been helping Rose on the Huka Lodge trapline intermittently. Brett has taken over the Cathedral & Te totara traplines from Andrew Hilton.
On the Waihaha Hut trail, Bike Taupō has recently built a wide new uphill cycling track after the swing bridge. This eliminates the 30 minutes bike carrying over the unrideable metre high steps. Now all bikes have easier access to the beautiful Pureora Forest Park. Although it remains a Grade 4, the 11kms makes a decent return rideable day trip (22kms) or overnight destination for hikers. “
Stu Hutchings reports that we are getting plenty of stories about feral cats active across all areas recently. This is evidenced by some captures in the Flipping Timmy traps, but also the finding of stripped out carcasses of possums when trap checks are undertaken. We have one live capture trap as mentioned by Rose above with a remote trigger notification. Another way of catching the feral cats is to bait the Timms or Flipping Timmy traps with meat (old left-over roast works well). Sometimes it is best to bait for a week or two without setting the trap to lure the cats in, prior to then setting the trap. Feral cats are very cunning, so need some planning to effectively catch them. On our line – Debs, (which runs from the top of Snakes and Ladders, down through Debs, Mister and then Mrs all the way to Connection) we are finding high kill numbers at present, especially rats. We are also finding the Eraze dried rabbit bait is going off quite fast in the DOC 200 traps so needs to be changed every week.
John Hunter from the Quality print Line has kindly forwarded this report.
Catch Statistics: June 2025 to May 2026
Comments: Despite being surrounded by a buffer zone of other traplines, kill numbers remain steady, although possum numbers appear to be decreasing.
Cats are definitely present, and I am considering adding one or two more traps to target them. A more concerning development has been the introduction of a food truck operation at the Huka Falls carpark, operated by the iwi/hapū landowners. I spoke with the operator about rubbish and food disposal and reminded them of the potential risks associated with attracting rats and cats.
— John Hunter
Debbie Chambers from the Batts line notes that she loves that their trap line is so close to the Rotary Ride trail. Members of the public, particularly kids, stop and ask all sorts of questions about the rats and traps. No issues with the line, but there are a couple of traps not on the app.
On this note, if you do need to have any updates completed or have issues with the TrapNZ app, please get in touch and we will endeavour to provide assistance and sort it for you. Committee members are listed in the Tips and Tricks article of this newsletter.
Graeme Lindup from Batts line reports that rats are the predominant species caught this year with low possum numbers but have an increase in cats.
If other trappers wish to create a report on activity on their lines, please feel free to forward them to me and I will include them in future newsletters.