By Honors Environmental Chemistry, 2011

How to Make Pit-Fall Traps

1. Choose A Spot• We chose a spot right in our

backyard: between the two small pools of water, on the banks of the Assabet River, and near its surrounding woods.

2. Measure Your Line

• Based on protocol, we measured 10 meters between each pit-fall trap and 5 meters on the ends. 5

m

5 m

10 m

10 m

10 m

Pool 1

Pool 2

Assabet River

3. Dig• Dig holes wide and

deep enough so that animals (such as turtles) can’t climb out. We dug trash-bin sized holes.

• For the trench, dig between each pit, 3-4 inches deep, and as narrow as possible.

4. Put in Plastic Bins• Put a plastic bin in

each pit so that animals can’t dig themselves out. We used trash bins, which had holes in the bottom so that water can drain out.

• Make sure the bin is level with the ground, so that animals don’t just bump into them.

5. Set Up Drift Fence• Roll out enough drift

fence for the length of the traps and trench.

• Lay out stakes on drift fence, about one per meter. Put a stake at the ends of each bin.

• Either tie stakes into the drift fence with string, or poke holes through the drift fence and weave the stake through the drift fence.

or

6. Hammer in Drift Fence• Stand the drift fence up

in the trench and using the side of a hammer, hammer the first few stakes into the ground.

• After you’ve hammered a few stakes into the ground, cover the area with dirt, making sure that the bottom of the drift fence is buried into the ground.

7. Secure Drift Fence• Tie tethering line to the last pole of a trap. •Tie each end of the line to a smaller pole.•Hammer each smaller pole into the ground at an angle, until the smaller poles are barely visible.•Wait until one side of the line is secure before starting the other, to insure the line is tight.

*Tip: We put tape around our line so that people wouldn’t trip over it.

8. Open traps and check them!

• Now that you’ve set up the traps, leave the buckets open and check them everyday.

• Catalogue the measurements of each animal you catch, and document the capture with pictures (See our How to Measure Frogs and How Measure to Turtles).

• Close the traps by covering the buckets with plywood if you are unable to check them within 24 hours.

• Have fun and good luck!