THE ORIGINAL DRST 
 SELF-RESETTING REPEATING HOUSE SPARROW TRAP
A customer's trap in action
 
The trap as it is sold.  
This auction is for a self-resetting repeater house sparrow trap, aka on the web as The Deluxe Repeating Sparrow Trap, or DRST.  I have used funnel traps of several designs as well as spring-door traps and all are in the trash.  While many claims have been made by an ebay competitor about the supposed superiority of funnel traps to elevators, the fact that he recently purchased an elevator style trap himself says far more on the subject than I can.  Others may offer cheap (and less effective) knock-offs like the Chinese might, but this is the original DRST that I have been making and selling for nearly a decade.  Input from hundreds of customers is aggregated in the tweaks to the trap, as well as the invaluable tips and tricks that are included.
 
Success stories on websites, message boards and forums about the DRST have become the best "word of mouth"  advertising available.  Emails like those below continue to come in.
 
1/4/13...  Since I wrote last, they started showing up in big flocks. I ended my year with a total of 635 !!!!  (The new single-season reported catch count record!   Blaine)
1/1/13... Just wanted to let you know I ordered two traps last summer - Interior British Columbia. Glad to say I caught the House Sparrow family that was 
harrassing my bluebirds and tree swallows. I gave one trap to my mother and she caught over 30. I know you are too busy to update the map for all the
traps you have sold, but thought you might have time to put two circles in the interior of the BC, Canada map. Janet S   
12/31/12... I started using the sparrow trap I purchased from you on 12/17/2011. I kept careful records and had decided I would report in one year.  Well as of  Dec. 17th 2012 I have caught 538 sparrows and my higest day was 34 sparrows. Thanks you for a wonderful product, Gloria
7/30/12...I didn't have time to set up my new trap last week so I sat it out on the patio for a day.  I happened to walk by it the next day and there were two sparrows in it already, no bait and I hadn't even screwed on the landing perch yet!  I put on the landing perch and put some millet in the bait tray and the next day I had a dozen sparrows in it.  Nice work, I think this trap is going to work well.
  
 
The issue with spring-door traps is that they must be reset after only two catches. That means if you're actually catching any quantity of birds, you have a full-time job keeping the trap set.  Or you can be limited to catching two per day... The funnel traps, as seen on Ebay and elsewhere, do catch a few birds. However, in my experience, and many, many others, regardless of funnel style, at least half of those birds initially trapped figure their way out unless you are there to immediately remove them.  A bluebird enthusiast and trap reviewer has even had multiple escapes from the allegedly "escape-proof funnel trap" on ebay.  And one of the keys to successful numbers in sparrow trapping is the ability to keep a live decoy in the trap.  That isn't possible if they can escape.  And, unfortunately, typical situations require a large quantity of HOSP to be removed.
This trap has also been used sucessfully to trap the European Starling by adjusting the elevator weight for a heavier bird and changing bait to suet. Please note: using suet to attract starlings makes any trap more attractive to a large number of native species.  Special care in monitoring is advised while using baits especially attractive to natives!  Natives must be released ASAP!  Weight settings rarely need to be adjusted unless changing target species.  Only if you target starlings like mentioned above, does a different setting need to be used.  Traps are shipped preset for HOSP.
I used one of these traps to remove 180 house sparrows from my back yard in my first trapping season with a record one day catch of 21 birds!  Since that first season of decimation, I rarely catch more than 30 birds a season now, and only place the trap when I see house sparrows in the yard, usually as a new generation fledges and expands its territory into mine.  I would guess the trap will hold as many as 40 birds without problem if your infestation is bad enough to catch that many in day. (the current customer season record count is 604 HOSP removed from May-August) The trap is preset to drop for a house sparrow, but is easy to adjust if needed for a larger species like starling. When set properly, you will NEVER have a sparrow getting to the bait without getting caught.
I now have several thousand successful ebay and non-ebay trap customers in all 50 states as well as Canada, Australia, Poland, Britain and several other countries.  My 100% positive feedback rating will attest to their success. 
A United States map below shows where most of my traps are in use as of 8/15/07.  (My mapping software is now obsolete and unable to update maps, sorry) 
 
They are being used by Purple Martin landlords, bluebirders, birdfeeding enthusiasts, game farms, state departments of natural resources, turkey farms, zoos, nature preserves, even Sea World. Commercial pest-control companies, aircraft manufacturers as well as beverage distributors and rental storage companies are using them to rid their buildings of nuisance sparrows.  Several of the latter, wanting to cover more buildings, have ordered two and three additional traps after the great success of the first one. Here are some emails I've received from sparrow trap buyers: 

Hi Blaine, Ok, so, today was my all time record for one day's starling trapping. I got 29 this morning and despatched those after their morning feed. Then they started back at about 2pm and I got another 17. 46 STARLINGS in ONE DAY!! You know of anyone who has done better? Let me know.
 
Hi Blaine, I want you to know that I am very satisfied with my trap. I'm catching between 4-6 sparrows a day. It seems like I seems never get more than six, but that's OK. The trap works! I have to take it in at night as the coons do a number on it. I bought a funnel trap after yours (had a few bud lites one nite) to try, it was about 20 some dollars cheaper, and of course was advertised as the best trap on the market. I placed both traps side by side, in different loactions etc etc, and have not caught one bird in the other trap. Needles to say, the gentlemen got an email from me. I have had several neighbors ask about the trap and the cost. The first question is how much did it cost, and when I say $ 50.00 they say OK and end of story. I'm a wood worker, and I can see and appreciate all of the thought, trials, and testing it must have taken to create such a trap.  Thank you, Mike B
 
Yes, a quick start indeed!!!  I checked early this afternoon (less than 24 hours since my trap was open for business) and the total count is now at twenty (20).  This thing is great!  I started today with no decoy, and I had eleven (11) at 1:45 PM!  One escaped while trying to remove her, but I now understand how I can get better at dealing with that.  Again, many thanks on your great invention!  Tip
 
Hi Blaine! I bought one of your traps 2 years ago when I realized my poor Bluebirds were being devastated by HOSP. I have dispatched 91 HOSP and 17 EUST (an added benefit)! I can go outside and not hear the annoying CHIRP CHIRP of HOSP! ... the HOSP never learn, and just keep hoppin' in to get at the bakery white bread and cheese puffs I found worked best for bait. I did purchase one of those funnel traps and never caught a thing with it. Eventually I tried to use it to keep a bait bird in and the bird escaped within hours, so I unwired that trap and used the pieces to build a cage... Keep up the good work!
 
Hi, I just wanted to tell you how great your trap is. I have only had the trap 10 days. I have caught 15 starling and 20 sparrows. I am very pleased with this trap. I am going to buy to more. Great trap! Thanks, Jason

Blaine, Today was a record day for me. 17 Starling at one time. Got back from the gym and my Mom told me the cage was filled to capacity. I said really? she said go look. Went out there and counted 17 Starling and 2 male Hosp. Kept the Hosp for decoys, and [dispatched] the Starlings this afternoon. I had a group of about 50 Starlings terrorizing my yard, this past week, the flock has been cut down to 25, that's half!!! Also this is being done while the trap is set for Hosp weight. Also, the Starlings here are slowly showing signs of the greenish feathers, the breeding season ones and the beaks are getting more yellow. Now is the time to get the little ********. This trap is a magnet for Starlings, I can't figure it out but heck it's doing what it was suppose to do. I'll keep you posted Uncle Blaine.

The sparrows seem to be figuring out the cheaper wire funnel trap I've got. No way for them to get out of this one, though!

Hello Blaine, I wanted to write again and tell you how wonderful your trap is. I caught 46 HOSP this spring. I put the traps out again this Thanksgiving week, as loads of HOSP were attempting to eat oiler sunflower seed that I put out for the native birds. In four short days, another 47 HOSP were disposed of, without one native bird being trapped. 16 HOSP were caught in a period of 6 hours and they literally were lining up at the trap entrance.  Blaine, thank you so very much for the great trap and I will be ordering more soon as gifts - they are absolutely the very best on the market and worth their weight in gold!  KB, Interpretive Naturalist

The trap design is ingenious! We can appreciate the amount of work & time that go into making these, and consider your price very reasonable. Thanks for a great trap and the quick shipping.

Hey Blaine, Just to let you know that we hit a new milestone in the war against the HOSP. After today we now have trapped 301. You would think that we would have put a large dent in the HOSP numbers but when we look out there early in the morning, we still see 9 or 10 at one time. The war goes on....................Dean (Dean is the season record holder at 604)

I brought it out and set it up on a balcony on my storage barn, baited it with goodies, and hey! It's just steadily catching HOSP and STARLINGS (I didn't think they could get in but they do!) -- I have to thank you so much for this cuz I was about to give up on bluebirding rather than let my babies be ravaged by HOSP again.

Left Pos Feedback. Recieved the Sparrow trap today and had 5 Sparrows the first hour. We should have one of these traps in everyone's back yard and soon we would be rid of these pesky critters. Very satisfied with mine. Russ1937

Hi Blaine, Can’t begin to tell you how pleased I am with your trap. Received it Saturday, set it up last night, caught my first male HOSP today. Should’ve done this before my bluebirds laid their eggs, as he destroyed all of them last week. I remain hopeful, however, that now that I can catch & get rid of the HOSP, I will someday have a safe bluebird family.  Thanks again.

Just wanted to let you know the trap arrived as promised in perfect working order. I trapped over a dozen sparrows in the first 3 days. The trap is so easy to use and maintain it will be simple to continue trapping on a year round basis, which will benefit my purple martin colony and all other native birds nesting on my property.

I've used one of your traps before. My sister bought one from you for my mom's birthday, and my mom loaned it to me for a sparrow problem I was having. It works much better than the one she bought from the PMCA.

I am amazed! Your engineering genius is beyond measure. I received my trap Thursday, May 26th, and in less than a week I’ve caught 20 sparrows by just using seed and a live lure.

I just wanted to thank you for the sparrow trap.  Out bird problem has plagued us since we moved in to our new house.  After eliminating their nests and potential nesting spots, the birds have continued their attack and are pretty pissed off!  This morning we caught our first four sparrows and one more about an hour ago.  This was the third day it has been out.   Hopefully, once this batch of established birds is gone, we will be able to maintain a sparrow-free home.  Again, thanks for the terrific trap and the guidance to use it properly.JM

And a few examples of trap feedback I've received:

Awsome works great Its a sprrow catching MACHINE 3 days 45 sparrows Thanks

I throw my hat in the mix of 100% satisfied customers.  8 birds, less than 24hrs!

Very professional, quick and easy, a real pleasure and a great trap!!!

2nd purchase, THESE THINGS REALLY WORK! fast shipping

trap does everything seller said it does very happy.

Quality American craftsmanship. Works great. Fast ship. Would highly recommend.

Very fast shipping. Sparrow trap is high quality with excellent instructions!

THIS TRAP WORKS GREAT!!! Seller was fast and packed excellent.

Superb service and excellent trap!! Caught a dozen sparrows first couple days!!!

very impressed - wonderful workmanship & instructions - super fast shipping, too

FAST delivery. Traps are well constructed, great trapping tips as well.

The best sparrow trap I’ve ever seen, and super fast shipping. Buy it Now !!! 

Why trap sparrows?  The English House sparrow is a non-native, invasive species imported from England in the mid 1800's.  It is a primary reason for the decline of the Bluebird as well as the Purple Martin populations in North America.  The House Sparrow is very aggressive and competes for nesting cavaties.  Not only does this displace the natives from chosen nesting sites, but when the natives leave their nest unattended, the sparrow will often enter the nest and destroy the eggs and/or kill the nestlings.  If an adult Bluebird is unlucky enough to be caught in a nestbox by a House Sparrow, the sparrow will use its powerful beak to peck a hole in its rival's skull thus killing it.  This "winged rat" is now prevalent throughout the continent where it not only competes with the native birds, but spreads livestock diseases, avian lice, destroys crops, and makes a general dirty mess wherever it congregates.  In these places bacteria, fungal agents and parasites in the feces may also pose a health risk.

I bait this trap with millet to attract the house sparrows while minimizing attraction to native species. Fortunately, this style of trap does no harm to the birds so in the event a native species is caught, they are uninjured and easily released.  PLEASE trap responsibly and monitor the trap at least once daily to be sure that if any native birds are trapped you can release them immediately.

This trap can be used to simply remove pest sparrows from a backyard feeding area, a farmyard, outbuildings, warehouses and storage areas, or for a food supply for falconry. Purple Martin and Bluebird lovers use these traps to remove the competitive (and deadly) house sparrow from the areas in which they have nest boxes. If you are just ridding yourself of pests and want to do some additional good, most areas have a wildlife rehabilitator that can use your catch to feed their charges.

Shipping charges will be UPS/FedEx ground per your zip code in the auction shipping calculator below.  Insurance is included in UPS/FedEx charges.  If interested in purchasing more than one trap, please contact me for shipping charges. I also offer international shipping via the USPS.  Please use the international calculator below for shipping rates to your destination.  Insurance is now *included* in USPS charges. 

You will receive complete instructions on how to set up and use  your trap as well as trapping tips from not only my experiences, but thousands of successful customers.  Also, feel free to email me with any questions..  My name, website and phone number are also branded on every trap so you may reach me if needed.

  Barring weekends/holidays, your trap will be on a truck the day after payment is received.  If the timing works out, I many times can get it on the truck the same day.

I PREFER PAYPAL BUT I WILL ALSO ACCEPT MAJOR CREDIT CARDS THROUGH PAYPAL.   PAYMENTS ARE DUE WITHIN ONE WEEK (7 DAYS) OF THE AUCTION ENDING UNLESS PRIOR ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE.  THANK YOU, AND HAPPY BIDDING! 

 

Recent improvements include a rubber (epdm) baffle on the removal door, easier yet secure access to weight adjustment with contact information branded onto the trap, all pictured above.  And the perch rod and hinge pin now are manufactured from rustproof 18/8 stainless steel rod.

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