How to Catch Crows

Setting up a Larsen Trap

1. Purchase a larsen trap from an online retailer. Larsen traps are wire cages that have a spring door that catches the crows safely without hurting them. They range in size, but it's important to choose a trap that gives the crow enough space to move around easily.^[5]

   1. These are also called live-catch traps.
2. Place the trap on the ground near a crow's nesting spot. Find out where the crows tend to hang out, whether it's in a specific tree or a general area. Crows will come up to the trap from the ground, so place it on a level area near the crow nests or activity.^[6]

   1. If 2 days pass and you still haven't caught a crow, move the trap to a different spot to see if it works there.
3. Set up the trap so the split perch is holding open the door. The larsen trap should come with a perch for the crow that's split in half. Prop the two parts of the perch up so that they're aligned and holding open the trap door. This will make it easy for a crow to land on the perch and fall into the trap.^[7]

   1. When the crow lands on the split perch, the weight of the bird will cause the perch to break and the hinged door to close, so the crow will be trapped.
4. Put water and food in the trap for the crows. Fill a container with food for the crow to eat, as well as a container of water that's easy for the crow to drink out of. Choose foods that are safe for crows to eat like raw grains, nuts, worms, or fruits.^[8]

   1. Make sure the crow always has access to fresh food and water, whether it's the decoy bird in the trap or a captured crow.
   2. You can also feed crows whole grain bread, whole grain pasta, and grubs.
   3. Avoid feeding crows apple seeds, dried beans, or mushrooms.
5. Place a decoy bird in the larsen trap to attract crows, if possible. Larsen traps work best when they have a decoy bird in them already, such as another crow, so that other crows are more likely to investigate it. If that's not an option, make sure the food is super visible to crows so they'll come.^[9]

   1. Ask a larsen trap representative for advice on how to get a decoy bird.
6. Place a sign on the trap explaining what the cage is. If someone happens to come across the larsen trap, it's helpful for them to know what it is so they don't move it or throw it away. Purchase a sign designed just for these traps that comes with detailed information on it explaining what the trap is and how it works.^[10]

   1. Purchase a larsen trap sign from an online retailer.
   2. Create your own professional sign explaining that it's a safe and legal trap for crows if needed.
7. Check on the trap and bird at least every 24 hours. This is a legal requirement to make sure that the birds are being cared for adequately. Visit the larsen trap at least once or twice a day to see if a crow has been captured and to make sure there's enough food and water in there.^[11]

   1. It's also required that the trap has shelter from harsh weather.
8. Release the crows back into the wild when you're finished. Once you've caught crows and are done examining them, it's required that you let them go back into the wild. Make sure they're unharmed and healthy so that they'll thrive again once they're released.^[12]

   1. You can do this by opening up the cage so the bird can fly away.