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hattie
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# Posted: 16 Jun 2019 11:56pm
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I just want to thank the members of this forum for some amazing ideas. I am a member of a local historical society and our group was recently asked to be caretakers of an old cabin out in the bush. It is in great shape as it has been looked after by various placer miners who have "owned" it.
The cabin definitely has a mouse problem so I decided to ask Bob to build one of those bucket mouse traps I have read about here. WOW does it work great!!! In less than 48 hours we got 6 mice. We emptied it and set it up again and will check it in a few days.
I would never have known about this type of trap had it not been for this forum so thanks so much! Not only was it really inexpensive to make, it works like a charm!
I've posted a picture of the cabin we are looking after. It has an outhouse, outdoor sauna, the remains of a garden (complete with lots of rhubarb some of which I picked and froze). There are remains of even older cabins on the property. There is a gravity fed water system but we haven't been able to figure out how it works. We are hoping the previous "owner" can help us out with that.
We are in the process of getting the site declared as a historic site.
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moneypitfeeder
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# Posted: 21 Jul 2019 04:35pm
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That's a great looking cabin! Best of luck getting your historical site status. Would love to see pics of the inside, and if you can take pics of the gravity system there might be people here that could help steer you in the right direction. What state (or country) in the world is it located?
For your mouse problem, if you can find where they are getting in and seal it off that will help tremendously. Also, if you have any sweet woodruff growing nearby, you can pick and tie-up small bundles of it to place around the cabin. We do that at ours and it seems to deter them a little.
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 21 Jul 2019 08:40pm
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Hattie, nice thing about that trap is it just keeps on doing its job where typical one needs to be emptied reset. And no poison used. 
I have added ideas to this group and received lots of ideas in return. Wonderful site, great members too.
It seems as if I have gotten to know lots of you personally based on all your post. Especially the common regulars.
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hattie
Member
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# Posted: 22 Jul 2019 12:30am - Edited by: hattie
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Thank you moneypitfeeder. We are very excited about this little cabin. It is 12 X 20 ft in size with a double loft. Our Chairwoman just spent 3 nights there and loved it. Lots of wildlife - I suppose because there aren't many people around.
The cabin is in British Columbia, Canada.
We haven't found the source for the water yet. My husband and another member followed the pipes up the mountain but gave up when they got too tired. They will try again. The previous caretaker said it was only 100 metres away but they went much farther than that and a local said it was a LOT further than that as he has seen it.
There have been a few ATV riders come upon the cabin and they seem very curious about it (and so far respectful). We actually put a guestbook at the front door for people to sign as well as a sign explaining what the buiding was and its history.
We have been madly filling every hole we can find and it is working. Less mice every visit.
toyota_mdt_tech: Yes, the trap is amazing because there is no limit to how many mice you can catch. We are finding that having the water and soap in the bucket is preventing the dead mice from smelling if it is a few days between clean-up. This is the best idea I have ever come across and 100% of the credit is to this forum. 
Since no poisons are used, we are dumping the dead mice outside for other animals to eat.
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Beds_in_Loft.jpg
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hattie
Member
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# Posted: 22 Jul 2019 12:36am - Edited by: hattie
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Here are a couple of pics of owls on the front porch of the cabin. I was REALLY excited to see this. There seems to be a great ecosystem there with beautiful birds, strange toads, lots of mushrooms (pretty but we don't touch ), rabbits and these amazing owls. The second picture actually shows 3 owls (one on the porch with a critter) and two on the railing. I have a feeling that because we have blocked off the cellar (yes it has a dug, earth cellar with a 7 ft. ceiling) and are keeping the critters out, the owls have discovered at night the mice and pack rats run back and forth along the porch trying to find a way in, so they are easy pickings.
I know nothing about owls, but if anyone on the forum knows what kind these are, I would love to know. Thanks in advance.
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toyota_mdt_tech
Member
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# Posted: 22 Jul 2019 08:48am
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Hattie, Such a cool picture of those owls. And helping you with the mousing too.
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hattie
Member
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# Posted: 22 Jul 2019 01:45pm
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Quoting: toyota_mdt_tech Hattie, Such a cool picture of those owls. And helping you with the mousing too.
You are so right!! Who needs a cat when you have these.
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creeky
Member
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# Posted: 22 Jul 2019 02:30pm
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My first thought was barred owl. I stand to be corrected. Amazing pics.
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hattie
Member
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# Posted: 22 Jul 2019 04:31pm - Edited by: hattie
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Thanks creeky. We looked it up in our bird book and we thought maybe a barred owl but not having any knowledge of owls we weren't sure.
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naturelover66
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# Posted: 22 Jul 2019 04:35pm
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Congrats Hattie and Bob !!! Wonderful cabin ! Those owls are so cool.
Cant wait to see more.
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moneypitfeeder
Member
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# Posted: 22 Jul 2019 05:29pm
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Just wonderful, thank you for sharing the pics! I agree with Creeky, those look like barred owls to me, too.
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hattie
Member
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# Posted: 24 Aug 2019 12:56am
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We found an old meat grinder on the cabin property. I've been wanting to repurpose as much as we can find. We needed a porch light so why not turn the meat grinder into one? Here are a couple of pics of the finished product. It is made using a solar light we bought at the hardware store.
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manny
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# Posted: 24 Aug 2019 04:55pm
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very well done hattie I got the exact same one. and im going to do the same thing, iffin you dont mind me stealing your idea.
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skootamattaschmidty
Member
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# Posted: 24 Aug 2019 05:05pm
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I love that idea! Great thinking! I have one also....I may do the same
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hattie
Member
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# Posted: 24 Aug 2019 05:45pm
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I'm glad you like it. I was servicing some oil lamps in the cabin yesterday and one leaked like a sieve. I decided to throw it out because it could be dangerous. I just left it on the garbage pile at the cabin.
This morning I thought we could turn it into a solar light too and put it on the outhouse. Back to the cabin we went to save it from the garbage (or scavengers who might spot it).
While I was grabbing it, I noticed an old wooden box I had thrown on the pile. It was full of junk. I looked at it and realized it is an old milk crate. I saved that too.
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