foggy011983 Posted March 21, 2011 Report Share Posted March 21, 2011 Ive noticed a couple of times a mink that is stalking the stream on my permission. Before and after spotting him i have noticed a drop in the rabbits on that stretch. Whats the best times of day and any advice on how to shoot it would be great as its eliminating the rabbits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tikka tom Posted March 21, 2011 Report Share Posted March 21, 2011 dont shoot it just set some live cage traps with some fish guts in or pigeon brests and head in the back of them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acid House Posted March 21, 2011 Report Share Posted March 21, 2011 I never got on with trapping mink. Call me an old softy but I don't like the idea of keeping a wild animal in a cage overnight. Especially if it's not the intended target. I would much rather look down a scope, identify my quarry and simply switch it's lights off. I have had some great success with a pierced can of salmon or tuna wedged under a rock and as mr mink pauses to investigate the pong I dispatch withy trusty HW100. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulos Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 If it's only killing rabbits, then why not just leave it alone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foggy011983 Posted March 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 If it's only killing rabbits, then why not just leave it alone? for two reasons one just a bit further up stream one of my permissions runs a chicken farm and i have no idea what a mink will do to them and secondly one of my permissions has limited rabbits especially since ive been there. I get 2.50 a rabbit prepared at butcher, i eat them and my dog eats them. Where as before I was taking 20 rabbits a shoot it has dropped to mainly 4 since around the time the mink arrived. Basically although the rabbits are wild i treat them as if they are my livestock (like chickens for example) and the mink is rapidly reducing them (like a fox) all im trying to do is protect my livestock lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foggy011983 Posted March 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 I never got on with trapping mink. Call me an old softy but I don't like the idea of keeping a wild animal in a cage overnight. Especially if it's not the intended target. I would much rather look down a scope, identify my quarry and simply switch it's lights off. I have had some great success with a pierced can of salmon or tuna wedged under a rock and as mr mink pauses to investigate the pong I dispatch withy trusty HW100. cheers i will try that. I must admit i dont like trapping. I much prefer culling something quickly and causing it as little distress as possible. Cheers steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acid House Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 A mink will never just kill rabbits. A small piece of river I found that was full of trout was completely emptied in just a few weeks by a few mink. The day I set up a hide (not that I needed one they had no fear of me) a group were systematicly rushing a duck with her large clutch of chicks in open water. They didn't stand a chance. They are devastating the wildlife in very many areas and all because some ruddy tree huggers set the poor little fluffy creatures free. Idiots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webber Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 Regardless of how much you get for a rabbit, what damage it may do at a chicken farm, or the potential stress caused to none target species by trapping. The MINK is none native to Britain and has decimated some British species including the bank vole which has been driven to extinction in some areas. I feel that if you have the permission on the strtch where the mink is, you have a duty of care to your permission, to British wildlife, and the good name of British shooting; you should erradicate the mink in your area as quickly as possible. If you can shoot the mink fine, but its already been said that trapping is the most effective and efficient way. Remember that every day that you fail to kill the mink its doing what it does best, and thats kill our native species in a broad spectrum, and breed. There is some very usefull information about trapping and despatching mink on the Game & Wildlife Conservancy Trust website, www.GWST.org.uk If you do trap one, under no circumstances be tempted to follow the advise given out by the RSPCA with regards to killing trapped squirrels. The mink will be likely to escape, and get a tastey bite for your trouble. Shoot it in the trap, you should make a coule of comb boards to restrict the movement of the mink in the trap prior to placing a shot into the base of the skull. webber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foggy011983 Posted March 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 Thanks everyone. Im going to see what i can do this weekend. Its strange as ive never seen one before especially in my area and cant understand where its come from. I just want to get rid of it before it does more damage. Its amazing how quick the rabbits have dropped since the period ive seen it. Ive seen it four times now and each time i have not been able to shoot it. First time I wasnt sure what it was, i thought it could have been a otter till i looked on internet. Second time i was talking to a walker. Third time there were people on the footpath nearby and the forth time was at night but it was to quick then. Ill get the ****** eventually even if i have to ask my feo for a heat seaking missle variation lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shotgun sam Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 Eradicate the mink asap before it eradicates the local wildlife no matter what method you use. non target species in the live traps can be freed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foggy011983 Posted March 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 Eradicate the mink asap before it eradicates the local wildlife no matter what method you use. non target species in the live traps can be freed Its ok if you allready have a trap and I know the people who own the land will not allow traps on their land for what ever reason as they dont agree with them. They know about the mink as I have informed them. I will set up and spend a day waiting for it. I usually see it in a similar place so hopefully it will show its head again if I set some food up. Cheers steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deputy dog Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 Declare Marshal Law on it and shoot to kill on sighting. Nasty vermin should be dealt with as quick as possible. Hope you get a few of them mate. DD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigrifle Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 We have a lot of mink in our area, river maun i walk my dogs morning and night. I will say no more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foggy011983 Posted March 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 Declare Marshal Law on it and shoot to kill on sighting. Nasty vermin should be dealt with as quick as possible. Hope you get a few of them mate. DD i hope there is only one of them lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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