Help needed please - Mink problem

[malkiserow]

Right, where do I start?

 

I suspected a mink (although 1/2 a mile from nearest river) took over 50 gold fish in a week. Some scales and bones were left on the pond side (a small garden pond).

 

Now at 5 AM all hell broke lose with the kids rabbits... a mink was trying to get in to the run. Mrs wacked it with a stick and put hose on it .... 5 minutes later it came back for another go!!!! it is very VERY aggressive.

 

Rabbits inside the house tonight but I suspect the chickens might be gonners by tomorrow.

 

This is an urban garden with houses all around.

 

Any advise please lads and lasses..........

[CharlieT]

Fen trap or shoot it with a moderated .22

[the pigeon man]

Nasty ******* with chickens !!! 22 air riffle is the only way or if you can get close enough a shovel !! They are a nightmare to trap !

[byjovecarruthers]

Cage trap baited with sardines. Then bag and shovel or air rifle. Or in plastic sack with hose onto car exhaust if you don't want to damage the carcass.

[pegleg31]

Is the above post legal? Not having a go just asking

 

Russ

[pontbeck]

No

[Fisheruk]

No

Just put an.airgun pellet in its head

[Reece]

Either set a cage trap with some fishy bait and shoot with an air rifle, or use a fenn trap. Pretty sure you need a mk6 fenn as mk6 are approved for mink but mk4s are not.

 

You will see mink away from rivers. Pretty sure they use them as corridoors, but sometimes move away from the river.

Edited July 4, 2013 by Reece

[ack-ack]

I find once a mink has been in a trap theres no need to bait it, they home in on the smell of the last occupant, just leave it hidden up in a secluded spot. They like structures more than natural features. We've had a dozen this year without even trying very hard. They are truly beautiful creatures but highly destructive so sadly they are top of the hit list. The variety in colouring is amazing. I'd like to do something with the pelts but the last attempt wasnt a resounding success.

 

Check the trap twice daily, they may be vermin but they do not deserve to suffer. We use cage traps.

Edited July 4, 2013 by ack-ack

[byjovecarruthers]

Trapping Mink in a cage trap is perfectly legal and ensures you don't harm any non target species ( this is in a suburban back garden ). However releasing them once trapped is not. As for disposal methods then the following applies :-

 

 

It is an offence for any person, by an act, to cause unnecessary (physical or mental) suffering to a protected animal where the person committing the act knew or ought reasonably to have known, that the act would cause, or would be likely to cause, suffering. In addition, where a person is responsible for an animal, an offence would be committed if unnecessary suffering was caused to the animal by them failing to take some action, where that person knew or ought reasonably to have known that the omission would cause, or would be likely to cause, suffering. It is not necessary to show that the person actually knew that their act or omission would cause suffering, but only that they ought to have known.

 

The destruction of an animal in an appropriate and humane manner is not unnecessary suffering. However, destruction must not cause suffering over and above that necessary. In the vast majority of cases protected animals will be destroyed by a qualified and trained person, usually a vet. However, emergency situations arise such as mercy killing at roadsides, where there is no reasonable alternative to destroying an animal. Nevertheless, even in these emergency situations, the animal must be destroyed in an appropriate and humane manner. The term "appropriate and humane" is not defined in the Act, and is for the courts to interpret having regard to all the circumstances of the case.

 

Carbon monoxide poisoning is the method used to kill mink in fur farms. They place the animals in a box that is plumbed onto an engine exhaust, apparently its just like going to sleep. As we all know, drowning an animal in a cage trap has been found to be cruel and unnecessary as is inaccurate and multiple air rifle shots (both cases prosecuted by RSPCA involving squirrels). As far as I'm aware a swift blow with a blunt object, an accurate air rifle shot to the head (difficult with a panicked animal running around a cage) or carbon monoxide poisoning are not. Of course any of these actions risk prosecution by an over zealous and politically motivated animal welfare group. If you want to ensure you avoid the courts then get the RSPCA to attend and put the animal down by lethal injection ( although they will most likely take said mink and release it 1/2 mile away back on the river ) or just make sure you a very discreet.

 

A gamekeeper friend of mine uses cage traps. He simply paces out about 30 yds and uses his .410 to dispatch the trapped mink or squirrel etc. Far enough away to avoid damaging the trap and close enough to do the job, simples.

[byjovecarruthers]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/7898494/Hundreds-face-fines-for-killing-squirrels.html

 

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/incoming/a-pensioner-from-stockport-shot-a-squirrel-before-1216036

 

The two recent cases involving squirrels and cage traps for reference.

Edited July 5, 2013 by byjovecarruthers

[JDog]

I have a permanent scar on one finger of my right hand where I was bitten by a mink when I tried to extract a dead pigeon from a hole in a riverside willow tree. The bite was painful but less painful than the resultant tetanus jab I had two hours later.

[pigeon controller]

We see lots of them at night on the far bank when we are barbel fishing the Warwickshire Avon.

[ack-ack]

By the way, have you tried sharpening it yet Malc?

[aris]

I think a moderated .410 would be legal - or so the chat I had with my FEO implied. At least from the legal point of view of discharging a shotgun in a suburban garden - as long as the shot stays within your property, and it does not cause distress to neighbours. There is the other legal side of the coin about the pain and suffering of the vermin you are dispatching. As seen in the article linked above, a .22 airgun might not do the job humanely. Also the says that asphyxiation is not legal - so the carbon monoxide method sounds a bit dodgy to me.

 

IANAL - this is just my opinion :-)

Edited July 5, 2013 by aris

[al4x]

Live capture trap followed by air gun to the bonce job done and you won't get someones cat in it or anything you aren't meant to. .22lr out of the window or HMR would be fine and dandy in most situations as long as you are subtle. I gained a small rabbit munching on my veg the other day and none of the neighbours mentioned the HMR noise when I lost the plot with it

[Dekers]

Trapping Mink in a cage trap is perfectly legal and ensures you don't harm any non target species ( this is in a suburban back garden ). However releasing them once trapped is not. As for disposal methods then the following applies :-

 

 

It is an offence for any person, by an act, to cause unnecessary (physical or mental) suffering to a protected animal where the person committing the act knew or ought reasonably to have known, that the act would cause, or would be likely to cause, suffering. In addition, where a person is responsible for an animal, an offence would be committed if unnecessary suffering was caused to the animal by them failing to take some action, where that person knew or ought reasonably to have known that the omission would cause, or would be likely to cause, suffering. It is not necessary to show that the person actually knew that their act or omission would cause suffering, but only that they ought to have known.

 

The destruction of an animal in an appropriate and humane manner is not unnecessary suffering. However, destruction must not cause suffering over and above that necessary. In the vast majority of cases protected animals will be destroyed by a qualified and trained person, usually a vet. However, emergency situations arise such as mercy killing at roadsides, where there is no reasonable alternative to destroying an animal. Nevertheless, even in these emergency situations, the animal must be destroyed in an appropriate and humane manner. The term "appropriate and humane" is not defined in the Act, and is for the courts to interpret having regard to all the circumstances of the case.

 

Carbon monoxide poisoning is the method used to kill mink in fur farms. They place the animals in a box that is plumbed onto an engine exhaust, apparently its just like going to sleep. As we all know, drowning an animal in a cage trap has been found to be cruel and unnecessary as is inaccurate and multiple air rifle shots (both cases prosecuted by RSPCA involving squirrels). As far as I'm aware a swift blow with a blunt object, an accurate air rifle shot to the head (difficult with a panicked animal running around a cage) or carbon monoxide poisoning are not. Of course any of these actions risk prosecution by an over zealous and politically motivated animal welfare group. If you want to ensure you avoid the courts then get the RSPCA to attend and put the animal down by lethal injection ( although they will most likely take said mink and release it 1/2 mile away back on the river ) or just make sure you a very discreet.

 

A gamekeeper friend of mine uses cage traps. He simply paces out about 30 yds and uses his .410 to dispatch the trapped mink or squirrel etc. Far enough away to avoid damaging the trap and close enough to do the job, simples.

 

What is the source of this please?

[Dekers]

Looking at the OP it seems this mink is somewhat fearless, a shovel, rifle or trap would not seem too difficult.

 

Make sure it is deceased before you handle it, as someone else mentioned, they have some teeth...and claws!

[the pigeon man]

And hard to kill !!! gassing is illegal ! Good hard wack with shovel will sort it

[aris]

Live capture trap followed by air gun to the bonce job done and you won't get someones cat in it or anything you aren't meant to. .22lr out of the window or HMR would be fine and dandy in most situations as long as you are subtle. I gained a small rabbit munching on my veg the other day and none of the neighbours mentioned the HMR noise when I lost the plot with it

 

Out of the window of a urban home? Don't you need to get land cleared before you can shoot section 1 firearms on it?

[Dekers]

 

Out of the window of a urban home? Don't you need to get land cleared before you can shoot section 1 firearms on it?

 

No!

 

Clear for anyone with an unrestricted (Open) FAC.

Edited July 5, 2013 by Dekers

[aris]

 

No!

 

Clear for anyone with an unrestricted (Open) FAC.

 

Righty-o - a very important distinction For everyone else, go the hushpower route

[al4x]

Precisely Dekers

[byjovecarruthers]

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/45/pdfs/ukpga_20060045_en.pdf

 

Or in laymans terms,

 

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/farmingrural/Agriculture/animal-welfare/AnimalWelfare/AHWSAGuidance/prevention

 

The mink is not a protected animal but is classed as an invasive alien species and therefore vermin. It is still protected from acts of wilful cruelty.

 

Animal Health and Welfare Act 2006, Section 19 - Illegal to allow the captured mammal to be deprived of food or water, or exposed to extreme weather conditions for longer than necessary – check trap every 24 hrs

 

The Mink Keeping Order’s 1987 – 2003 and Mink Keeping Regulations 1975 made under the Destructive Imported Animals Act 1932 - Illegal to keep American mink, except under licence or release them into the wild

 

Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) Schedule 9 - Illegal to release or to allow to escape captive American mink into the wild

 

I have never done it but I do consider gassing as a humane method of dispatch. I have never seen any legislation preventing it but have an open mind and if someone can show my why its illegal I'm happy to agree. I know that gassing is used to eliminate burrowing pests by some pest controllers! As previously posted it would be down to a court to decide if it was an act of animal cruelty. I would suggest its less cruel than being hit by a shovel but then I'm not a mink.

[stubby]

I think the confusion on gassing may come from people that have flicked through the do's and don'ts and therefore class it the same across the board

moles cannot be gassed with petrol engine fumes

yet rats can, otherwise all those terrier/rat video's are illegal

mink as already stated, are a non native species

I honestly think a modded 410 is a little overkill, I use them on fox, but never anything smaller, although perfectly legal to use in back garden when carrying out a humane cull

open ticket holder on firearms, rimfire still a little overkill, but at least a small hole

a decent air rifle is the best bet in my mind, less hands on, and quick dispatch, more so than either gassing or sack and bat, and more things to go wrong with those two