bornfree Posted May 14, 2014 Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 I was working in the workshop this morning and at about 11am i heard a loud squealing sound.looked out of the open door and a stoat and a large rat were rolling around about 20 yards away.The rat put up a good fight of about 30 seconds before the stoat killed it and dragged it off. i've never seen this before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted May 15, 2014 Report Share Posted May 15, 2014 I have yet to see it with a rat, see it most years with rabbits. The rabbit doesn't give in or become hypnotised IMO it just uses the only escape chance it has which is sit still and not move ( I have seen this deployed to good effect and also seen times it fails). The stoat will chase it without end above or below ground, so the rabbit looks for an area of dead scent and sits in it. They normally leave the slain a while before removing them, not sure why perhaps its to recover their energy? You have to hand it to the stoat for courage and determination its second to none, if they weighed in at 20lb they might hunt us Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happy.plinker Posted May 16, 2014 Report Share Posted May 16, 2014 I once saw a stoat and a hedgehog fighting , one minute the stoat was winning then the hedgehog, this went on for over an hour! eventually the hedgehog won.......................on points. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rimfire4969 Posted May 17, 2014 Report Share Posted May 17, 2014 I few photos i took with my phone of a Stoat V Rat fight i saw a couple of years back. I was looking over a wall in our lane. I love Stoats one of my favorite animals. We see quite a few around my place, the most at once was 5 hunting one of our banks, i guess a mum, dad and 3 young. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bornfree Posted May 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2014 (edited) They are gutsy little animals. i'am sure a big rat could give them a good bite, but it does not deter them. Good pictures by the way. Edited May 17, 2014 by bornfree Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fruity Posted May 17, 2014 Report Share Posted May 17, 2014 Superb pictures really caught the moment , amazing what we all see day to day with wildlife Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted May 18, 2014 Report Share Posted May 18, 2014 Superb stuff! Have never seen a stoat on a rat but just yesterday one ran straight across the road in front of me with either a mouse or shrew in its mouth. Quite a few years ago I was sitting in my van at the Fell bottom having a bite when I noticed in my wing mirror a rabbit sitting on the clients lawn, just seemingly staring into space. When I wound down the window and looked behind me I spotted a stoat prancing and dancing about two yards in front of the rabbit. The rabbit made no attempt to run and as I watched the stoat danced behind it, and then leapt on the rabbit. There was a squeal and the rabbit shook off the stoat but again made no attempt to run away. The stoat began bouncing about again while the rabbit just watched and when it was close enough, again pounced on the rabbit, but this time killed it and then just ran off. About five minutes later the stoat reappeared and dragged the rabbit, many times the size of the stoat, across the lawn and into some shrubbery. I was astounded; had never seen this before, apart from on the telly, and have never seen it again since. Fabulous. Mustelids are beautiful but deadly. One of my favourite creatures. Would love to have witnessed the stoat v rat fight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mighty Prawn Posted May 20, 2014 Report Share Posted May 20, 2014 At Hereford and Worcester Clay ground there's a resident Stoat who lives under one of the cages, when you shoot it he often pops out to glare at the shooters before going back inside. Amazing animals but I wouldnt fancy scrapping with one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougall Posted May 20, 2014 Report Share Posted May 20, 2014 seen Stoat v rabbit a few times,it is incredible to see the size difference,boy can rabbits squeal too when stoat has back of neck.....pound for pound a fierce creature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berettacocker Posted May 20, 2014 Report Share Posted May 20, 2014 Seen a couple on backs of rabbits over the years, alerted to squeals . My mates female Goshawk chased one into a rabbit hole, missing it by inches, so we dropped a ferret down the hole hoping to get another flight, when their was a almighty screeching. The ferret came out of the earth backwards, with its hair standing on end absolutely terrified. That ferret would not go down an earth for the rest of the day!! You think Wolverines are tough imagine a stoat or weasel the size of badger! I wouldn't leave the house! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GingerCat Posted May 21, 2014 Report Share Posted May 21, 2014 Cat brought one home without a Mark on it, great fun trying to get it out from under the sofa and on its way again. Magnificent animals especially considering their size. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berettacocker Posted May 22, 2014 Report Share Posted May 22, 2014 What cat is it a tiger?!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fse10 Posted May 22, 2014 Report Share Posted May 22, 2014 Had two run towards me jumping & playing with each other when i was shooting over my fishing lake had me 410 with me they did not see me till they were only 5ft from me & darted in to a little stream great to watch thought about having a shot at them but would rather watch em play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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