racing snake Posted November 3, 2018 Report Share Posted November 3, 2018 .... I REALLY don't like seeing in our British countryside, it's grey squirrels and mink. Two from a visit to our river beat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rapid .25 Posted November 3, 2018 Report Share Posted November 3, 2018 Well done bud.👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FOXHUNTER1 Posted November 3, 2018 Report Share Posted November 3, 2018 Well done Stu , the only mammal I haven't shot in our land is a mink ......never even seen one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandgun Posted November 3, 2018 Report Share Posted November 3, 2018 Nice one mate, Im guessing you have plenty there to be able to shoot them in daylight. I was employed as a mink trapper for several years by defra and snh and it was unusual to see them during the day.. good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racing snake Posted November 3, 2018 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2018 (edited) Cheers gents. Islandgun, that's a bit strange. I'm often out with thermal on our section of river/land after foxes and never see any mink at night, only ever see them in the day. Although I don't believe otters will actively hunt out mink, I do think mink will change their behaviour if there are otters about because it's thought an otter will kill one if it comes across it. We have a good number of otters, so could be why we see mink in the day as opposed to night. Edited November 3, 2018 by racing snake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted November 3, 2018 Report Share Posted November 3, 2018 Yep, as soon as otters moved onto our local river, the Sence in west Leicestershire, mink numbers declined severely. Ok otters eat fish but geberally stick to the slower moving variety..chub, pike and the like. Had a school of large bream at one time, maybe a dozen or so always in the same runs but now gone as otter food. Used to see mink occasionally during the daytime crossing the river. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandgun Posted November 3, 2018 Report Share Posted November 3, 2018 3 minutes ago, racing snake said: Cheers gents. Islandgun, that's a bit strange. I'm often out with thermal on our section of river/land after foxes and never see any mink at night, only ever see them in the day. Although I don't believe otters will actively hunt out mink, I do think mink will change their behaviour if there are otters about because it's thought an otter will kill one if it comes across it. We have a good number of otters, so could be why we see mink in the day as opposed to night. Interesting., I worked full time for approx 6/7 years always with a terrier or two and maybe saw half a dozen in daylight. we also have plenty of otters and the two appeared to co- habit with holts and dens sometimes quite close together. a lot of our ground was coastal i dont know if that would make a difference. The last time i looked we trapped well over 2000 mink and as far as i can tell most were caught at night..from memory the most mink i saw during the day was in an area that i regularly took 2-3 a night...initially Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bumpy22 Posted November 3, 2018 Report Share Posted November 3, 2018 well done stu as usual. i have trapped them but never shot them. now to the story my dad likes to tell: as a young boy growing up i was fascinated by anything shooting hunting (the same now) so ferreting to me was better than anything. while getting ready to got to cubs aged about ten. my dad had phone call from someone in the village saying they had a ferret trapped in there shed. being young and excitable i said i would take a box and run down and get it. being fearless and slightly mad my dad insisted i take a glove. on entering the shed with gloves on see the greatest jet black ferret i had ever seengrab it stick it in carry box and rush home. my dad says leave it in the porch i have to take you to cubs and i will sort it out when he gets back. i remember being too excited to concentrate on my task at cubs {which was normal}. when i got home my dad was out the other end of our house with all the terriers out and one dead ferret. to say i was distraught was understatement. turns out he opened the box at which ferret suddenly turns into mink{miracle} and then a further hour of hunting takes place. where finally the mink is caught by the dogs in the corner of one of the old sheds. have some wonderful stories of hunting as a kid a lot are to embarrassing to tell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racing snake Posted November 3, 2018 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2018 4 hours ago, islandgun said: Interesting., I worked full time for approx 6/7 years always with a terrier or two and maybe saw half a dozen in daylight. we also have plenty of otters and the two appeared to co- habit with holts and dens sometimes quite close together. a lot of our ground was coastal i dont know if that would make a difference. The last time i looked we trapped well over 2000 mink and as far as i can tell most were caught at night..from memory the most mink i saw during the day was in an area that i regularly took 2-3 a night...initially Good work on 2000+ 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandgun Posted November 4, 2018 Report Share Posted November 4, 2018 11 hours ago, racing snake said: Good work on 2000+ 👍 cheers mate I would hasten to add that the total was very much a team effort, it was a great job in the early years.and would make a very worthwhile project for some enthusiast's down south https://www.nature.scot/professional-advice/land-and-sea-management/managing-wildlife/hebridean-mink-project Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old man Posted November 10, 2018 Report Share Posted November 10, 2018 Saw one crossing a private road the other day, no chance of a pot at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratchers Posted November 16, 2018 Report Share Posted November 16, 2018 Saw one last week in the daylight. Didn't know what it was as Iv'e never seen a mink before but guessed what it was as the farmer said there were mink running along the beck. Sadly it run away before I could get the gun on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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