Browning Posted August 6, 2008 Report Share Posted August 6, 2008 Do any of you guys have experience of Mink removal. One of the farm hands told me he's seen a couple of Mink around a pond which is only about 100 yards from one of my pheasant pens. With the poults due next week I need to act quickly and get rid of these pests. I was surprised to hear that he'd seen them because we have no rivers/streams on or near the land, just a few ponds dotted around the place. I have no experience with Mink, so could do with some advice from those who have experience. Obviousely I'll be sat out waiting for them, but I also want to buy a couple of traps so could do with first hand advice on which traps are most effective, where is best to site them etc etc. All help much appreciated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bignoel Posted August 6, 2008 Report Share Posted August 6, 2008 i find a normal mink /squirriel cage trap with a nice oily peace of mackrel in it works well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harv Posted August 6, 2008 Report Share Posted August 6, 2008 build a tunnel at the side of the pond near to mink footings, make as natural as possible. place a fenn mk6 trap half way along tunnel and block off one end. between the trap and the blocked off end use a hazel stake and secure a rabbit head / leg or a piece of fish....KAPOOOOW! check regularly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDF Posted August 6, 2008 Report Share Posted August 6, 2008 Make a little mink fur hat out of them once you get them. You probally know but mink are crafty little *******, on saturday I saw one fool ten odd couple hounds of its whereabouts, and a couple of terriers! Good luck with sorting them out though, just do it as quickly as possible though, I've seen what they can do to a stretch of river. They'll pretty much wipe all the wildlife out. I sincerely hope you have them removed before those poults come though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackbart Posted August 6, 2008 Report Share Posted August 6, 2008 Bait your trap with some cheap canned catfood.The cheaper stuff seems to smell more and mink love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bullet boy Posted August 6, 2008 Report Share Posted August 6, 2008 I agree with Blackbart and bignoel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjlfishing Posted August 6, 2008 Report Share Posted August 6, 2008 cat food nails em every time drty cheap tuna gets the moggies as well bonus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted August 6, 2008 Report Share Posted August 6, 2008 Live catch with fish based bait and small amounts laid near the trap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coupe312 Posted August 24, 2008 Report Share Posted August 24, 2008 there you go i think every one has cover everything. smell cat food or oily fish works well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnGalway Posted August 24, 2008 Report Share Posted August 24, 2008 How'd you get on Browning? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferretman Posted September 1, 2008 Report Share Posted September 1, 2008 you get rid of them mate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evilv Posted September 1, 2008 Report Share Posted September 1, 2008 (edited) Not a mink, but last week I saw a polecat. Very rare animal in these parts, but it ran past me when I was lurking at the edge of a wood, jumped up onto a wall about fifteen metres away, looked at me full in the face for about five seconds and then ran into the wood hunting rabbits. It was exactly marked like the photos of polecats with dark fur and creamy flashes on the muzzle and ears. Lovely animal to see, and since thee are no shooting estates within miles, but a glut of rabbits the like I have never seen, it will do some good and wipe out some conies. Edited September 1, 2008 by Evilv Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Browning Posted September 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2008 (edited) How'd you get on Browning? Sorry John, I missed your post.....Yep, caught 5 of the critters, traps had been clear for 2 weeks so it looks like the job is done. I've now move the traps again and am hitting the squirrels hard....much more effective than shooting so far. Edited September 1, 2008 by Browning Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnGalway Posted September 1, 2008 Report Share Posted September 1, 2008 How'd you get on Browning? Sorry John, I missed your post.....Yep, caught 5 of the critters, traps had been clear for 2 weeks so it looks like the job is done. I've now move the traps again and am hitting the squirrels hard....much more effective than shooting so far. Good stuff Had a speculative cage out myself but no catches. I'm going to switch to bodygrippers this year, cheaper and more effective. Getting more into trapping now actually, 12 magpies so far and plans in the works for hoodies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HaveToShoot Posted September 1, 2008 Report Share Posted September 1, 2008 (edited) This is a couple of posts I put on another topic I trap about 60/yr through my work with live traps. Ive tried every bait but best for me is a chunk of rabbit. Leave back of trap uncovered and cover sides and top with natural foliage or rubbish like silage bags that are laying around. This way the scent can get blown through the trap. Check as you may be able to get grant money to get a few traps as the gov is hot on getting rid of mink the now. My trap line is 30 traps moved weekly. I usually do it between Jan and May. If you catch a sow leave it as you will most likely have a boar the next day. The female scent must be too much for them. Set traps in "dirty" corners of the burn or river. They love rock armour as there is lots of places to hunt in the rocks. My record is 9 in a day and 15 for one week trapping. I dispatch with a .177 in the head. Sometimes you dont even need bait at all. I caught 2 sows with bait in the trap. The second sow had eaten all the bait and I forgot my bait in the motor which was a long way away. The trap was really stinking of mink urine. I thought ahh what the heck Ill just reset the door. The next day I had a big silver boar. I just dispose of them. They are real problem on the waterside. If anyone wants them just PM me and I can always start freezing the stinkin things.Trap as many as you can knowing that youre helping songbirds,ducks,voles and the like. Edited September 1, 2008 by HaveToShoot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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