Blooming Mink

[filzee]

We seem to have had a mink in one of our release pens and the thing has killed 22 out of the 25 poults which were in there. We have one trap out for it at the minute but not holding much hope to catch it in that.

What are the best options?

It is near a pond which usually has a few duck on it but not anymore.

There is a nice high sand bank near the water, would it work if i put a nice smelly fish out and waited on top of the bank with the shotgun?

What times of day are they most active?

I really have a vendetta for this Mink now and im desperate to get him.

Thanks Guys

​Phil

 

[Amberdog]

I would try a dead end tunnel with a small bit of fish or rabbit at the end past the trap site it nr the pond close to the bank edge,best to look for a natural channel/exit point.
or if there is a small stream set a tunnel trap on a log across it the trap must be covered to stop none target animals getting caught

hope it works for you
​Amberdog

 

[pip]

Introduce otters. They love mink.
Failing that, the smelly fish and waiting idea is as good as any. They are most active at dawn and dusk but I have shot them in the middle of the day as well. That was before the otters killed them all, and just about everything else aswell!

 

[deerwarden]

Had the same thing in a pen where a wet ditch ran past 35 yards away, nearest river is 2 miles, also killed them in a pond where no watercourse ran by, they are easy to catch in coypu traps, or any cage baited with smelly cat food, caught mine in a tunnel made out of corrugated iron with dead poults in the middle and fenn trap either end. Moved dead poults 54 of them away and caught a light brown/fawn mink 30 odd years ago. Colour variation denoted it was a recently released generation, as they are now all dark brown with a white bib, you'll know when you have them as there will be no moorhens, ducks, voles, nothing alive, should be your first clue, as they will then move out for fresh prey elsewhere, trap all the time to beat them once you know there in the area. deerwarden

 

[RickoShay]

There is rarely one Mink.
Mink often have a hide where they store their kills and forage; the trail in and out of this will make for good siting of Fen traps. These you'll need to check regularly.
​Be quite easy to find as will stink of dead things.

Good luck, keep us posted.

 

[VSS]

You might get some good advice from BASC on the subject of mink.
I recently attended an evening talk about mink control organised by basc and it was a real eye opener!
They've also given practical help - came out to the farm, provided traps etc.

 

[arron]

i trap a fair few mink , fenn mk 6 , not springers but proper fenn traps ,or cage traps work well ,make sure you peg the fenns down securly ,leave the dead poults where they have been stashed and like rich o shea says you will find there path ,and yes there is likely to be 2 adults and a litter , get as many traps down as poss and never let your guard down ,trap all the time if you can ,if you see them you can call them like a fox also , best of luck ,and keep us posted .

 

[rick6point5]

Like the previous reply's say, leave the dead about and wait patiently i have called them close and stopped them for a shot with a small mouse squeaker.

best of luck, hope you do ok with no sleep...

 

[Fresian1985]

An otter nailed 350/450 poults in a pen of mine last year - the ducks and moorhen were untouched on the pond near by which meant it was unlikely to be a mink. The poults had been bitten accross the chest. It raided in two sessions, 1 week apart.

otters are not the answer in my view !!!!! Good luck

 

[filzee]

Well this time last year the pond had 20 Moorhens/Coots on it and some Duck and we were hoping that this year we would get more Duck. It is now completely devoid of life.
Thanks for all the great advice I have spoken to the land owner and he is ordering some traps and a few other bits to get on top of these.
The pond is only a short distance from the River Trent so no surprise they have found their way there.

Its great getting this advice, our shoot is now run by me(27), my shooting buddy(27) and one of the land owners son's(30), we are all fairly young and non of us have any game keeping knowledge. There are a few old boys on the shoot who are a mine of information but they find it difficult to get around now.
Nothing like tips and tricks from you experienced folk.

I will keep you ll posted and hope to bring good news.

Operation Mink Destruction is a go.

 

[sir-lamp-alot]

fenns fenns and more fenn traps just aslong as you dont have any bank voles in the area but i would be supprised with them being there if your mink are this active

 

[KBar1970]

Whereabouts in Notts? Dove Valley Minkhounds or Northern Counties Minkhounds will at least help you locate the mink, if not actually deal with them (whilst operating within the constraints of the Hunting Act 2004)

 

[Charlieh]

couple of long tunnels with bethal rhodes cage traps in (dont bother with the others), dont bait them unless you plan to change the bait daily which isnt ideal handling the traps, the best bait is some fresh liver. Place the tunnels so you can see if they have been tripped from a distance, and put the end of the cage trap 2 mesh squares outside of the tunnel so when you walk upto the trap the mink will come and look at you and you can dispatch it quickly through the top of its skull.

 

[longhorn]

flooting rafts work well get the info of the BASC web site

 

[Toxster]

You have to love the fact that animal rights nutters have now "introduced" mink trapping into the UK...

 

[mudman]

You have to love the fact that animal rights nutters have now "introduced" mink trapping into the UK...

no they did'nt

most Mink escaped by their own means from fur farms

the mass releases by ALF etc certainly did not help but the mink was established in the wild well before their antics.

 

[trouble]

couple of long tunnels with bethal rhodes cage traps in (dont bother with the others), dont bait them unless you plan to change the bait daily which isnt ideal handling the traps, the best bait is some fresh liver. Place the tunnels so you can see if they have been tripped from a distance, and put the end of the cage trap 2 mesh squares outside of the tunnel so when you walk upto the trap the mink will come and look at you and you can dispatch it quickly through the top of its skull.

Theres your answer , cages baited with half a rabbit work best but change it every other day at the latest . If you catch one cut its tail off , either side of its bum will be a yellow ball about the size of a match head , pop one of these scent glands in the trap and the other in your next trap , youll clear all your mink up in no time

 

[Uncle Norm]

Theres your answer , cages baited with half a rabbit work best but change it every other day at the latest . If you catch one cut its tail off , either side of its bum will be a yellow ball about the size of a match head , pop one of these scent glands in the trap and the other in your next trap , youll clear all your mink up in no time

I used to run a small trout fishery and was troubled by mink. I used Fenn Mk 6 traps in tunnels with success. I was not aware of the gland as described by Trouble but found that when I caught a female I would take the carcass around all my traps and dribble a few spots of her urine on the trap. That worked well. As mentioned in an earlier post, you must really peg the traps down well as a large male mink will get away if not.

 

[wcog106]

A farmer next door to our shoot had one in his hen run, it killed 7 before he got there and shot it. It was nearly a mile from the nearest stream or river but not far off my pens. Have taken all precautions but it caused a panic round here.

 

[howy308]

Best way is to get the dogs in.