Land and Floating Mink Traps

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lambic

lambic

Well-Known Member
Hoping for some handy advice for dealing with fish eating pests. Founds a few piles of fish scales and a sloppy scat next to a pond.

Have some humane cage traps, 1 x medium sized and 2 x small sized. Need to setup them as best possible.

I built timber tunnels for land based traps to go in the past.

Will a floating mink trap be more effective than a land based one ? Can easily make a float. If so, just a case of securing a cage trap to the float, with tag lines ?

Also, what tinned fish is best bait ?

Have trapped other mustelids in the past so presume they have a similar behaviour ?

But nippy to be sitting out in my hide so I can snipe the little git. Although I should probably put trail cam out ....
 
When i used to set them on the banking any pinch pionts where always good, bridges or where another burn joins. But not hard to trap really.
The local river fishery board had very good results with floating traps.
I think they often used rabbit as bait.
They would also harvest rhe scent/anal glads of the mink, said it made a massive difference ( althou i forget which sex the harvested now)

I dunno if ur a pond or river, but if ur on a river u need a thicker rope than u think to anchor them to banking.
In a big flood will snap normal 8mm poly rope.
 
I do wonder for how much longer any trapping will be permitted. This is an extract from the Government's 2025 Animal Welfare Strategy:

"There is public concern around the welfare of wildlife being compromised by snares. In our manifesto we committed to ending the use of snares to ensure wild animals are free from unnecessary suffering caused by them.

Snares are not the only form of traps used in England. Concerns also exist around the welfare of wildlife from the use of other types of traps used to control wildlife outdoors. Therefore, while we will not be examining traditional baited snap traps used in households to catch mice and rats – those which snap shut when the bait or a trigger is disturbed - we are committing to work with experts to develop evidence on the animal welfare impact of other traps that have been brought to Defra’s attention, for example older spring traps, mole traps and live capture traps used to catch corvids.

Actions​

We will:
  • deliver on the manifesto commitment to ban the use of snare traps in England
  • conduct a review of other traps used to catch wildlife in England for which welfare concerns have been raised and carefully consider any recommendations for further action
K
 
Klenchblaize said:
I do wonder for how much longer any trapping will be permitted. This is an extract from the Government's 2025 Animal Welfare Strategy:

"There is public concern around the welfare of wildlife being compromised by snares. In our manifesto we committed to ending the use of snares to ensure wild animals are free from unnecessary suffering caused by them.

Snares are not the only form of traps used in England. Concerns also exist around the welfare of wildlife from the use of other types of traps used to control wildlife outdoors. Therefore, while we will not be examining traditional baited snap traps used in households to catch mice and rats – those which snap shut when the bait or a trigger is disturbed - we are committing to work with experts to develop evidence on the animal welfare impact of other traps that have been brought to Defra’s attention, for example older spring traps, mole traps and live capture traps used to catch corvids.

Actions​

We will:
  • deliver on the manifesto commitment to ban the use of snare traps in England
  • conduct a review of other traps used to catch wildlife in England for which welfare concerns have been raised and carefully consider any recommendations for further action
K
Click to expand...
If this goes through, along with the hunting act. My main ways of dealing with rats are break back traps, terrier and poison..
Could make pest control more expensive than it needs to be and with more risk to wild life
 
The trapping will take place around a cluster of ponds and ditches. These are humane cage traps, not fenns

Unfortunately there are no pinch points and they have free access. Will have to rely on the smell of a tinned pilchard to tempt them.

I'll try 3 land based traps ones first.
 
lambic said:
Country I once caught a stoat in an empty trap. Few hours after it ls pal was in there
Click to expand...
When you catch one, after killing it thumb the urine out of it over the trap,old keeper trick that does actually work. Press belly same as thumb pressure gets urine out of a rabbit or hare before gutting it.
 
lambic said:
The trapping will take place around a cluster of ponds and ditches. These are humane cage traps, not fenns

Unfortunately there are no pinch points and they have free access. Will have to rely on the smell of a tinned pilchard to tempt them.

I'll try 3 land based traps ones first.
Click to expand...

Im not an expert by any means ( althou used to catch 30-60 odd most years when i was younger)

And to be perfectly honest with small ponds u could pretty much put them anywhere and catch.
Mink arent hard to catch.
But if u have ditches linking the ponds id guess the mink will likely run them to move between ponds.
Or if u have any footbridges over rhe ditches.

U may also be surprised xepending where u are but Otters are more nunerous and widely spread than many give them credit for.
 
Klenchblaize said:
I do wonder for how much longer any trapping will be permitted. This is an extract from the Government's 2025 Animal Welfare Strategy:

"There is public concern around the welfare of wildlife being compromised by snares. In our manifesto we committed to ending the use of snares to ensure wild animals are free from unnecessary suffering caused by them.

Snares are not the only form of traps used in England. Concerns also exist around the welfare of wildlife from the use of other types of traps used to control wildlife outdoors. Therefore, while we will not be examining traditional baited snap traps used in households to catch mice and rats – those which snap shut when the bait or a trigger is disturbed - we are committing to work with experts to develop evidence on the animal welfare impact of other traps that have been brought to Defra’s attention, for example older spring traps, mole traps and live capture traps used to catch corvids.

Actions​

We will:
  • deliver on the manifesto commitment to ban the use of snare traps in England
  • conduct a review of other traps used to catch wildlife in England for which welfare concerns have been raised and carefully consider any recommendations for further action
K
Click to expand...
It will be glue traps that I think will become a casualty of this. They are not at all nice yet in some circumstances are the only working solution.
 
enfieldspares said:
It will be glue traps that I think will become a casualty of this. They are not at all nice yet in some circumstances are the only working solution.
Click to expand...
Already banned for use, except hospitals, major food distribution hubs and planes.
Because gov is lazy still legal to buy and sell just not use, i think its 18 month since the ban.
In 17 years in pestcontrol i have never needed them.
But ive found them, left with dead and dying mice through not being checked.
they were easy for lazy people to use
 
Depending on your area if you contact Waterlife Recovery Trust they will provide you with floating rafts with live catch traps. They also provide a scent lure to place in the traps.
www.waterliferecoverytrust.org.uk

Waterlife Recovery Trust - Saving our native wildlife from the introduced American Mink

Waterlife Recovery Trust is a registered charity, helping to protect the UK's native wildlife from the invasive non-native American Mink.
www.waterliferecoverytrust.org.uk www.waterliferecoverytrust.org.uk
 
Rhodesianjess said:
When you catch one, after killing it thumb the urine out of it over the trap,old keeper trick that does actually work. Press belly same as thumb pressure gets urine out of a rabbit or hare before gutting it.
Click to expand...
I always thought that only worked if it's a female?
 
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