POLL: What to do about the Feral Ferret/Mink/Creature?

[User00047]

Having established that the animal in the video I posted is probably a kind of feral, possibly hybrid, Ferret/Mink creature, I am considering the best course of action...........what would you do?

 

[teyhan1]

If it weighs 15lbs then your terrier better be bloody good.
My old terrier once had a scrap with a mink. He killed it eventually but he took some bites. That was a normal size.
Use a rifle, if you capture it your only gonna have to kill it anyway. If you send your terrier to ground it'll get a pasting.
Shoot it or just leave it you decide.

 

[Gunner223]

We all need to see it now, so your going to have to catch it .

 

[SimpleSimon]

I voted rifle. Make sure there's enough left of him to show us though!

 

[VSS]

It'll just be somebody's pet gone walkabout.
If it's attacking your livestock or poultry then by all means shoot it - just as I would if a pet dog was attacking my sheep. But otherwise catch it alive then ask around to see who's lost it. If no response then keep it or give it away. Some of my best ferrets have been acquired like this.
However, as an escapee it's probably not established territory, so don't rely on seeing it in the same place again.
To have grown to that size it's probably a neutered male, so not likely to be a long term problem in the wild.

 

[10.9]

With option 2 the rifle , do you have to be a "trained " hunter !, will 243 be enough ! head shot or the big bit !

 

[Beretta cocker]

Shoot it, as long as it's not a wild polecat, as they're protected

 

[Fursty Ferret]

Let it be.

 

[VSS]

Shoot it, as long as it's not a wild polecat, as they're protected

I thought they were. Perhaps the chap above (post #5) might be wise to amend what he's typed?


In spite of (or maybe because of) all the suggestions made, it's clear that the OP is still uncertain as to the identity of this creature.
Therefore, for him to shoot it would be rather like him taking a pot at "a brown animal in the woods" in the hope that it was a deer, when it could equally easily be the next-door neighbours shetland pony!

 

[trouble]

If you can find a run.. Put a Mk6 Fenn Trap in a tunnel and set it lightly.. Caught 14 Mink last year and 4 Polecats that way..

One of them looking like this.. View attachment 53792

polecats are protected by law

 

[nun_hunter]

As said by VSS unless it is causing you bother then why shoot it?

 

[bruce w]

hob feral ferrets can grow to a good size ,we have plenty on shetland though the last bout of mixy has thinned them out ,setting a cage trap will settle your mind ,though getting it to walk in might not be a cert ,as already pointed out if you are unsure what it is dont shoot it.

 

[375 mag]

Stick your arm down the hole and pull him out if he's still there

 

[SimpleSimon]

Stick your arm down the hole and pull him out if he's still there

Now why didn't anyone else think of that...

 

[Foxshot]

Shoot it, as long as it's not a wild polecat, as they're protected

I think you will find that is wrong, I don't know who told u that but it's rubbish, it is illegal to intentionally trap polecats but it is 100% legal to shoot them, look it up.

 

[Woodsmoke]

My vas' hob is the size of a 2 litre coke bottle & weighs a couple of kilos so he's a big lad. If he's not causing you any hassle I'd be very much inclined to just let him be & he'll likely move on of his own accord

 

[User00047]

That settles it! the people have spoken (or typed)
LONG LIVE THE FERAL FERRET CREATURE!