Posted: Mon Jun 13, 05 12:32 am Post subject: problems with mink
hi, I am a new member, i hunt a lot of rabits in the Dublin mountains and have recently come across mink for the first time, they are long ferret like beasts, very fast, just wanted to start a thread about them...cheers
jema Downsizer Moderator
Joined: 28 Oct 2004 Posts: 28233 Location: escaped from Swindon
Posted: Mon Jun 13, 05 4:04 am Post subject:
Welcome to our forums I am sure someone here will know something about Mink
Great little animals, a complete sod in the wild here, though The damage they've done to populations of water voles (they're not the only factor on the water voles decline, not by a long way, but they're a big player) has been most depressing.
I've recently read Alan Beat's A Start in Smallholding and there was a couple of pages in it about his experiences with mink, would it help if I look it up for you, Irishwolfe?
Hi people, i think they are escapees, there are some nasty ways of trapping them, apparently, you put a piece of pipe vertically into the ground with a piece of meat in the bottom, mink goes in after the meat but cant turn to get out and dies of exaustion or starvation, this is how the farmers here are dealing with it. pretty nasty, they are far to elusive to shoot though.
macatsuma
Joined: 13 Apr 2005 Posts: 77 Location: elland, west yorkshire
Posted: Thu Jun 16, 05 9:19 am Post subject:
mink will take any thing it can get hold of much like a fox, in our valley we have had two episodes where animal rights types broke into the (now nonexistant) mink farm and let them go, they then swept through the valley killing everything in their path, even going into houses to take pets.
Shooting is, as you say virtually impossible, but there are a number of articles out there on trapping, particularly www.gct.org.uk who have a "how to make your own traps" section
i reakon i could shoot either of our local resident girls , i am sure they would be replaced . like rabbits , all species are newcomers round here the ice cleared the surface and left a clear space to be colonised .three for a hat .
hils
Joined: 08 Mar 2005 Posts: 568 Location: Nottingham
Posted: Mon Nov 14, 05 9:31 am Post subject:
I've seen a 'creature' where I am and I'm not sure what it is! I think it may be a pinemarten but am not sure! Its quite big - small ferret springs to mind. It is a foxy colour with a white bib. I've only seen it once. The fallen fruit has lots of double teeth marks - a few weeks back even pears still left on the trees had these teeth marks. We were initially putting the fallen ones down to rabbits. Now I'm not sure. My dad has seen it once chasing a rabbit which dissappeared into trees then he heard the rabbit screaming...
Any ideas?
probably mink but not certainly ,check the paw prints ,mink is distinctive .
hils
Joined: 08 Mar 2005 Posts: 568 Location: Nottingham
Posted: Mon Nov 21, 05 9:33 am Post subject:
Found out what my mystery creature is!
My uncle saw a stand in Postman come drive along the lane in May (there is a shared private lane to get to the property) and stop by a hedge and empty something out of a canvas bag. That night he saw what he thinks was a ferret. The neighbours about 1/4 mile away were getting a nasty smell from under their shed. This turned out to be where it was taking its kills.
So I need to get more clued up on my mink/pinemarten/polecat/ferret type creatures!
mochyn
Joined: 21 Dec 2004 Posts: 24585 Location: mid-Wales
Posted: Mon Nov 21, 05 12:55 pm Post subject:
My folks have a mink problem (SW Ireland, Kerry) and I've seen them there in broad daylight. Our Jack Russel used to corner them and call until my dad went to kill the little b*g*e*s although he was more than happy to deal with rats. I worry that one will get into my birds run as it's right by a stream which provides water for the ducks and I know they're around here.
dpack: if I caught any I'd consider your remark of '3 for a hat'! Especially just now: it's freezing out there!
unfortunately a friend of mine has just lost 60 hens and chicks and about 20 fantail doves due to minks,all the breeding stock for next year has gone,and the damage was done in about a week and a half
they basically had their head rip off'all very unpleasant,and the culprit is still at large
mochyn
Joined: 21 Dec 2004 Posts: 24585 Location: mid-Wales
Posted: Mon Nov 21, 05 3:22 pm Post subject:
Yep: vicious little s*ds, aren't they? Mind you, I'd be vicious is people were all after my hide!
I am sure someone here will know something about Mink 
The damage they've done to populations of water voles (they're not the only factor on the water voles decline, not by a long way, but they're a big player) has been most depressing.
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