Escaped Mink in Ireland

[simonj]

Saw a bloody mink today on the croft, no contact number on Dept of Ag for advice, trap costs 35 bloody Euro.
I had to buy it because I think snares should be banned, but dear christ, 35 euro to protect neighbours hens and native wildlife!!

Wish me luck in trapping the bugger, I like having cats and wildlife around the place.

[C. Flower]

Where did you get the trap ? I've been looking for one everywhere.
We use waven pipe buried at a steep angle, with a sardine at the bottom.

[Baron von Biffo]

Saw a bloody mink today on the croft, no contact number on Dept of Ag for advice, trap costs 35 bloody Euro.
I had to buy it because I think snares should be banned, but dear christ, 35 euro to protect neighbours hens and native wildlife!!

Wish me luck in trapping the bugger, I like having cats and wildlife around the place.

Just for a second there I thought this might be a recipe too far

On the subject of traps - A couple of years ago I had an injured stray cat coming into my garden. I wanted to catch it to try and get something done for it but it wouldn't let me near. My local vets gave me a large cage type trap in return for a returnable deposit.

Good luck with the hunt and mind the fingers if you do catch it. What's the plan if you succeed?

[simonj]

Just for a second there I thought this might be a recipe too far

On the subject of traps - A couple of years ago I had an injured stray cat coming into my garden. I wanted to catch it to try and get something done for it but it wouldn't let me near. My local vets gave me a large cage type trap in return for a returnable deposit.

Good luck with the hunt and mind the fingers if you do catch it. What's the plan if you succeed?

Well, a recipe too far might be the answer.
I think the answer to what happens if I succeed is high velocity lead poisoning.

Any other tips on bait - I have mackerel in the fridge.

Got the trap from Paddy Price's (and pricey!!) in Clifden.
I did not want to use a snare, cruel, non-selective and if they are not already, should be bloody well banned.
I know the Russian way to catch Sable and Mink is to make a hole up a tree, bait it and then put 4 nails facing in around the hole, based on the barb principle that the head can go in but not come out.

[Xray]

The pipe with fish works.
Shooting works too, they are very brave in the face of humans.

[simonj]

The pipe with fish works.
Shooting works too, they are very brave in the face of humans.

They do have no fear of us, he did not bolt until I shouted at him, but trapping seems a surer way of getting him/her than shooting, especialy with the undergrowth here

[Summerday Sands]

Best of luck, they are viscious. Just before Christmas last, we had one kill 6 of our hens & guinea fowl. Poor little things had their throats ripped out, terrible sight. We put a light bulb near the shed & left a radio on for a few nights, thankfully he never showed up again.

[C. Flower]

The fur is very nice, though

[Baron von Biffo]

The fur is very nice, though

There you go Simon, a coat for the boss and you're ban proof for life

[Cáthasaigh]

You would see minks an odd time round here but nobody really bothers with them and I've noticed that there are considerably more foxes than there were when I was growing up. EC countryside management schemes have probably encouraged these revivals through the conservation of wildgrown habitats.

What's the story with Minks though, are they non-native or just antisocial and should we really be trying to make them extinct in Ireland?

[C. Flower]

You would see minks an odd time round here but nobody really bothers with them and I've noticed that there are considerably more foxes than there were when I was growing up. EC countryside management schemes have probably encouraged these revivals through the conservation of wildgrown habitats.

What's the story with Minks though, are they non-native or just antisocial and should we really be trying to make them extinct in Ireland?

They're non-native - they escaped from fur farms - and they kill a lot of native fauna.

A mink got one of my ducks last year and bit his head off - we caught him at it.

I vaguely remember someone on a forum finding that hilarious

He made a very nice pie though. The duck that is.

[Xray]

You would see minks an odd time round here but nobody really bothers with them and I've noticed that there are considerably more foxes than there were when I was growing up. EC countryside management schemes have probably encouraged these revivals through the conservation of wildgrown habitats.

What's the story with Minks though, are they non-native or just antisocial and should we really be trying to make them extinct in Ireland?

Yes there are invasive. They were set free and escaped from mink farms a few years ago. Some areas have dreadful problems with them. The follow water courses like rivers, kill a lot of water birds and fowl. Reportedly attacking sheep now also. Very bold and fierce fighters. We need to get rid of all of them I am afraid. Beautiful animals unfortunately, just not for Ireland.

[Baron von Biffo]

Beautiful animals unfortunately, just not for Ireland.

Same thing with grey squirrels. Invasive species that is damaging the native red squirrel. We need to get rid of them

And it's the only way we can legally shoot Americans

[Summerday Sands]

They're non-native - they escaped from fur farms - and they kill a lot of native fauna.

A mink got one of my ducks last year and bit his head off - we caught him at it.

I vaguely remember someone on a forum finding that hilarious

He made a very nice pie though. The duck that is.

They seem to take a sadistic pleasure in the killing, kill then move on to the next poor little creature. When I was a child one attacked the farm for three consecutive nights, killing the fowl & leaving the bodies.

At least the fox is killing to feed itself.

[Garland Names the Planets]

Just a question who here has ever gone fishing?