Been visited by mink. at what point do i get a live trap

[jmc]

NB: came at night, discovered no access to fort knox then left. this happened three nights in a row. left poop too. has not returned for several days. knows he can't get in.

at night, nothing can get in their huge cage, except maybe a black bear.....

but since their area outside is huge and obviously unroofed a mink etc, could easily go over perimeter fences and get them............

So, Should i wait till we have a duck killed?

or should i risk it on a merely potential predator and spend the money now--just in case?

minks, weasels, etc. are mostly nocturnal--mostly

--so this is what makes me hesitate in getting a livetrap. the ducks are truly safe at night.

any thoughts? thanks!!

 

[Kittymomma]

Get the live trap yesterday. If it's been returning night after night it's only a matter of time (Winter is coming) that it gets hungry enough for a daytime raid or it starts to get dark early enough that the birds don't get locked in before the mink shows up.

 

[TipsyDog]

I have minks around here and they can't get into my run/coop either. My birds free range all day and in 18 months I haven't lost one yet. It's up to you, but I generally don't kill or trap anything and I've been doing fine, although I do leave a bowl of cat food at the back door every night for the coons, etc as peacekeeping treat. I realize there is always a possibility of a hawk or daytime predator getting into my flock, but that's a risk I'm willing to take in return for a happy, healthy, free-ranging flock.

I believe in a strong run and coop to protect them through the night. My run and coop are also fully automated with automatic doors which open and close at dusk and dawn. One morning I even had a young black bear (about 80 lbs) inside the run eating feed while my girls were squawking at him and 2 others were in the coop laying. I still can't figure out how he fit through the pop door into the run!!

ETA: My run is completely enclosed, including the roof. That may become your weak point.

 

[woodmort]

Now! BTW, mink and weasels will hunt during the day if they are hungry enough.

 

[redhen]

Minks will kill during the daytime too.. they are Dinurnal (sp?) .. which means they will hunt day or night.
Ask me how i know...

We had one come back every DAY until we were finally able to corner it and wack it good with a shovel... it ran off and never came back. So far...

 

[sourland]

Amen, mink will hunt whenever hungry. Invest in the trap. Set it with the trigger mech. set lightly along the perimeter of your pen. Set in the area where the mink was seen. At this point in the game, bait is not necessary. While working the perimeter of your pen, the mink may enter the trap. Dispatch do not relocate, please! A mink in a killing mode may kill all or most of your ducks in one attack.

 

[pharmchickrnmom]

Get a trap now. They hunt day and night. We trapped a weasel not too long ago during the day and dispatched him promptly. It would have been a disaster if it had gotten inside the run. They may look cute, but they have viscious tempers and kill for sport as well as food. It is only a matter of time until your mink figures out how to score a meal and have fun while doing it.

 

[jmc]

thank you.

oh no................

 

[aprophet]

A 110 /120 sized conibear works much better then a live trap for a mink the conibear count on the mink passing through it the live traps count on his weight setting it off they are fairly light animals . mink will hug an edge a small hardware cloth tunnel along side of your run he will go through more times then not without bait they are not that hard to catch with the proper trap.

 

[jmc]

Quote:
thanks. i'd kind of rather have a real trap. do you mean a victor conibear body trap or something???? where have you gotten yours...?
this looks real appealing. a real trap was my first desire but thought i'd need a permit or something to use.......much cheaper too.

any more thoughts very appreciated,,,,,,,please?!!!

like this??????????

http://www.pcsoutdoors.com/1-3-28.aspx