Legalities of trapping a weasel

[rlw525]

Hi. Last year a weasel killed about 20 young turkeys, a full grown adult turkey, and some ducks on our farm. We hired a professional trapper (We'll call him Dick) to try to catch the weasel. Dick used leg-hold traps. A relative (John) – who has a trapping permit – also set a couple of traps. When Dick found out that someone else had set traps, he went ballistic and threatened to contact wildlife officials and have John's trapping permit revoked. Dick took his traps and left (adios, @ssholə!) The weasel was never caught. Recently, a weasel slaughtered eight chickens and all of our quail so we hired a different professional trapper. It has been about 3 weeks and the weasel still hasn't been caught. We want to put out humane traps but are concerned about legalities. Is there any legal reason we can't put out our own traps? Was there any validity to what Dick said or was he just being a....(well, you know)?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Check with your state DNR. You more than likely need a license to trap.

 

[rlw525]

Check with your state DNR. You more than likely need a license to trap.

Thanks, OHLD. What of the threat to have the other trapper's license revoked? He has a permit to trap.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I'm not too familiar with all the rules but I know they have pamphlets that explains everything.
The other guys story doesn't sound right as both people had permits and permission from you. I could see where someone might be worried about not knowing where other traps are set.

 

[Molpet]

if you put out enclosed rat traps .. and happen to catch a weasel...

 

[itsasmallfarm]

where i live weasels are considered a fur bearing animal meaning you need a trappers licence to trap them and it has to be in season, how ever if one does kill your live stock i do believe you can contact your DNR and get a permit to trap them out of season. (to note i have taken my trappers course) but i have never heard some one using a leg hold trap to trap weasels? and more importantly an un-baited one. but like molpet said we use weasel boxes in season them with rat traps.

 

[Folly's place]

I've never had a weasel attack here at night, thank goodness. I agree, though, that checking with your DNR is the best plan. My coop and run are as safe as I can make them, although it's a constant effort. This year we had rats in our coop, now taken care of, but clearly a weasel could have come in the same way. We were lucky! The boxed rat trap looks like it might work, although I've never caught a rat in any trap here! It's been closing coop openings, and poison. Maybe weasels aren't as smart? Good luck, Mary

 

[rlw525]

if you put out enclosed rat traps .. and happen to catch a weasel...

I was actually considering putting out "rat traps". Do they have to be enclosed?

 

[rlw525]

where i live weasels are considered a fur bearing animal meaning you need a trappers licence to trap them and it has to be in season, how ever if one does kill your live stock i do believe you can contact your DNR and get a permit to trap them out of season. (to note i have taken my trappers course) but i have never heard some one using a leg hold trap to trap weasels? and more importantly an un-baited one. but like molpet said we use weasel boxes in season them with rat traps.

I was mistaken about the traps being unbaited. Apparently the trapper uses fish oil.

 

[rlw525]

I've never had a weasel attack here at night, thank goodness. I agree, though, that checking with your DNR is the best plan. My coop and run are as safe as I can make them, although it's a constant effort. This year we had rats in our coop, now taken care of, but clearly a weasel could have come in the same way. We were lucky! The boxed rat trap looks like it might work, although I've never caught a rat in any trap here! It's been closing coop openings, and poison. Maybe weasels aren't as smart? Good luck, Mary

Thanks Mary. I've actually had very little problem catching rats but the freakin' weasels are a different story!