mink trapping

minktrapper

Does the diameter of the sewer pipe make a difference. Grizzly says 8". Would 6" pipe be ok.

Snowc

spotted 7 death mink on the n52 today , storm related or farm escapees ?

Eddie B

Snowc wrote: »

spotted 7 death mink on the n52 today , storm related or farm escapees ?

I lost them out the boot of me car lol. Twenty quids worth there.

Birdnuts

Snowc wrote: »

spotted 7 death mink on the n52 today , storm related or farm escapees ?

Yeah probably flushed out by heavy rain - just goes to show how many of the feckers are about. Have taken several dozen already off our 3 Curlew bogs alone this year!!

meathstevie

Snowc wrote: »

spotted 7 death mink on the n52 today , storm related or farm escapees ?

Where on the N52 was that ? It's a good spin from Nenagh to Dundalk.

Benny mcc

I understood all mink farms shut down here. Haven't had a mink attack in long time here but marten playing hell with roosting birds.

Eddie B

Benny mcc wrote: »

I understood all mink farms shut down here. Haven't had a mink attack in long time here but marten playing hell with roosting birds.

No, still three farms in the country. Yes the vast majority of foul kills these days, are done by marten. Especially here in the midlands. They really are thriving the last number of years.

Grizzly 45

minktrapper wrote: »

Does the diameter of the sewer pipe make a difference. Grizzly says 8". Would 6" pipe be ok.

Yup its fine too:) Just so long as the mink has no space to turn around in.

minktrapper

Grizzly 45 wrote: »

Yup its fine too:) Just so long as the mink has no space to turn around in.

I presume a 4" pipe would also be adequate.

minktrapper

Anybody trapping this time of year.

Eddie B

minktrapper wrote: »

Anybody trapping this time of year.

I done two weeks down from the house and got two. Don't think I'm gonna do any more this year. Busy with other stuff and just don't have the time.

Benny mcc

I trap most the year on and off. 4 cages and 2 trap box with fen traps in. Not gettin much of late but that's the way they are you'll get 2 or 3 and then nothing for a month

Birdnuts

Our Curlew project traps all year round. However this time of year is slow enough unless you get major rainfall events that force movement of mink into new areas

minktrapper

I have always seen that. Great time to trap mink during a flood. Curlers are rarely seen nowadays. What has happened them?

Eddie B

I find its actually after a flood, when water is dropping, that catch rates go up. Mink are displaced from rivers during flood, and move onto ditches, drains etc. Once the flood starts to receed, mink will return to the rivers, and travel the banks back to reclaim territories.

Birdnuts

minktrapper wrote: »

I have always seen that. Great time to trap mink during a flood. Curlers are rarely seen nowadays. What has happened them?

Loss of habitat due to the usual suspects - particularly industrial conifer plantations that provide cover for generalist nest predators like Hooded crows and foxes adjacent to the ever shrinking number of suitable sites(bogs,callows,bottom lands adjacent raised bogs etc.). I've been to a number of workshops on this and we are told that the negative effects of conifer forestry can be felt by breeding pairs up to 2km away!!:(

BryanL

Birdnuts wrote: »

Loss of habitat due to the usual suspects - particularly industrial conifer plantations that provide cover for generalist nest predators like Hooded crows and foxes adjacent to the ever shrinking number of suitable sites(bogs,callows,bottom lands adjacent raised bogs etc.). I've been to a number of workshops on this and we are told that the negative effects of conifer forestry can be felt by breeding pairs up to 2km away!!:(

The gospel being preached at the moment seems to be all anti plantation.

The rspb research points to predators.

"However, RSPB research in Northern Ireland identified high levels of predation on nests as the likely cause of population declines, with foxes being the most important predators. Similar findings have been obtained from declining populations elsewhere in Europe, suggesting that increases in predator populations have also contributed to declines.

In some upland areas, the control of foxes and crows by gamekeepers managing moorlands for red grouse shooting may be important in maintaining breeding curlew populations and preventing further declines."

The huge population drops in Curlews within a 10 years time frame doesn't correlate with a big change in plantations.


Read more at https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/curlew/conservation/#9SVl4sDOyd0Sfj8m.99

Eddie B

Birdnuts wrote: »

Loss of habitat due to the usual suspects - particularly industrial conifer plantations that provide cover for generalist nest predators like Hooded crows and foxes adjacent to the ever shrinking number of suitable sites(bogs,callows,bottom lands adjacent raised bogs etc.). I've been to a number of workshops on this and we are told that the negative effects of conifer forestry can be felt by breeding pairs up to 2km away!!:(

I've worked with birdwatch Ireland, on Islands on the river Shannon. One particular island had a good population of breeding waders, but a poor breeding success rate. There was a single tree on the Island, and crows and magpies use tree's to spot nests, eggs etc. By removing the tree, the success rate improved considerably.

minktrapper

Eddie B wrote: »

I've worked with birdwatch Ireland, on Islands on the river Shannon. One particular island had a good population of breeding waders, but a poor breeding success rate. There was a single tree on the Island, and crows and magpies use tree's to spot nests, eggs etc. By removing the tree, the success rate improved considerably.

Seems to be the same with the grey partridge project in Boora. Predator control seems to be a very important tool for the success of the project.

Cadpat_cowboy

Eddie B wrote: »

I've worked with birdwatch Ireland, on Islands on the river Shannon. One particular island had a good population of breeding waders, but a poor breeding success rate. There was a single tree on the Island, and crows and magpies use tree's to spot nests, eggs etc. By removing the tree, the success rate improved considerably.

That's mad, I never thought that one tree could affect a habitat that much. It explains why I hardly ever see ducks breeding on the lake near me surrounded by trees.

Birdnuts

Eddie B wrote: »

I've worked with birdwatch Ireland, on Islands on the river Shannon. One particular island had a good population of breeding waders, but a poor breeding success rate. There was a single tree on the Island, and crows and magpies use tree's to spot nests, eggs etc. By removing the tree, the success rate improved considerably.

Yep - Lough Carrowmore a few miles from my small holding in Erris has an island in it important for breeding Common Gulls and Terns. However in recent years chick survival had declined dramatically. NPWS trapper went to investigate last year and found the single tree on the island had a recent Grey Crow nest established. Action was taken last year and this year productivity notably increased - QED!!

Birdnuts

BryanL wrote: »

The gospel being preached at the moment seems to be all anti plantation.

The rspb research points to predators.

"However, RSPB research in Northern Ireland identified high levels of predation on nests as the likely cause of population declines, with foxes being the most important predators. Similar findings have been obtained from declining populations elsewhere in Europe, suggesting that increases in predator populations have also contributed to declines.

In some upland areas, the control of foxes and crows by gamekeepers managing moorlands for red grouse shooting may be important in maintaining breeding curlew populations and preventing further declines."

The huge population drops in Curlews within a 10 years time frame doesn't correlate with a big change in plantations.


Read more at https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/curlew/conservation/#9SVl4sDOyd0Sfj8m.99

Actually what I said supports that - my point was that conifer plantations installed next to Curlew habitat dramatically increase predator pressures as they significantly boost the population densities of crows,foxes etc. Our intense predator control of mink,crows,fox etc. has in only 2 years significantly boosted breeding populations of the likes of snipe,lapwing etc. However we can never let our guard down since the large conifer plantations at the edge of some of these sites continue to attract large flocks of roosting Grey Crows from surrounding farmland:(

idnkph

Anyone trapping and getting anything?

Eddie B

idnkph wrote: »

Anyone trapping and getting anything?

Got a couple last week. Great time of year to get a few mink. Males will be returning to the main rivers in search of females as mating season is upon us.

minktrapper

Anybody trapping any mink lately.

minktrapper

Any mink being caught. I got one lately. I also saw a trout rising to a fly and a mink spotted it too. The mink swam out to where the fish rose,dived down and came back up with the trout in its mouth.

Woodcock shot

Very slack lately, i’ve only the one caught in the last 3 months

minktrapper

I suppose we will never be rid of them.

Eddie B

minktrapper wrote: »

I suppose we will never be rid of them.

I don't trap this time of year, but yea, they are here to stay I'm afraid. All we can do is keep numbers down. It's when numbers are high, that preasure is put on other species. Of course certain situations like tern colonies ect, a single mink can do a lot of harm.

minktrapper

Anyone trapping. Put down a cage a few days ago. Nothing yet.