Wild Mink

[Dr B 186]

I've been lucky enough to shoot a few of these over the years where they have been a problem for the farmer. They are rarely seen, but can be quite vicious.

 

I'm interested in how many of these you've seen / shot over recent years as I wonder if numbers are declining? I see few people on here talk about them, and same for other places as well. Also, there is an argument to leave them alone, as they are good ratters, though all my perms that had them, had a rat problem as well - so maybe not 'that good'.

 

What's your view on wild mink? Do you shoot them, leave them?

Do you ever really encounter them?

 

 

[villaman 9,979]

Kill them ,before they kill everything else in rivers , lakes and ponds

My mate had two mink farms and when the antis let them go they went all over to rivers and ponds in the area , all though a lot of the mink went back to the farm because the new they would get food

[Dr B 186]

Excellent point VM.

 

One of these 'releases' happened in the midlands a while back and my friend who has a small holding near the farm where the mink were released said there was a noticeable drop in wildlife after they were released. In fact, she says she hardly ever sees rabbits there now as she suspects the mink take the very young. Also some of them turned up dead as they failed to adapt to the wild. The antis never thought of that.....

 

I've always shoot them when they have crossed my path. Its rare these days, but they are satisfying to shoot. While they may well be good ratters, I don't think they will take rats if bird eggs (which don't fight back) are around in plentiful supply.

Edited May 4, 2015 by Dr B

[mark williams 7,549]

Never seen a mink in my area Doc but i have been told by fishermen that the grey squirrels scream out on a local private canal when they are about.

In 45 years of shooting i have not seen one in the Gtr Manchester areas .

 

atb

[leegreen 2,099]

They are killed here.

[hoggysreels 76]

Never seen one in the U.K. ... l'd shoot everyone l see. Absolute nuisance that needs total eradication in the U.K.

[Chicken_man 1,651]

Trapped a few in the past. They were very common after being released. Devastate wildlife, partly responsible for the decline in water vole.

Otter have increased in number, which will not tolerate mink keeping numbers in check also.

I would still trap and kill, but I do admire them as a predator, and the the way they have adapted. Unfortunately they don't hold back.

Atb

[jocky 198]

they have about wiped the water voles out. shoot a right and left ones, had just shoot a goose that droped on the far side of the river and two mink ran straight out to it from under a bush. one of them days you will never forget.

[Rez 4,957]

Seen a few stotes, no mink. I'd leave them myself.

[pianoman 3,584]

They are tenaciously agressive and very intelligent animals but they are Alpha Vermin and I've set out to hunt and shoot them on sight. There has been a fair number on a permission I have up in West Yorkshire that features a beautiful woodland and steeply-banked river valley that has provided a good source of food and shelter; and they are truly fearless and vicious. My HW80 FAC .22 is the rifle for this job. They are fast and fidgety creatures and you need a quick, reactive aim and a fast, powerful shot.

 

There aren't so many sighted so far at the moment but, that may change again. There have been some quite busy times for mink, followed by not so many, then, a sudden surge in numbers again, from season to season.

 

They have decimated the gentle little water vole populations, they take waterfowl, their eggs and the young birds, in fact, almost anything that crosses their path with meat on its bones.

 

A clearer example of what happens when brainless so-called do-gooder animal rights activists are allowed out, cannot be bettered. The biggest bunch of ignorant hypocrits there is. They hadn't the faintest idea of what they were letting loose when they targetted Mink farms.

 

I bloody hate these people and their Holier-than-thou bullshit ignorance of the plight of other, less-agressive animals that suffer as a consequence of their stupidity.

 

Haven't seen any mink in my part of Lincolnshire yet, but, I'm told there are some about on one of my two main permissions here.

 

ATB

Simon

Edited May 5, 2015 by pianoman

[Mr Wilkes 2,915]

I live near a nature reserve (Fairburn Ings) and we regularly see them run over on the lanes especially in spring, I have always killed them and will at every oppertunity.

[charlie caller 3,654]

Kill kill kill.

[tomburras 2,721]

I never shot one but seen plenty in west Yorkshire on the banks of the river Aire. Once had one take a dead bait out of the packet on the canal bank in Rodley too.

[hedgerow pete 25]

i used to live in south warwickshire and saw the total devastation they cause.

kill on sight every time without fail.

[jonnie bravo 572]

I never shot one but seen plenty in west Yorkshire on the banks of the river Aire. Once had one take a dead bait out of the packet on the canal bank in Rodley too.

Same here, seen a few downstream of bingley