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theobenmike

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Posts posted by theobenmike

  5. mink escaped or were released from mink farm

    in General Talk

    Posted

    There was a load released near me back in 1998. Once released most of them had a wanderful life, they travelled across fields running free, then got run over or shot within a few hours :gunsmilie: Not really the happy ending ALF were after :feck:

     

    BBC News' George Eykyn: scores of escaped mink run over or shot

    Animal rights activists are thought to be behind the release of up to 8,000 mink from a farm at Onneley in north Staffordshire.

    Mink farmer Len Kelsall, 60, has slammed those responsible as "terrorists", saying that he was "utterly devastated" by the release which occurred shortly before 6am.

    Local volunteers have been helping to capture the mink

    More than 3,500 cages had been hacked open but 5,000 mink have been contained on Newhouse farm near Newcastle under Lyme.

    The remainder escaped into the countryside and attempts are being made to catch them.

    Len Kelsall: "The loss is horrendous"

    Trolley full of carcasses

    Mr Kelsall, standing by a supermarket trolley full of carcasses recovered from surrounding roads and fields, said: "This is not animal rights, this is animal cruelty.

    Staffordshire police spokesman on their efforts to deal with the situation

    "These people are terrorists, targeting people who run legitimate businesses."

    The mink are farmed for sale on the Russian fur market where they fetch £15 per pelt.

    The distraught farmer said: "I've had this farm for 40 years and I have asked these people to come in to see the farm and see how the animals are kept.

    Local residents have been warned to keep pets and small children indoors

    "This farm is not cruel - but this is," he said, holding up the carcass of a dead mink. "Yesterday this was a healthy, happy male mink. Now look at it."

    The BBC's Ishbel Matheson: Mink leave trail of havoc

    Police have issued an urgent warning to residents and motorists to keep their doors and windows shut and not to approach the animals which could attack domestic pets. They have asked to be informed of any sightings.

    Toni Vernelli of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals: Supports release

    A police spokesman said: "Scenes of crime officers are at the scene and we are investigating the possibility that his was done by animal rights activists, but as yet no-one has admitted it.

    "We would advise the public to avoid the area at all costs."

    The animals are causing chaos on the roads around the farm.

    RSPCA condemn 'foolhardy' release

    The RSPCA is assisting in the operation to round up the animals. Its spokesman said the release was "extremely foolhardy".

    He said both the escaped animals and the surrounding wildlife would suffer as a result.

    Noted vegetarian Alan Clark MP: "Mink farms are cruel"

    "The mink will be extremely distressed as they are arm-trained animals not used to being in the wild.

    "They are also effective predators and this could be catastrophic for the local wildlife. Especially vulnerable is the water vole, whose numbers have fallen drastically over the last few years."

    Second release

    In August about 7,000 mink were released in to the New Forest following two attacks on Crow Hill farm near Ringwood, Hampshire.

    The animals killed pets and even attacked a fisherman. Thousands were recaptured but many were shot by desperate landowners.

    Police are liaising over the two incidents

  7. Ladder traps

    in Snaring, Trapping & Pest Control

    Posted

    Some interesting posts on these traps, try this link - lots of pictures of various ladder traps in operation :thumbs:

     

    http://www.thehuntinglife.com/forums/topic/14348-ladder-trap/page__hl__ladder

     

    Personally I would go for a sectional screw together type rather than a solid one piece trap. It makes moving and storing it when not in use a lot easier. I'd also considered a ladder with a couple of ground funnels, possibly the best of both worlds :hmm:

  9. prototype wooden squirrel tunnel for bodygrip traps

    in Snaring, Trapping & Pest Control

    Posted

    An update of progress so far, I had my trap situated on the ground and the only problem was that mice were eating the bait. To combat this I fixed the tunnel horizontally on top of a wooden fence, this stopped the bait thiefs :yes:

    I also temporarily removed the bird feeders to make my baited traps more appealing and put a cage trap at the base of the tree. This cage trap accounted for one squirrel yesterday and one today for the bodygrip tunnel :clapper:

     

    post-10726-127677031995_thumb.jpg

     

    A good clean kill, right on target :thumbs:

     

    post-10726-127677034048_thumb.jpg

  10. prototype wooden squirrel tunnel for bodygrip traps

    in Snaring, Trapping & Pest Control

    Posted

    I will keep you informed of the results :big_boss:

     

    any luck yet?

     

    No luck yet, I have got this trap situated at ground level by a wooden fence next to a bird feeder and I have a kania in a nearby tree next to another bird feeder. The two traps are about 20 yards apart, baited with the same bait(peanuts). It is not really a test of which trap will catch first just a matter of only having one kania and needing something else to do the job ;) It may also be a slow catch as I have only seen the one squirrel here and he seems to be an occasianal visitor, time will tell, regards mike :thumbs:

  11. prototype wooden squirrel tunnel for bodygrip traps

    in Snaring, Trapping & Pest Control

    Posted

    Comanche

    The tunnel was originally designed to be mounted vertically, as in tied around a tree trunk for top entry or indeed bottom entry, although it should work in the horizontal position aswell - either on the ground at the base of a tree or tied around a leaning branch or fence etc. Maybe a 45 degree angle would work best when mounted up trees :hmm: As for foul catches this will have to be looked at and addressed if need be. Maybe the 45 degree mounting angle will solve this, if not maybe a different trigger system or more weld mesh to enable the squirrel to move freely throughout the tunnel. A shorter tunnel may also work but care will have to be taken to keep out unwanted visitors and not have the fluffy tail blowing in the breeze as talpa has said. Another option is two more baffles - one either side of the trap with a 3" diameter hole in the centre to stop the squirrels dangling and allow them to climb through the tunnel easier, you've got me thinking now :blink:

  13. prototype wooden squirrel tunnel for bodygrip traps

    in Snaring, Trapping & Pest Control

    Posted

    Being as I have a few bodygrips not in use at the moment and a shortage of squirrel traps I have made a squirrel run through tunnel to fit a 116 bodygrip inside. It is not designed as a replacement for the mighty kania :notworthy: all be it as a cheap alternative if you have plenty of time on your hands and a lot of offcuts off wood to use up, as I have. Firstly I modified the trigger to act as a bait station, this was done with 1/4" birdfeeder type mesh bent over and wired onto the trigger with thin wire. A few nuts were added then the top bent to stop them falling out. I may also smear some peanut butter over these before use :yes:

    post-10726-127616616689_thumb.jpg

    The tunnel is approx 6"x6" internal and approx 2' long. On the inside of the tunnel I have added mesh to two sides to help squirrel reach his destination, I may alter that to all four sides in the future :hmm:

    post-10726-127616620378_thumb.jpg

    The trap is held in place with four small nails, two on the bottom of the tunnel (as above) and two inside where the spring will sit (as below). There is also a sliding door here to allow setting/removal of the trap.

    post-10726-127616619366_thumb.jpg

    I have reduced the entry size from 6" square to a 3" diameter round hole to keep out unwanted quarry.

    The "finished" prototype tunnel is now ready for its first trial. A quick sand down and a coat of leaf green paint may well be in order. It has got an owl box type of look to the untrained eye. I will keep you informed of the results :big_boss:

    post-10726-127616618226_thumb.jpg

    Finally no laughing at the worlds worst camoflauge job on this kania, it's about half way up this sycamore tree if you can't see it :whistling:

    post-10726-127616800392_thumb.jpg

  14. fenn egg trap or diy modification?

    in Snaring, Trapping & Pest Control

    Posted

    I am well aware of the laws regarding the use of spring traps, which traps are legal and for which quarry, the siting and checking of them and use of tunnels etc, etc.

    I would like to clarify that I would never dream of using this sort of trap and understand it is for collection/display only, along with many others that I have - mainly gin traps including a nice gilpa dogless gin among others. Some of which are that rusty you wouldn't dream of setting if you value your fingers. :icon_eek:

    I have an extensive range of modern traps also including mk4 and mk6 fenns (and springers), 110 and 116 bodygrips, kania 2000, talpex and tunnel mole traps, larsen traps, and various rat/rabbit/squirrel cages etc all in regular use.

    If the mods want to delete this thread feel free and I will have no hard feelings. This thread was just to clarify if fenn made these traps like this or if it was converted by an old keeper, regards mike :thumbs:

  18. best place to buy traps

    in Snaring, Trapping & Pest Control

    Posted

    It all depends what type of traps you are after :big_boss:

     

    For genuine fenns try johnb off this site

    For bodygrips - the magnum trap company

    Cage traps I use killgerm and also have some homemade ones

     

    There are a lot of suppliers of traps, the main thing is to get genuine articles and not chinky crap that falls apart after a couple of uses ;)

  22. fenn or spring traps

    in Snaring, Trapping & Pest Control

    Posted

    Try killgerm ;)

    Personally I would get mk6 fenns instead of mk4's just for that bit more power. I used a mk4 in a wooden tunnel baited with peanuts and peanut butter for tree rats. The last two I caught were still alive so I switched to the mk6 (and kania traps, although very expensive) and this has done the trick. As already said get the genuine fenn traps or springers at a push and don't bother with chinky crap traps :nono:

  23. Otter board/lathe

    in Fresh & Salt Water Fishing

    Posted

    Thanks for the input lads. I am reffering to the one used by poachers not the one used to clear snagged hooks. How come they are more effective than one man with a rod - is it just the number of hooks on the board, as in theory if you tye 10 baited hooks to the otter board it is 10 times more likely to catch than the man with 1 hook on his rod :hmm:

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