Mink: I'm At It Again!

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

stick with the snares shitty, you,ll get a bugger sooner or later

 

 

Thanks for that, Moley. And last night I bloody nearly did! I'm 100% certain of it!

 

If you care to nip back to page 1 and have a good look at my very first photo, " More In Desperation ..." ? Well, we both know that wire is set Far too low, right? (I'm catching up slowly, but I'm getting the idea none the less). I believe I may have altered it yesterday - I can't remember and can't be arsed to read my own records here. And today I Really thought I might have one.

 

The noose was gone completely. I could see the swivel so knew it was still there, somewhere. And when I drew the wire out I found it had somehow been drawn right down into the ditch behind that hole! Don't mind admitting; I had mixed feelings as I handled that wire. If there's been something musti on the other end of it, and the bugger hadn't been dead? B*stard rushing out to meet me could have turned the whole affair decidedly 'Emotional'!

 

As it was, it was Styx all over again. Noose had been dragged in there and left with less than an inch wide loop.

 

Now, I'm yet to fathom out how that happens. But This set, just like the Styx one, is one hundred percent, cast iron, bona fide Mink. I'm sure of that too. Too small for a hare to get down. Way to big for a rat. There are no rabbits on this land.

 

Anyway, today, when I re set it, I 'improved' the set in various ways I've learned of. Roll on tomorrow, or the next few days, or what ever. Mink don't necasserily run the same path day after day. When this bugger comes back though, I sincerely reckon I've improved my chances of taking him

 

Other than that? One other was knocked ~ I suspect by a leveret. But I've decided catching one of those will be good practice and good dog food, and this ground can spare one. Other three are still waiting. Oh, and I 'improved' that one beneath the branch too.

 

I'm not giving up and I, at least, am finding all this far from boring or tedious!

 

 

 

 

GreyBull; Woodga looks about as far removed from 'Grizzly Adams' as you could imagine Rob what's his name put up some shots of the man himself last night. They had an evenings bunny shooting. Search that thread out. " Woodgamenator " or something. And Woodga is a f***ing lovely bloke too. As down to earth as it gets

[Ricky-N.p.p 0]

I can see where you're comin from ds its always good to learn a new skill and you dont sound far off getting you're prize ! you keep at um matey and im sure you will reep you're rewards

 

good luck

Ricky

[moley 115]

totally agree about woodga being a good bloke, he,s the type of lad you can rely on 100%, he,s helped me out a few times , what a good mate...right thats enough of being nice , i must wear a hat tommorow in all this heat, its affecting me

try reducing the size of your loop and fencing the run in a bit, it sound like ole minky is jumping thru :whistle:

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

try reducing the size of your loop and fencing the run in a bit, it sound like ole minky is jumping thru :whistle:

 

 

Thankyou! I can understand that perfectly. If I haven't got one tomorrow, I'll adjust All the wires to that manner. I can't wait! I just Know I'm getting That close!

[Vermin Dropper 2]

try reducing the size of your loop and fencing the run in a bit, it sound like ole minky is jumping thru :whistle:

 

 

Thankyou! I can understand that perfectly. If I haven't got one tomorrow, I'll adjust All the wires to that manner. I can't wait! I just Know I'm getting That close!

 

or try raising the loop a bit, Minky might be knocking em flat then getting his back leg caught in the loop pulling it closed and struggling free, hence finding the snare pulled closed.

 

I'd love to take the credit for the knowlege but I learnt it from watching Woodga's snaring dvd,

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

or try raising the loop a bit, Minky might be knocking em flat then getting his back leg caught in the loop pulling it closed and struggling free, hence finding the snare pulled closed.

 

I'd love to take the credit for the knowlege but I learnt it from watching Woodga's snaring dvd,

 

 

Excellent! I can assure you, I haven't watched Woodga's DVD. I bought it, but my DVD sofware blew up and wouldn't let me! Then, figuring it was all about rabbits, having no rabbits here and a good friend of mine needing such information ..... I gave it to him However:

 

 

The Bridge! You knew it. I knew it. It just Had To Be the f***ing Bridge over the Styx! Third time lucky? Maybe. Only this time, when I saw the set had been disturbed and couldn't see the snare at all, I figured Johnny had been back. He hadn't. I traced the wire down, off the bank and into the water. Loop was closed up to barely half an inch of loop. Damn!

 

Now, if you go back up and examine the photo of that original set, I'm sure you too will agree: I was winging it there. In fact, it wouldn't be too unkind to say I was wasting my own time. That bottom wire is patently too damn low!

 

Ok. Got what I deserved then. Big ol' mink's come across there. Gone into my loop and got his foot snagged. Probably a back one. I reckon he's then spun round. Had an altercation with himself and instinctively plunged for the safety of that water. Foot just managing to slip out as he went. You reckon?

 

 

 

And That just comes from a life time messing around, trying to learn about snaring / trapping anything but mink!

 

See? I'm not as green as the fields I'm working amongst. Just completely new to these damned, infernal Mink!

 

I'll have one yet. Then the Guinnii are on me!

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

:realmad: :realmad: :realmad: I F***ING HAD ONE AND HE BROKE THE F***ING WIRE!!!!! :realmad: :realmad: :realmad:

 

 

OMG! There just aren't enough swear words in even My vocabulary to express my abject Rage and Frustration!!! The lousey rotton b*stard managed to twist the wire round some rough grass and - obviously - rolled like a crocodile till it f***ing snapped!

 

Ok. It Must have been a foul catch. So I'm to blame. No getting round that. B*stard must have gotten a front leg through, thus taking much of the strain off his wretched throat. Then he's thrashed about, rolled and twisted and, Bingo!. got what he was after: Too incredibly lucky for words! I'm absolutley Gutted!

 

This was my beloved 'Fallen Branch' set? I measured it today. The gap beneath that branch is only about 4 1/2" high! Nothing but a slinky mustalid could slither under there. Nothing else would want to either. It simply leads down into a wet ditch. Oh, and before anyone even suggests a rat? Good god, man; I Was There! I saw the havoc this f***a had wreaked! Whole damn killing zone was flattened! Moss balled up. Rushes crushed in the fold of the wire, where he'd spun round them and managed to snag it, thus probably taking yet more strain off himself. Then he's just rolled and spun and suddenly shot off down the ditch. FFS!

 

Absolutley a chance in a million happening. Christ, but this game's trying me out! Yeah. And now I'm bloody laughing at the thought of it. Been grinding my teeth all day long. Fretting over it. Now that it's out, I can see the funny side of it! Time I ever come up with a photo of my own damn mink, I'll have become a leading authority on the bloody balls ups that can plague us!

 

Oh well. Hey ho. Badgers helped themselves to the leveret at the end of my field. Wire 'n all. I'm now down to just Three snares to my name. This sh*t keeps up, I'll run out of wires before I ever manage to catch anything!

 

Sat and studied the remains of that, above, one today. I reckon I can make my own. Only there's a tiny rivet used which I don't have here and can't source. I'm knackered. No rivet. No swivel. Pointless making these beauties without a swivel, so .....

 

Anyway, who wants a picture? Here you go: The 'Hole in the Bush' one. Reset with a smaller loop and my second attempt at a 'Chin Stick'. I'd used a 'Stick on the Branch one. That almost worked. It was just before the wire. See now how I've actually rested the bottom of the loop on the stick? Hoping his head will glide upward and smoothly into the wire. Have him before he gets his feet in gear and manages to slip one of those through. Shrunk the loop too, Moley. No point in 'Fencing' this set as the buggers run it nicely anyway. Only place for them to go is straight at that noose, see? Here we are:

 

 

 

'Bush' Set With Chin Stick

 

 

 

Oh well, tomorrow's another day. Badgers not withstanding! :whistle:

[Guest Bigbob]

mate fire a fenn mk6 down whilst you still got all your hair :11: :11: :11:

[moley 115]

like i said , its bin jumping thru, and the wires bin pulling around its body as it goes , then he wriggles thru the loop till only its tails left to pull the loop almost shut, it happens with rabbits and foxes too , loop too big and not set high enuff.

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

Recieved and understood, Moles. It doesn't show too well in that 'Bush' shot, above. But I really am shrinking the loop now.

 

Mind you, with only three wires left to my name and a nocturnal grayness carpeting every field around here it's starting to look futile. I'm trying to source some tiny, dome headed rivets so I can try to make my own stock of wires now. I'm also considering incorperating Lifters ~ get what ever I do catch out of the bloody way.

 

I also fancy a crack at the rats under my bird feeders. Lovely runs through the nettles there. I'm sort of saving them up! Trouble is; My Dogs. They trashed that tunnel, trying to get at that last one. Now they just won't leave the area in peace.

 

Again, I fancy a crack at the crows here. But, just as I was about to set out after them this afternoon, it struck me: What's the point? F***ing badgers will just move in and wreck everything. I'm planning to set where I can see it from the window here and lift each night. Tiresome. But crows catch quickly

[john b 38]

Bloody hell Ditch ! I'm only away a week and all this happens .....................

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

Aye. Thing is, JB, it'll all go quiet again pdq, if I don't find those rivets Nuts can be used instead. But I just reckon they'd give an inferior swivel. And I'm Very hot on good swivels

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

Todays report: Styx one had been pulled out onto the bank, but was hardly closed. What ever did it went under the archway of vegetation. Not through it. It wasn't a person. Really not sure What to make of that one. Any ideas appreciated.

 

I've now re set it 'ridiculously' high and pretty damn small too. Maybe I've just had completley the wrong idea so far about working that situation? We'll see. It's a veritable Mink Moterway so even I must connect eventually. (Monkeys and typewriters).

 

I've lifted the one from along the bank. Great looking run, but it's never had a sniff yet. I also need a perfect snare here - safe - so I can model my own from it.

 

'Bush' one had moved. Wind, most likely. It was very precariously perched there on that Chin Stick. Again, I raised it. 'Measured' the height. Did some gardening. I'm now satisfied with that, the second and only remaining wire I have out there. It's cool. Get it right with either of these and I'll at least have the best possible idea of how to handle the dozens I intend to make here.

 

Final word for now though is those damn badgers. It's hopeless setting for Anything a badger might eat. Or using traps baited with the same. They'd just walk in and wreck the sets to get at the bait. Lifters are really starting to seem like my only option. Again; Anyone ....?

 

 

 

Oh, PS: 'Rivets' thing's sorted, JB

[Coneytrappr 29]

Mate this has been a lot of fun to read, trial and error, you're telling a good story. Keep with it.

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

No plans to stop till I get it right, mate

 

Just this minute got back in, actually. Todays report is that neither of the two remaining wires has been touched. Nothing negative about that. Simply that nothing passed their way last night.

 

Mheanwhile, I'm sat here, doing this and gazing out the window, watching for crows a way off. But that's another story entirely. Here I talk about those mink snares ~ till I'm blue in the face; Or I make a mink go that way!

 

Tomorrow's another day .....