Fenn Traps

[RossR 14]

Wanting to catch some stoats and weasels maybe the odd rat and squirrel too, and was just wondering peoples technique on finding where a stoat may run etc and where and how you would set the trap?

[jennym 39]

Hi Ross,

 

Have a look at this re the legal stuff, keep you right.

 

http://basc.org.uk/cop/trapping-pest-mammals/

 

I would imagine would be hard for someone to make recommendations for siting traps without seeing the ground. Whereabouts are you? Maybe there is someone local to you that could come and give you a hand first time til you get going?

 

Cheers

 

Jenny

[J Darcy 5,871]

Wall, boundary where two hedges meet, where there's a bottleneck between two patches of cover.

[Rimfireboy! 1,463]

Put the fen trap in a tunnel/box set transverse to the box. Site next to a wall,fence,hedge etc. no4 traps are ideal for stoats and rats etc. make sure you set them under a tunnel/box to avoid trapping non target species and check them every day.

[RossR 14]

Hi Ross,

 

Have a look at this re the legal stuff, keep you right.

 

http://basc.org.uk/cop/trapping-pest-mammals/

 

I would imagine would be hard for someone to make recommendations for siting traps without seeing the ground. Whereabouts are you? Maybe there is someone local to you that could come and give you a hand first time til you get going?

 

Cheers

 

Jenny

 

 

Wall, boundary where two hedges meet, where there's a bottleneck between two patches of cover.

 

 

Put the fen trap in a tunnel/box set transverse to the box. Site next to a wall,fence,hedge etc. no4 traps are ideal for stoats and rats etc. make sure you set them under a tunnel/box to avoid trapping non target species and check them every day.

thanks for the advice, ive just set 2 under tunnels next to a stone dyke that has a wooded valley on one side and a field on the other! is it possible to catch rabbits in them?

[RossR 14]

Hi Ross,

 

Have a look at this re the legal stuff, keep you right.

 

http://basc.org.uk/cop/trapping-pest-mammals/

 

I would imagine would be hard for someone to make recommendations for siting traps without seeing the ground. Whereabouts are you? Maybe there is someone local to you that could come and give you a hand first time til you get going?

 

Cheers

 

Jenny

im in the borders

[The one 8,467]

As said set them in tunnels along a wall ,hedge etc stop well short of the corners as if you watch stoats and weasels they will cut the corners .For squirrels you can try a baited box in a wood and although you will catch rabbits in them thats what the bigger mk6 was made for

[jennym 39]

 

Hi Ross,

 

Have a look at this re the legal stuff, keep you right.

 

http://basc.org.uk/cop/trapping-pest-mammals/

 

I would imagine would be hard for someone to make recommendations for siting traps without seeing the ground. Whereabouts are you? Maybe there is someone local to you that could come and give you a hand first time til you get going?

 

Cheers

 

Jenny

im in the borders

 

Lol we may be neighbours then

[RossR 14]

As said set them in tunnels along a wall ,hedge etc stop well short of the corners as if you watch stoats and weasels they will cut the corners .For squirrels you can try a baited box in a wood and although you will catch rabbits in them thats what the bigger mk6 was made for

do you normally set it in an area you know there will be a stoat or weasel or is it all guess work to some degree?

[The one 8,467]

For me its all guess work i block trap burrows with 50 mk6's and pick up loads of weasels and stoats ive no need or reason to trap them

[Frontbum 76]

Im interested on peoples views on trapping stoats&weasals, I personally love to see them about as they seem to be rare around my neck of the woods.(probably there but I never see them)

For the record im not knocking anyone who traps them and wish the op all the best with his traps

Also be interesting if its just my area that as low numbers of stoats&weasals?

Edited May 10, 2014 by Frontbum

[RossR 14]

Im interested on peoples views on trapping stoats&weasals, I personally love to see them about as they seem to be rare around my neck of the woods.(probably there but I never see them)

For the record im not knocking anyone who traps them and wish the op all the best with his traps

Also be interesting if its just my area that as low numbers of stoats&weasals?

wont be low numbers you just wont see them, they are everywhere its just theyre sneaky little b*ggers! thats why im starting to trap as its a new experience and protecting young birds and eggs

[The one 8,467]

See at least two every day we are out ferreting the usually bolt from the rabbit burrows in front of the ferrets and till them you didn't know they where there

[RossR 14]

How long does it take to catch one usually? and how many traps will you have set? just the one or will you have like a trap line you'll check daily?

[The one 8,467]

I usually block trap burrows with 50 traps i couldn't ferret or the farmer moans theres hundreds of rabbits and you start picking them up the next day , as said i dont go out my way to kill them but one boy i had out had great fun wasting half a box of shells on one as it bolted out and in a long rabbit burrow in front of the ferrets , As im no ferreting any shooting estates i think the farmers are quite happy to see them controlling the rats mice etc as theres no pheasants to bother