[Barnsley-Bill]

Well after seeing a mink in the next allotment to me I thought I'd better do something about them before my birds met them.

So I bought a trap and put some kippers in as bate, The next day sure enough one big mink, so out with my gun and shot it then reset the trap, later that day one more.

I went down tonight to put my birds away and check the trap which had a small mink in it and while I was there I heard a big yelp so I grabed my gun and in the next allotment a mink was trying to drag a rabbit under his shed, so I shot it and the rabbit as the mink had ripped it to bits.

Two weeks back I saw some trout in the stream at the back of my chicken run but none since and I fear the mink have had them.

At this rate her in doors might end up with a new coat lol.   

[finleyfreyaseth]

be careful can you trap and shoot mink?

[joyfull]

Yes you can trap mink and once caught it is illegal to release it, shooting is the quickest method of culling the mink. The mink is not native to this country (they are here because they got released from the mink farms) and have decimated our native water vole population.
After having had 2 mink attacks myself I can tell you it really is heartbreaking.

[storme37]

bill which area are you from? i not seen mink in kent

[ex-cavator]

According to the British Wildlife Centre they are now present throughout the UK except for the NW Highlands with an estimated population of 37,000. They've decimated the populations of many of our native birds and mammals, we've trapped & dispatched several at one of our sites in Oxfordshire including preganant females, where they have been seen taking just about anything up to almost fully grown cygnets 

[storme37]

any in kent?

[joyfull]

yes - take a look at this website:-

http://www.britishwildlifecentre.co.uk/animals/mink.htm

[Barnsley-Bill]

I'm in Barnsley south Yorkshire.

Jud my dog was going barmy a few days a go in that area but I put it down to rat's even though I haven't caught or seen any lately, but now I've seen and caught these I'm not surprised.

But I'll have to keep an eye out on Jud in future as mink will go for anything if cornered.   

[Helenaj]

I'm dreading the return of mink to my area. My chook run is literally on the banks of a river and I know that mink have been spotted 10 miles downstream, so it's only a matter of time before they get up to me. We've got a couple of otters, but they don't seem bothered and they leave the ducks on the river banks alone as well.

[Fisherman]

There are mink around the lake where I go fishing and we trap and shoot them in order to protect the wildlife. There haven't been any ducklings raised in the last 10 years as they are easy prey. The environmental agency visit a couple of times a year looking for signs of water voles but the same again none seen for years. We very rarely see mink during the day but I did see one last year swimming across the lake towards a swans nest and what a commotion when it arrived. We have had cygnets die but not confirmed killings by the mink. Chickens would be easy prey so if mink are in your area protect your birds well.

[storme37]

seems they only live by rivers?

[joyfull]

any waterways is fine for them to live but they will travel over fields to hunt out food.