Bounty on Mink proposed

J.R.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/farming/arid-41094967.html

……..

Good.

Rescueme0007

Excellent notion, voracious little batsards!

Eddie B

No chance

Sika98k

€20 ? Fat chance of that. Still some financial incentive might get some going. It might pay for a few traps.

Asus1

I think 20 a tail is not wholly unreasonable.Traps cost between 40 and 60 and taking your time into checking and moving traps nobody's making money out of this.Setting aside 2 million a year for tails for 3 years is small money if you see where government grants are concerned.

Eventually they will have to deal with the mink problem and if you look across the sea at UK they sometimes spend huge amounts hiring in companies on their rspb sites.

Eddie B

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120386934#Comment_120386934

I honestly think it won't make much difference. Gun clubs will do their part, bounty or not. They always have. Same with mags/grey's, fox's. For me the problem is that it's run through the NARGC. Therefore, anglers, conservationists, etc will not join in with the eradication of the mink.

If we had more bodies on board, it would make a huge difference. What we need is every waterway, in the country to be heavily trapped. If that doesn't happen, you'll just get overspill from untrapped area's recolonizing area's that have been cleared of mink. Same as what happens with fox, mags, etc.

Have a look at what's happening in New Zealand. Whole communities are giving their time to eradicate invasive species. What's more, they are doing it for free.

I'm all for getting a few bob for the tails, but that's not the answer to eradication.

Asus1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120387325#Comment_120387325

I think in new Zealand's case they have a population that look upon their native flora and fauna as unique and worth saving.We have a population that freaks out when a few deer are culled in the phoenix park and god help anyone who suggests ridding grey squirrel from Ireland or sika for that matter.

I'm in Kildare and gun clubs are getting smaller and older,fox shooting around here used to be a thing,not anymore very few do it.I agree that clubs with active members are doing their bit.I just think a few euro might get some young lads interested, maybe not but might be worth a go.With regards eradication I'd say we'll never see that unless some disease like RHD for mink appears.

Asus1

Also hear people say otters in the waterway removes the mink.Id be very wary about that.I have otters appear the last few years in what could only be described as a ditch.I used to trap it and get a good head of mink before they arrived but that stopped as they were constantly at the traps setting them off so in turn I just stopped trapping that part and just used the smaller side ditches and still caught mink.

Trail cameras on the ditch showed mink and otter on it the only difference I noticed was the mink were more active during the day and otters nearly exclusively were moving at night.Before otters appeared the mink were usually active at night so maybe they caused a change but make them disappear they did not.

Eddie B

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120387460#Comment_120387460

Ive got some footage myself this year on trail cams. What I've noticed is that, where otter and pine marten are present , mink were present, but didn't stay out of the water for long. It's as If the presence of otter, and maybe even marten, left the mink uneasy, so maybe as you've said, the mink are spending more time on the drains and ditches.

Eddie B

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120387430#Comment_120387430

Maybe your right. I do still think that it would work better, if none gun club members, could avail of the bounty mind. How many gun owners are not members of a gun club? Must be a decent number surely.

Asus1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120387566#Comment_120387566

Yeah loads of lads I'd say are in no gun clubs and I myself am not as I'm not really interested in pheasant shooting and am not stuck for land.If we could get non shooters involved to do a bit of conservation it would be great but we'll always struggle to convince them when the outcome for the animal is death even though removing it in turn is helping the native wildlife.

If you look at our government bodies detailed with looking after our wildlife the curlew birds fate is a great example.They hire people just before nesting season to protect nests from ground and flying predators till just at the end of fledgling season which is pointless.They should hire people all year to heavily hit certain nesting sites 365 days with no let up.But it seems for either lack of money or looking bad they only offer short contacts that suits nobody.

Off topic really but government bodies really need to talk to people on the ground instead of well meaning people who are stuck in what they read is best practice which in theory is usually next to useless.

Eddie B

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120387656#Comment_120387656

Yea, totally agree lad

Grizzly 45

Sounds like the usual ."Somthing must be done,but we have no money for the people that are doing it anyway off their own bat".Excuse from Noonan.

Zxthinger

Maybe they can start with maps detailing the extents of each club, and then provide 120hrs of training for each hunter.. im sure that will help the situation.Oh yes, make insurance and range time mandatory while yer at.. WHAT a bunch of clowns.,

Young people arent interested in the red tape to that comes with hunting and more red tape will only defer their interest further.. When our generation hangs up or cuts up their guns there will be very few out there in the fields.

Maybe I’m wrong but most of the guys at this I meet are either the wrong side of 40 or already retired..