@ace86: i forgot to mention that i didnt wear gloves. Could be my downfall although i do wear latex gloves when setting a fox cage.[/QUOTE]

Well What I normally do anytime before i set a cage I pour boiling hot water over the cage they say it gets rid of any scent that's on it and I then use my latex glove to handle the cage after that, also when gloves are on maybe rub dirt grass etc into them from where u are going to place the cage. Try and see you could have success u might not, but what i was told about mink they have a great sense of smell but poor eye sight.

Eddie B wrote: »

Well What I normally do anytime before i set a cage I pour boiling hot water over the cage they say it gets rid of any scent that's on it and I then use my latex glove to handle the cage after that, also when gloves are on maybe rub dirt grass etc into them from where u are going to place the cage. Try and see you could have success u might not, but what i was told about mink they have a great sense of smell but poor eye sight.

Trapping for over 20 years, and seldom use gloves!

True that mink have a great sence of smell, but also good eyesight! Even though mink can smell human Sent off traps, they don't necessarily have a fear of it![/QUOTE]

Sound but i don't think they have good eye sight from what i'm told i'm open to correction on it still, and fair play to ya that you don't need the gloves i only use them as an extra helping hand in nabbing one.

Backfire wrote: »

Sound but i do think they have good eye sight from what i'm told i'm open to correction on it still, and fair play to ya that you don't need the gloves i only use them as an extra helping hand in nabbing one.

they do say that wearing gloves is essential when setting a fox cagetrap. I always do wear gloves when using them. I always have a couple of fox traps going all the time, my father makes them using galvanised mesh.

We only have 1 silage field cut so far, most of our silage was slow growing this spring, its almost ready now.
But in the field we have cut, I put down a couple of cages, cages which I normally use to catch cats or rabbits, a bit of bread and/or duck egg on the trip or under the cage and caught a jackdaw yesterday.
And had 2 crows in one today, both just happen to be in the cage when one or both set off the trip. It has often happened, took a photo while i thought of it.


I know rooks are not worth any points in my club's vermin count, but there is loads of them around, too many in fact, its good to keep them under check, along with jackdaws.[/QUOTE]

Yea Fox's are much more wary than mink when it comes to traps and people, so gloves are a big help there!
Nice work on the traps by the way! Your Da should start a new business!

(minus 6 rabbits, no photos)

This weekend's tally, a total of 8 rabbits, 1 grey and 2 magpies.
Missed the chance of a fox when we were taking a break in the jeep, he walked right in front of the bonnet, while all the rifles where in the boot. Tried in vain but would not turn to the call. I reckon he was heading down to the freshly cut fields, never saw sight nor sign of him again.

This weeks results (no pictures)

Thursday Evening approx 8.30 - 9ish, on the edge of a cut and cleared field. Stopped what turned out to be a large and rather fat dog fox. He wouldn't come out to the call and kept to a patch of dead ground with just the ears and occasional glimpse of his back. But persistence on our part and curiosity on his led him to sit up tall and he was duely dispatched with 100grns of .243 (150-160m)

Saturday
Early Evening 5-6.30
Set up on a tree lined lane with a mixed bag of dead bird decoys on a another cut and cleared field. Total results where half a doz crows and one grey, again frightened more than hit.

Saturday Night
Caught a fox crossing out in the open grazed pasture, no safe shot and it would not return to calls.
Got into position, had another appearance down by the farm buildings but wasn't interested, eventually about 11.00 or so a fox appeared out behind us coming from a bailed field heading to the gorse. Quick squeak, the fox paused, I squeezeed and another vixen was no more.

By the by there was a great deal of wildlife activity that day, we where happy to see our released birds thriving on the permisson, a good clean badger passed with great attitude close to us and the bunnies and bats kept us entertained as the light faded. Great little country when the rain gives us a break.

I've been out during the week trying to get on top of the vermin problem.

I am not apart of a gun club so I do not really understand the vermin system, you are given a list of animals that they wanted hunted, you bag, trap and hunt in general while it is tallied up. Are you rewarded or is it good will and practicing the art of hunting?
Set my mink trap yesterday by a stream edge on a bank for the first time ever, had some raw pieces of whiting left from the dinner will have to check later. Thinking of clearing a patch to get further down. Any tips are appreciated I have a cage from the army surplus shop and .22 Federal Birdshot ready not to wreck the cage

Eddie B wrote: »

Loads of tips about mink trapping on here. Just do a search on it, and you'll come across loads of stuff!

Few quick ones that work for me!
Where drains enter the main stream/river are a good location to set a trap!
Look out for toilets, area's where scat is present, usually on large rocks or tufts of grass, also good locations to set a trap!
Try find a nice ledge half way down the river bank, rather than the top bank to set your trap if possible!
Cover trap with debris, and a couple a flat stones to stop mink rooting at back of trap!
Tie bait to top of trap a couple of inches away from back of trap!

Sound out. I tied a piece of nice fencing wire to a loop I drove in the ground to avoid it moving. Will clear another area nearer to water

Backfire wrote: »

Hi guys,

The Kerry vermin count was on yesterday.
As usual, I have little info from my chairman on how well clubs did, actually I don't even know exactly what our own count for my club is, as a small bag of wings was handed in by a member just hours before deadline.

I can say that between me and 2 other lads, we had 71 foxes, 257 magpies, 143 grey crows and just 2 mink. That's 6230 points. So whatever is in that plastic bag that I have been told about is yet to be added to that. So we are down on our 7400 points count that we had last year. But that's how the vermin count should work, if you kill vermin, you are gonna have less of them around the following year. And less the year after.

I am posting here in case somebody from another club in Kerry could post what they got, just out of interest.

so do you not know what your club submitted and what u have submitted wasn't counted? I know Pallas/kilflynn won it anyway with about 14,000 points or so.

14,OOO Pints they did well with 50 members in my club only 4 turned up for the club vermin count which between the 4 we handed in over (500) magpies and greycrows, (250) foxs ,(2) grey squirels , (14) mink, and (122) rabbit tails not bad pity the other 46 lazy ***** did not bother same every year