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Post by dieselweasel on Feb 23, 2011 20:22:03 GMT -5
I know pratically nothing about weasels. do we even have them here in indiana? if we do could you post some tips on how to catch them next year and what to look for sign wise. Do we have any ermine here?
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Post by furfishgame on Feb 24, 2011 2:37:08 GMT -5
A NO 1 or 1 1/2 (Jump or coil traps would work best if you have them, if there is fox or bob cats use a NO 1 1/2 or perhaps a 1 3/4) put in a milk jug (you will have to make a hole in the back for longsprings) with FRESH liver and a dab of weasel lure in the back, right over the pan, maybe a little blood on the lip to wet his appetite.
Dont forget to anchor it. If you have snow, find spots in fairily thick timber bordering a swamp or field and look for tracks.
Weasels don't follow paths, but where there is one, there just as well might be more. and they have a pretty good sniffer. if there is heavy weasel population, it probably wont really matter when you set( follow all rules about setting near roads or houses or what ever.) If there is not very many, set where you see the most tracks, like, say, a pocket of timber and blackberries 50 yards wide and 80 yards long, and you find 5 sets of tracks in there, I'd set a jug or 2, where as, the surrounding forest only have 2 sets of tracks per acre or so.
If you guys don't get snow. set one or 2 in culverts along the road on your way to work (if legal, like here, you can't set a cable snare bigger than 3/32" within 60 feet of a road or something like that)and set a few out, kinda randomly on your trap line, anywhere there is rabbits and mice, there should be weasels. so, if you know of some good rabbit "holes" on your trap line, Set a jug there. they are free to make if you use the jug, the are lite, easy, and who wouldn't want the chance to see a black tipped little tail sticking out of a trap?
if you are trapping along a swamp or river, you might even get a mink or otter (be sure to tie it off real good)
PS, the use of a bigger thap like a 1 1/2 is reccomemded by some because it delivers and instant humane kill.
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Post by brownie77 on Feb 24, 2011 9:39:49 GMT -5
Culverts with good cover, ie cattails.
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Post by dieselweasel on Feb 25, 2011 6:50:28 GMT -5
I trap apart of land in Ohio that has old rock walls on it. And when I was squirrel hunting I would see quite a few chipmunks around them. Would weasels be around them?
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Post by furfishgame on Feb 27, 2011 13:54:30 GMT -5
possibly! That would be a great place to start!
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Post by dieselweasel on Feb 27, 2011 19:17:06 GMT -5
I'll have to give it a shot next season. I'll tell you how it turns out.
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Post by bigtwinhd on Feb 27, 2011 22:06:03 GMT -5
I've seen them in and around rock walls. But my luck has been, unfortunately, wherever I set for fisher! Along streams, at changes in wood growth, a tract of timber dividing two fields. And use the freshest, bloodiest bait you can. A bit of muskrat or beaver will work well. And skunky lures. I didn't have any luck using actual weasel lure.
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Post by minnesotascott on Feb 27, 2011 22:14:49 GMT -5
Old dead brushy beaver dams are good also.
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Post by ewoktrapper on Feb 28, 2011 7:05:00 GMT -5
X2..On what Scott said!!!!
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Post by cmr2 on Mar 1, 2011 12:28:06 GMT -5
Does anise work also on weasels?
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Post by mark572 on Mar 1, 2011 12:43:43 GMT -5
Yes crm2 it works pretty good for weasels.
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Post by happersilderness on Mar 2, 2011 19:27:49 GMT -5
If you got some ditches going through farmland it would be good. If you find some thick brush in some farmland it could also help. The reason I say farmland is because corn will be a major food for critters that a weasel will like to eat. And the weasels will travel the ditches. And the thick brush looking for the mice. But if your not in farmland look for some thick brush, or ditches with cattails and swamp grass. A good bait is muskrat meat, beaver meat, liver or venison. A good strong lure also helps.
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Post by happersilderness on Mar 2, 2011 19:32:28 GMT -5
Sets include: Post set, weasel box weasel jugs, and running poles. Trap sizes are rat traps, #1 longs and jumps and #1.5 longs and jumps. The large plastic pan rat traps are usually used in weasel boxes. And the small metal ones are usually used on a post set. The longs and jumps can be used in weasel boxes, weasel jugs, running poles. Some folks use 110's for weasel but if your doing that it be best to modify it so it has a pan.
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Post by Trappinguy on Mar 9, 2011 10:18:58 GMT -5
I use boxes and rat traps with the large yellow pans. Anything bloody works for bait. Should be fresh not tainted. I even froze some beaver liver and it worked well. A screen wall or a screen box is a good idea to separate bait from the trap. Keeps the bait from getting ate up after a catch and the weasel separated from the bait and clean. They do thrash about after being caught. Minnesota Trapline Supplies sells a good weasel box kit with a trap.
A little beaver fleshings (my favorite bait) in the box, a Q-tip with a little anise paste I make on top of the fleshings. A long goose feather with a dab of Lenon's Marten All Call on the tip stuck in the snow next to the box. Very productive for me. Got to get rid of the shrews first. Throw them. They are not good bait. Weasels don't like them. Catch a mouse put him on the bait pile. I like the idea of a bait wall or a box. Keep the shrews from eating all the bait.
I run a road line. I look for culverts or bridges (after freeze up) with heavey, grass or cattail cover on both sides. Weasels will use the culverts as crossings rather than over the road.
Tip: If you set inside the culvert, Put a large grass pad under the box. If water seeps onto the ice it won't freeze your box down.
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