Weasel Stealing Bait Off Trap

[Alleonar]

Does anybody have any advice about trapping a weasel? We have lost 5 ducks to it in the last 5 weeks. We have rat traps (one loose and one in a weasel box) and a live trap set and baited with raw chicken every night and in the morning when we go out the trap hasn't been sprung but the bait is missing from them... We've tried multiple types of traps and locations, and even tried tying the bait onto the trap with fishing line but no luck. We had a weasel in the winter that we trapped no problem first try with the rat trap, and we know it's a weasel again because only the necks are getting eaten. If anybody has any suggestions they would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Trish1974]

Sorry for your losses. These guys should be able to help: @OhZark Biddies @roosterhavoc

 

[woodmort]

try building one of these, can be very effective and, trust me, they won't steal your bait.

https://www.ecofarmingdaily.com/rai...-build-a-weasel-trap-to-protect-your-poultry/

 

[roosterhavoc]

Does anybody have any advice about trapping a weasel? We have lost 5 ducks to it in the last 5 weeks. We have rat traps and a live trap set and baited with raw chicken every night and in the morning when we go out the trap hasn't been sprung but the bait is missing from them... We've tried multiple types of traps and locations, and even tried tying the bait onto the trap with fishing line but no luck. We had a weasel in the winter that we trapped no problem first try with the rat trap, and we know it's a weasel again because only the necks are getting eaten. If anybody has any suggestions they would be greatly appreciated.

Are you sure it’s not a mink?

 

[woodmort]

Are you sure it’s not a mink?

That would also be my thought having lost chickens in my coop last winter to both--caught them on a game cam--they both kill in the same manner but a mink is too big to get caught in a rat trap.

 

[ThracianHorse]

Fishing line the weasel can bite right through. When you bait the trap, use a raw chicken drumstick, and securely wire it to the inside of the trap. They weasel will have to work at the bait, upping the odds you catch the little punk.

 

[OhZark Biddies]

I think even most of the the small ‘chipmunk’ sized cage style traps are a bit stiff on the triggers.... but if you have one of those small sized traps you might fiddle with the trigger bar and bend the hook a bit to make it trip more easily...

They’re typically bent past 90 degrees, pulling it down to 90 or even a touch less will make it more finicky to set, but it’ll trip easier.

If all you have is the larger sized cage style trap, I’m not sure I’d bother trying to adjust it.

Since you have rat traps on hand, a weasel box would be my thought as well. Also sometimes glueing or screwing those traps to a scrap of plywood can help make them trip easier... at least for rats

See the link below for a past BYC post that covers how to make a box ...but even a shoe box of the right size with the right sized hole will work... you’re just using the hole in the box to force the critter over the trap pan...

Edit... link was wrong, here’s the correct one
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/ermine-weasels-problems.1077242/#post-16489154

 

[OhZark Biddies]

I was just in the shed and walked by my cage traps and my “trapper brain” slipped into gear on accident...

Anyway... if what you have on hand is a larger raccoon sized cage trap you might try something like this too... but note I’ve never set like this so don’t take this as a sure fire weasel set...

first, wire the cage open and put the rat trap in the opening, then use some scrap board to close down the opening to force the critter across the trap...

I might actually push the trap back an inch or so from what I have shown here...the yellow square is the trap pan/trigger that you’re trying to get the weasel to step on

Put the bait in the cage and leave the rat traps unbaited...

For one of my traps I grabbed four 2x4 blocks and they closed down the opening perfectly when set on edge... the other one was wider and the 2x4 turned the other way worked perfectly

Add a board across the front to make it step down onto the trap... put some rocks or something to keep it from moving ...

Also just for clarification my rat trap is missing some critical parts, lol... so if it’s flipped around backwards in the pics don’t let that confuse you

I wonder how long ago rat traps were 27 cents?

 

[roosterhavoc]

I like body grips. 110s can catch weasels too, flip em upside down and you’ll get a mink or a weasel. Set them in the opening the animal is going through to get the birds.
Of course. They’re killing traps so use caution.

 

[Alleonar]

Are you sure it’s not a mink?

Can minks fit into a weasel box?