Vermin Hunting

[Dave C]

Do any of you guys hunt vermin out of season to ensure a good stock of birds?
In the UK we have to, as Squirrels pinch the birds eggs and chew up any Pheasant feeders we put down, we also have alot of problems with crow, stoats and foxes.

Was out last week end, we shot 12 squirrels and 18 crows, which is just the tip of the iceberg.

will be hitting them every few weeks but will ease off soon as i have just had Fern the Lab lined, so she will be having some time off in the summer.

ATB
Dave.

[fishvik]

Do any of you guys hunt vermin out of season to ensure a good stock of birds?

Dave, Most avian predators here are protected in the spring when they cause the most problems. Hawks, eagles, and owls are federally protected as are ravens. Crows can only be hunted until the end of January. Fox and badgers are the only mammalian predators that can be hunted yearlong.

Ravens are a real problem to game birds. In this part of Idaho they are increasing in number and are particularly tough on sage-grouse nests. Sage grouse have been petitioned for listing under our federal Endangered Species Act. I really wish we could reduce some of their numbers.

[Georgia Boy]

We hunt nuisance animals and predators year round here, with permits of course

[ACooper]

Dave how have you been Mate? Glad to hear you are keeping busy in the off season.

By the way what is a stoat?

[jimbo&rooster]

We tend to do what we can in the off season to help control predation..... sometimes you just have to be quieter about it.

Jim

[Dave C]

Yes and no one has stupider laws on controlling vermin then us in the UK.

I am good thanks Coop, hope you are back to normal with your home after that nasty storm you had pal.

I have been busy adding another 3000 acres of good hunting land to our syndicate hunt, which will keep me and my pals busy right up to the season start.

I have also just had Fern the Lab lined by a Cracking Trialing / working dog called Delfleet Huckleberry who is very athletic and like her hard hunting.

As for a Stoat, it is very much like a small Polecat or Mink, it also looks very much like a Weasel, we have problems with all of these as well so we have our work cut out for us.

[ACooper]

Yes and no one has stupider laws on controlling vermin then us in the UK.

I am good thanks Coop, hope you are back to normal with your home after that nasty storm you had pal.

I have been busy adding another 3000 acres of good hunting land to our syndicate hunt, which will keep me and my pals busy right up to the season start.

I have also just had Fern the Lab lined by a Cracking Trialing / working dog called Delfleet Huckleberry who is very athletic and like her hard hunting.

As for a Stoat, it is very much like a small Polecat or Mink, it also looks very much like a Weasel, we have problems with all of these as well so we have our work cut out for us.

What will it take to get one of those pups across the pond?

[fishvik]

Dave, aren't stoats what we call ferrets over here?

[Greg Jennings]

Our name for a stoat is "short-tailed weasel".

Greg J.

[Dave C]

Yes and no one has stupider laws on controlling vermin then us in the UK.

I am good thanks Coop, hope you are back to normal with your home after that nasty storm you had pal.

I have been busy adding another 3000 acres of good hunting land to our syndicate hunt, which will keep me and my pals busy right up to the season start.

I have also just had Fern the Lab lined by a Cracking Trialing / working dog called Delfleet Huckleberry who is very athletic and like her hard hunting.

As for a Stoat, it is very much like a small Polecat or Mink, it also looks very much like a Weasel, we have problems with all of these as well so we have our work cut out for us.

What will it take to get one of those pups across the pond?

Just come on over and pick one up Coop No problem Mate.

GJ is right, Stoats are very much like Wesels and maybe have the same name in the USA
Ferrets are a domestic version of our wild Polecats in the UK.