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[Rob <becida AT comcast.net>]

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Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2000 11:41:35 -0400
From: tvoivozhd <tvoivozd AT roanoke.infi.net>
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To: "Homestead mailing list" <homestead AT listserv.unc.edu>
Subject: Re: Weasel traps
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erthnsky AT bellsouth.net wrote:

> Aside from all the joking, I never got an answer to this....meanwhile,
> my friend is down to 3 layers...HELP!!!!!
>
> erthnsky AT bellsouth.net wrote:
> >.  My question is this:  What do you
> > use to bait such a trap?
> > Additional details on trapping weasels are welcome.
> >
> > Bev

tvoivozhd---as far as I know, weasels prefer live bait, but grumble, grumble,
grumble you didn't take me up on using large, comatose Zanoni rodents.

They are expensive and small weasels don't trip the release lever too well,
unless you set it on the very edge as a sort of hair-trigger release, but the
Havaheart traps will work on them.  Bait with an opened sardine can, but
remember you might get skunks, raccoons, opossums and housecats more often 
than
weasels.
http://www.havahart.com/nuisance/troubleshooting.htm
http://www.havahart.com/nuisance/cageproduct.htm  (0745 and 1025 are the sizes
to use on weasels.  Two-door traps encourage use by trap-wary small 
animals, but
I don't think much of them for big ones, since they can scramble 
forward or back
before the gates lock.  Of course if the animal is too big (a really, 
really big
woodchuck, if the gate descends on his back he can easily back out because his
back keeps it from locking.

Other trapping methods:



 trappers in
thickly settled areas use an inverted wooden box a foot or two long, such as 
an
apple box, with a 2- to 3-inch diameter
opening cut out in the lower part of both ends. Dribble a trail of 
oats or other
grain through the box. Mice will frequent it to eat
the grain and weasels will investigate the scent of mice. A trap should be set
directly under the hole at each end of the box.
Keep the trap pan tight to prevent the mice from setting off the trap.

Traps set in old brush piles, under outbuildings, under fences and along stone
walls also are suggested, since the weasel is likely
to investigate any small covered area. Trap sets should be protected by 
objects
such as boards or tree limbs to prevent harming
other forms of wildlife.

Weasels also can be captured in live traps. Fresh liver is suitable 
bait---also
mice in a small hardware cloth wire cage, and you can use a little wooden box
with an entry hole, and bait, trap inside (long URL).
http://www.northcoast.com/ottercrk/cgi-bin/Html_web_store/html_web_store.cgi?page=weasfish.html&cart_id=5054348.22461

The last way which will work, is to frighten them away with an electric fence
charger.  You can use hardware cloth, aluminum window screen.  Mount strips of
it on a non-conductive support such as cheap half-inch PVC tubing, or even 
glue
it to still cheaper Builder's plastic (black 6.mil).  Two strips, one to the
charger ground, one to the hot outlet.
Make the strips about three inches wide and separated by a half inch gap so 
the
weasel's front feet will be on one and hind feet on the other.  Lay the PVC or
black plastic adjacent to the bottom wall so the weasel can't leap over it, 
and
has to get a shock.  You can also glue kitchen aluminum foil strips on black
plastic, but you have to use conductive paste from Radio Shack.  Dot it on
before you connect two lengths, and apply glue around, not on the paste dots.

Your chickens will get a shock from this too during daylight hours, so it 
works
best if turned on at night after the chickens roost.