Hunting Mink.

[Igotknobblies]

Hi all. Ive been shooting nearly 50 years in Kent and always remember along waterways, the plethora of wildlife, water voles, water rails, coots, moorhens, fish, in fact everything was there. Now, youre lucky to see anything. In Norfolk, an extensive trapping programme has all but eradicated the American mink that has populated our countryside since escaping from Mink farms. There are migratory animals still entering Norfolk from neighbouring counties but these are usually caught within the buffer zone. Where there are no mink, the indigenous wildlife is clawing its way back. Efforts are being made to run the trapping in other counties. I have volunteered to help, and now look after 5 'live catch' traps. Legally they have to be monitored at least 24 hourly. These new ones are fitted with a sim card and sender unit to report a trap being sprung by text, saving a huge amount of time. I then check and release any unwanted by-catch. If a mink is caught, I humanely dispatch with an air rifle. The body is bagged and frozen. Its then picked up by the trust for information gathering and DNA testing helping with tracking families and learning more about the animals. If anyone has spare time, and perhaps live close to areas suitable for trapping, and would like to help, the 'Waterlife Recovery Trust' would like more volunteers.
Kent has had over 160 mink caught since the start of 2026. Each animal will account for many animals in a day. Anything and everything is on the menu.
If anyone who is confident in putting down a trapped mink, and would like to get involved for the sake of the British wildlife, please contact the WRT via the following link.
Only a week ago I was amazed to see up close, and release unharmed, this watervole. Ive not seen one for 25 years. These are on the brink of extinction due to the American mink.
All the best,
Igk.

Waterlife Recovery Trust - Saving our native wildlife from the introduced American Mink

Waterlife Recovery Trust is a registered charity, helping to protect the UK's native wildlife from the invasive non-native American Mink.

www.waterliferecoverytrust.org.uk

 

[Andyshoots]

Yep great scheme, close friend of mine is busy with it

 

[Colesy]

Hi Igotknobblies, Over the last four or five years we have been doing a similar thing with my Fishing club to eradicate mink and restore water voles to our local river here in South Wales. Its a lot of work setting up and monitoring several mink rafts year round untill no sign of mink but last year we were in a position to have the water voles released in our now mink free areas. Lot of work in all winds and weathers but a very worthwhile project. Couple that with our ongoing water quality monitoring with the Angling trust and im up the river more for conservation work than I am for fishing.
Good on you.
Cheers
Chris.

 

[brian747]

Hi IGT, a great job,
well done ,
over the years on different shoots
in the Roding valley i have shot
12 mink these are real killers of wildlife,
every body keep at these pests.
atb brian

 

[DAVEYBOYH]

A great write up that mate
Spot on

 

[Bighit]

My in laws neighbours monitor a mink raft here and its been tampered with regularly .

They call the team up if they get one and the team dispatches it .

A friend monitors one in his area. I think he dispatches his and they pick them up.

I thought about volunteering. I need to look into it more.

Water voles are being caught in them on the river near me.

 

[Engraver]

I see them on the river don where I live they appear for the first ducklings each year, being riverside the mother ducks keep me awake at night going crazy, many times I open my bedroom window to see the bracken on the opposite bank moving as the mink pass underneath it.

Keep up the good work guys they are killing machines the mink if it swims flies walks or crawls they will often kill it if they can.

I have seen no water voles for over 20 years

Back in the day around these parts they ran the hounds upriver the entire village would take part, it should have never been stopped in my opinion.