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phil · Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 11:01 pm Post subject: mink tales

Listening to the Pat Kenny show this morning a women in Conemara said she's seen a pack of ten to fifteen mink,who she blames for killing twenty of her half grown lambs, now that's very unusual for a solitary animal.

shark · Joined: 22 Apr 2009 Posts: 58 Location: galway

phil · Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 12:34 pm Post subject:

I think the kindest thing i can say about the women is that she is mistaken about the mink,she might have seen a mother mink with her young,but i have never seen more than four young in a litter,she also said her neighbour has had full grown sheep killed.I'm waiting for reports of big cats sighted in the area?.

dizandstell · Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 7:33 pm Post subject:

Must admit to hearing a similar story. Pack of mink killing Lambs. However, used to be a pest contole oficer for a big company and never come across more than 6 mink in a group. A female and 5 kits.
Big cats! Hmmm. They leave very distinct wounds on a carcass. There is a lot of information out there on these animals, but little proof.
Diz

phil · Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 12:53 am Post subject:

Diz i wasn't being serious about the big cats i should have put a few more question marks after that comment,
If we rule out mink, big cats,and fox what do you think it could be.

phil · Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 1:52 pm Post subject:

http://www.terrierwork.com/pestcontrol.htm

dizandstell · Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 10:34 pm Post subject:

Ooops sorry Phil, bit quick on cats. I spent many weeks looking for them for the big land owner in Wales! Waste of time but he paid well.
Without seeing first hand the womans land, I could only hazard a guess at 3 things. A bored collie. An old fox, looking for the easy pickings. Or late cubs which are still in a family group. I wonder what the rabbit and rat population is like!
Cracking link on working terriers. Had some good days when i worked three couple of jacks to rat and fox. Though one was a bit fiesty. He had a flat head,on acount that the only way to get him to come off was to knock him out with a spade!!! Just lost my Greyhound, so left with my aging Lurcher. Will be looking for a Border maybe next year.
Diz

shark · Joined: 22 Apr 2009 Posts: 58 Location: galway

shark · Joined: 22 Apr 2009 Posts: 58 Location: galway

the women, who is talking about the mink lives up the road, from me , she is a head case,she had a sheep killed yesterday,had a look at it, the sheep was in pieces ,and it looked like it was dragged on the ground, , i also saw dog shit , in the field not far from it, maybe the sheep were killed by dogs , and the mink just finishing what was left over.if not it was something quit big, because the sheep was a good size.

phil · Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2009 10:09 am Post subject:

I think its dogs doing the damage.
The reason i put the link up for terrierwork is it apparently shows a fox killing a lamb,something i have always been sceptical about,but what really surprised me was the picture of the fox getting hold of the cat,i wonder if it was taken in the UK.