Deerfly, was the least weasel caught in a rat trap in the box? I have tracks here at the house and don't have one in my tanned fur collection so I am going to try and catch it. Not sure which trap would be best.

Pretty typical male and female short tails from my area of Alaska. I catch very few females likely due to small size

I get most ermine incidental in 120 marten sets. I've tried successfully using Black Box Gopher traps. I've added a wood bait box and galvanised nails for enhanced lethal performance along with tweaking the trigger system a bit. I was looking for a rust free weasel-specific setup and was not satisfied with rat traps. Black Box traps are pretty spendy. I only use them where there is low likelihood of mink or marten getting involved. I don't know how well they would work for least but very well could if adjusted for hair trigger and enhanced 'pan' coverage.

8117 Steve R,
It was caught in a Duke 110, in a mink box. I couldn't believe it fired the trap as they have one of the poorest firing triggers of all bodygrips.

my dad has one up in the yoop that comes around every winter that is so friendly he feeds it by hand.

Just love these photos of them all. So, I simply have to add mine too .

Sharon,
Always love when you share your talents- outstanding!

Thanks , Eagleye, someday I'd love a nice ermine skinned to perfection to add to my collection. A large one in the white phase. I'll find one eventually !

Beautiful drawing as always!

Caught another in one of the two I set out yesterday. Do you guys that Target them shuffle your traps after you catch one or will there territory overlap.

Depends on how many are around Jag. There can definitely be more than 1 in a given area no doubt. We had a 'pack' of least weasel come through 1 summer. There were a lot of voles. A group of about 7 least weasel came in and cleaned them up. Saw one weasel the next day and then they were gone. Maybe a litter all moving together I don't know. Voles didn't have a chance, weasels popping in and out of every little hole.

Weasels are also deadly cannibalistic too.
A weasel carcass is great weasel bait.

MnJag,
I have made multiple catches in the same spot, I recall one location had a catch 3 days on a row.

Thanks for all the great info.

sharon, as always, your work is amazing! dad feeds a lot of birds & squirrels and incidentally attracts mice, he loves having the ermine around. it will cross a tomahawk handle from the windowsill to his kitchen table to steal scraps! so funny to watch

need red backed voles if anyone gets some big $$$ for of them need 10
PM if you can help
thanks

This Ermin found one of my chickens nest under the house and was using his nose to roll the eggs away through the snow, He rolled them up over the hill and out of sight.

yukonjeff- industrious little fellow and capturing with a pic is so cool- do they cache food like a canine?

Like the Old-timer Improved Muskrat knife Drasselt. Been my go to knife since 1983. Even a water stone will take them down over time and have been thru a few. Made In China now = not happy and have had a quality issue w one blade on most recent one.

I am even cheaper than that. I use a exacto knife. Just pick up extra blades they last a long time.