Help from the ermine trappers ?!

I'm seeing some nice ermine around here this past winter. They go streaking through the place like a shot , nice black tipped tails. Now they are brown, of course.

I have two rat traps that I know will get them. I've used traps like that, to catch pack rats.

I am thinking of doing some ermine trapping for next season.

But I have a dilemma. I don't want to place those big rat traps on the ground. In case I snag something I don't want to.

I've always seen ermine on the ground, and watched them hop up onto low beams or stumps. I would like to set up off the ground.

Do ermine climb as easily as marten or squirrels ? If I set up on a wood beam or angled trunk , like a marten trap ?

I would like to catch some this next trapping season. I have always wanted a nice ermine pelt.

Jack's great knives would be too big, I'm afraid....so I'll need something smaller . Sorry Jack...but one of your knives is perfect for making whiskers and fine hairs through the wax pencil layers for my art images So they are always displayed on my desk in pride, and I use them in my art projects. The many ways they can be used ....who knew ??

Many thanks to the folks here who can give me advice on these fast and furious running "socks"....that's what they remind me of in winter, a sock streaming along the snow . I have no idea what type I have here. Their tails are a nice length , though.

In summary, do ermine climb like a squirrel , and how do you like to set up for them ?

Someone will have a picture of a box set up for ermine I'm sure. That would be the safest set up for you.
They certainly will climb. Almost all the ones I have caught have been in pole sets for marten

That helps , thank you ! Since Ive only seen them on the ground, I wasn't sure.

I think it will be exciting to set for them.

Remember where you saw them. Location location location.

AI knows what an ermine is....which is surprising.

I described what your artwork shows above and it generated some pics....these were the best two of about 10 pics.

I know nothing about catching them...no white weasels down here in the deep South.

They are a neat little critter....

You bet, 080808 . I know right where I've been seeing them, and plan accordingly. Thank you. I have noticed that the ones I've seen on my place seem to have a set circuit as they travel. Ill make the new cafe convenient for them.

SW, cute AI. It does well in some things and deficient in others, depending on the picture and its references that it is programmed to go by.

In the case of the ermine, the fur flow and shading to contour is stiff , unlike hand done, by a good artist. In the second pic, it forgot the black tip tail. And the slight stain of behavioral activity. The face is nice. The backdrop, or landscaping, is well done.

AI goes by the photos it can reference , and can be fun to generate .

I have caught them like White17. Pole sets for marten. I used a box with a barkers mink pan on a 120. Never tried a rat trap on a pole but with foot traps and bait for marten birds were a problem.

I have caught some weasels in marten boxes, but if I'm going specifically for weasels I would just use a box. I don't know if I ever got a non-target animal in a box and a hole 1 1/2"-2"really won't a lot in other than a mouse or rat .

I used long spring traps on them I’d make a cubby out of old bark toss bait in the back they seem to find it no problem. Rabbit scraps made good bail liver might be another good bait.

I had the same concern about other critters taking off with the rat traps made drags out of mink snare cable and a larger treble hook. I used the hold down staple for the cable end on the trap.

Ermine climb trees very easily.Catch them in Fisher and marten sets all the time in trees leaning and straight up and down.

Use 1x6 to build a box about a foot long. Put a two inch hole in the front centered three inches down from the top. Top to overhang about four inches. A snap type rat trap will just fit in the bottom of it. Use a large pan or add a large plastic pan to the metal trigger.

I like using Dave D'Aigles anise paste bait in the back.

Thank you for all this good info. I do like the idea of a box with the small hole . That will make me feel better about not allowing most other animals to get into it. That box idea even makes it much more comfortable for me to place it closer to ground level too. The routes along the ground where I’ve seen them patrolling perimeter . So I can do both up higher and close to ground.

Gives me some good planning time .

In the archives they have a lot of good information on ermine trapping and also on building the weasel boxes with the victor rat traps.

I set a trap for a weasel that was hitting on an old coon cubby bait years back made no effort to hide the trap I had to take a triple take when a bobcat was standing in that set.

This is what I was trying to describe.

This what I use also and many others. Find scrap wood and build them just a bit bigger than the trap is wide. Plus make them appr. 4 inches longer than the trap just room enough for the bait.

In my north country they tend to be in any decent sized brush pile. I use those same rat traps Sharon. The nearest tree to the brush pile, maybe 4” diameter or better nail the trap to the tree. Bait prod down of course loaded arm up.
Maybe 16” up.
Been a while but I just remembered if the trap face is slick I take a knife and cross score that wood. Mentally to me think it helps them grab and climb on it. I could be wrong.
Bait with a small piece of fresh bloody meat.

Osky

Yep on the boxes for ground sets. Around cabins and the house we leave the ermine alone. They kill a lot of small rodents, earning their keep in my book.

Sharon ,make a few weasel boxes, you can use a dog ear fence board each board will make one box, I buy mine from Menards,

http://www.trapperman.com/trapperman/The_Weasel_Box_Set.html
My buddy targets ermine, I think because it’s cheap as he sees what I’ve spent on trapping…lol.
His results over 3 seasons is 4 ermine, some mice, odd squirrel and hundreds of resetting empty traps…hahaha

Safest place for a weasel to live should be your yard !

climbing no problem, if the deer mice are up there the weasel will follow
wooden box traps can be greatly increase in catch ratios if for the summer they have had some deer mouse nesting material installed and they take up home, mouse urine smell gets them coming.
just place some fluffy stuffing in one and voliaaaaaaaaaa
wooden box traps can be made so they are used as tree swallow nesting boxes in summer with a side entrance, cleaned out and bingo

Sharon -
Long-tails and short-tails are two different critters in my book. Woodsloafer and 20scout have shown boxes that work great here in the west for short-tails, but I've put in thousands of trapnights for long-tails, with little success. However, I catch the long-tails quite regularly in marten boxes with 120's, but not in the weasel boxes. By the way, if you want rat trap weasel boxes, I've still got some to give away. In Alaska, I used to get a "handful" of short-tailed every year in marten leaning pole sets. All I can say, is "good luck!" on the weasels here in the west.

Short-tailed weasel (ermine, stoat) in a marten leaning pole.



Short-tailed weasel in marten Conibear.



Long-tail in marten box on ground; Idaho.



Short-tail (ermine, stoat) in weasel box; Idaho.



Weasel boxes, ready to deploy.

If you don't want to make your own weasel box,,click on Minnesota Trapline Products link at the top of this page.They sell the box and it even comes with a Rat trap in it.Type in "weasel box" in the search link they provide.

picture with weasel in foothold trap looks to be WW2 number one short longspring. This was to save steel for the war effort !

Sure appreciate all this great info.

I have been trying to see exactly what I have running around here, I think I have long tails but not sure. I could have the short tails too. Wouldn't hurt to think of both.

Osky, your idea is just what I was wondering about. Thank you. And all the rest of you guys with your photos and very helpful info on the boxes.

Jack . I would love to own a couple of your weasel boxes. Not only to use, but because YOU made and used them. They would be specially cherished traps to me. But I don't want you to go to the inconvenience of how to box them up to mail to me. Though I will of course pay you for your effort of packing and shipping. A thought. If you want , I can make the drive down there to pick them up . That way you wouldn't have the hassle of finding a box and shipping them to me. Let me know, please, what you want me to do and I'll do it. I surely WILL drive down to pick them up. All Id need to do is plan a time that is good for both yourself and I . Right now I'm working on the next issue of Trappers Post, but after that, sometime in the near future, I can sure make the trip. Anywhere I drive in big mountains is a pleasure for me and the time flies by. Us Montanans are used to driving .

And yes, normally, it's great to have ermine zooming around the cabin. I'm always excited when I see one.

I think of the many ermine skins that the old plains chiefs used in decorating their ceremonial headgear generations ago. I always have wondered how they caught them.

I'm quite serious, Jack...I want two of your boxes, please... think about my idea and tell me what you want me to do. And it will be done.

I appreciate the Tman Tribe in such remarkable talent you all have in so many subjects.

Added to say I agree with others here in that the weasels I’ve set out for were in those spots well out into the bush.
Like having the little guys around the place and buildings, then again I have no small livestock or fowl.

With only a few exceptions the critters that make it into my “yard” are safe as can be.

Osky

I remember seeing a photo of a trap set up like that for ermine. Not sure where, though. Maybe FFG or Tman archives?

I'll echo what Osky says. Even though we have free-range chickens, the marten, mink, weasels, skunks, and bobcats haven't bothered them, and the weasels get a pass on our place (the red foxes don't). I like having the weasels around (fewer packrats, voles, and rattlesnakes).

My wife wants me to but I don't kill any weasels around my house or property.

To catch a Long-tail
here is my story, pour yourself a drink and I will leave the punch line in another page as to save your puter screen from blaaaa.
Went down to buddies cabin for a week of fall activities. The full fur-fin-feather week.
So there was a weasel coming around and hauling the grouse goodies away.
He gets the idea that he is going to tame it and have it as a p-e-t. (20 year olds what can you tell them)
So he sits here for hours throwing food to it. Trying to coach it into a bird cage he had.
After his second cup of coffee....it was constitutional time
I went over and did the stick on the string and falling box method, and a hole was just right size to go into the bird cage.
He come back and say ; You caught him. How?
It was easy, just swipe you hand and grab him when he comes for the meat.
Nah
Tell you what bet you the rest of the Crown Royal bottle !
Reached over and open the door.....poof out he went
2 hours later the weasel comes back and buddy is going to give it a try.

If it didn’t take a IT degree to Post I have lots of Weasel footage from my yard , wood shed, fur shed ! Near every winter one takes up residence. Never bother my chickens in fact I would have $ on my Bantam Rooster in a scuffle !

As the plot thickens, it was past noon and a couple of beer consumed and Buddy gets the lawn chair out and on his lap a piece of meat.
Sitting and waiting and he grabs the weasel with his hand
out pops the weasel and
chomp on his thumb skins
and a hard shake does not release the weasel
another hard shake with his hand open and the teeth go deeper
Finely I grab his hand and hold it still and the weasel releases and jumps down
blood is squirting everywhere and he is putting a bay-calling dog howler to shame
The weasel come back and jumps for the bloddy hand again.
a little pressure bleeding stopped, only to hear him howl again when I poured some Whiskey over it
So it was a tense couple of days him trying to figure how I caught the weasel and I was not budging.
rip Garry

I have seen short tail's around my chickens that run loose in the day. I have never lost a chicken to a weasel that I know of. I have lost 15-20 a night to mink. The chickens seem to keep an eye on the weasels and the weasels watches them. But the short tail went off hunting sparrows in the hedge. I saw it four to five foot off the ground moving down the hedge. I can't say I really trust the long tail's around the chickens. I have caught male longtails that were as big as a female mink of the year. I have never caught a long tail in a weasel box, but have caught them in 160 and 220 boxes set for coon and skunk.

N50 that’s a funny story !

They are fearless when food is in the mix, it seems. Maybe I should set up a cage similar to what you did .

I will give it a go and see what I’ve got for interest. I still need to see if I have long or short tails , or both . I’ll find out by their preference of trap sets, as Jack informed me. All good education.

the best guage is to determine size live moving guys is by using a 1 foot wooden ruler judging to the body length .>1 ft is a long-tail but, but the females are the same size as ermine
they do not take kindly to gonad checks like they do to show dogs in the ring
and if like my friend you cant get your fingers around in a closed fist them it's a long-t

if there is a ground squirrel colony around 5 miles away then probably a long-t

Don't get nuts on all the recommendations,.( forgive me if I am stepping on anyone),.set on tracks with box ,..it's that simple.

here is what mine look like

Thanks for pics.

Very nice

I catch weasels in marten boxes every year, and if you don't use screen to hold the bait in but just wire it in the back of the box, in a lot of places I trap they will clean your marten boxes of bait if they don't get caught. If I'm setting for weasels I use weasel boxes as shown with a #1 longspring or jump in them. Never tried rat traps because I have a ton of old #1s and they work well. I've caught both longtails and shorttails in weasel boxes, and both in marten boxes. I don't recall catching much for shorttails in 120s unless they are vertical boxes, then they will stand on the trigger wires while getting at the bait, otherwise they seem to slip past them always. I would guess you have both, most places do. But shorttails are usual more populated.

Also, everybody says to use fresh bloody bait, but I have had at least as good of, if not better, luck with tainted bait.

N50, I plan to politely ask one what it identifies as , instead of grabbing hold of it .... after we sit down to a cup of tea.

Bearcat, you give me hope for finding out that I have both types here, and could actually get a long tail in a weasel box. Maybe. Won't hurt to try.

I will try both weasel box, in the woods on my place, and also rat trap set "aloose", up off the ground a bit, inside one of my outbuildings, out of sight from other animals, like birds.

Years ago, on a hike in the Priest Lake Wilderness, Long Canyon, north Idaho, I had a weasel come right up to me as I sat eating lunch. I threw it a bit of hot dog. Soon it was scurrying all around me on the boulder where I was seated. I was able to feed it by hand. I'm sure, in a few more minutes, I could have had it sitting on my lap as I fed it. Totally fearless. I can't remember what type it was. If the one I am after is anything as that one, I should have no problem , if and when it comes back on its circuit.

Sure appreciate all the good advice and photos, all of you.

Since we are on the topic on the off season. This is a lightweight setup i use when skiing into wilderness areas. Its bulky, but i can get three in a weird pocket i have in my ski trapping pack.

This is a fastener box that i modify a little bit. Wire bait to back top. The rat trap needs a little trimming but it works great for me. Just another idea.

The more I think of it all of my long tails are in regular traps. In boxes I have only caught short tails, no long tails. Good point, thanks......jk

I have caught all three weasels in these boxes

Sharon when I was a kids and old guy used just rat traps nail to a tree, he would put them just high enough so the weasel would get on its hind legs and get caught by the head he caught a lot of them, he used chicken liver in nylon bags that he made and would tie them on the pan

Thank you, TD, isn’t it something how simple many of the old timers would do things .

So many great photos and novel ideas. Many thanks to you all.