Weasel Trapping in Ohio

How is the population in Ohio. I've never trapped for them or have I ever seen one in Ohio. I'm going to put a couple boxes out for my son to check after school on the property. I'm not sure if there is any around. A lot of my land is Hardwoods with some pine spots mixed in. The only creek I have is what drains out of the hills and usually dry up in the summer. I do have a main creek that's not very deep on the place and it runs parallel to a state route. My boy is 8 and were going to run a coyote and coon line on the property along with a small water line at my buddies. He is very interested in trapping this year and I'm just trying to give him something to check on his own so he feels like a man.

Occasionally some cats bring in some least weasels but ive never seen any short or long tails myself. Doesnt hurt to try though.

Get him some DPs to run his own line with.

I have tried trapping weasels here in Ohio. I have to much trouble with raccoons. I am sure there are trappers on here that have had success.

Thanks for the help. I had already ordered a couple boxes today. I’ll let him put them out and give it a try. I got some dp’s and I planned on putting them out behind the house along the drainage. I know I got plenty of coon. I usually see a couple climb down for the evening while bow hunting.

Make your sets along cattail filled ditches along the roads. Check your mail box too.

Let me know if you get any Ohiowoodchuck Iv wanted to try for them myself but never seen enough sign to bother with it iv seen one short tail in my whole life

Good info. I got a patch of cattails in the creek in front of the house. I’ll report back if I have in luck. Got a good recommendation for bait. Chicken liver maybe?

Call me or check your Mail box.

I put my weasel boxes, covered, with dry grass and bird seed in them behind my house. Mice will move in and leave plenty of scent, urine and crap that will help attract weasels. I do use chicken livers, I add sodium benzonate and salt to keep fresh and somewhat thawed. I like Lenon's super all call and anise for weasel lures. Best thing is to get out and find tracks at first snow and set right on sign. Can't beat culverts, brush piles and rock piles adjacent to reeds, uncut grass fields and brushy areas are good places to look. They are a neat little critter, best of luck to you and your son!

I had a yen to trap weasels in Ohio. I trap Gallia and Jackson counties. When I googled "weasels in Ohio" I learned that they do not turn white in winter in this state. If this is accurate info, I am not interested in catching any brown-phase or pied weasels. If someone can conclusively refute this info, I'll be tickled and will put out a few sets for them.
thanks

If you get snow, they should turn white.

Snow will make a big difference,letting you know if you have any and then,where they are traveling.Set good locations as Mousey Trapper describes,till then.I like to see 2-3 sets of tracks in a spot before setting.They turn white here in late,Nov.Not sure about other states.Good luck.

I'm in Gallia county, they don't turn white here. They might up around Erie. The longtail I have for the OSTA display board is brown.

Just ask any deer hunters down if they ever seen a white snakelike thing bouncing through the woods. The answer will be no. They'd stick out like a sore thumb and get eaten. We don't have the long lasting snows that they need to stay hidden.

I figured the odds of seeing a white one were slim to none. We just don't have the cold winters in southern Ohio like we use to.

Still great fun.He will enjoy it and learn as well.

It's to me about being in the great outdoors and spending time with him. I could care less if we caught anything. I remember how I was when I trapped with my dad when I was his age. Every morning was Christmas. I know we will catch some coons and hopefully some coyotes on our other lines.

they turn white in PA

We have weasels in Ohio and white ones on occasion. It hadn't even snowed yet when I caught this one.

Do you catch more than a couple a year computer hater I'm north of columbus by an hour and have only seen one in my life and very little sign I'm interested in trying to catch some but never seen enough sign to bother with it

I just checked my records and I have caught 22 weasels in my life. My best year was 4. The white one in the picture is the only white one I have ever caught. I have caught all 3 types of weasels. I haven't caught any weasels in the last 3 years.

The white weasel was caught in mid November just a few days after our season opened. I was surprised to say the least.

I usually see a weasel once or twice a year running across the road in front of me.

I am a mink trapper. That is how I am catching weasel on occasion. They frequent the same kind of habitat. I have caught them in bodygrippers as well as foot traps. The tension on foot traps has to be VERY light and I start my triggers on my bodygrips so that they will fire with minimal movement.

I have never tried using boxes for them. I catch them in trails with the BG traps and I catch them in baited pockets in foot traps.

They aren't plentiful but there are a few out there in the right places. Think habitat - thick and brushy and swampy areas are your best bet.

Thanks for the info and personal experience I just might try targeting them for the fun of it come season. I trap a fair amount of public land and there's a couple swampy spots brush piles and stuff any other recommendations for habitat

Nice to see an Ohio Weasel. Thank you

I caught a lot of weasels in northeast ohio fifty years ago. None had any white except one really tiny one that was all white. At the time we thought it was a least weasel. It was only a few inches long.

In NW PA we have the long tailed weasel & the least weasel

It can be done

[quote=Ohiowoodchuck} My boy is 8 He is very interested in trapping this year and I'm just trying to give him something to check on his own so he feels like a man. [/quote]



Why is it an 8 year old needs to feel like a man, again ?

Make your sets along cattail filled ditches along the roads. Check your mail box too.

Good advice above. That is always a good location in Pa. Old weedy fence rows, rock wall areas and some mature hardwoods all have weasels in Pa.

Picked this guy up today in a mink box set in a small drainage colvert along a river.

Cattails are probably good but I have caught them in just about every other environment too. Never on purpose though. Heavy timber, fields, cliffs, water, etc. Never know where one is going to pop up at- no pun intended.

I am in northeast Ohio in Trumbull County. I've taken many weasels in my 60 years of trapping, mostly in the 1960s as a kid. Not a spot of white on any of them with the exception of a least weasel that was about 5 or 6 inches long and was white. Most weasels were caught by placing a few drops of weasel lure under a brush pile and blocking with sticks.