Cumbrian mink mallet trap

[Bri30]

Hi all
Just spent a fab week in the woods playing bushcraft

I was shown a new trap for catching mink without damaging the pelt. I haven't come across it before but was told its not widely used but is a regional thing.

The principle is to snare the mink on the run and dispatch it with a mallet activated by the snare. The snare pulls the mink onto the swinging malet through a running eye draged by the mallet itself.

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/sxiZTsQpYsKbStiJVnCPVyyuxv9eGRYFt952_2qnZl4?feat=directlink

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/DEeJsHa50FafVgMD7FNcySyuxv9eGRYFt952_2qnZl4?feat=directlink

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/lMX3jZEfKrk-8up4fiE4VSyuxv9eGRYFt952_2qnZl4?feat=directlink

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/gawLZMPNUonZi1X_-I6uhyyuxv9eGRYFt952_2qnZl4?feat=directlink

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/dUWwdd0aKgT0ptLjS55-Tiyuxv9eGRYFt952_2qnZl4?feat=directlink

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/vUkBF1QoSX90VpzmpR9tyiyuxv9eGRYFt952_2qnZl4?feat=directlink

If setting for real the mallet would be pulled higher to give a solid impact.

Has anyone else seen this in action ?

Cheers
Brian

 

[blacktimberwolf]

Looks like one of those ACME contraptions wily coyote used to try & slammer road runner........

 

[Mesquite]

It looks like Decorum might have a new use for all the war hammers he makes

 

[Shewie]

No damaged pelt but a very very flat mink, I wonder if I could rig up a bigger version to protect my canoe ?

 

[AussieVic]

I'm not an expert, but I have not seen anything like it (except in cartoons).

 

[mrcharly]

The chance of that mallet cleaning killing a mink are this: 0

Animals survive being hit and run over by a car for hours. A 10lb lump of wood swinging down 3-4 feet just isn't going to hit hard enough to guarantee an instant kill.

And how are they going to be sure they won't get a pine martin or stoat?

Cage trap and shoot or knock on the head. Actually, from my experience of mink, you could put some meat down 2 days running, come back and hold out the meat in your hand, they'd run up to take it from you. They don't have any fear.