Squirrel traps or what?

[Feanor]

Last 2 weekends rides I've come across traps, but not sure what they are for.
One set was on the Lecht, near the Well of Lecht; the other on Cairnwell at Glenshee.

Both sets were formed by having a log of about 6" in diameter and about 6 feet long placed across a small stream, forming a makeshift bridge suitable for animals about the size of a squirrel.

In the middle of the log was a wire mesh tunnel, about a foot long and about 6" high, open at both ends.   Any animal crossing this bridge would pass through the tunnel.

In the middle of the tunnel was a Big FO size spring loaded trap, like a mousetrap, only big enough to kill a rabbit.   I gave one an experimental poke from a safe distance, and it went off with a hell of a bang.

So what are these targetting?
Grey squirrels was my guess, but how to they differentiate the greys from the reds?
Do they have different behaviours which makes it un-likely a red would find itself on the Bridge-of-Doom?

[dasmoth]

If it's by a stream, might it be targeting mink?

[Peter]

I would report it just to make sure that it's legitimate and "humane".  I came across traps in the lake district that were supposed to catch grey squirrels, set up by a red squirrel conservation project.  My wife had to release a terrified jackdaw from one.  I reported this to the National Parks Authority and the traps were removed.  It seems some of these people don't know what they are doing.  It may well be that your trap is illegal, though obviously I don't know that. 

[Pingu]

Sounds like a legitimate trap. Traps must be inspected quite often by law & non-target species released IIRC. There's a leaflet about reporting here which has an example of the thing you describe: http://www.grampian.police.uk/Pdf/Wildlife_Crime_How_to_report_it.pdf

[Feanor]

Sounds like a legitimate trap. Traps must be inspected quite often by law & non-target species released IIRC. There's a leaflet about reporting here which has an example of the thing you describe: http://www.grampian.police.uk/Pdf/Wildlife_Crime_How_to_report_it.pdf

Yes, that looks a lot like it, only the ones I saw would have smashed the creature into a bloody pulp.   Not sure how you'd 'release' such a non-targeted species!

[Euan Uzami]

Last 2 weekends rides I've come across traps, but not sure what they are for.
One set was on the Lecht, near the Well of Lecht; the other on Cairnwell at Glenshee.

Both sets were formed by having a log of about 6" in diameter and about 6 feet long placed across a small stream, forming a makeshift bridge suitable for animals about the size of a squirrel.

In the middle of the log was a wire mesh tunnel, about a foot long and about 6" high, open at both ends.   Any animal crossing this bridge would pass through the tunnel.

In the middle of the tunnel was a Big FO size spring loaded trap, like a mousetrap, only big enough to kill a rabbit.   I gave one an experimental poke from a safe distance, and it went off with a hell of a bang.

So what are these targetting?
Grey squirrels was my guess, but how to they differentiate the greys from the reds?
Do they have different behaviours which makes it un-likely a red would find itself on the Bridge-of-Doom?

Grey squirrels are fatter than reds so presumably weigh more?

[Pingu]

Sounds like a legitimate trap. Traps must be inspected quite often by law & non-target species released IIRC. There's a leaflet about reporting here which has an example of the thing you describe: http://www.grampian.police.uk/Pdf/Wildlife_Crime_How_to_report_it.pdf

Yes, that looks a lot like it, only the ones I saw would have smashed the creature into a bloody pulp.   Not sure how you'd 'release' such a non-targeted species!

Just remembered that the trap should be of an appropriate size for the target species.

Possibly animal mashers like you describe in the trap are not legal?

[Wowbagger]

I don't know the areas where you found these.

If they are game reserves of any sort, my money would be on some illegal activity by a gamekeeper in order to protect whatever it is his lord and master wants to blast to kingdom come.

[Exit Stage Left]

There seems to be a large mink eradication project in that area.
http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/mink-scotland.html
Grey Squirrels have become established in Aberdeen and are moving up the Dee and Don valleys, so it's not for squirrels, who would be Red and protected.
http://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/what-we-do/scotlands-red-squirrels/

[fuaran]

This page is useful for the legality of various traps in Scotland: http://www.onekind.org/resources/blog_article/traps_in_our_countryside_a_walkers_guide

[Feanor]

Thanks for that.

It Looks like a 'Fen Trap, Illegally set'.

[Pingu]

I took a couple of pics of what Feanor found:


IMG_0866 by The Pingus, on Flickr


IMG_0867 by The Pingus, on Flickr

[RJ]

I just showed those pictures to Someone Who Knows about this stuff:

Probably targeting mustelids. Legality dubious, as trap may be likely to catch dippers etc, because large gauge mesh.

So fuaran, so good ...

But a conviction probably not likely unless it could be shown that non-targets were being caught. If a trap such as this is found containing e.g. a dipper, and they re-set, it’s easier to prove a) what the trap is capable of catching, and b) the fact that the trap operator then re-set the trap, in that knowledge.

Thus spake the voice of experience.

Feanor - I'm guessing neither of these was that far from the road??

[RJ]

And Someone Else Who Knows about this stuff:

Probably legal as they are under a "cover", I assume targeting stoats & weasels

[MercuryKev]

These type of traps are very common on grouse moors - the Lammermuirs are full of them.  I'd alway assumed that they were for killing things that eat grouse such as stoats.

[RJ]

These type of traps are very common on grouse moors - the Lammermuirs are full of them.  I'd alway assumed that they were for killing things that eat grouse such as stoats.

... or shooters 

[Feanor]

Thanks for the replies.

Yes, these were close to the road ( that's how I spotted them as I cycled past ).
I'd say they were no more than 5 metres from the road.

We noticed that they did appear to have a restricted opening, and are quite possibly legal.
We thought the target species may be mink.

On a related note, I was saddened to read of the death of a Golden Eagle recently, and it sounds like it may have been caught in such a trap:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-19698139

R

[Peter]

Bastards, presumably.

[RJ]

On a related note, I was saddened to read of the death of a Golden Eagle recently, and it sounds like it may have been caught in such a trap:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-19698139

R

Possibly/probably the same type of trap (IIRC possession of other types of leg-hold trap, e.g. gin traps, pole traps is illegal per se), but I would imagine set differently (not "protected" by wire; securely fixed to a likely perch for a large bird of prey; and a ***long*** way from the public road).

Bastards

IMO, yes.