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