Scalehill Posted October 16, 2005 Share Posted October 16, 2005 A friend living between Lassay les Chateaux and Couterne is having problems again with an infestation of polecats. He neds to evict or exterminate the current incumbents, then make the poibts of ebtry secure. he hasnlt been able to locate any local Pest Control operatives but in a, largely, rural economy I'm sure ther must be such a practitioner. Has anybody got any recommendations --------Roy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris pp Posted October 16, 2005 Share Posted October 16, 2005 Are you sure that they are polecats and not marten? Anyway the best people to contact, if it is a problem, who should deal with the situation in the best way are Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage. Please on no account use poisons as these cause problems for non target species such as Barn Owls. The link is to the main site but you should have a Departmental Office. http://www.oncfs.gouv.fr/Hope that this helps. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deimos Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 If it’s a Stone Marten (Fouine), I believe they are protected in many areas (in some areas but not others). I had one living in my roof for the last two years (female as she then had kids). I contacted the President of the local chasse who sent round a Peigeur Agree (not sure about the spelling). Not sure if they are protected in my area but they are regarded as a nuisance (the Stone Martens that is not the Chasse !!) and when I asked was politely told that whatever the “technicalities” they are a nuisance and should be got rid of. Managed to contact the President of the local chasse by asking as the Marie.He never caught it (though did also set traps for and caught loads of Rangondin). However, I did encourage it to move elsewhere using moth balls. Apparently they (Stone Martens that is not the Peigeurs) hate the smell so just move on. I cannot actually get in the roof where it used to live to put trays of moth balls around the outside of the roof (as far as possible up under the roof and after a day or so it had decided that the roof may maybe no longer ideal.Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deimos Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 Also, people do say that the prefer quite houses. Thus holiday homes and homes where people go on holiday are at greater risk of having them take up residence. I was told to leave a radio on loud, etc. to encourage her to move on but this had absolutely no effect. I tried all sorts of things and only the moth balls worked.Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hardhat Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 maybe the local farmer would lend you his shot gun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scalehill Posted October 17, 2005 Author Share Posted October 17, 2005 Thanks for the responses. I did ask him if they were Pine Martens (not sure what Stone Martens are), but he was adamant they were polecats. Shotgun not much use, as I suspect it would turn into a Tom & Jerry scenario with lots of holes in the walls and ceilings, and the polecats comfortably smoking a pipe. I'll pass the info on. Thanks -------Roy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris pp Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 My reason for raising the query was because polecats (Putois) Mustela putorius are not known to move into houses preferring to live in holes in the ground or sometimes in rock fissures, Stone Marten (Fouine) Martes foina on the other hand are often found in buildings. If you do an images search, using Google for example, you will find that they are clearly different in markings.Best, Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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