Mastering Stoat Control: A Comprehensive Guide to Using Lures Effectively

Introduction

Stoats are non-native predators in New Zealand that pose significant threats to the country’s biodiversity. Introduced in the 1800s, these mustelids have adapted well, preying on native birds, their eggs, and other small animals. Stoats are particularly destructive due to their ability to thrive in the New Zealand bush, making stoat control crucial for protecting native wildlife and maintaining ecological balance.

Why Are Stoats Considered Pests?

Stoats have a devastating impact on New Zealand’s ecosystem:

• Predation on Native Birds: Stoats prey on native birds and their young, leading to significant declines in bird populations.
• Poultry and Pets: Stoats and other mustelids attack chickens, eat eggs, and pose risks to domestic pets like rabbits and guinea pigs.

The Benefits of Using Lures

Lures play a critical role in effective stoat control by:

• Attracting Stoats: Engaging stoats through their senses of smell, sight, and taste to bait stations or traps.
• Increasing Trap Efficiency: Enhancing the likelihood of stoats interacting with traps by creating an area of interest, thus improving capture rates.
• Reducing Non-Target Impacts: Using species-specific lures helps minimise the risk to non-target animals.

Types of Stoat Lures

1. Olfactory (Smell-Based) Lures

Smell-based lures are highly effective due to stoats’ strong sense of smell. These lures mimic the scents of food sources like fish or rabbit meat, which are particularly enticing to stoats.

• Erayz Paste & Jerky: Contains actual rabbit meat and other ingredients that are highly attractive to stoats, rats, ferrets, and weasels. Non-toxic and eco-friendly, this lure is long-lasting and can outlast other baits in the field. 
• PoaUku: Durable, eco-friendly, and made from natural materials, these lures fit various trap types and last a long time when deployed.
• Lure-It Lures: Available in concentrated forms, pump bottles, and aerosols, these lures offer versatile applications that specifically target stoats based on their love of the scents to choose from like rabbit, salmon & meat. These are perfect for creating scent trails around bait stations or traps.
• Resoakables: Cylindrical terracotta lures that can be recharged by soaking or spraying with our Lure-It range. The scent can last for 5 months or longer once soaked into the terracotta (weather dependent). Come in a 10 or 50 pack and you can choose the scent you want to use for them based on your local pests preferences!

2. Visual Lures

Visual lures attract stoats by piquing their curiosity, especially during nighttime when stoats are most active.

• Decoy Eggs: Plastic dummy eggs that look real, used as bait for traps like Doc 150/200. Works well in combination with smell lures to enhance trapping success.

3. Edible Lures

Edible lures not only attract stoats but also encourage them to consume the bait, increasing the efficiency of control efforts.

• Eggsellent Lure: Contains the natural scent and flavour of eggs, targeting stoats’ dietary preferences. Especially effective in areas where stoats raid bird nests.

Effective stoat control requires the strategic use of lures. Connovation’s range of smell, visual, and edible lures are designed to attract stoats, enhancing the success rates of trapping and baiting programs. By utilising these specialised tools, you can achieve more sustainable and effective outcomes in managing stoat populations.

For more detailed guidance on selecting and deploying these lures and the licence requirements surrounding their use, visit our website or consult with our experts to tailor a stoat control strategy that meets your specific needs. Together, we can protect New Zealand’s unique biodiversity from the threat of invasive mustelids, such as stoats.