>>297104Educating hippies is not an option. Too much work, and they're Swedes. Swedes are idiots when it comes to being cold hearted to help in the long run.
As for the traps, it is perfectly legal to set up mink traps here, since they're classified as an invasive species in Sweden. No permits needed. However, the hippie neighbors will sabotage them cause cute minks, and there's lots of cats in the area that might accidentally get caught in the traps. (I might try to get a hold of a live trap, that way the cats will be kind of pissed, but at least they'll live, and the hippies would hopefully leave me alone.)
As for govt., while it is true a lot can be done through the Swedish state/commune with our big govt. system, this is one small stream that doesn't look all that important, although it is the only major outlet for a huge area of lakes meaning that for centuries, fish have been swimming up this stream to breed (which is why they kept coming even when the path was blocked by new poorly planned pipes, they return where they were born.)
Main problem here is cats and hippies for the traps, and children, populated areas and hippies for the hunting. Because of our anal hunting regulations when it comes to pest control, it's virtually impossible to legally hunt these minks. Either you use a powerful rifle, which is illegal/won't be granted permit since this is a populated area with a kindergarten close to the stream, or you get a less powerful air rifle, which is just as illegal to hunt with, unless it surpasses 180m/s at .25 (roughly 30 joule), at which point it still falls under the same category as powerful weapons.
Best options here are either to use non-lethal traps (which I'd have to buy personally and hope no one interferes with) or modify a legal low power air rifle to a high power (50 joule, 240m/s or 800fps at .25/6,35mm), and pretend I'm just out plinking if someone comes over. Either will cost me at least 2000 SEK or ~310 USD for parts...
