Author Topic: Mink Frustration (Read 11705 times)

Carp Commander · « **on:** January 23, 2013, 03:03:02 PM »

I am getting pretty frustrated with mink. Need any and all suggestion your willing to part with. I have only caught one this year. In all fairness, I only just started trapping Christmas Eve. I am a weekend only trapper, putting my sets out on Saturday and checking them Sunday and Monday. The only mink I caught was in a canal ditch. I took it in a 17x17x40, baited for coon. I have since moved my mink line into the Yakima River. My mink traps are 7x7x24 baited with fresh muskrat. It has been several weeks and nothing.

Below are some photos of the area I am in and the sets I have out.

Thanks

Doug

Carp Commander · « **Reply #1 on:** January 23, 2013, 03:03:45 PM »

Area Photos

Carp Commander · « **Reply #2 on:** January 23, 2013, 03:04:16 PM »

Area Photo

Carp Commander · « **Reply #3 on:** January 23, 2013, 03:04:59 PM »

Carp Commander · « **Reply #4 on:** January 23, 2013, 03:05:26 PM »

Carp Commander · « **Reply #5 on:** January 23, 2013, 03:05:51 PM »

Carp Commander · « **Reply #6 on:** January 23, 2013, 03:06:24 PM »

Carp Commander · « **Reply #7 on:** January 23, 2013, 03:09:15 PM »

SunnySlopes · « **Reply #8 on:** January 23, 2013, 03:35:24 PM »

From what I can tell from pics, Carp, I beleive your location is off. These Mink are going to be traveling/hunting either in the water, in tunnels along your caved in bank, or up in the tree roots most of the time. For consistent results your trap should be right in their face. You've got so much trash there, tumble weeds, sticks , a dirt drop off, some of these things look to me as if they could bounce a traveling mink around your set. Find one mink track and put your trap on it to start. Visuallize how a mink will run along a bank and put your trap up in the root tunnels and up under the bank overhangs. They can track like a hound, but don't count on them smellin your bait and responding from very far away. Picture 3 looked perty good on the edge of the water there, but then that tumble weed in from of trap ruined it for me.

Humptulips · « **Reply #9 on:** January 23, 2013, 05:10:03 PM »

I'll go along with what Sunny said. It looks too open to me. Mink don't like getting out in the open ( too much danger from above) when they cross the open areas they are not hunting as much as getting across them. With more cover they are going to be more interested in spending time and finding your set.
Also I think the trap is too open. Cover it! If it had enough grass on it so you couldn't see the trap it would look like a hole or tunnel to the mink which in its self is attractive to them. My opnion for what it's worth.

onetrapper · « **Reply #10 on:** January 23, 2013, 10:27:49 PM »

sounds like good advice so far....every so often on the river banks will be larger trees with undermined root systems ...set these up. Also do what Sunny says visualize where mink go and then look for tracks, scratches, tiny shell fragments, or scat. I like to look at an area and say to myself that there should be a mink here and then look for his tracks. Most of time I will find some but i may have to walk and look for awhile. i thinks lots of times they swim up and look around for awhile then hit the water again. One thing to watch is the pans on those cheap traps. They get hung up for no obvious reason and the mink will dance all over your pan and steal the bait and be gone. One thing that I think would help is to set more than one trap at a stop. Also use your imagination on locations...I like to be able to check most of mine within 20 yards of my pickup..you can locate the traps right in town on creeks, small public lakes etc. I think covering is more important to hide them from theives.

70sdiver · « **Reply #11 on:** January 24, 2013, 04:56:13 AM »

I haven't connected on one in 4 years on the Yakima. I know there there but they beat me up every year. But beaver are good on the Yakima river.

3nails · « **Reply #12 on:** January 24, 2013, 05:37:10 AM »

I've only trapped them a season and a half now and am still learning myself. I've trapped 30 in that time so I think I'm catching on so I'll share what I have learned.
I really like setting the traps in smaller water. I put the open end of the cage directly in the water. If I am trapping a larger river I'll set them where ditches enter the river. Anywhere I can find where the water is necked down. Really consider bridges! Also with the rat I like to run their tail out the back of the cage and bend it under so the mink really has to tug to try and get it out. Hope that helps. I'll add a couple pics of my sets later when I have more time.

Machias · « **Reply #13 on:** January 24, 2013, 07:42:09 AM »

I had good luck with the PVC pipe traps made for skunks on mink. I think they liked checking out the little culvert looking traps. Baited with muskrat. Best year was 7. They worked the best near exposed root wads along the waterline.

SunnySlopes · « **Reply #14 on:** January 24, 2013, 08:20:03 AM »

I always wire the bait in the back of the cage. But, I really like your rat tail idea, Nails. Im gonna start trying that when possible.

SunnySlopes · « **Reply #15 on:** January 24, 2013, 10:26:36 AM »

Yea 70sdiver, on that big open water, if theres no rock or tight brush for escapement, the mink don't stand a chance against a pack of otter. If they are there at all they don't have a very long life expectantcy. I should be manageing my trapline better by harvesting more otter.
Carp, after a while you might consider moving down to the Columbia. You'll find mink along those riprap banks.

blacktailer · « **Reply #16 on:** January 24, 2013, 11:00:44 AM »

Haven't read all the posts, but I used to trap mink a fair bit growing up. 1. Muskrat is the best bait in my opinion. 2. Culverts and bridges are great places to set and 3. Mink are very curious and like to poke around in any little feeder ditch that leads into a larger stream/river.

Carp Commander · « **Reply #17 on:** January 24, 2013, 03:22:32 PM »

Thanks again for all the advise and suggestions. I ran the line this morning and nothing. I am pulling it tomorrow and moving it to hopefully a better location. I will take all you suggestions and put them to use. If anyone has photos of their mink sets I would still like to see them.

Thanks

3nails · « **Reply #18 on:** January 25, 2013, 12:52:27 PM »

Pics of a couple mink sets. One more mink this morning.

3nails · « **Reply #19 on:** January 25, 2013, 12:53:28 PM »

Under a bridge set in the water.

Carp Commander · « **Reply #20 on:** January 25, 2013, 05:21:59 PM »

Thanks 3nails!

Looking at your sets I can't see that mine are much different. What size are those? I have wondered if the 7x7x24's I am using are to small. I wouldn't think so, Mink spend their time running in and out of littler nooks and crannies. Could just be location!

I got all my colony sets out today and after running them tomorrow, I will focus on moving my mink sets. I cut some 2x8's for floaters and I am going to spread my mink line out over a longer distance focusing on bridges and culverts.

Doug

3nails · « **Reply #21 on:** January 25, 2013, 05:34:39 PM »

I believe 2 out of 3 of mine are the 7x7's. They out fish the larger one. Looking forward to seeing how you do this weekend. That pic of the bridge set is under a 5 lane highway!

onetrapper · « **Reply #22 on:** January 25, 2013, 09:14:29 PM »

One thing I did last yr was put a floater under a bridge and then set another cage upstream about 30 yds on the bank. The one upstream caught three mink. The floater none. Not to say floaters don't work because they do work well. Just the way it works with location. I have found sign and set a trap for weeks and zip....move 50 yds and score a couple times. Next year may or may not be a hot location again. I think your sets were great just a matter of them being there or not.

blacktailer · « **Reply #23 on:** January 26, 2013, 07:32:13 PM »

Good looking sets 3 nails...

3nails · « **Reply #24 on:** January 27, 2013, 01:03:37 PM »

Placed this trap by a stump with mink tracks all around it. Feeling pretty good about this location which usually means a blank next check!

Carp Commander · « **Reply #25 on:** January 27, 2013, 01:46:03 PM »

Good looking set!

I put my mink line out yesterday, covering a bunch of ground and focused on culverts and sign of course. Couldn't sleep last night cause I was just certain my frustration would soon be over. Wow was I wrong! All sets were empty! Maybe tomorrow.

The good news around here is the temps are going to be warmer this week. I made some coon crackle (old time coon bait) a little while ago and will try and get a few on the stretcher this week.

Doug

Carp Commander · « **Reply #26 on:** January 28, 2013, 12:17:10 PM »

And the frustration continues! Zero Mink & only 6 Muskrats in three days of trapping.

0 Mink/6 Muskrats pelts, $60 dollars

Fuel & expenses for three days of trapping, $150 dollars

Being outside playing in the water, trying to out smart furry critters, Priceless!

Machias · « **Reply #27 on:** January 28, 2013, 03:51:07 PM »

You know as a kid going to High School in Missouri in the late 70s, I can remember getting up at 0445 before school and running my line. Hearing the chain rattle in the dark is what made it easy getting out of bed and check my sets in the freezing weather, even as a 16 year old kid.

Carp Commander · « **Reply #28 on:** January 28, 2013, 04:21:25 PM »

My brother and I ran a line before school every winter from about age 12 through graduation. It was a family tradition, It's amazing it took me so long to get back into it! I to grew up in Missouri and I sure wish I was still there. I wouldn't have to relearn all this cage trapping stuff!

3nails · « **Reply #29 on:** February 02, 2013, 05:56:19 PM »

Anything?

seth30 · « **Reply #30 on:** February 03, 2013, 01:55:08 AM »

Quote from: Machias on January 24, 2013, 07:42:09 AM

I had good luck with the PVC pipe traps made for skunks on mink. I think they liked checking out the little culvert looking traps. Baited with muskrat. Best year was 7. They worked the best near exposed root wads along the waterline.

do you have a diagram for those?

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Author Topic: Mink Frustration (Read 11705 times)

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