coon unset mink water sets

[TJF]

I had a bit of a problem with coon unsetting blind mink sets.  The sets were made along a vertical bank with a water depth of an inch - two inches.  I was setting just for mink, but it was warm enough for the coon to run.  Everything was iced over except for these little pockets (springs) along the bank. 4 spots in total.  Since I set for mink I hugged the traps to the banks with the dog out to the water side.  I tried the dog guide stick but it caused the water to freeze up so I quit that.  I had 6 sets guarding this small area.  all were blind sets except one that was a natural pocket.  Almost every day, most of the blind sets would be unset and I would have a coon in the pocket set when the coon ran this area.  I did take a coon in one of the blind sets.  With all the unsets, I figured this was just blind luck.  How can you set for both coon and mink or can you on a vertical bank with the conditions I stated??  Thanks!!

Tim

[trappnman]

You are never going to keep coon out of mink sets, esp at this time of year.  Best preotection is to bracket your mink sets with poxcket sets made delibrately for coon. I trap both for several months during the winter and I have pretty good success doing it this way.

[OldCoon]

Either that or only set small body grip traps.   Anything else be prepared to dance with some coon. :shock:

[RdFx]

Yep  Steve has the right info.  When an area has alot of muskrats where you  are going to trap mink you gang set heavily till you take majority of rat population and then you can pull some sets  that you dont need and just leave the mink sets.  This applies for coon also.  At the pockets you can  arrange three drowner cables with three traps.  You have a trap just before pocket on each side and your reg pocket set trap set where you want it.  When   coon comes along he can get caught in either trap before pocket  and you have pocket ready yet for mink.  This is theory but i have had three coons at once,  one coon, one muskrat and one mink at once also.  It just depends upon furbearers  that happen upon yr sets.