Author Topic: Mink in muskrat sets (Read 3719 times)

MacinMaine · « **on:** January 18, 2007, 12:49:00 AM »

I have always felt that good muskrat trappers catch a lot of mink in their sets. I have trapped muskrats hard for short periods in the past but not to the extent of say Bogmaster and others.
What do you muskrat trappers say about the percentage of mink you catch in your muskrat sets?

Mac

Newt · « **Reply #1 on:** January 18, 2007, 03:23:42 AM »

Here in South Jersey. If I use body grips and set for rats.Its about 1-100. Now if I use snares and set the more "MINKY" sets,along with the hot rat sets .Its more like 1 mink to 35 muskrats.
We cant use foot holds in New Jersey. Hell we cant even OWN them.

Bogmaster · « **Reply #2 on:** January 18, 2007, 05:53:54 AM »

Percentage of mink taken in rat sets is very low.While several are taken each year in rat sets,the numbers are not as high as one would think.
I gang set rat houses,large houses often get 4 stoploss.This will often leave a trap available when a mink comes along.Actually more and more coon are getting caught at rat houses,I believe the coon along with raptors have had the largest negative impact on our rat populations.
Tom

MacinMaine · « **Reply #3 on:** January 18, 2007, 10:09:31 AM »

Thanks for the replys guys. I just figured that muskrat trappers that really got after them might pick off mink that were hunting the muskrats.
Thanks

Mac

trappnman · « **Reply #4 on:** January 19, 2007, 09:43:18 AM »

Bog traps more marshes if I'm correct.

I trap rats 100% on small creeks, and most of my mink are caught in "rat" sets. That is, I make mink/rat sets- you can't eeally set separate for either on creeks.

MChewk · « **Reply #5 on:** January 20, 2007, 02:01:02 AM »

Mink pop. here seems to be rising while as we know around the midwest 'rats are down. I find rats congregate around beaver dams and anymore thats where a guy can trap them. Anywhere else is very spotty. Mink in my neck of the woods seem to fall for more of bigger bolder coon sets. I trap mostly creeks and its usually due to beaver problems.Was on a creek yesterday and saw where otter were visiting the beaver dam...they are protected here. Very little rat or mink sign..hmmm

trappnman · « **Reply #6 on:** January 20, 2007, 11:08:30 AM »

Quote

Was on a creek yesterday and saw where otter were visiting the beaver dam...they are protected here. Very little rat or mink sign..hmmm

if your hmmn is wondering if otter are hurting your rats and mink- will only say that here in MN- the places that have your most mink and rats- also have the most otter.

I've looked at 100s of piles of otter scat going trough them with a stick- and see very little mammal evidence in them. Fish, crayfish- make up 99.95 of the scat evidence. No fur, no bones.

Not to say an otter will not kill and/or eat a rat or mink- just saying I never saw much evidence of it.

steven49er · « **Reply #7 on:** January 21, 2007, 04:45:33 PM »

I have probably caught 2500 rats inside the houses in the winter.

This year I finally caught my first mink inside one.

I dont catch verry many mink in my sets in the open water that are intended specifically for rats either.
.

MacinMaine · « **Reply #8 on:** January 23, 2007, 12:55:36 PM »

Thanks for all the replys

Mac

MChewk · « **Reply #9 on:** January 27, 2007, 12:54:56 AM »

Threw my "HMMMM" out there purely out of speculation. Otter around these parts were very scarce several years back. We currently have no season on them. Our trapping org.s are pushing for a legal take on them but are floundering in politics...can you imagine that...politics in Illinois? lol
Just wondering how much otter do prey on 'rats? But along with the otter pop. growing the coyote pop. also exploded in leaps and bounds as well as the raptor pop. So which one is eating ALL of the 'rats??? Include chemicals applied and the 'rats are really underfire.

ncmountainman · « **Reply #10 on:** February 05, 2007, 09:39:12 AM »

When Im working the banks of creeks and rivers I regularly get mink in rat sets. If the place where the rats are landing looks to me like a place where a swimming mink might come in to get back on the bank I just place a few guide sticks in an open natural looking way to make the set inviting to both mink and rats, while narrowing it down just enough to get some mink. I do this along with my usual mink sets in each area.

trappnman · « **Reply #11 on:** February 05, 2007, 12:18:15 PM »

ncmountainm- that very set is what I call a landing or resting set. I look for it, create them when needed, and catch a large majority of my mink in them.

ncmountainman · « **Reply #12 on:** February 05, 2007, 02:53:10 PM »

Great minkers think alike.

Im taking more of a look at using float sets for mink. I believe one good location for them would be deep water retaining walls where its so hard to build up the bottom or no other type set could be made. The extra rats or maybe the occasional otter would be a bonus there.

trappnman · « **Reply #13 on:** February 05, 2007, 04:28:04 PM »

sounds like you need to use the "Blue Bucket Set"

ncmountainman · « **Reply #14 on:** February 05, 2007, 05:28:55 PM »

Is that anything like the pea hole set for polar bears?

All jokes aside Im serious about the mink sets. Im going to build a few floats larger than rat size with at least a 1 1/2 coil pinch pan or 1 3/4 Northwoods on there, something big enough to hold a big mink or maybe an otter. One of the NC boys Pigtrapper07 got a nice otter and a beaver in one of his rat floats this season.

Bogmaster · « **Reply #15 on:** February 06, 2007, 01:33:43 AM »

I used float sets for rats on some bog lakes and cattle ponds.Worked well for me,but I never got a mink or otter.I have taken several beaver in them though.I have saved some of my #1 jumps,just for float set use.
Tom

ncmountainman · « **Reply #16 on:** February 06, 2007, 03:38:43 AM »

The long chain and snap rig for the rats sure does speed up the set time. I use them for mink too.
I use the extra time to find better mink sets. So theres extra rats.......and mink due to that.
My thanks to Bogmaster for that rig. Mountainman

jim-NE · « **Reply #17 on:** February 13, 2007, 11:06:44 AM »

I always pick up mink in my rat run underwater sets with #110s. Most of my mink are specifically mink sets, and I like blind sets with #110s along small creeks or right in middle if flow is only as wide as a #110.
But, when I gang set runs at bases of huts, especially huts closer to a pond's edge then farther out, I always leave one #110 in the run after I've cleaned out the rats. It may sit there awhile, but its paid off enough for me to be patient and I am usually walking by that trap to check other sets anyway so I leave it for mink.

ncmountainman · « **Reply #18 on:** February 13, 2007, 08:22:06 PM »

I really like the 110 for mink having taken as many as five in one blind set with them. Im trying some #50 victors now and considering changing from the 4 way triggers that I hate to some circle triggers. I may make my own wire loop trigger using parts from bolt on kits and a solid circle of wire. I got a number of my early mink catches when I had few traps and didnt move them out of old or empty rat dens. I have always wondered if a mink could tell the difference between an old rat den from one maybe made by a trapper? Maybe that is something to experiment with while Im setting bottom edge sets. I have many times watched swimming mink dive going up into the river bank and coming out in the water a few yards farther down the bank. The mink appear to already know where these places are in their territory. While I believe the mink may find these places while diving and hunting, it seems to me almost as if the mink have a sense of what is inside a river bank just from being close to it.

trappnman · « **Reply #19 on:** February 14, 2007, 03:36:32 PM »

IMHO- the old saw about a mink investigating every hole is a fallacy.

A mink only investigates certain holes.

What holes? Good question.

I believe a mink vists holes for several reasons.

1) hunting
2) resting
3) denning

So if a hole doesn't fit one of these criteria, he isn't going to investigate it (more times than not)

1) put a hole where a mink is hunting- where a mink expects food to be- and he will investigate it.

2) cetain areas are reasting areas- between cover, above below fishing holes, near other feeding areas, often below/above current.

3) denning areas. I believe a mink has multiple dens thorughout his range, and will investigate/stayover in them on his rounds.

ncmountainman · « **Reply #20 on:** February 14, 2007, 06:23:14 PM »

Trapnman I believe you are dead on target with every bit of that and all the evidence I have seen in the field supports everything you said. I believe a mink that is traveling in or close to the waterline only investigates the tunnel systems and log jams that are in its line of travel and uses its senses to locate any prey close to its line of travel while running the banks and the underwater entrances to hidden hollow areas in the banks that it normally investigates while traveling. In the minks favored hunting and fishing areas where it spends more time diving and looking down from logs or other surface objects it should more readily find and investigate an underwater hole set or other type of set located there. I do love to find the minks good crayfish hunting areas. The best ones I have found here are often a shallow clay or sandy bottom where crayfish really stand out against the streambed. I usually blind set where the mink climbs out to eat its catch and sometimes get a double if there is more than one landing and feeding spot there. Maybe a 110 or 160 in an underwater bottom edge hole in this type location with a rubber crawdad pinned to the bottom of the hole behind the trap would get hits just like with the foothold set with the rubber crawdad on the pan and help to avoid coon catches in the good mink location. I sometimes do set up the high bank holes when I take time to locate them along with the high bank trails. One time while trapping on a big river I pulled my johnboat into a creek mouth to tie up for lunch when a very big mink came hopping from a long way off very fast up the high bank trail and dove into a groundhog sized hole high in the riverbank. I saw a demo once where a North Georgia trapper set those locations with a wooden collar box and 110. He only trapped for mink exclusively with this setup. Im going to set up more of those now either with the wooden box or the new Pocket Popper plastic version. The shorter H type stabilizer would probably work well in some of those sets.

David

trappnman · « **Reply #21 on:** February 15, 2007, 03:43:17 AM »

David- I see we have come to the sme conclusions over the years.

Quote

I usually blind set where the mink climbs out to eat its catch and sometimes get a double if there is more than one landing and feeding spot there.

Agreed.

Its a friendly arguemnt I have with my friend BK, who nowadays uses mostly BE sets.

Our debate is he will catch them underwater hunting...and I'll catch them AFTER te catch. Actually had one this year where a 10 inch or so brown was laying at the trap bed, and pulled up the wire to find a nice mink. Closer examination of the trout showed tooth marks behind the gills. Without a doubt- it was that mink's trout (well, 99.9% sure LOL).

I do do better with resting (landing) sets above deep water rather than below.

Another very good spot for both rats and mink- is at a bend, at the spot where something naturally drifts.

In other words- as an experiment- stand on a small creek where there is a curve and a drop a stick into te water. Watch where it goes. Where does it touch the bank, perhaps even "resting" briefly.

Mink and rats are bouyant, and will come through current to about the same area as that stick....

ncmountainman · « **Reply #22 on:** February 15, 2007, 01:49:12 PM »

Trapnman like you in the minks underwater hunting areas I have to go with the resting location set being my choice for the best high percentage set in the mostly open stable water conditions I am able to work in here. Once when fishing on the Cherokee Indian Reservation I had a mink grab a 10 inch rainbow trout I had thrown on the bank along with the flyrod to go downstream and retrieve a knife I had left while cleaning the previous catch. The mink ran through the laurals pulling out line until I returned. He then proceded to try to fight me for the trout until I gave him a gentle tap on the nose with a twig. After getting my hook out of the fish I tried to entice the mink to come back out of the hole he ran into and take the fish from me but he wouldnt return. The trout had the same bite marks as you described behind the gills so it appears that is the minks preferred place for latching onto a trout.

I am interested in working on sets to catch the mink and rats in those bends and deep holes where there is scattered sign but it is often difficult to make a good set where they come out of the water with the rats hitting some logs and the mink sometimes landing randomly in different places as close as they can to where they make a catch. Pocket sets do work well for me in many of those places where one can be made but I prefer the blind set if I can locate them. I am considering places like that now for trying the float set. Occasionally on the smaller deep creeks that have sections of steep banks I find where a log is spanning the stream. The mink being so agile can easily climb vertically up to rest on the log and the faint trail from the waters edge is where I like to pin a #2 longspring with sticks shoved through the springs directly under the trail. That is a good point you have about the current having an effect on mink and rats choosing landing/resting places in these type locations and I will keep that in mind while setting them up.

ncmountainman · « **Reply #23 on:** February 17, 2007, 12:39:51 AM »

Trapnman maybe we should start a mink thread on here sometime. It is my favorite trapping subject and there arent even enough wild mink being sold right now to drive the market prices up. I dont mind sharing info to help get more trappers started and Im enjoying this and getting sharper on it from having the opportunity to talk to a good mink trapper like you.

David

RdFx · « **Reply #24 on:** February 17, 2007, 01:01:16 PM »

Yes a mink info thread would be very beneficial for newcomers and older trappers. Alot of things we take for granted but to a new trapper and even experienced trapper it can be helpfull. Let the threads roll.......

ncmountainman · « **Reply #25 on:** February 17, 2007, 07:36:22 PM »

Thanks RdFx Ill try to get something on here soon or let someone else start off with one and join in. Im finding a lot of good information on these sites and trapper assn. forums and sure met some great folks while doing that. For that and the good it does the trapping associations and the trapping community I thank the guys that set up these forums and keep them running.

trappnman · « **Reply #26 on:** February 20, 2007, 11:13:20 AM »

I thought this WAS a mink info thread?

I think that late winter mink trapping is as differnt from early mink trapping as opening day of canines is to snow trapping for them.

Two main reasons-

1) you are now dealing with a completely different population make up. instead of being dominated by females and YOY ,the poulations is firstly made up mainly of adults and scondly, top heavy with males . I say females are down becasue early mink trappig, gives you a much higher % of females taken than late winter trapping.

2) you are dealing with a vastly different terrian.

Location in early season- not as important. Location in winter season much more so. I find that specific points on a stream, are fewer i nwinter. That is- on bare ground, fall cover, a mink might work dozs of spots and long continous areas of a creek. Where in winter, he knows where he is going, and if not pretty close or spot on the general locaitonm, and then gang set- you miss a lot of mink because the traps aren't where they are.

ncmountainman · « **Reply #27 on:** February 21, 2007, 12:10:11 AM »

Yes Trapnman it is a mink thread. I did sorta switch to mostly straight mink talk and get away from muskrat sets but maybe the guys dont mind. I do agree with late season mink trapping being a lot different situation. Most times I only run serious mink lines from early/mid December through the end of January or when they start getting springy. I trap a lot of muskrat early season with mink sets mixed in around Thanksgiving when they get prime here. I prefer the mid to late season when they move better and try my best to have as many good strategic locations set up then as I can. I find it better to avoid most of the little headwater creeks where a large majority of the smalls and females live. I set mainly medium to large creeks and rivers and get more big males there. The percentages wherever I set do lean mainly towards the smaller mink getting caught first because of their smaller territories. Then the larger males that have survived have the influx of males during mating season added to their numbers. I seldom pass up the opportunity to set close to the flood plain on feeder creeks that run into big rivers. Those locations regularly produce for me more than twice the number of mink and often several times the number of the big old bank running bucks that come in off the big water. I have noticed that very often the largest males will only run the smaller feeder creeks for a short ways before returning to the big river and set accordingly. Maybe they are just checking the female sign and dont want to run the whole feeder creek but I suspect they just like to run the big water more.

The minks habits do change as winter progresses. I set a much higher number of dry sets because mink will avoid very cold water any time they can only entering for short times when necessary. They can and will very easily avoid blind water sets where they have an opportunity to jump over and avoid the cold water. It is surprising how agile they are. It is important to be on location anytime but if the locations arent right on the money during the late winter mating season and gang set for multiple catches far too many of the big males will pass through quick and be gone for good or at least until next season. At that time I like to be able to have good locations set up close enough to overlap the resident minks territories as well as get more than one chance at the long running males when they are on the move hunting females. Locations several miles apart is close enough together for me but I will set two or more stops close together if thats the only access in the area. Any time he wants to a big old long ranging male can easily make enough kills to hole up through bad weather so it can take some time for him to move again.

trappnman · « **Reply #28 on:** February 21, 2007, 02:43:44 AM »

well, it was bound to happen- we finally disagree..LOl

I set a much higher number of dry sets because mink will avoid very cold water any time they can only entering for short times when necessary

While I find at times that mink run high banks more tan water, I find it to be a hunting correlation rather than a cold water issue.

I trap mink in as cold a weather (in water that is) as anyone around.

I have many streams that are open all year, even at 25-30 below because they are so spring fed, that the weater is always in the mid 30s.

and the rest of my streams come and go with ice cover- freezing over at zero type conditions, opening up naturally (and with help) when it warms to the teens.

many, many times I break ice, and pull up a mink.

The colder and snowyer the better for me in late winter trapping- the cold and ice pushes the mink to the water, not away from it.

Bogmaster · « **Reply #29 on:** February 21, 2007, 02:54:14 AM »

Minnesota mink,are just tougher than North Carolina mink.
Tom