Those of you that have used conibears a lot for mink, How much have you seen avoidance by mink? And how can you avoid it? I have seen it a few times when there is snow and I'm sure it happens when there is not snow too. In boxes a pan trigger seems to help, but in situations where pans are not feasible I wonder if anybody has tried spreading the trigger wire wide enough to let the mink through and then using a trip wire made of something very fine like 1/64 in. snare cable and does it work any better? I am awaiting some earth shaking revolutionary ideas from the folks on this board.

None at all for me, I do the bottom edge. Mike

I don't know how well it will work on mink, but I used the trigger wire for marten and ermine this winter and was not impressed. To much trouble to put it on with to little results.
Just my $.02

I spread mine very wide anyways in a U shape, almost like upside down field goal posts with the cross bar part at about a 45 degree angle. Bend them out with a pair of needle nose pliers. I think the wide opening encourages them to try and go through, and they brush the trigger wire with there head or back and get suitcased.

I trap all in snow and I have noticed where I get some refusals sometimes with a black 110/120, so I have a couple dozen painted white and I just change it out and it seems to work great.

The downside to that wide open spread is that I will miss Ermine that can go through without touching it.

-TJ

Top Jimmy. That can be avoided by cocking the trap back toward the spring on a 45 angle and sliding the trigger wire close together toward the spring. The mink sees a big opening and well not hesitate to enter, The weasel,( or I guess ermine in your case), will jump in or climb over and hit the wires as well, resulting in a catch of either one. Wish I had a digital camara to show you. The trap only sits on the bottom corner jaws and the spring is what stabilizes it.

I use infrared lasers.

Thanks for that tip LT Grey, though I don't have ermine and haven't trapped mink in years id never thought of that idea and I like reading new things I didn't know before, soooo.

ive seen mink (from readin sign) get to a coni and stop before passing thru and turn around and head back the other way .... i dont think this is because of the trigger ..... but an exposed trap .... mink are slidin in and out of reeds, grass, etc. their whole lives and i dont see why it would make one stop and not pass thru .... but like i said i have seen an occasional trap-wise mink .... which sounds silly ... they are dumb critters .... but i have seen it !!! .... the thing is tho .... get ya traps how ya feel confident in usin em ... if ya feel that ya need to spread ya triggers wide and fix em up with fishin line, wire, cable, etc .... do it .... confidence is a big factor when comin to trappin ... and even more so when ya dealin with animals like mink, otter, cats, etc .... good luck to ya !!

LT,

Thanks for the tip. I wouldn't have thought of that before, but I can definately see how it would work.

-TJ

In blind sets, I don't think the triggers matter too much for mink. When using conibears in pockets/cubbys though I do think a pan helps a lot. That is usually the case where I see refusals. The only purpose for a wire on the trigger imo is to pick up the ermine. Waste of a time for mink. I mean, I have well over a 50% catch rate on incidental mink in dryland 220's set for otter. I have never seen one make it through a 110/120.

The Canadians have in trap tests that show a female mink went through a 110 conibear NUMEROUS times before setting the trap off. Point made. Another point is my largest wild mink ive caught was in a # 55 montgomery with thin wire across the opened triggers. The wild mink on drying board measured 39 inches from nose to tip of tail. This mink was a male and had its head and one front leg through the trigger-wire assembly before he set trap off. Just reflecting!

Well good point. You'd think as many people as I know someone would have a digital camara and could post some of these things for me! RdFx- I read that study too. I always tied 2 lb. fishing line between the triggers, which by the way had a loop bend on each end of the wires. SNAP!

LT, do you mean something like this?



If so, that's pretty interesting, because you're also giving them more headroom, which would probably also be helpful in preventing avoidance.

No, the trap needs to be turned the other way ! Flip the trap upside down. Now, see the corner that you've got pointed at 3 o'clock? Well, set that on the ground. Now the trigger is on the bottom and the wires are near the point where the spring meets the frame. Take another look at the picture you drew.... take the spring and bend it toward the part you've got touching the ground ( IN THE PICTURE)...but remember "THAT CORNER" is now pointed up because you reversed the trap! The only 2 points touching the ground are the round end of the spring and the "now bottom" 2 corners of the 2 jaws. The traps sets in a "DIAMOND" shape....with the trigger on the bottom. Look through it at the minks eye level...see what he sees? A clear path...or so it seems! (Anyway to post that Creekwalker)? The mink then hits the trigger with his chest and it's exactly where it needs to be for a weasel! They climb over the wires , which are now in their way! SNAP!

So, if the dog and trigger were on the bottom side, near the jaw corner, that would be correct. ??

I think you meant "near" the jaw corner. Yes it would be. The trap again, sets in a "DIAMOND" shape. Not square like they taught you before! The 2 jaws and the end of the spring are what stabilizes it. If you learn to do it right, you will thank ol' LT when you walk up to a fired trap with a big ol' buck mink or weasel in it. They don't seem to avoid it like one set square.

LT, Is this more like what you mean?



Have you ever tried bending one trigger wire up like this:

You got it! And I'm sure that some trapper is glad you did! No, I wouldn't bend the wire ...both straight out. More effective that way, so the mink hits it with his chest or belly and the weasel actually climbs over and fires the trap! Snap! But hey, try some and see....always room to experiment. I am working on a new stabilizer for this set only, (to avoid freezing ground problems), right now.

great thread, thanks guys. i'm not a mink trapper, but helpful trips are always useful.

i assume you could do the same with otter sets......

Except you'd use a 220 or a 330 for otter and have 2 springs instead of one, so you'd need to balance that somehow...An otter trap typically set in water wouldn't make a difference, I don't feel. If it were on land....might change things, who knows. Try it this winter and let us know.

i use 330's for otter, but sometimes have fired traps due to 'rats and mink, figured turning one like that might help catch the little boogers better. cant put 330's on land here, they have to be in water, not submerged, just "in".

220's if legal for you put a hurtin on dry land otter! Set'em square on the trail. You'll pick up otters, mink, rats and yeah even beavers!

Im the "Pocket Popper" guy, And ive taken over 1000 mink, in the last 17 years with 110 cons. I dont think you get any more avoidance with baited conibears than foot holds. Its just that you can see the tracks when setting on snow. As for the trigger, Ive converted all my traps over to a piano wire hoop. Its very thin and stiff. I also wax my trigers, I know its not recommended but my catch ratio went to almost equal that of my foot hold guarded pockets after I waxed the triggers! Last fall I tryed wooden pan triggers and they worked great.

AL , to stop avoidance of mink when using 110's in trails , you need to do several things .

only set your trap using the dog notch that is farthest out towards the end of the dog . this position causes the least amount of tension and pressure holding the trap set and takes the least amount of pressure against it to spring it .

then you need to " start " or i should say prestart your trigger . this is done by setting the trap , gripping the jaws with one hand and taking the other hand and grab the trigger and just barely move it one way and then the other way . the trigger should move slightly each way if you tilt the trap . you will get your fingers whacked more than once getting the hang of this. some mink get spooked when they nose a trigger and it doesn't move . weeds , grass will move as the mink slinks thru .

another factor that causes avoidance is the trap being set right on the ground . with females is not much of an issue but a large male may have to hunker down to go thru and will spook some. i try to keep the bottom of my conibears 1 to 2 inches up off the ground. this also stops the trap from possibly frosting/freezing to the ground.

triggers , looped triggers with fishing line, copper wire, small dia. cable , i've found to be a waste of time . a looped trigger made of the same size wire the trigger wire is made from or even slightly larger dia. wire , works great . they need something solid to push against that won't give and will cause immediate springing of the trap when prestarted and set on first dog notch . the factory triggers on bmi magnums are the best factory 110 triggers there are for minking , i just slightly bend them out into a triangle and set them in the center of the trap. i have taken a 2 1/2" dia. pipe and bent the trigger wire around it to get a rounder trigger but the triangle works fine . i liked hal sullivans circle triggers as they sit higher in the traps kill area but they need to be completely round not open bottomed and made slightly larger of a dia. circle . the thickness of his wire is heavier than normal and i liked that too.

other things that can cause avoidance , off coloration of your trap to the surroundings and over blending of the trap . to a mink , a conibears frame , spring, can't look much different than some dead sticks, weed or other vegetation stems , etc.
get your coloration close , add local area stuff to blend but be careful not over doing it. black isn't a color to use for trail sets . blackies blend sand brown trap dip was about the best color i used . i've seen some olive/drab coatings that would be good. in constant heavy snow conditions , white should be the way to go .

lt grey , your positioning of your trap is unique and i'll have to try that . but i see problems with freezing , and stabilization . also way to open of a area for the mink to go thru . i would be willing to bet quite a few have done just that . bending the top trigger wire up slightly to point straight to the corner directly above would solve some of that . not sure if a trap in that position could have the trigger prestarted and set on the first dog notch and stay set but that would help also . have you ever tried that position with the trap sitting on a small rock or piece of wood and have it an inch or 2 off the ground ?

mark

As I stated earlier, I am working on a stailizer to use with 110 killers for this 110 "DIAMOND" set only. For one, look at what you "DO" have...and that is a mimimum if the trap touching the ground, I guess it's time to let you in on one of my lil' secrets.I use a thin layer of waxed dirt right under the 2 jaws...barely what will fit in your hand! I also camo paint (and yes, some nearly all white for snow)and wax the two corners by easing the trap in hot wax about 1/2 inch. Years before, I used small sticks to keep the trap from freezing down. But my method now is so much more faster and smoother! The posistioning of the trigger will catch you a lot of weasels, for you guys who want to catch some but seem to miss them. A "duck" stick goes between the jaws and the trap is wired off with a 18" wire to get him off the trail. Do not ever stake this trap, a mere 110 down solid or a big buck may pull out. With a long tie off, he will be there! Also yes, I do set on the last trigger notch! Well, there you have a set that has taken several hundred mink and weasels in a state that is not really known for having a lot of either. The "LT 110 Diamond" set for mink! Enjoy !

Here ya go LT. Hope I aint steppin on any toes!

I've got the (or a) answer to sabilization! Fabricating such things is my niche!

I welded up a prototype this afternoon. Now this was done for a 160. But the same design will work for the 110-120. Yeah, I know the trigger isn't set up like it should be. That just happened to be a 160 I had in the truck from g-hog trapping. I was thinking past that and focused on stabilizing!

I can see where guys going after coons might like this set up.

The picture shows it way high, just better for seeing and picture taking.

So is it a market for these?

Q: "Is there a market for these?" A: Would be if they seen all the mink I catch! Actually a good design, but mine is a piece of flat metal with a nail that is pushed into the ground, (or tacked into it if frozen). There is only 2 clips going in opposite directions that merely hold it by the corners only. The piece is only about 2 or 3 inches long and as wide as the 2 jaws in the set position! You dont need anything sticking up in the air. Totally unnessasary for this set! Don't get me wrong, you've a good set-up, but for this set here, LESS IS MORE! and that= More mink!


# PS< I know you're a good trapper and all but if you are thinking of setting a 160 or a 220 in a diamond shape on your new support, may I offer a few suggestions? I would straighten those trigger wires out and slide them toward the bottom and then set that trap, in the "DIAMOND" shape. Why those groundhogs would be begging you to jump in that trap! I've been doin' it like that for 20 years and have found at times it fits a smaller hole shape better. Of course turned traditionally in the square shape is probably the best all around way to set kill traps, no doubt. My method was developed simply due to mink avoidance of the 110's and not being able to catch those slinkly little weasels in the 110's . The "Diamond" method has cured that problem on those 2 animals. It also will catch every rabbit and squirrel, so one should be careful where you set it.
Here's another trick I will add to this set. Take some pencil sized sticks, which if you'll notice, are also about the same size as a 110's jaw frame. Where I live we have a weed called :Golden rod and it grows in fields by the millions. It also is the perfect size and stiffness you want. So, what I do is take my pruneing shears in the fall of the year and go out and harvest a bunch,(and I mean a bunch) of it about 1 foot long. Now when it dries, it will be exactly what I need. So, go out on a mink trail or any trail that you think mink or weasels will be running. Now take 2 of your sticks and make a "V" in the trail....then go up about 2 ft and make another "v" on the trail....now set your trap, which is camo painted a similar color right in the middle, in the "Dimond" shape. Now bend down and look through all 3, because that is now what the mink will see. Then use your grass or whatever you have native to the area and make it look natural along the trail between the 1st "V" and the last one. That is your set. If you do this with 100 conibears you can leave them set the entire season, chances are you'll be taking a good number of mink , weasels and everything else out of them. I know I do! The only changes I ever make is adding a handful or so of waxed dirt under the jaws during freezing weather. I also have some white 110's I use during long periods of snow, which is experimental, as we selom have more than 3 weeks at a time around here. Some years no snow or very little until late January. By the way, Jamesons, or I should say Newts, Formula 1 trap dip in the brown color is abour the same color as a goldenrod stem, actually their brown dip has almost a "greenish tint" to it. It is mixed with water, which is something I really like! ( I personally never liked the gas dips). After the 110 dries, I then hit it with some light streaks of paint to break up the outline. That's pretty much it in a nutshell. I hope ya'll get this as I am desribing it ,as I don't have a digital camara. But for those that do send us some of your mink and weasel catches. You're sure to have some! LT

I believe trapper Art has a stabilizer device something like that for conibears.

Minker. Been wondering where you were. I'm already doing most of the things you talk about, but always looking for a better way.

Excellent posts. Thanks to all

Mac

madtrapper,

When I first started chasing mink hard several years ago I would get some avoidance periodically. After several years of trial and error I came up with the methods that I use today. Rarely do I get any avoidance now and most mink are caught by the neck.

Minker gave you good advice about blending and camoflaging the trap. Also starting the trigger and setting on the last notch are very very important. Adjusting the trigger so that it fires easily is also important. I set my trigger on top in the middle similar to this ( ) leaving an inch or so opening between the bottom of the wires. Most mink will have their head right in the hole that is created.


I see at times where some trappers recommend putting the trigger to the side and twisting the trigger wires together. Their theory is that the big opening will entice the mink to go through. I can agree with that part but you now have a mink going through a trap and he can only fire the trap if he bumps the trigger hard enough with his one shoulder. If he presses tight to the frame side of the trap instead of the trigger side of the trap you will miss him most times or get a hip caught mink. I would rather create the big opening in the center of the trap with the trigger wires spread like this ( ). Then it doesn't matter if he rubs harder to one side or the other.

Lt Grey, that is an interesting concept but in my opinion you would either miss a lot of mink or get a lot of hip caught mink. Too big of an opening in my opinion but if it works for you, great. Stabilizing wouldn't be too difficult except trying to get it off the ground without some special made stabilizer. Might try a set or two like that this year but I will definitely back it up with my methods just in case that opening is too big.

LT - Somewhere in there was a compliment, I think? LOL Thank you sir. Now I know you're crazy LOL

I don't plan on using this set up for 160's or 220's personally. Just took a few minutes yesterday afternoon to throw together something based on your thoughts and design description.

Upon doing so, I realized it looked like something guys who set conis for coons might like the elevation and large inviting opening.

The only reason I used that 160 is cause it was on the truck parked right close to the shop and I wont gonna go off diggin for a 110. Caught me being lazy!

The reason I didn't bend the trigger wires on that trap in the picture was because on the first one I attempted to use I brokem of when I re-bent'em. Musta been time for a new one anyhow! lol

I use a lot of 220's and just set'em square to the trail. I like the 220's cause they take out whatever trips the trigger 99% of the time. Got into that habit going after otters and picking up rats, coons, mink, beaver etc. Can't do that with a 110 or 120! If I'm setting a 220 and feel the location is hot for a mink catch I'll take like you said pices of golen rod and narrow the opening of the trap. Leaving the center open with the trigger wires set like this (). Or kind of like this with the golden rod in place I()I.

And yeah, I started using Newt's dip last year. Didn't like it at first but have learned to like it! But I still use petroleum based dips too! It just works for me! But I'm a weird stick in the mud kind of guy!

I think it's good to think outside the box!

Man I just got a craving for a taco or sumpin'
Randy, I'm trying to figure out if I know you, well at least who you are. Is it RS? Anyway, the Diamond set, it should be pointed out, is not the only set I make for mink using a 110. I have about 5 or 6 that I use for mink every year using a 110 or 120. One even where a mink has to climb vertical into a baited set used primarily at a beaver damcrossover. I do use a ultra thin wire in a hoop shape and have tried mono tied to the trigger wires shaped in a (=) as well. I have caught mink in all of them. I am doing more snaring now that I have developed a (3/64 with a barrel swivel) mink snare that I like. To each his own, I guess. I grew up mink trapping with 1.5 longsprings wired to rocks and later went to the #1 or the #11 Blake and Lamb modified. Still have some I use. The Diamond set does catch some mink by the hips. true enough. Which is why I give them some cable length to flop around and don't stake them solid with a T-Bar. I also get plenty around the neck too. Haven't lost any though. The set was developed primarily for 2 reasons. 1) for trappers that were missing mink in their 110's due to avoidance and 2) weasels.... Seems a lot were getting through my traps. My catch trippled in one year alone. Too bad ours aren't worth much like they are up North. LT

AL , i wish lt 44 hadn't sold his place up your way , i'd come again to go fishing and come by and take you out and show you some bottom edge sets . i saw hundreds of places for them when i was up there and alot of good trail sets spots too.

one more thing about looped triggers . even solid ones like the bmi stock trigger i like and it after i modify it to round , unless you start the trigger and use first notch so the trap fires at a fraction of pressure , a mink can go thru that circle or loop unscathed or almost unscathed . i can show you pictures of lg. male mink that went thru the loop and were clear down to the base of the tail area before they sprung the trap . you can see there still inside the loop. this happened though before i started prestarting my triggers and using the first notch . i get nothing but throat strikes now and like randy , there head is usually in the loop/circle.that circle/loop is like a target for them to dead center.

lt grey, you mentioned about not solidly staking because of pull outs ? never in 2000 or so mink caught in the past or in the over 200 i caught this past winter , have i ever had a mink pull out of a conibear. . i caught alot of them in victor #110's before i switched to bmi magnums for land sets for mink . staking away from the trail is a good idea to help stop destruction of the set area .

how often/ how many pull outs do you get ?

mark

LT Grey,

Yes, my initials are RS. I'm the left handed mink trapper that can't swim. LOL Have we met?

RS, thought that was you! Minker I haven't lost that many but as you know one is one too many! I had come to the conclusion that those lost were probably hip caught and may have "powered out" of the old style 110's that were staked solid with a T-Bar. I used to use that method as it was fast and easy but now use a lenght of cable or wire to get them away from the set location. I also found that by giving them some length and not staking it staking solid on the trail, it reduced the pull outs almost to 0. I should again point out that I am using mostly straight 110's and not the newer magnum 110 traps out in the past few years. I have a lot of these as I used to trap hundreds of muskrats but like so many, our muskrat population is all but gone. I've been thinking on starting to buy more 110's and wondered which ones you thought were the best ones. Price is not a factor to me. One thing on the loops targeting a mink's head, I have noticed that in some grassy trails it does seem like a tunnel if camo-ed right and I have noticed in years past the same on otter and raccoons in dryland 220's. I now have all my 220's with a 5" wire loop between the triggers. All are camo painted of course to match the grasss as much as possible. I have even caught some mink in those 220's on otter trails. So it does indeed have some merrit. Again, I use a combination of sets even with a simple 110. LT

i still use my old victors for bottom edge sets but all my landset #110's are bmi #110 magnums . you can't beat there factory trigger and the magnum bend in the jaws does help kill quicker . they are getting harder to find as they haven't been made ( i beleive ) for the last couiple years . but there the best thing out there for land trapping mink witha #110 .

i don't use any #120's for mink . the extra spring causes more pressure , which means it takes more force to spring the trap . it also makes it hard to prestart your trigger and keep the trap set. also the extra spring often times is in the road when making a set in those tight narrow minky places.

LTgrey, randy is also the left handed mink trapper who thinks possums are albino muskrats !

CREEKWALKER , you are gona have to stop by sometime and teach me how to draw on my computer screen and be able to post it on a website or send it in a email , cause every time i try it i just make one heck of a mess on the screen and it can't be sent or posted anywhere ! do you gotta use a magic ink pen or what ?

mark

I have 5 dozen + of the 110 BMI Magnums and really like them, too. Especially like the larger trigger wires. Have not bent them so will try the pipe to reshape them. Thanks Minker for that idea.

I wanted/needed to buy some more 110's this year so bought a bunch of Duke 110 Magnums.

LT; How about a simple spike in place of the rivet for a stabilizer? Just stick into ground at an angle so the corner of jaws rests on the ground just like in the picture.

Anyone know if BMI 110 triggers can be purchased? If so, where?

TTT

Great post, lots of info

TTT

Mac