This is a great thread. A lot of good ideas are getting discussed here.

I'll be back tomorrow les
Got traps to check before work
I'll have more tomorrow
It comes to me iny sleep

Put nails on the entrance hole sticking out to pinch a coons arm or a bigger animals neck?

Those that are catching mink In boxes set for mink are your boxes made with wide open entrances or restricted openings? Which type are taking the majority of the mink? Tell us how many refusals you get as to each type of box.

How do you measure success 100 mink In boxes 50 mink may be 10?

I have caught mink In boxes but the amount of time that It took to make those catches was pretty much time wasted.
I will admit that those trap checks were during the early mink season and not In the dead of winter. And I will admit that mink will act different when times get lean.
So yes I'm a doubting Thomas and you will have to convince me as to the proficiency of these opening restricted boxes.
Get out there and run some of these boxes. Try different sized openings and see what the results are. Then you can go from there as to how you word your resolution.

Or better still just get the check laws chanced on all dry land body grips no matter how they are set.

That will never happen.

Have you made any boxes yet? Got any weasel boxes just enlarge the holes. Get out there do the testing.

I don't think it matters, restricted or unrestricted, but logic would tell me not to restrict the opening. I started out with my doors flipped down (restricted) and now leave them up. I am not trying to not catch anything. The wording of our laws does not dictate that it matters. A body grip is a body grip. 3 day check. In hindsight, I have no idea what made me put doors with a 2 3/4 opening (U shaped) on them, other than that I was thinking that the hole was more inviting because it's a hole.

It's hard to do a refusal test unless there is snow to check for tracks. That being said, I generally set on red hot sign.

I'm with you on the hole being U shaped and at the bottom of the box . It just seems that If you make It easier for the mink to enter you will get less refusals.

No time now. Just got this wild hair reading through this thread and have always wanted to run mink boxes, but have balked at the thought of a daily check. That's all.

I don't see WI getting an extended check on dryland bodygrips. Seriously.

We've got experienced mink box trappers lending us their experiences, trials and errors. Certainly we could draft something up from this discussion.

Let this go for awhile longer then post a lone thread on WI mink boxes and see what other WI trappers think. This push for a resolution sort of evolved inside this thread, and has probably been missed by quite a few.

Look how long it took to get an extended check on the weasel box. One would think a mink box would be under even more scrutiny.

Once the general trapping season closes and you still have snow run a few boxes just to see what happens. Just get some milk jugs and cut some holes In them bait them up and cover with snow.

Those 1 gallon sunny D jugs would make perfect test devises.

Interesting thread for sure, appreciate folks ideas and views of different boxes. I run a marten line. 150 boxes or so that I put out every year due to the conditions and not wanting to leave them. Those (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman) mink are my biggest pet peeve, they clog my marten gear. Not sure about refusals but they go into boxes on the ground, stumps, logs, climb tree sets. Doesn’t seem to make a difference. Anytime I set too near the ocean I end up catching 5 mink per marten. I’ve given up and moved most of the sets 100+ yards from water. Even then I still get them. I shouldn’t complain but I struggle skinning and fleshing them things. Makes for long nights.

I use 120’s, and 110’s with traditional triggers. Traps aren’t inset at all, located at the front of the box.

But your not restricting the opening.

No sir Beav, not in the least.

I would venture a fella could get a couple hundred if they put their mind to it. Using fish as bait instead of my marten concoction.

Additionally, typical sets would work splendidly too. Maybe better. Who knows.

ttt for mousey trapper

I got it, thanks.

I'm not a big numbers mink guy but catch a few every year in boxes.I have never used holes but open end boxes guarded by a BMI #55.I first used these for spotted skunks because they are really hard to slip by and found they work pretty well for mink when they are in the mood.The back end is covered with 1/4" hardware cloth.

Well Muskrat do you have any test boxes out yet?

Just came back from doing A show up in Duluth for almost a week. Resetting BE sets tomorrow or Tuesday. No time to build X number of boxes with varying size entrances to adequately run an experiment of this nature.

You're not going to get an extended check on a mink box that allows a coon to reach the trap. Period.

You can experiment all you want, but, IMO, unless you've got restricted access you're wasting your time trying to run a resolution of that nature through CC.

Agree or disagree?

IMO increased opportunity is a good conversation to start. I would probably go for a dog proof box that would take coon or mink....say after deer season, Dec 1. And the only reason I say delay is in my experience boxes work better later.

A lethal set is just that. Lethal. Why limit to mink?

With markets stagnant and trappers declining more sensible tools will be needed to aid in wildlife management.

Muskrat where do you suspect resistance would originate?

I don't know if your talking to me . But The box Is going to have to have a restricted opening and a trap set back of at least 8" Hole size no less then 2 3/4 inches.

Nimzy I don't think we should go with any date restrictions. No sense In making this to complicated. Granted boxes may work better when times get tough. But we will have warm spells and the coon will still be out and hunting. So It's going to have to be about trap set back to exclude any coon catches. Hole size Isn't going to make any difference to a coon.

I still think before you put a lot of energy Into this resolution you should see If It has any chance In this box catching anything. There Is a lot of winter left and even after the season closes you can still put out some type of box with out a trap.

Milk jugs or juice jugs just bait and bury them In the snow and see If you get any takers. Call Shawn and see if this has a snow balls chance In &&& of going anywhere.

Good luck