JAB I'm not trying to argue your observation but here is a couple thoughts to ponder. With coon trappers using more snares, 220s and now dogproof traps the number of possible incidental mink catches in my opinion is significantly reduced. I hesitate to make this statement, but in this current age of instant gratification the patience and persistence needed for mink trapping may be a harder to find???

As for weasels in my area ever so often I hear of one but they are usually found dead around grain handling or livestock facilities. I suspect from the poison used at such places or eating prey that had previously eaten poison. maybe?

Thank you all for the responses.
Jim

Interesting thoughts

This pretty much sums it up for the way trapping is change from the years past. Then also with the fur price down also so not many is being trap. Just like the beaver there in not many being trap with the low fur price. I had got 2 male mink this past season in the same set . They are out there but like is stated in your post here for how things change.

A combination of more raptors, more otter (here anyhow) and low fur prices will effect catch rates on these "surveys". How many people are targeting mink these days?

There's less mink here in the local river since the otter moved in. About the same in areas where otter aren't.

Well if your alarmed now just wait until I tell about that report, get ready to fall out of your chair and have 911 handy. That report is the biggest bunch of horse crap I have ever seen. Complete waist of trees. True numbers aren’t even close to what they report, figure about 20 percent and you will have your actual numbers on everything but cats

Could some of this be based on mailed surveys returned? Here in MN some people tear up the survey cards or simply don’t return them to the DNR. Then there are those who ship fur to NAFA, etc. How do those numbers get estimated? It’s probably a fair guesstimate but nothing more than a guesstimate if only 55% of the survey cards were returned. And this is a typical survey number return for mailed survey results.

I caught a few this year. I see them every now and then but even in the hay days of mink never did see any more or less then now here.

Not sure what the MN survey says but would not doubt it is down as well even though there seems to be a lot of mink around this area of the state anyways

Year befor last I started counting and keeping track of how many and where they were getting hit on the road, first year I counted 72 last year that number was up to 87 and this year so far I have counted 63 and the years still young, allot this along the 68 mile stretch of road between my house and work

Outside of myself I only seen 2 other water trappers the whole season

Look at those other numbers though. 'Coon was down as well but that's undoubtedly due to lack of trapping and hunting due to low fur prices. When you look at your muskrat numbers, they're up. I'd say your lack of mink harvest numbers is tied to the lack of 'coon harvest. And as far as that goes, so does the way 'coon harvest has taken place over the last 10 or so years. If folks are trapping more bridges, culverts, ditches, etc w/ DP's vs foot hold (pocket sets, fish stake, etc), that would definitely make up a difference. Could be a disease as well? Just some thoughts.

With this water we have now those numbers might start going up in the near future, a mink in the dry season would be venerable to raptors and other predators during the dry times, you would think people are less likely to target them in the dry years also. Also the prices are in the tank!

I really didn't suspect the otter as a predator to the mink. Silly me makes sense. Honestly I used to toss the survey's felt like it was none of their business knowing what my personal catch was. Now I fill them out every year and state it's time for an otter season. The otters are here and many private lake owners despise them. Congrats to the game and parks on the reintroduction success...but now what's next. Management harvest we hope???

You guys are missing the point, that survey is hot garbage. They don’t know if there was 1 or 1 million harvested. I can tell younwith one hundred percent certainty that the real number is closer to 100 then 1000 and has nothing to do with disease or predators or drought. When I’m don working I’ll explain more but to darn busy to be one the phone right now

Who will gear up for a $5 mink anyways if you have $80 yotes running around? I set the heck out of them when I was near Brookings but don't set for them here most years for several reasons now.

Do you think in places there just to many owls and hawks now days and there just putting to much pressure on small animals and game birds. We are cover up in em.

Here with little cover if a mink wants to disappear they dive in the water but if the creek is shallow and dry they have no place to hide so easy pickings on the younger ones.

We do have mink without a doubt. I suspect we should look at that survey as an indication of trapper targeted animals more than a reflection of animal populations.

Lots of good points here. Our mink numbers seem to be down long term. And our otter numbers are very high. The two species don't seem to get along too well.

I can tell you one thing and that is within the last few years around my area with low prices, there is a lot more mink running around my woods and following the creeks. Also as a side note I have seen probably the same two otters but I've seen them 10 different times in the creek by my house which I havent seen otters there in years.

Not a lot of 80.00 coyotes east of the Mississippi. Especially when you cull out the rubbed and mangy ones......