Thought it was a pretty decent catch for oy running 12 pockets on 2 properties.

Very nice. I wish we had them.

Cool!

Nice! How do you keep the pockets working with the ice?

I'm guessing that's only the tip of the iceberg, for this season.

Awesome! I get to start making my sets this coming weekend. It's on now!

Im guessing setting in riffles or having several pm hours before it freezes?

[Extra deep pockets as deep as you can get with a sharp shooter with the trap IN the mouth of the pocket will gain you several days . The warm water in the back of the pocket will keep it thawed out an inch or two out from the mouth of the pocket until it gets dang cold. Atleast cold enough i dont wat to play in the water anymore

Last yr Hogwild ended his season with 51 mink. I think he is off to a great start. Do we see 100? This year? Keep it going!

Off to a good start

Awesome start to the season. Mink are super fun!

Keep busting ice but in a decently good sized area. Not just directly around the pocket but maybe 2,3, even 4 out. Plus, set in moving water whether it's a drain pipe, field tile, a riffle, etc.

Keep busting ice but in a decently good sized area. Not just directly around the pocket but maybe 2,3, even 4 out. Plus, set in moving water whether it's a drain pipe, field tile, a riffle, etc.
I hope you are right! 😀

Only 34.

I hope you are right!

Good job!

Good job! Pawnee, I don't know what part of Kansas you live in but when I was stationed at Fort Riley in the 80s I caught a lot of mink around Milford Reservoir and Republican river.

Deep water horizon me also. Knee to thigh deep water is high for me. Takes more time to freeze over.

Whats the muskrat population like?

Not very good at all where I have permission except one creek. Public areas near me have a decent amount of them.

I mean dig your pocket extra deep .the deep hole will act as a warm well
The warmer water in the pocket will keep the ice thawed out in the mouth of the pocket

You certainly have it figured out Bud. Please keep sharing with us. If only people knew the time, effort, and prep you stick into your line...

Thanks Al. I appreciate the comment.

Good to see some pics Todd. Patience as the great one says. You setting any snares?

Russ

No, Russ, I am not. I thought about buying a doz and trying them out but haven't made the jump.

You running floppers? I followed fossil's advice and upped my catch rate considerably. Pretty sure I was catching swimming mink in flooded pockets at times.

Enlighten me on the term floppers.

Mink no.7, second one from this set but he was cotton.

Flopper pans, I got my pan tension down to ounces.

I use night latched traps or Wild River pans.

How you like the wild river pans Todd. I know Randy runs them. Last I talked to him he seems to like them a lot. Have you caught any coon using them and if so is the wild river pans beat up any?

Russ

If you are night latching you can bend the end of the dog down to reduce pan tension. Once I got my tension really down I started picking up catches I probably should have missed otherwise.

I have used them for a few years and I really like them. In fact, I just installed 4 dozen this fall. Very easy to install and you can set them with little tension or a lot. As far as coon go, no issues with the pans being bent or anything like that. High quality product for sure!

I have used them for a few years and I really like them. In fact, I just installed 4 dozen this fall. Very easy to install and you can set them with little tension or a lot. As far as coon go, no issues with the pans being bent or anything like that. High quality product for sure!

I haven't done that but I do debur the dog and file a slight angle on it.

Nice work, I'm paying attention.....

Thanks. I am just trying to help someone out that may need it. I'm still really new at this mink trapping thing. I started actually targeting them 2 years ago and nabbed 13 and last year jumped to 34. Sure wish I had the knowledge I have now 35 years ago when I first started trapping.

Mink no 8, good sized male that was caught yesterday.

Thanks for sharing and updating this thread. Are you catching most in pockets sets?

Your targeting is working pretty well I'd say. Very nice!

How many coons do you catch if you don't me asking? I'm assuming that you're setting plenty of pocket sets.

All of them have come from pockets.

All of them have come from pockets.

My catch ratio is 8 mink, 11 coon. I put out 8 pockets yesterday for a total of 19. 45 coon for the season. Not having a great season by any stretch but compared to last, a lot better so far.

I'll have to think about how I'm going forward. I was originally going to try setting a bunch of pockets but I know I'm going to have coons in most of them. I don't think anyone has trapped coons here in years as evidenced by the huge numbers killed on the roadways and of course the amount of sign I see along the waterways and cornfields. Mink I definitely want to target but coons I'd like to avoid. The amount of time I'd need to spend on properly handling coon pelts I just don't have and I'm not going to trap them just to bury. I'm fooling around with 110 body grips at this point. Going out and make more sets right now, in the ice rain, in fact. Man I love this stuff. Setting the trap deeper in the pocket reduces the number of coons AND mink one catches. I use drowning wires or body grippers so whatever gets into my sets is usually dead when I get there.

Keep posting your progress I'm loving this stuff. You're not having a bad season either

i've caught 2 coons in 100 sets in 3 checks.years of avoiding them has me doing it without even thinkin about it.

That's impressive!

How do you go about doing that?

mostly by conibears and putting footholds extra tight to the vertical edge.one reason i'm a huge fan of the bottom edge set.no bait or lure also.

Now we're talking, I can deal with a couple of coons for hats and such but I don't have time to deal with large numbers of them.

I am certain that large numbers could be taken easily, BUT if/when the prices make a comeback I might just start again.

I just made some PVC pipe mink "box's" today and they hold a 110 body-grip PA legal deep, 7" from the opening,

Maybe I'll post some shots after I try them out.

I need to buy a dozen 120"s too....just starting to learn to use the bottom edge sets.

You're never too old to learn things. That's why I'm here, to learn and share.

Good stuff gents!

Do 110s have to be recessed 7"? I dont use portable cubbies but I thought it was only for bigger traps. Check the laws Im not totally sure about that one......

I did look too, you're right I don't think 110's have to be but if I can keep the bandits from sticking their heads in there I'm for it.

Here are some pics took today of some bottom edge sets I made yesterday.



I connected with a surprise rat on one.
Hopefully this gives some people an idea of where a bottom edge set can be made. There are many other spots one can choose from but these are the only ones I have out right now. Fingers crossed for a mink.

Not a mink but it's better than nothing.

they may be better on rats than mink.

Its looking that way, at least at this particular stop. Either way, I'll take them.

Excellent! Thanks for the pix.

You're welcome.

One of the "problems" I'm looking at right now is not trying to find locations that look good, because there are literally hundreds that "look" good.

It's setting the "right" locations that will catch the mink. That's only going to come with continued effort. I haven't deliberately focused on mink in the past but now I am.

The nice thing about these forums is that we can share and take advantage of each other's experiences.

I certainly appreciate the shared information.

So I'll be spending even more time looking for the "pinch" points. I'll get some pictures today. Right now I'm trapping the tributaries that dump into a reservoir and there are mile after mile of mud banked streams draining into the lake.

The beavers also love this stuff and make it rough on older humans, probably younger ones too, to move through and work in these area's. I fell over last week and pulled out of my left wader which was stuck in the mud.

But I'll have to adapt what I'm doing to fit with work (I'm on vacation since Thanksgiving) I cross over at least a dozen streams on my way to and from work and I know the mink are here.

"One of the "problems" I'm looking at right now is not trying to find locations that look good, because there are literally hundreds that "look" good. eek

It's setting the "right" locations that will catch the mink. That's only going to come with continued effort. I haven't deliberately focused on mink in the past but now I am."

Sounds to me you are doing quite a bit of walking along the same creeks. I think that is what you mean by "100s of locations". They might all be good, eventually. I spot trap and set bridge walls and can usually at least find one other BE within a short walking distance. If there are 4 close, I will set all 4. All I can say is some hit, some don't. Some give up a couple, some catch none,. Some catch the last night, some catch the 1st night. I am stubborn and have set some that are close and catch one after years of setting, but its along the way and easy to check.

No.9

No.10

Threw these portable pockets in today to see if I can get lucky on one of them.

Good point. Yes indeed, I need to expand my territory and trap inventory. Well I'm still paying attention anyway.

Portable pockets are something I'm making and setting now too.

I might have to get some new coon boards too because pocket sets are coming soon.

I'm enjoying this thread, thanks.

i've been through every mink gadget there is and am back to a shovel walkin stick and 4 or 5 prewired traps in my pocket.experiment and learn what works best for you.

Congratulations!

Another possible location for a rat or mink.

Get'r done hogwild. Great post, nice fur, and thanks for keeping us in the loop!!

Interesting thread, thanks for posting.

Just trying to give people some ideas as to where to set for mink. I'm no expert, just sharing what little knowledge I have on the subject. Thanks to all who have chimed in.

Mink no.11

Awesome pictures and catches guys. I pulled that first line today as I get ready to move to a private permission.

My time is limited during regular working weeks so it is what it is. I wish I had time to put out and check more than a couple dozen traps.

In any case, 18 traps in about 1/2 a mile of beaver infested drainage into a reservoir, 2 weeks trapping time, 18 rats and 1 buck mink (minus the antlers)

Mink no.12

Here is the spot where she came from.

Nice....I'll be setting up a pond and another creek this coming weekend in fact. The owner showed me video of the mink running along the far bank and dam. The culvert is full of tracks and the rat huts on the pond look well maintained.

gettum fellas,i'm gettin ready to hit a little long haired fur.-tight chains to ya both.

Mink no.13

I should be getting traps back out on Saturday. Maybe I'll catch a couple more myself but until then I'm enjoying your success. Thanks again hog.

same here.i do have 1 trap out back i reset yesterday and i'm ready to load and get goin a little again but not til tomorrow at the earliest.

edit-1 for 1 today with a mushrat in the pipe and anothers track in the snow for tomorrow.

Well, I definitely missed one, maybe 2 today. The snow sure tells you a lot. I missed one in a pocket set for sure and possibly had one squeeze through the triggers of a body grip that i had set up in a hole on a high bank. Looks like he went right through the very middle of the opening as it was the only spot not covered in snow.

Todd,

You possibly need to tune your body gripper properly, shape the trigger wires properly, and start the trigger. Also check and make sure your trap didn't freeze to the ground as last night was real cold as you know.

Hogwild, can you share what traps your using, and how are you setting up the connibears? Do you set on a brick?

Randy, it was a 257 but set for a coon and not a mink. Forgot to lighten the trigger. And, no, it was not frozen to the ground. I will try a new trigger configuration today on a couple 257's I set purposefully for mink, one being the aforementioned trap.

I use mostly 110's but on this patch of ground I didn't have any with me so I used a little larger trap, called a 257, that a friend used to make. It can be set hard for coon or light for mink. I think WCS now makes that size. As for bottom edge sets, I have some bricks set up for 110's. If setting directly on the ground, a couple small twigs/branches can be used underneath them if in freezing conditions.

Mink no.14

Love the thread I’m heading out to set some pocket sets tomorrow ( never trapped mink before ) are mink boxes worth using ?

I can't say anything about the mink boxes because I just set my first cage last week. I'm mostly a pocket set guy but have recently started setting some body grips and colonies for them along with rats.

PVC pipe cubby with muskrat meat for bait..I made two of these sets

Plenty of tracks in this creek bottom

Mink ran right through this spot so I put a 110 there...

Bottom edge set right where anything that is hugging the bottom there might just run into my trap...we'll see...

And I got a half dozen baited 110's through some sketchy ice for rats on the pond....but I didn't venture far out on it at all..

Those sets look nice. Good luck and keep us posted on your success.

Can you guys help me out on best footholds for mink? I currently have duke 1.5. Will they work?

very well i believe

In my opinion they are the best 1 1/2 coil on the market. Put Mike Kelly's Wild River pans on them and you have a trap that is hard to beat. Without the Wild River pans they are still one heck of a trap but the Wild River pans make them even better.

How much pan tension?

i like to tighten it down till it stands by itself then slowly back the screw off till it drops on its own.mink are awful light critters.

Make your pan free falling. Also a shot of WD-40 on the pan bolt and nut will make it move smooth and easy. As PCR said , mink are light and if too much tension is used you may miss some.

I agree. Most of my mink traps are double jawed dukes.

Do tell the Fisher story unless I'm mistaken, you ain't getting that critter in a 110. Maybe it's just too early in the morning for me....

Unless you folks have some interesting chemistry going on in God's country that looks like a mink's larger cousin..

I do think we will see them open up here in WMA 1A too.....

We now have a large number of coyote here, bears are moving back in, and I want to see the Pine Martin start eating all these squirrels and other vermin.

I too have Duke traps now since that's what my local supply house carries in stock. (can't be much of a market for the guy so I'm grateful he's here at all and will continue to buy supplies from him)

So far the only complaint I have with Dukes is the chain has some pretty sharp ends on each link from the manufacturing, other than that they work well.

i've watched this one work since archery season.he lived in a giant blowdown of hemlocks with a hidden spring pond.for weeks i've watched in the snow wwhere he'd go to 2 big beech trees with porkies in them.he'd climb them and look all around for them but not once was he foolish enough to go in the bottom hole and be looking at the wrong end of the porky.caught him in a walk through set with venison fat for bait.

Friggin awesome...... Congratulations on that catch and good job!

I just got back from a check, missed something in one of my pipe cubbies, hopefully it was a coon.

Else I just educated a mink NOT to look into PVC drainage pipes.

Man I wish I had the time to expand especially with no one (hardly anyone that is) trapping.

Since our season for rats and mink is so short I might just do it anyway and give up some sleep.

There's an old rail bed here that has a boatload of culverts running under it with plenty of sign.....I can run that before work and my other line after.

Rat trapping is difficult here right now since the ice is not fit for walking on (extremely dangerous actually), or seeing through, and we're down to a just few more weeks.

I'm making weasel boxes now.

This has been a very interesting read especial before Christmas.
What's the old mink trappers phrase; Send a Christmas card to your mink

Haven't had this happen in many years. This is the same colony trap I caught a female in not too long ago.

Not from the first week, but a first for me. Big hole set lured with beaver liver and red fox gland lure and bobcat urine.

That is a really awesome pic. I'm sure you were shocked when you saw the mink.

Otter perhaps? Nice photos and thanks for sharing!

Chris

took a buck mink in the pipe out back,makes 11 rats and a mink from that 110.

No otter in the immediate area.

That's a fertile pipe right there...

Something making a meal out of a rat perhaps?

Doubtful but you never know.

Nice looking sets. Good luck the last couple weeks.

"Bad ice and changing weather, flooding from heavy rains, then thawing and 50's, has made things interesting. I don't see any fresh sign at all.....yet. "

I don't put a lot of faith on sign, weather conditions/hard pan usually rule out any sign, coupled with the fact a swimming mink leaves no sign.

had a big male otter flatten the 110 in the pipe last night.