what is everybody's favorite after freeze up mink sets? best lure and bait? any advice? I really want to catch my first mink.

Blind sets along Spring fed runs. I have used a little bait or lure, but very minimal amounts. Lure dip the end of a toothpick in lure and stick it in the bank near the trap.

Garry-

I use mink boxes set with waxed 120's at mink travelways with beaver meat for bait.

A 110 set in the travel way works good

If you have access to some grass make a mound along a area they are traveling, punch a hole in it and bait and lure

Look for open areas where the water flow keeps it open and put in a pocket

Follow there tracks and look for spots they are investigating such as a hole ect and put a trap in front of it maybe with a little lure added

under and over ice shelves where the water flows . waxed 110s are your tool .

Bottom edge sets - 150s and colony traps. Keep it simple and easy.

Don't overlook those little channels below beaver dams. Dam crossovers are good mink sets, often they are not the main crossover. The snow will show you where.

Do these still work for mink under ice? The creeks I trap will stay open for a while, but after ice over, some times there isn't any open water for quite a ways.

Body grip over holes they make into muskrat houses.

Mink box ...with a 2 inch entry hole....with a 110.... bait and a smear of weasel lure in the back of the box....just set the box next to a steam.

I've had pretty fair success with the same set up too.

The main things to remember about the boxes are to set on LOCATION where mink travel, have the back of the box wire mess screened for air movement and box see through effect, camouflage the box well with surrounding vegetation/snow or whatever and hide the bait with dry grass so the mink will enter the box searching for it, and keep the bait fresh.

---The best location for boxes is at beaver pond outlets, overhanging banks, small feeder stream entrances with larger water courses, at active and abandoned beaver lodges and alongside open water areas of frozen streams.

---Use a box with a wire mesh back for air/scent flow and see through effect and an entrance cover with a 2 ½ inch hole. Mink explore holes all the time and thus it's my opinion, and experience, that the hole is an attraction to them. Another advantage of the restrictive entrance hole is that when trapping a farm area, it restricts barn cats from entering.

---Use a pan trigger set up. Although mink are accustomed to tunneling through vegetation, it is my understanding and experience that, many will often balk at the cold, hard and stiff wires in their face at the box entrance and shy away from entering. Whereas with a pan trigger trap set CLOSE to a concealed bait at back of the box, and nothing in their face, they will proceed to enter and investigate further thus stepping on the pan and getting caught.

---Place your lure (weasel gland) on a small bush at back of the box low to the ground and close to the box.

After ice up they work better!

thank you for all the great ideas i will have to try them out.

BE sets work as well under the ice as they do before freeze-up. The lousier the weather, the better. The only thing that will knock them out of commission is being frozen into the bottom of the ice.

Bottom edge set is my favorite way to catch mink after ice up, the set will also catch you alot of rats

Can anyone post a pic of their mink boxes and dimensions??

Mink/Marten Box:



Dimensions: For 5/8 or 3/4 inch lumber or plywood
Bottom 8” x 18”
Top 8” x 14”
Sides 6 ½” x 14”

Inside Dimensions
Width: 6 ¾ inches
Height: 6 ½ “
Notes:

1. Use restricted blackened lid cover with 2 ½” diameter hole for mink and box covered well with grass or debris. Mink are attracted to round holes and this size hole will restrict barn cats when trapping farm areas but allow mink and marten into the box.

2. Cut spring slots to 9” depth within 5” of back of box so that trap can be set within four inches of the bait at back of box. Spring slot width is 1 inch.

3. Two 2 ½ inch finish nails up thru bottom of box at the back to impale bait on.

4. Wire mess for back of box for air/scent flow and see through effect.