This first location is an old bridge abutment about 20 yards downstream from the present day bridge. The stream is about 15 feet wide and makes a sharp turn just below the old abutment. That situation sets up every mink to "cut the corner" right to this side of the bridge abutment. The first few years I set this spot I was having trouble keeping the snares working due to the constant snow. Still I was catching up to 25 mink a year here. I added the 4 foot piece of 24 inch diameter smokestack pipe to make a snow proof set. Over the years floods have silted in that pipe so that it is about half buried in the dirt. A few years later I added another piece of culvert pipe against the corner which gives me 4 working snares regardless of the weather as the snares are recessed a few inches into the pipe. I use a brick for a drag and also twist my support wire on the brick. Snare on a brick is now my go to for mink snaring.
I set my mink snares about February 10 and run them until March 10 or so. I am catching the males as they are running the banks looking for females. My male to female catch ratio is about 10 to 1. That way I do not hurt my mink population by killing too many females.









Some of the bridges by me have a concrete "step" built into the walls. These are mink highways and are so easy to set. The pictures show it better than I can explain it. Mink gets snared and the brick drops off into the water. Other bridges are concrete all the way across the bottom or have shallow water from wall to wall. In these spots I place a few rocks along the wall and put my snare on top of them. Mink will always climb up on the rocks and I snare them there. This also allows for water rising, lowering, freezing or thawing, my snare is always working.











Bridge side walls where the water is deep I set my snares where the mink will exit the water to run the bank again, anywhere from 2 to 20 inches above the water level. Again using a brick for support and drounder weight. Nice thing about bricks is they show up well under water to find your catch.

My favorite mink set that is not bridge related is an abandoned bank beaver lodge. Mink will go in and out of these any time of the year but man are they hot spots for late season mink. I poke several holes in these old lodges as I want as many snares set there as I can get. My best at one lodge in one check is 5 male mink but many times I get doubles and triples. When I was younger I would walk a long way just to set up an old bank lodge.


Never overlook the top of a gravel bank for snaring red foxes. I caught a dozen reds here this year, sadly most had the mange and were not skinable. Just be careful and not have the gravel bank cave in on you. 



The only trap I use for rats is a 3 door colony trap, anywhere from 3 to 4 feet long. A large flap of wire fastened on the front blocks off a culvert pipe, ditch or marsh run so the rats have to enter the trap. In a culvert pipe situation always slide the trap into the downstream side so if it floods the trap does not go into the culvert and wedge, blocking it. I always cover the trap with vegetation, I find they catch more that way and varmits (owls, eagles, and coons are the main ones) do not see them under water and harm the pelts.These will hold up to 15 rats or mink. In years when I get an otter permit I wire the back door shut and get my otter in them also. These otter picture is not from this year. If I have a beaver permit, same thing, these traps will hold up to a 30 pound beaver (along with rats and mink).









Black rats are not that common around here, about 5% are black. They sure are pretty.

Great post & pics Eric.
Wish we were allowed colony traps in PA

great tutorial! great looking mink/rat country as well. thanks!

Eric, awesome tutorial thank you for this post.

Awesome post . What size cable do you use for mink ?

Sorry, bad storm here and my internet went out before I finished this last part:
This is how I stretch a mink. Squaring the mink up on the board, take your thumbs and spread the tail so the leather shows. Take one pin and pull the pelt down snug then place that pin through the leather just above the tail. Place another pin on each side of this first pin and now here is the key: place a piece of plain (not with colored print as it will bleed into the leather)  cardboard over the tail and secure it with 2 pins thru the cardboard and the tail. Cardboard works better than wire mesh as it absorbs all the grease from the tail and keeps the fur fluffy. Turning the pelt over, I pin down the back legs, tuck in the front legs, add the belly wedge and pin the lip to it. I do not pin the back legs on the back with the tail because my buyers do not want them that way. After the pelt is dry and removed from the stretcher I lay them on plain cardboard, placing another plain cardboard on top of them on a mouse proof table and add some weight to press the skins flat. Cardboard absorbs all the remaining grease giving you a beautiful looking mink pelt.

Here is a closeup of snare on a brick. Mink snares are 7x7, 1/16 cable. Must have an in-line swivel. Most time if the mink drounds the snare can be reused with a little re-straightening.

Thanks Eric, a ton of valuable info there.

you be a snaring s o b!

As always Eric, great information and outstanding pictures. Thank you.

Mac

Thanks for sharing.

Eric great pics and info. Thanks!

Great sharing of sets and how to photos Eric. Always love to see how others roll.

Thanks, Eric always informative and enjoyable.

Eric,

Great pics. Reminds me of when I rode with you for a day.

Great post! Thanks@

Ive pretty much learned that anytime a mink can stay dry they will, and when forced to they'll be in the water. Most of the males I catch have ticks in the shoulders.