First I will answer a couple of questions from prior picture posts:
When we skinned ranch mink did we save the glands? No. We were skinning between 25 and 40 thousand mink. We started to skin the mink usually on November 16, just before they were fully prime. Our mink were fully prime by November 20. That means that every day after November 20 that they were alive they had to be fed and cared for which is money down the drain. The idea was to pelt them out as quickly as possible and stopping to harvest glands would have meant less mink got skinned that day costing more in feed than glands were worth. Besides we cut through most of the glands as we were not concerned about the smell, it was not a scent free job.

What does a mink snare look like, cable size, lock etc.? Todays first 2 pictures are what a mink snare should look like. Made of 1/16, 7x7 cable, ( 1x19 cable is too stiff in 1/16 to go to the small loop required)thinner cable may cut thru a mink's skin as mink do not succumb to a snare quickly, their neck is all muscle. It must have an inline swivel as close to the snare loop size as possible, mink are twisters, not strong pullers. A snare with only an end swivel if he gets it wrapped around a root or bush will be twisted off. The main thing is it must be fast. To do this requires a "hard" load to the cable. Now lots of trappers can load a snare for coon or fox and most of them are soft loaded, they load enough to get a round loop. A hard loaded loop is cable that is really loaded (almost bent into a "C" incorporated with a sharp bend in the cable at the lock) to a almost self firing mode. When done correctly the snare at the slightest touch should fire from it's set size of 2 1/2 to 3 inches down to a 1 inch diameter loop. Dry fired with your finger, the lock should rotate 180 degrees as in the second snare picture. Over the years I caught quite a few weasels in mink snares. Many locks will not work on a mink snare, they just do not go well on a hard loaded cable.

Did I use bait at my sets for mink? No.
Strictly blind sets, bait attracts skunks, possums and coons all of which would screw up my set.




Today's photos are all at the same location. This was a hole that ran from an undercut root system to the high bank. For about 10 years it was good for more that 20 mink a year, then it washed away and was gone. I have tried to recreate this set in other locations making like an elbow set with limited results. In order to protect it from snow and ice I used pieces of bark over top of the snare. Most pics the mink was killed and the snare reset before the photo. Over the years the hole got bigger and bigger as you can see in the photos. I would just block down the sides with sticks.

Nice!

Tank you for this

Crazy, but cool.

keep it simple,

very cool! thanks for sharing!

Your info on the SF mink operation reminds me of my after-school job each fall: skinning mink for the Yuscius mink farm in Layfayette in Sussex County. I smelled like mink-butt every day in school for a month or two. The Yuscius boys and I would peel and board 5- 7,000 mink each fall. I've been bitten by several "dead" mink! Ah, the memories!

Pete

Yes

Eric, does that snare in the pic have the modified bmi lock?

The King of mink!!!!

Yes

Eric- could you post a video showing the extent of the load on your mink snares.

Also, do you think the mink musk from the first catch helped or hurt for future catches? I guess the only way to know would be a set that caught nothing for a long time that suddenly got hot after the first catch.

Thx- Dean