How are you guys setting bottom edge sets after freeze up? Same as you would otherwise, but you chop an ice block out instead? Or are you just setting between 2 open holes?

Very seldom would I have to break through much ice early on, but if I had to I would rely on previous years locations. Going in cold I would do bridge walls and pick steep banks if I had to. It sure would slow a guy down thats for sure.

Same locations as you would before freeze up. The only exception is that you might need a little deeper water depending on how thick the ice gets.

That's what my plan is anyway, just didn't know if I should be setting on top of, or under the ice.

What advantage is a 120 over a 110 other than some power and speed, for a 2 pound animal.....? Genuinely curious if you could elaborate.

Stabilizing is an advantage for the 120

Back when I used 110s for mink, I had mink still alive, likely hours after the catch. Especially with suitcase strikes. They are usually a weak trap. I will say that new Dukes are powerful, and would probably result in quick dispatch. And of course, as pointed out, a 120 is much more stable in most cases.

That would depend on how you hang your 110 in my opinion.

Interesting about the live caught mink, good point. I do have some old 110s from the 70's that are more than paid for with soft springs, no doubt.

I am just not impressed with the 110s power when not in a drowning situation. The last big buck mink I caught was alive when I got to him. By the time I took the 110 off of him, which was directly behind the head across his throat/airway, he was ready to take off. I could tell he had been doing a lot of struggling by the amount of frozen ground and chain he had messed up. I would much rather use a 120, or a 150 and have him dead instantly.
Again, this is just my opinion. I have also killed animals 2 to 3 times that size with a good new 110. But every time you set a trap it isn't quite as strong as before. I just know my weak 150s will make a new 110 look like nothing. Mostly personal preference, but that preference is coming from a few different past experiences.

A properly adjusted 110 with a strong spring will neck catch and kill a ground hog, I get that some guys have had bad experiences but a mink is no powerhouse mammal. If animals had MMA there would be no contenders that were mink or muskrat, they are just built too light. Just my opinion, set what makes you happy.

I always preferred weaker springs on 110s for a more sensitive trigger. That said, I'm usually in water or very close. Even with a strong spring, I doubt most strikes kill them instantly.

My brand new duke 110s will absolutely kill big mink. Now my older victors and belisles are where I start having issues on land. Just don't like walking up to a perfect neck catch and seeing it still moving. Mink are basically a mean squirrel, but I prefer them dead. If I had all brand new 110s I'd be fine setting them.

Belisle doesn't make a 110 to my knowledge.

You are correct. All I can see is a B on the dog, I'd assume bridger then? The dog only has 2 notches, unlike my dukes with 3.

Yes, Bridger. I don't like any body-grip they have made. My son bought a dozen 120s against my advice a few years ago. A week after that season opened, I was suddenly short a dozen Belisles! LOL. He switched. I have handled their 280 and 330 as well. Not a fan. I do like their #5 Alaskan coilspring trap. Only cry once when you buy Belisle Traps.

Agree, I have a few belisle 330s and a ton of duke 330s. The belisle are good enough that when I go to set runs I save the best ones for the belisles ha ha

Back to mink boxes.

I tracked 100s of mink in the winter and I found that every mink that came across a hole would investigate but It wouldn't go in unless that hole went someplace and had an exit. So, I think that's the problem with your typical mink box.
Back in the day a ran a pretty extensive mink line I never caught a 100 but I was close several times. My go to winter mink set was a dug tunnel. I would use my Pick Matok to dig a trench. The trench was about 3' long and 6" deep and about that same width. I would cover the trench with shingles and them put some dirt or leavers over the shingles. I left a opening in the middle so I could bait it. I could cover that once I had baited It. This trench was about 12" above the water line. Both ends where open so the mink could go through the trench. When it was time to set the traps, I would place some dry sand in the trench to bed my traps. I never used this set till the dead of winter. I didn't want to be dealing with too many coon. I used #2 Victor square jaws.1 on each end. Sometimes I would bait the set up sometimes I didn't
Since our Road right away trapping is done, I'm not going to run mink line ever again. But If I could I would use that flexible drainpipe and bury that.
The other thing I would do was to build rock tunnels along the creek edges. I would build them so there would be about 1 or 2" of water running through them. You want the mink to be walking. But that drainpipe would be the way to go. I would go with at least 4' of pipe rock it in or stake it down. If done right these sets would be in place for years. You just need to get out and do your preseason work.

Beav, did you not have coon bothering these tunnel type sets? In a regular fall weather condition and an open winter, the coons would havoc any bait set before a mink would find it here. This year with warmer temps, the opossums add their smile to any set (coyote, coon, fox, mink etc.) with bait. Poor success with a mink box here UNLESS,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, a mink has found and killed or fed on an animal caught in my set, then the remains placed in a newspaper tube or wooden box cubbie is almost a sure thing. Guessing the mink has usually taken up sleeping quarters nearby and like Schwarzenegger, "Will Be Back"!!!!! Surprisingly, they will hunt rats around feed bunks on large feedlots and an enclosed box (similar to a larger weasel one to protect the barn cats) has worked for me. Its 1 and done on these and the operators would rather I caught the coons feeding in the bunks. The take-away here is the 'food source" seems to have reduced any caution and kicked in the predator instinct. My experience. .........the mike

I can totally see that working very well, Beav.