So I’m dealing with a Port Authority, they are having problems with both rats and mink on the docks.

My plan is to build some boxes and deploy 120’s inside them. Kinda like a Maine marten box to exclude the lynx. The port is worried about dogs? I would think both mink and rats would go into the boxes, pan activate the 120’s. Big bloody chunk of beaver for bait ? What’s the best size hole? I’m thinking 2-1/2” or 3”?

Any other ideas, these are both commercial docks and some public docks, hoping to screw boxes to the edges of the docks.

wws

Cage traps

The mink are eating the rats. Focus on the rats and the mink should move on.

Vinke , I’m thinking kill traps to get a longer check time. EBL, I could go with bait boxes with big e snap traps inside, I guess if the mink stick around kill them later. I’ll give these some thought.

wws

I trapped quite a few mink in ermine boxes in Alaska. I was using a 2" hole with a #1 long spring inside and either a frozen herring or a piece of duck carcass, (no breast meat). These were solid boxes about 12" long with a hinged lid and the 2" hole drilled in one end.
Of course, the mink were all caught by the front leg, and I was fortunate that I always secured the box to a tree using an eye bolt to the box and a shot of 1/16" cable and a snap on either end. Didn't want other critters wrecking the box or hauling it off altogether.
It got me thinking...why not make a box with a 3" hole and a bit longer? That actually allowed both male and female mink access, and it worked, but every mink those caught were outside the box when I arrived. I fooled around with that idea some, and actually the best was a box as described but with a hardware cloth mesh back.
All that said, none equaled the boxes I made for both mink and marten...a 14" long box sized for my Belisle 120s using wood pedals and mesh back.

Ak Viking, I’m thinking that would also work on rats. I loaned a guy some 110’s years ago. He thought he had squirrels under his house. Caught a pile of rats. That was just with the wire triggers. A pan activated 120 in a box that does not allow it out and I could be set. I’ll have a bunch of seagulls looking into the box so need to plan for that.

wws