Areas that have a good mink population, have open water all season, and can trap during breeding season all important factors to consider.

Many people think Minnesota is the best, but there are at least three other states that have had larger numbers taken in a season than the year Gerald and Fossil have done.

beaver peeler,,,,i believe it was 98 or 99, but not sure. normally we did everything in 3 weeks time, no open water all season, and no trapping during breeding season, like Arkansas. the year we had 6 weeks was a fluke, or a blessing. taking 130+ mink a week for 6 weeks is something i wont soon forget. over 600 coon and whatever beaver, rats and otters were all incidentals also. busy busy.

I’ve caught my share but Gerald and Fossil are in a class by themselves in Minnesota with the numbers they put up. There’s a trapper or two in Iowa that have made some huge catches as well. Be interesting to see what mink catches will look like this fall. I personally doubt they get overproduced. It’s always fun to talk about big numbers in trapping. Talked about and running a longline are two different things. I’m making plans for fall and like everyone else thinking mink.

I d probably pick southern Iowa because of milder winters but a good quality mink. The South doesn’t have a great mink. Maybe with this year’s market that wouldn’t matter as much I don’t know. What states you thinking Mike?

blackhammer,,,good luck this fall. i'll get out a little at least. at my age, its good to remember the good years past, but i aint dead yet. like you say,,,see what happens.

southern iowa and arkansas have decent conditions, late season open water trapping, and a long time to catch. i dont have the time to run a couple hundred traps for so long down there. need to get in/out with the mink. southern mink keep coming all season off/on.

Fossil, go get them this fall so I can live vicariously through you lol. We should meet up in Sunberg one of these nights for supper.

Steve

steve,,,give me a call when youre in the area. im always hungry.

Tim I'm in Alex until the snow flies. I'll call you.

As far as what a respectable mink catch is, in my neighborhood I would say a 100. Weather can shut us down in days. If the weather cooperates higher if a feller can go all day every day and is willing to maybe spend the night somewheres.

In my immediate area,1 . But if you get in the crawfish ponds, a couple hundred.

A few years ago an Iowa coon trapper took 4000 coon. He took 800 incidental mink. He told this at the Iowa convention. He is not a story teller. He uses one basic chunk of carp in a hole at waters edge over and over all day long.

ROW trapping is not possible here anymore the theft rate is to high ,And they dont care if you know ,Watched a guy with a spotting scope once lift one from my set at the next stop he showed me his mink .Guy had a lot of money but no mink .

99 here couldnt catch that 100th , alot of traps, alot of hours.

I used to envy the areas Jim Spencer had on the farmland portion of his Arkansas line. The mountain portion I already had.

Spent many years trying to hit that 100 mark, very close but I couldn’t buy the last couple.
Then something clicked and started hitting/and or going above.
(This word is unacceptable on Trapperman) I miss those days!

What bait and or lure did you use in the pockets? Thanks.

What kind of trap numbers do you guys run? I want to do a couple hundred this year but see if I can acquire the extra hundred traps I need. I have right around 100 1-1/2s

You need more unless the weather cooperates

All depends how many traps you can run! If you can keep 100 traps set, baited, and moved regularly it’s time to look at getting more. Many trapping MN running full time will have 300+ traps out for mink.



Easy to get fish is the most popular things used. Bullheads heads are my favorite. Carp are popular. Muskrat is popular in areas, and I have used beaver before too.