Ive got some of black mink/ news paper tubes boxes I've never had much luck with them but I was wondering if i would have been luck if I cut the other end open and patched it with some mesh wire maybe even window screen it would give the appearance of a tunnel with light on both ends instead of a dark hole

I have the same issue here. Mink will not go in the boxes I have and I use a 7" x6" x 24'" plastic box with slots on the sides. I was thinking of doing the same thing. I have even buried the box in a log jam and still no mink enter. But then I realized I can walk one way or the other and make a decent blind set or some other set and leave the boxes home. I am curious if others have the same issue.

I don't think adding some screen is going to make much of a difference. But you never know.
I don't have much luck using any kind of box for mink trapping.

Me either i usually just leave them home but I always try at least one a year with no luck so far

I have built my own boxes, maybe 16" long. They have screen covering the back. I also have no bottom in my box in the front half of the box to try and make it closer to natural.

Multi species box, I have some 120 boxes with deep slots and would turn the trap around to be closer to the bait

Haven't trapped mink for 20 plus years now. When I experimented with the tunnel traps, I bought more and gave up on the boxes. Mink can weasel thru a 110 easily. Trail sets w/ a good stabilizer seem to work good though. 3/32 snare ferrules w/ monofilament fishing line for a trip wire is a plus. Not a pro by any means, just my experience.

What about using black 4 inch drain tile with a 110 in each end snuggled up against the bank on a creek?

Never worked for me.

I think the problem are the use of 110s. Now if you placed that tubing in shallow water and used some foot holds you might have a better chance.

Darn, lol, I thought that too…

I made some collapsible wire cubby’s for marten, I used them one year and caught mink in them with 120’s. I just camouflaged them with old grass. Had half a muskrat inside.

wws