Do you remember your 1st Bottom Edge mink?

I read about it in the Trapper mag, Kens book wasn't even out yet. Thought I understood the concept and thought of this pool with a stump sticking out at the end. Butted a 110 up against it and wired it to the stump after sticking a stick through the spring. I thought "yea right" this aint gonna do &*%^. 2 days later a huge male mink is floating. I have caught many more at that location and 100s of others until gas and fur prices went crazy high/low. Been awful disappointed at quite a few I thought were gonna score and never did.

I do, and I'm still kicking myself for not recognizing the potential that was staring me in the face at the time. That was long before Ken Smythe wrote the book and I made the full leap into the BE world.

Small creek draining a larger watershed with a pond up above held back by a beaver dam. There were a few 'rats in the creek and I was using #110s in some of the runs I could find.

One day I happened to peel the marsh grass back and found this trail just at water's edge under the grass with lots of 'rat tracks. So I set the #110 smack dab onto the trail, butted up against the bank, with the intentions of having this bodygrip fall back into the drink once it fired.

It rained that night, water rose a foot, and upon checking the set the next day it held a beautiful buck mink.

I did reset that trap under water, caught a 'rat, then the water receded and bare trap on the run there it sat untouched. So was my brain.

If only I had known about BE sets back in the 60s . . .

And that's just fine. When I set up a new area I probably place a dozen BE sets in a 50 yard stretch, at least half a dozen on each side. Keep track of and record your scores and your misses.

What you'll find, which I'm sure you already have, is that mink, and 'rats, will favor one side over the other, for a ways, and then may switch sides. There will be those stumps, points, curves that are hot from November to early March, year after year after year.

Almost sets a fella to crying when he walks up to that spot where a log has forced critters around it for years only to find it gone in last summer's flood.

Yep, and just pulled a ADC muskrat golf course job. It poured here right after setting up...had to be 2 inches of rain. Couldn't access ponds because of flooding...water receded and had two turtles 2, large mouths and 6 rats....most for setting up BE structure.

Like it was yesterday, didin't have a name for it back then. When Smythe publizized it all the peices fell into place. Ounce I realized what to look for it was like a neon sign..

I used to fish with Ken, in a Bass Club back in the 70's be for he move up north in lower Michigan to do more trapping, I stopped by to see him one day and he took me out on his trap line and show me a lot of his sets, and that is what got me back into trapping again. He was a great guy, he will be missed, by all that knew him.

Neat story Mousey! With todays poor mink prices...the 'rats and mink glands sure help cover some of the time and costs when water trapping them. The BE set is the first thing I look for now...then I'll put in my pocket sets. ANYONE EVER run a line of ELBOW sets....another eye opener.

I have a pool that's got me thinking. If I kept it set long enough in our short PA season, I would get 3 a year out of it and many rats. Then it went to 2 a year and a couple rats. Last few years I was lucky to get 1 and no rats. This year I kept it set the whole season and scored a big fat 0.
Also set up a few that hadn't caught much in years start to give up some mink- funny how that works.

My first one was on a submerged corner of a concrete bridge about a foot deep. It sure looked silly to me but I had read the book and article. It sat there several days and then it came a big rise, too big to get to the set for a day. Went back and thought I saw some sort of debris in the trap but it was a muddy mink tail sticking up. During floods or rises are when it seems to connect best for me here.I also got into elbow sets one year and they work great if you have banks you can dig in. Caught several coon in that top 110.

A favorite of mine. Two #1 Bridger coilsprings outfitted with Duke #1 1/2 pans both S-hooked to drowner locks on same drowner cable. One trap goes back into the horizontal hole and sets just forward of the vertical hole. The other is just at the mouth of the horizontal hole.

Often score two critters at bottom of drowner cable. Sometimes one mink in both traps as it must've come down vertical hole first.

I try to get these dug out prior to cold weather. Bait gets pinned in back of horizontal pocket.

Good set for stable water conditions, still working for mink when water comes up.

When i ran the Elbow sets I didn't use bait due to the high coon pop. at the time...just the hole AND only one trap ...110 at the bottom hole. Had one check of 4 mink a 2 rats from a place where I only ever caught one mink before!

Wow! I've never heard of this "elbow set". I think I understand it and will try it this year. Is it just like a pocket set with a vertical hole at the back of the pocket (going up through the top of the bank)?

Bob Noonan has an excellent book on it, All Weather Mink.

Those of us who employ the elbow set probably make modifications to the set described quite well in Bob's book.
My guidelines:
1) No trap on top the vertical hole. All traps are set for drowning.
2) No bodygrip at the mouth of the horizontal hole. Anything that lays dead in the shallow water of the vertical bank's edge becomes dinner for an assortment of predators. Therefore . . .
3) Small foothold hooked up to slide wire that even 'rats and mink can take out and down and be out of sight.
Making that horizontal hole small in diameter will allow that improved Bridger #1 coilspring to fully guard the entrance.

Ok, now I am really intrigued...all this time I assumed (dangerous I know) that it was really a set for colder climates but if you just pulled up the adc job, and it’s june 27, i was dead wrong.

They work the bottom all the time, Its just when theres 10" of snow and 3" ofice they can eat better underwater, I guess.

A bit to add to Muskrat's set description and please keep in mind every location is different...my use of a 110(magnum by the way) was due to the several creeks I was building Elbow Sets on. We have a lot of that silty bottomless bottom waterways here. I found that propping a 110 mag at the bottom hole which was under water and the stabilizing it securely with a few short sticks enabled the 'rat/mink to get caught then kick off into the deeper mud/water. In other set locations Muskrat's idea of a foothold rigged to drown is excellent. Truthfully, I initially ran these sets using a Lefler stabilizer and a BMI mag 110.
they worked OK for the situation but found using short strong stabilizer sticks worked better.
Now for the BE sets ...I like Lefler stablizers all the way!

And the 110 is not laid flat when used on the top hole. Bob's book explains how he sets it up. I did use lure in the tunnel and I guess it was wafting up through the top hole like a chimney. I caught mink, coon, possums and some feral species in the top 110. Most of my streams a pocket is difficult to construct much less get the vertical,hole but on muddy, grassy banks I liked them. I like he set because your not out of business during high water. Those waterlogged rats and mink look good on days your not expecting much. I've thought of making more with one of those three or four inch augers in a 20 volt drill.
Interestingly, I seem to catch a higher percentage of female mink in the BE than other mink sets.

So long as we're hijacking the thread, here's what I use for the vertical hole.

It's the 3" hand auger 46" long I believe so one can stand and bore down easily. Got it from F and T.

I usually jump up on the bank and make the vertical hole first. Using the 3" auger, I bore straight down, then ream it out by thrusting it up and down a few times.
Then I use Trapper Arts pocket shovel, the old longer snout version, to punch in and connect the holes.
Goes in quickly once you get the hang of it.

I could put In ten blind sets while you guys are drilling and digging one elbow set. And will have caught that mink before It even gets to the elbow set. LOl

Ah, the Beav speaketh. Greatest one-dimensional trapper that ever slid into a creek. And no crack about my small traps? C'mon, Man!

I bet my one dimensional mink trapping will out produce all the gimmick mink sets that are out there.

There are darn few areas In mink country where you can dig In elbow sets. But If you want to run up and down the stream banks looking for them. I would not want to get In your way.

Although Most of my mink are caught in blind sets I never put all my eggs in one basket. Those hiperactive cyco mink go where the want. I never pass up a soft bank where digging is easy. My favorite wet set with paw holds is the indent set. Just a short open trench in the bank with a 1.5 in the mouth.

Beav, when the high water hits...where are your blind sets? These BE and Elbow sets SHINE during flood conditions. As 'GBUS stated...I'm putting these speciality sets in when and where I can along with the blind sets and pockets.

I'm 90% a blind setter but I like having some " all weather" sets out too. Getting back to the original post, I've caught several in the past in what I'd call top edge sets. It's a 110 tucked against a protruding stump, rock or tree that it a foot above the water but come a big rain it's a bottom edge set. I got out and dug most of my elbows a week or two before season. Got me fired up a bit. Also shaved a bank here and there. Sure wish mink were worth a little more to cover a line cost. There are fewer mink here than used to be back when we had rats.

And the Beav saith unto thee, there is only one true set, and that set beith the almighty blind set. Thou shalt not maketh any other set, lest thy limbs become useless and thine mind rottest out from within.

All it takes for BE or TE sets is some type of vertical structure. The best are close to mucky backwaters or beaver bank dens or rat bank dens.

I know what works for me In about 95% of the time. I never said you guys couldn't experiment with those gimmick sets.

The BE and TE sets work well to. And they are fast and effective.
And a few Colony traps placed In the right places work well to. The thing about all the sets I mentioned they are fast to make and will catch mink.

Ask the guys that catch 1000s of mink a year and see how many of them put In elbow sets.

You should start a new forum, Gadgets Rnt us

I found a few natural "elbows" in my time, Set em, and didn't catch squat.
Another season the one was still there, I didn't set it, when checking, a mink spooked and ran in there. I then set it and caught nothing.

With that said, our mink season dates are a joke and can not compare data to other states.
If there are guys catching a "1000" here, well I doubt it.

My 1st true BE mink was after I bought Smyths' book from someone here.

Old holes that have been investigated don't have the appeal that a freshly dug elbow has. I'm curious if you baited the old elbows or just set it. And if baited, how was it presented, what was the bait, etc.

Interesting how a different set is perceived as a gadget by those who don't incorporate them into the water trapline.

How does that old Chinese proverb go? “Those that say it can’t be done should get out of the way of those doing it”


Anyway, puts a big smile on my face when I see two critters swaying in the breeze on the drowner cable coming off the horizontal hole of an elbow set.

I once set up a natural elbow set. It was a shallow muskrat den just covered with water and had a cave-in on top. Water filled the top hole. I pulled up the 110 and there was a rabbit in it, I kid you not. I did catch a weasel in a half submerged bottom edge, never did catch much in them unless at least totally covered by water.

I didn't mean any harm by the gadget thing, was just poking at Beav, I think he needs that from time to time. Just funning.

I probably baited with muskrat or ground mice as they are the two I have confidence. Maybe weasel lure. I used two 110s, both on the lower leg, front, back. With our laws I like to keep bgs wet. Oh and another bigger tunnel 160s set the same.
Someone on this topic said about 110 placement, that I did not comprehend, I'll read all this again.

That one elbow is still there today. It is caused by a hundred year old field drain that plugs at the end, then big rain comes and blows the top out. It gets cooler weather I might go fix it up and prepare it for foot traps. I like your idea of two small traps on one cable.

I think the reason I stopped setting it is,
I catch the mink in a nearby set that is easier and out of sight, and not in mowed grass.
I showed the set that works to a couple guys and they didn't think much of it. But hey, it works for me.

A plank from dry bank to under water is another "gadget" set my Uncle used.
Three paw traps, one just as plank gets wet, one at wet END, and one underneath at waters edge.
It worked for him back when mink were a pay day.

Lumberjack maybe the rabbit watered there, got a drink I mean.

He was caught in the den entrance, not the top hole. I didn't have the top hole set. I should have checked to see which way he entered- but regardless, he was swimming either way.

"With that said, our mink season dates are a joke and can not compare data to other states."
You got that right and with it usually flooding about half of our short season.

First time I ever used the BE set I had a mink on my first check. I was pretty impressed. Of course I have checked plenty of empty sets since then.

Yes I do, November 1987. Think I caught about 27 mink that fall. I remember one bridge there was 3 trappers trapping it. I just kept on looking for ones with less pressure. I wasn't the heavy hitter like them guys. Trapped more for coons and muskrats.

.

The really big hitters use fish in pockets,simple is better.

You're not alone muskrat on not recognizing the potential if this set. In the 80s I trapped while stationed in Kansas in the Army. Had a 110 set in a dry trail next to a curve in the creek bank and snug against it. It rained and sleeted for 2 days. Checked the trap poking around with a long stick. It was still set but too deep to retrieve. When the water went down to about 2 ft over the trap I checked and had a female mink. Duh. No clue as to what that meant.

Pocket sets are great but the older I get the less stuff I want to carry. Plus most of the time I don't want to deal with coon and possums.

Roger that lumberjack 391. Carrying a 110, some wire, and a stick or tbar is a lot easier.

It's my opinion that mink spend more time out of the water then they do In It.

Yea, the old books always said "A mink hates to get his feet wet".

The old writers didn't know about BE sets, and for most of 'em, they didn't have bodygrip traps either.

My point is that they are in and under water more than people think.

The Beav ghost wrote half of 'em.

More liked edited them.

Rare photo of the Beav, circa 1927, contemplating whether or not a mink spends more time out of the water or in the water.

Mink, like all critters, go where the food is. Most bottom edge sets don't start really producing until the snow flies. Sorry, I'm very close to plagerizing Ken's book. I will admit that most of the mink that I have seen during the day hopping around was in a snow storm and in a Marsh. Open trout streams during the same storm? Narry a track in sight but under the bank are chewed up crayfish claws and frog skins.

Cha-Ching!

Lord, we beat this subject to death. Just one more thing. In the mid 90s when I started using the bottom edge set I was working full time. Given the three day check for water sets this was great. I could look out of the office window during a gullywasher rainstorm and know that any pocket sets were under a foot of water but the bottom edgers were still in action. Oh I might have to shake some debris out when I checked the line but that was it. But to credit where credit is due, once winter is really here and water levels relatively stable, baited pockets sets are awesome and productive. Love those natural crevices next to culverts.

I cant believe they got him to take a break from setting traps long enough to get a photo.

Are those the traps he uses for BE sets? And is that the hide off of a mink that's draped over him?

Just when I think I'm really here..... I'm not.

It was tough but we got It done. I think EJ Daily took the picture.

When the snow fly's then you will be able to see more tracks and set as to what you see.

I have 2 late winter killer sets that will take every mink that passes by. And It's not a BE or a TE set. It's all about foot holds.

One set Is like a elbow set but with out the elbow It's a dug trench. This Is summer time work. Use a mattock to dig the trench. Dig It so that the end closest to the water just ends up above the water line. And the other end can be about 2feet from the stream bank. Dig It about 6" deep and about 6 Inches wide and cover It with an asphalt shingle. You can toss some grass or what ever over the shingle. I fill the trench with sand It makes a good bed for your trap. You could use peat moss but It just doesn't bed a trap very good.
A #2 or 3 sized trap works well. I tend to go with the bigger trap. You need to make that trap as sensitive as you can. The dog end needs to be bent down a bit.

Use 2 traps one on each end and place a large bait In the middle. I never had much luck using BGs In this set. But those big traps acted just like a killer trap especially the #3s.

In the winter the water level goes down and the creeks freeze up leaving this set high and dry and a magnet for any passing mink. They also work along open water stretches.

How I came across this set was when I was hunting along some of the creeks I had trapped during open water. I was at that time a pocket setter. I noticed that just about every pocket set had been investigated by mink. They never went In but the nosed around that opening. It stands to reason If there Is no exit hole the mink Isn't going to go In since there Is no reason to do so. But with a exit hole and a nice fresh chunk of beaver meat In that trench there was a reason.
And this set Is pretty much weather proof unless you get some major drifting along the creek.

20 yards up or down stream from all bridge crossings and you can run a lot of traps In short period of time and never worry about water fluctuation or cleaning debris out of BE sets.
Not saying that BE sets don't work I'm just looking for a easier set up. I don't have to go looking for that point or that perfect set up for the BE set Or the elbow set.
The other set incorporates a Large bait and a large foot hold and It's areal killer when It comes to mink. Just a bit harder to set up.

Thanks. I have a few locations in mind for that set.

Back to the elbow set for a moment, apologies to the Beav ahead of time.

Found a pic of Trapper Art's old model of pocket shovel, with my modified Bridger #1 coilspring inset to show how this trap really does cover the entrance of either a pocket or, in this case, the mouth of the elbow set produced by this narrow shovel. A quick thrust in, turn of the shovel, extract and rinse in the drink. If there's a root, the shovel quickly shears it off with a few back and forth strokes. Trap would be rotated so dog is next to outer wall of hole/pocket.



So yea, this tool to quick dig the horizontal hole, and a 3" hand auger to dig/ream out the chimney, but since I trap primarily out of a boat, what's another tool or two, eh?

Back to the original topic, Beav, have you really given the bottom edge set a good try say from December though February? I sure didn't think it would produce like it does before I really threw myself into it.

Rat by time Jan Feb roll around I have caught all the mink I want to catch and I'm down In SC trapping beaver and otter and working the live market. Well I use to do It for about 15 years.





I've caught some rats and some mink In the BE set. But It's to time consuming for me to be looking for them.
90% of all mink come to the road at some time or another. So catch them as they come to that location.

My problem with BE sets Is all the debris they gather In moving water situations. In the fall and winter most If not all of your leaves are water logged and tend to move along the stream bed.
Ducks are another problem. Some of these streams around here never freeze no matter how cold it gets. And the ducks never leave so they are digging up any weed growth In those streams and where does It all go? Right Into your BE set.

If I was to go making Elbow sets It would be with my cordless drill and a 4" auger type bit. No digging sets with no banjo. Tradesmen's jargon for shovel.

There was a time when I long lined mink from Oregon to Marshfield. I made some awesome
Catches. Then they went and added on 3 day checks on water sets and then It wasn't practical to do It.

If a person wants to make these sets go for It. But I know what works for me and It's pocket sets and blind sets.

The other thing I do Is I never have water flowing Into my pocket set. It's high and dry and about 3" above the water line. If there Is no exit hole the mink In most situations Isn't going to enter that hole. But they will stand outside to Investigate. 3" of water Isn't to deep to take a mink by both hind legs as It stands to look In that pocket. Well that Is if you have a decent sized trap with an enlarged pan.
The other thing about high and dry pocket openings Is for the most part you won't get your bait washed out of the hole by passing water craft. A wake will suck every bit of bait out of every set. But for the most part we aren't trapping these types of water courses. But It can happen.

I use to dig pockets but know I just take my tile spade and dig a slot In the bank. I drop In a rat carcass and stomp the slot closed. In most cases the carcass can be seen and you have plenty of scent lingering at the location. A mink may not enter a pocket but It will spend time trying to pull that rat carcass out of that slot. Very fast and I'm here to tell you It catches mink. And you can do this In just about any type of bank. If It's rocky just move a rock and slip In a carcass. You can't dig elbow sets or regular pockets In these situations. And your going to miss out on 100s of hot locations.
Bedding the trap In these situations? small sand bags set under water with a trap nestled on It and your good to go. forget about digging chunks of sod the sand bags are where It's at.

Good post Beav!

As always!

Stupid question Beav, but Is there anyway you could draw a diagram of your 2 Best Killer Mink Sets? Actually the 1st set you explained is the one I need. And is Beaver Meat the Best bait for this set/ Thanks!!!

PM sent

(uh oh, the Beav is giving away secrets)

Beav any secrets you want to give up send them this way I have tried almost every set guys have talked about and will continue to do so, never know what situation may present itself pays to have lots of options. Trapping off of a 4 wheeler I keep my cordless drill and auger bit with me when I find right location I make my version of elbow set only takes couple minutes,

Here's the big bait set. Check your laws to see If It's legal In your area.

Was out late season deer hunting (cross bow) when I discovered a ton of mink sign along the bank of this open water stream. And I mean this trail was beat down right Into the mud, well dirty snow. So I followed It till I came across a deer carcass that had floated Into a drift pile In the creek. The mink were jumping about 12" out on to a pretty large branch that laid across that carcass.
The take off spot was a natural spot for a trap but with snow and freezing conditions It wasn't all that good. I did catch some mink off that take off spot but for the most part the trap was out of commission. The mink were not taking off from the open water they were jumping from the low bank.
So I figured I could cut a large chunk of sod to use as a landing spot other then the limb. But Of coarse sod soon comes apart In moving water And I wanted something more permanent.
So thinking back to my rat trapping days In ND and setting for rats on all those ripped rapped banks I went to Ice cream pails. Well Know I will have to give away another rat trapping set.
The situation was that all these roads were heavily ripped rapped and the water depth out from the rip rap was to deep and to hard to access from the rip rap. This rip rap was covered In rat crap. So I started filling Ice cream pails with dirt and placed the pail In amongst the rocks and then bedding a trap In the pail. A little of the bosses rat lure and the skinning began. A long chain and the rat was down and out.
Back to the mink set.

The Ice cream pail wasn't high enough to be above water level. But one of those square buckets cut down to the right size worked perfect. Filled It with gravel and then put In about one Inch of waxed dirt. Bedded the trap removed part of the original limb so the mink had to jump to the pail top before getting on the limb. Any color will work but those square buckets are white. I missed a few because of the bucket size. But I figured over time I caught the majority of the mink working that deer carcass. The total was 8 mink over a period of 15 days. And I didn't check every day either.
I staked the trap separately from the bucket but I guess you could tie off to the bucket bail.
I also covered the carcass to some degree so It would be legal as to our sight exposed bait rules.
For the most part the deer are a bit hard to come by or get them to the right locations. But beaver would be easy to stash In the right locations.

These sets can be very effective but your not going to be running 100s of them at any one time.
The large bait set would be my first choice for putting up numbers.

Thanks. Gotta couple locations within walking distance of my house. Will try later winter.

Don't let the Beav BS ya here. He paints those white buckets BLUE!

Sorry Beav, just filling in the cracks here buddy.

On a side note, the Beav gained 28 pounds that trapping season. All those ice cream buckets had to be emptied one way or another!

Hey I'm near 80 I've accumulated a lot of ice cream buckets In my time. LOL

Beav, If you can make 10 blind sets before anyone can dig a elbow set how many blind sets could you have made instead of the dead deer set? Unless you haul around square buckets, saws, shovels and waxed dirt while deer hunting you made a trip home. Cutting off the bucket to the right height and filling it with gravel cutting off limbs not to mention covering a deer to make it legal. Making this set with a beaver would be faster but still not a very good use of daylight.

I don't even carry a bucket to hold my tools in anymore, if they don't fit in my pocket or pack I don't need them...….

Whatever works. The BE works for me and I set them later....seem to be less leaves(I mean, how long does it take to pull out a 110 and shake leaves out and put it back?). Never more than a few minutes to make one. Kwik Trip coffee still hot. Locations from scouting but if I am in a new area I just run my foot along the "bottom edge" til I hit a bump. Again, only a few minutes . I'm no expert but I keep catching them this way along with pocket sets and colony traps at the end of culvert aprons. IMO colony traps under water against bridge abutments are like a multi catch BE set if legal in your state. Oops. I think we have wandered off subject. My first successful BE set was by accident in Kansas. Now I try to think of new variations of it. The good part is that equipment requirements haven't changed...trap, stake, wire and at my age warm waders.

Good post MsgRet. Am considering replacing 16 ga wire I run through #150s to KB stabilizer with parachute cord this coming season. Easier on the gauntlets.

My .02 cents on the weeds and leaves, as long as there's still a hole they'll still swim thru it. Another reason to use a 159 or 220, bigger opening won't get clogged as quick. I also drive a stake upstream of the trap so it catches most of the debris before it gets to the BE trap.

Agree. I usually don't set up my BE colonies and #150s til after deer season. Debris blowing downstream from then til early March is negligible.

Ive had some that stay debris-free the whole season and some are clogged by the time I get to my pickup......

mine was the year after the book came out and late in the season.decided to try a few under the ice and as they say"i've lived happily ever after.