mink trapping

Eddie B

idnkph wrote: »

Iv recently moved so looking new permissions at the moment. Local forest had a River running through it to a huge Lake and it's alive with them. It's an coillte so wondering would contacting them and asking them about trapping there?

Here's a great tip I got from a member on here. Go on Google maps, and check out all the rivers, drains in your area. Find bridges, easy access area's and go check them out. You should be able to avoid having to ask permission for the most part! Most fishable rivers will probably have easy access points for fishermen, which you can use.

minktrapper

Eddie B wrote: »

Great stuff! Any pics? Tell us about your set up, etc!

You find any new locations in your area this year?

I am still trapping the same location.Where I fish.They just keep coming in to fill the empty territory.I only have two traps down approx. 300yds apart.Both conibears 110's I think they are.I will take a photo the next time I check them.Find the wires are braking a lot now.Catching too many mink I think.What is the best way of fixing them.12 caught as of today.

Eddie B

minktrapper wrote: »

I am still trapping the same location.Where I fish.They just keep coming in to fill the empty territory.I only have two traps down approx. 300yds apart.Both conibears 110's I think they are.I will take a photo the next time I check them.Find the wires are braking a lot now.Catching too many mink I think.What is the best way of fixing them.12 caught as of today.

That's a great tally from one stretch of river. To replace the wires, just get a piece of wire similar thickness to original trigger wire, drill out the pop rivet in trigger, remove old trigger wire and bend new wire to match shape of old wire. Replace and either pop rivet, or use a small screw and nut to close up trigger again. Simple enough!

minktrapper

I am doing that was hoping you might have a quick fix solution.Are the self tappers any good.

Eddie B

minktrapper wrote: »

I am doing that was hoping you might have a quick fix solution.Are the self tappers any good.

Yea thats exactly what you need! You can buy replacment triggers on line but it costs a bit with postage. If you were thinking of buying more traps in the future, it's worth buying some spare triggers too.

Sorry lad, edited to add, not to use self tappers. Has to be little screw and nut! The lock nuts with plastic inside the rim to stop them from loosening! Self tappers will pop in no time.

minktrapper

Eddie B wrote: »

Yea thats exactly what you need! You can buy replacment triggers on line but it costs a bit with postage. If you were thinking of buying more traps in the future, it's worth buying some spare triggers too.

Sorry lad, edited to add, not to use self tappers. Has to be little screw and nut! The lock nuts with plastic inside the rim to stop them from loosening! Self tappers will pop in no time.

Copper nails might be a better bet. If I can get them thin enough. Use them as a rivet.Alot easier to deform.

Eddie B

minktrapper wrote: »

Copper nails might be a better bet. If I can get them thin enough. Use them as a rivet.Alot easier to deform.

I bought a cheap rivet gun in "Mr Price" or some of those stores. It came with four packets of rivers of different sizes for only seven euro. Well worth the money.

Use it for all kinds of things, including trap repair and modification. Even installed a few pan's on bodygrip traps with them. Work a treat too!

minktrapper

Have you any photo of the one with a pan Eddie.Is there an advantage using a pan.

Eddie B

minktrapper wrote: »

Have you any photo of the one with a pan Eddie.Is there an advantage using a pan.

Here's two different designs I tried. Nearest one was too big, but made it smaller since this photo, and working well now. It makes for a bigger opening, so less chance of a mink turning away from the trap. You get the odd one who doesn't commit as easy as the average mink! They work better in box's as well, but I don't use many of them.

minktrapper

On one of my conibears one of the wires broke and it seems to better at catching mink as they go in further before triggering the trap.It also is not as visable to the target species.

Eddie B

minktrapper wrote: »

On one of my conibears one of the wires broke and it seems to better at catching mink as they go in further before triggering the trap.It also is not as visable to the target species.

Yea thats true! Only thing with that is, you risk the chance of a small mink, slipping through without firing the trap. Some females are very small.

I once had a trap with one broken wire, and caught a small buck mink, which got caught on the way back out of the trap, lucky enough!

minktrapper

14 mink as of today.

minktrapper

I am going to try to modify the wires on a conibear by bending them in so the mink will go in further in to the trap. So rather than have its nose or head trigger the trap it will be triggered by its back.So a more positive trapping will be the result. OK you might miss a very small mink but you should have less of a chance of missing trapping the animal when it goes off.

Eddie B

minktrapper wrote: »

I am going to try to modify the wires on a conibear by bending them in so the mink will go in further in to the trap. So rather than have its nose or head trigger the trap it will be triggered by its back.So a more positive trapping will be the result. OK you might miss a very small mink but you should have less of a chance of missing trapping the animal when it goes off.

This is the formation I use on most my traps. No mink, big or small gets through without getting caught. The circular shape of the trigger wires will entice the mink to pop through it, rather than squeeze past the wires. But either way, no mink should be able to fire a bodygrip trap without getting caught!

minktrapper

I agree with you Eddie but would it not be more enticing if there was no obstacles in the way of the mink just maybe a wire going accross the top of and at the back of the entrance.

Eddie B

minktrapper wrote: »

I agree with you Eddie but would it not be more enticing if there was no obstacles in the way of the mink just maybe a wire going accross the top of and at the back of the entrance.

Yes of course! If you can modify in such a way, that you have a big opening, as well as not allowing mink avoid firing the trap, then your on a winner. Try it out for us, and let us know how well it works. Maybe stick up a picture of your mod, and set up.

hollowpoint

New vid up on YouTube for anyone interested, search for mink trapping dec 2015. Hope everyone has traps down, 37 so far since September. ..

minktrapper

Anyone trapping at the moment.

Half-cocked

Yes, but no luck. Catching a few rats though!

Birdnuts

Half-cocked wrote: »

Yes, but no luck. Catching a few rats though!

Same as - last mink I had was back in May. Some amount of rats around the place too!!:(

Eddie B

Yea, I'm trapping the last few weeks

minktrapper

Checked my trap yesterday evening. Nothing went near it. Water level was quite low. Maybe if we get a flood it might change things. Might be a good sign too as in no mink to be trapped.

Eddie B

minktrapper wrote: »

Checked my trap yesterday evening. Nothing went near it. Water level was quite low. Maybe if we get a flood it might change things. Might be a good sign too as in no mink to be trapped.

Water level doesn't really matter. Saying that i'd rather it too low, than too high. Have you traps set long? It often takes a number of days, or even weeks. If you've set for say close to a week with nothing, then yes, it's a good indication that their ain't many mink on that stretch of rIver.

Trapping in January/February can get good results. All those big bucks who spend most the year hunting bog drains, rabbit warrens and ditches, return to and travel the main rivers looking to mate. A river with not much sign of activity now, might produce four or five mink in Jan/Feb

minktrapper

3 days Eddie. I normally get one fairly quickly. I think when water levels are low that mink tend to feed in the river rather than along the bank. Or maybe a trap closer to the water would be better as in one to two feet from the waters edge.

Eddie B

minktrapper wrote: »

3 days Eddie. I normally get one fairly quickly. I think when water levels are low that mink tend to feed in the river rather than along the bank. Or maybe a trap closer to the water would be better as in one to two feet from the waters edge.

Yea I set a few traps at each locatation. I set at different heights of the bank to cover all levels and incase of flooding. Each location is different. Some you can set close to the waters edge with nice sloped banks, ledges, and sandbanks. Others have deep water with steep banks meaning you can only set high up on the bank. I really like the idea of using feathers. They catch a minks eye, and even one that's swimming by might just catch a glimpse of those feathers and stop for a look.

Three days ain't that bad. I too usually catch within the first three days, but every mink is different and their's no set rules. Sometimes that first one plays hard to get. Might be in it tomorrow. After a week, it's time to change tactics or move on. Up to you! Any sign in mud? Scat on rocks?

Last year I went almost two weeks with nothing. Not even a rat. Thing is, i saw tracks, so thats why i held out. I was using fish for bait and fish always works. Anyway, I decided to change to a different bait, and so tried a piece of pigeon, feathers and all. I tried pigeon because that's all I had. Anyway, next morning I had an old buck mink. He had a couple teeth missing and coat was in bad nick. Why he wouldn't go for the fish, I don't know.

Eddie B

Here is a pic of a set I made. It aint that far from the waters edge. On low water streams with sandbanks I often set inches from the waters edge. Deep rivers with steep banks, I set where ever I can find a decent location. You study the stretch of rIver your gonna set on. Walk it, and pick out the best locations, and set the best of them.

minktrapper

Have you a fenn trap in that sett Eddie.

Eddie B

minktrapper wrote: »

Have you a fenn trap in that sett Eddie.

I believe so. That was taken a few years ago mind. I set my conibears the same way, but cut out a notch for the spring.



Here's one that's finnished. Just a matter of adding a few sticks to make it look more inviting.



Sorry bout the small pics. Can't seem to find a decent image hosting site.

minktrapper

Which trap is the best. Cutting out a notch for the spring can be troublesome and you lose the squareness of the sett.

Eddie B

minktrapper wrote: »

Which trap is the best. Cutting out a notch for the spring can be troublesome and you lose the squareness of the sett.

Well I find them both very good to be honest. The Fenn is a little handier to place in those pockets, but the conibears/bodygrips are a better killing trap, with less misses or fowl catches.

The notch is only cut in an inch of two, so doesn't change the shape of the pocket as such, but does take a bit longer to do. It's not altogether necessary, but allows you to set the trap further into the pocket, and helps stabilise the trap.

minktrapper

I find the trouble with the setting the spring back in to the bank is that there is nearly always roots or a rock in the way. It might not fire very well either as the spring has to move forward when the trap is released.

Eddie B

minktrapper wrote: »

I find the trouble with the setting the spring back in to the bank is that there is nearly always roots or a rock in the way. It might not fire very well either as the spring has to move forward when the trap is released.

Yea rocks can be a headache in some locations. I have one new location I sussed out whilst fishing in the summer. I brought a spade, to dig a couple of pockets, but the bank was undigable. I'm now going to make a couple of simple three sided tunnels, and place the Fenn's inside them.

Also, I think the conibear spring pushing the trap out of the pocket, usually results in a suitcase catch. Just what I've experienced.

minktrapper

Also, I think the conibear spring pushing the trap out of the pocket, usually results in a suitcase catch. Just what I've experienced.

Think you might be right there. What do you mean by a three sided tunnel.

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Eddie B

minktrapper wrote: »

Also, I think the conibear spring pushing the trap out of the pocket, usually results in a suitcase catch. Just what I've experienced.

Think you might be right there. What do you mean by a three sided tunnel.

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A simple tunnel made from ply or mesh, or whatever you have. Two sides and a roof. Sorry don't have a photo. Bed the Fenn into the ground a little, and place box over it. Cover with debris, rocks etc if you wish.

You can make ones for conibears too. Here is a picture of a homemade one.



I dont know if you can make it out, but it shows the mechanism that holds the trap tight in the tunnel.

minktrapper

Is it hanging? Great idea Eddie. Still nothing in my trap today. I gave a quick look for footprints but none to be seen anywhere. I will keep the trap down anyhow.

What kind of mesh are you using?

Eddie B

minktrapper wrote: »

Is it hanging? Great idea Eddie. Still nothing in my trap today. I gave a quick look for footprints but none to be seen anywhere. I will keep the trap down anyhow.

What kind of mesh are you using?

That actually ain't my tunnel. I was sent it just to give me an idea of how to make them. Never got around to doing it.

Yea there is a square piece of mesh wired to the top of the tunnel on one side, with two hooks to slip one of the jaws of the trap onto. At the end of this is a spring attached. This holds the trap, and stabilises it. You can see the spring at the bottom of the picture. On the other side there are two more hooks bent out of the actual tunnel itself. Hope im explaining this right?

O I'm not sure what mesh that is. Looks like one of those cheap mink cages with the bottom taken off. I'm sure any solid sheet of mesh will work. Think you can get a 8×4 sheet cheap enough.

There is also a notch cut outa the side of the tunnel I believe, for the trap spring. It gives for a very solid and handy set.

I set a trap in a place two days ago. Lots of tracks and sign but trap not touched. I placed a trailcam beside the trap. I checked today, and I have 80 video's. Just had a quick look at the last two, and their of a mink all over my set, but didn't go in. Hard to believe, but true. Hopefully tomorrow. Lol

minktrapper

set a trap in a place two days ago. Lots of tracks and sign but trap not touched. I placed a trailcam beside the trap. I checked today, and I have 80 video's. Just had a quick look at the last two, and their of a mink all over my set, but didn't go in. Hard to believe, but true. Hopefully tomorrow. Lol


That is really strange. What is it that they are uncomfortable about I wonder.

Would folded tin be as good. Or folded steel maybe.

Eddie B

minktrapper wrote: »

set a trap in a place two days ago. Lots of tracks and sign but trap not touched. I placed a trailcam beside the trap. I checked today, and I have 80 video's. Just had a quick look at the last two, and their of a mink all over my set, but didn't go in. Hard to believe, but true. Hopefully tomorrow. Lol


That is really strange. What is it that they are uncomfortable about I wonder.

Would folded tin be as good. Or folded steel maybe.

Mink are known for taking a peak inside tunnels, and not always going in. Mink are fantastic hunters, and are seldom hungry. That's why they use footholds in the US alot to good effect. They set them outside the pocket for this reason. Here, we have to entice them somehow, or block a run with an unbaited tunnel that they'd use as a run through. Block off either side of the run. Give them no option than to go through your tunnel.


Saying that, for the most part your average mink will be two inquisitive, and pop inside a pocket without hesitation.

Sheet metal? Suppose it would work, but harder to handle I'd say.

minktrapper

I used plastic signs before. Very easy to fold them. Might give them a go again.

Eddie B

minktrapper wrote: »

I used plastic signs before. Very easy to fold them. Might give them a go again.

Yea whatever works lad. Saw some thick plastic window box's in a little shop in town today. Gonna get a couple next time I'm in if their wide enough. (Need to bring a tape). Should work well. Just need to cut out the ends.

minktrapper

Excellent stuff Eddie. You really do come up with them. You could drop into the neighbours and borrow a few. They won't need them again until the spring.

Warning: do not try this at home. Viewer discretion is advised.

minktrapper

Box gutters might be suitable too.

Eddie B

minktrapper wrote: »

Box gutters might be suitable too.

I was thinking more on the lines of this stuffs.



Petrol station down the road had a hape of old stuff stacked in a corner few weeks ago. Got new stuff laid down. Was gonna ask for it, bit looked a bit narrow.

minktrapper

A bit narrow alright I'd say.

Eddie B

minktrapper wrote: »

A bit narrow alright I'd say.

Well I think you can get different sizes, but to expensave unless you were lucky enough to come across some being dumped and of the right size.

Half-cocked

Today while out shooting we had just put all the guns away for lunch break when one of the lads spots a mink stretched out like a lazy tomcat sunbathing on a ledge above the mill race that runs through the farmyard. And of course the little bugger was away upstream by the time we got a gun ready.

Eddie B

Half-cocked wrote: »

Today while out shooting we had just put all the guns away for lunch break when one of the lads spots a mink stretched out like a lazy tomcat sunbathing on a ledge above the mill race that runs through the farmyard. And of course the little bugger was away upstream by the time we got a gun ready.

Usually when you see them out and about during the day, it shows there's a good population on that particular waterway.

minktrapper

Eddie B wrote: »

Usually when you see them out and about during the day, it shows there's a good population on that particular waterway.

Or in the case of badgers they say there might be something wrong with them.:D

Half-cocked

Eddie B wrote: »

Usually when you see them out and about during the day, it shows there's a good population on that particular waterway.

There's only one individual showing up on any of my trail cams. It has a raggedy tail which makes it easy to ID. Can mink catch mange?

Eddie B

Half-cocked wrote: »

There's only one individual showing up on any of my trail cams. It has a raggedy tail which makes it easy to ID. Can mink catch mange?

Well that's probably his/her territory. Catch that one and another will soon follow. During the breeding season they overlap territory's more often. As far as I know, mink don't get mange. In fact, they are a very clean animal, and are not known for carrying diseases etc. The only thing they are prone to, is ticks. Usually seen on the back of the neck and head.