In search of mink

[Guest JohnGalway]

Evening folks,

 

I've been thinking for a while now of trying to find some mink in my area. During the summer two local farmers had hens killed by mink. One mink actually had an audience in broad daylight doing the deed and this didn't put it off. I'm also seeing less duck than the last few years (not that I'm any danger to them), so I'm wondering if they're attacking them as well.

 

So I was on an Irish shooting forum looking for cheap live catch mink cages to buy, and another researcher (from the same University as the fox researcher) who is collecting mink says he'll loan me some if I give him the mink afterwards. Sounds good to me since I'm not sure how the mink population is here or was it just some passing through.

 

Today I ran into a man who's land I intended setting some of the cages on, I asked him if it'd be ok and if he'd seen any around. He was telling me about two weeks ago he saw one right outside of his house from his kitchen window Perfect, as one of the spots I had in mind is a stream near his place! So I went there today and decided I'd set two cages along the little stream, one above stream and one down stream from this mans place. Have about four reports of them now in the last year or so, have a couple of other landowners to chase up about setting up a cage or two in their places as well.

 

The researcher told me to wrap the cage in a black sack before covering it with moss, leaves and rocks and other debris. I'm wondering about this myself as there's quite a strong smell of the plastic. So, to test the theory I wrapped one in a sack and the other I covered well with the above mentioned debris, which will make it quite weatherproof in itself. The bait, as I'd as much guessed myself, was to be oily fish, John Wests finest tinned sardines in sunflower oil. There's a bait tray in the back of each cage (they're single entry), most of the tin would go in there and I'd put a small bit near the entrance. Before tipping out the contents though I'd open the tin a little and dribble out the oil in a trail along the bank of the stream as far as it would last.

 

I may actually have some mink gland lure somewhere that I ordered off Ebay some time back but I'll need to check on that tomorrow to be sure. I took a few pictures (camera phone) of where I set the cages and thought I'd post them just out of interests sake and for tips/comments. Not sure if I should have left the end of the cages uncovered or not to make it look a bit like an escape route? In any case I didn't as that's where the bait tray is and I figured it'd cause me problems if I did.

 

These first four (FOUR? Blame it on beginners enthusiasm...) are of the first cage site.

 

 

 

 

 

Next three are of the second cage site, no black sack on this one just "thatched" with leaves and moss and covered in stones. I think I'll need to cover up that entrance a bit more tomorrow. I'm a bit concerned that the landowners two dogs (if the badgers and foxes don't get there first) might disturb the site after the bait, they spend some time mooching around in that area but sure it's just a tin of sardince, worth the chance I figure.

 

 

 

<img src="http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i84/sheep_whisperer/[bANNED TEXT].jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

 

HAHA! I've just realised why my last photo won't show here. It is named how you'd spell the word "mate" in text speak, I do believe I've found a glitch in the system. Frank! Where are ya??

 

I might be able to try a mink raft type affair in another spot or two, just have to suss them out a bit more and make the rafts themselves.

 

I'll let ye know when I've caught my first thousand or so

Edited November 19, 2007 by JohnGalway

[Guest little_lloyd]

Good lad And best thing for the little imragants

 

Lets see if you can beat Mr shitter

 

edited to say, JG why dont you try placing a trap under the bank in the second pic, preferebly a doulbe entry? Maybe a fenn?

[Guest JohnGalway]

Lol Lloyd, I figure I have the advantage (if I have mink) since I don't think we have any pine martins down here.

[OldTrapCollector 377]

John,

 

I wish you luck, and mirror your enthusiasm!!

 

I have had most luck with cages on a sort of beach near the waterline, or under bridges or culverts where the mink are forced to land at rapids or squeeze through to follow the waterline. They won't brave the white water and will land just before to scent out the bank where possible.

 

The second trap looks like a better site, the first would have the mink coming up a steep bank to reach the trap entrance from what I can see of your photos there.

 

Once you find a good site it will work for you time and time again, year after year in my experience too.

 

I have never found the need to use any form of cover other than the natural vegetation, reeds etc or a thin stone slab on top, more to hide it from passers-by rather than necessarily make it more attractive to mink.

 

Keep us posted!

[Guest JohnGalway]

Thanks OTC, I agree with you about the bank, there is a way up slightly out of sight but next time I'll sight it in an easier to reach spot. There's another stream out back of that site not too far away so I figured I'd try to make the most of both of them. I'll take your experience on board in searching out new sites

[Guest JohnGalway]

[/color][/size]edited to say, JG why dont you try placing a trap under the bank in the second pic, preferebly a doulbe entry? Maybe a fenn? [/font]

 

I've got a couple of fenns but I prefer the live catch now just incase of accidents of screw ups on my part (until I get the hang of it at least). The reason I'm not using double entry cages is that I got the single entry ones on loan - for FREE Skint at the moment so they'll have to do the job. As for siting under the bank, that's an idea that hadn't crossed my mind, I'm not thinking very much like a mink Still learning

[Guest little_lloyd]

[/color][/size]edited to say, JG why dont you try placing a trap under the bank in the second pic, preferebly a doulbe entry? Maybe a fenn? [/font]

 

I've got a couple of fenns but I prefer the live catch now just incase of accidents of screw ups on my part (until I get the hang of it at least). The reason I'm not using double entry cages is that I got the single entry ones on loan - for FREE Skint at the moment so they'll have to do the job. As for siting under the bank, that's an idea that hadn't crossed my mind, I'm not thinking very much like a mink Still learning

 

I think a doulbe entry would be better,..But im sure if theres something that takes the mink's intrest hell find the only way in

 

 

Im no mink expert,..Im just fasinated about both the animal itself and hunting it. Im hopefully going to be helping the wildlife trusts do a bit of trapping on a local strech of river so ill keep ya'll posted on that

[Guest JohnGalway]

Thanks Lloyd, that'd be of help mate!

[Squirrel_Basher 17,100]

Ive had good success in the past with 2 single entry traps ,back to back ,especially in the spring .This time of year you have to watch out when setting traps along the water line as flash floods can relieve you of several traps in a night [experience] .I found a good way to lead mink to the trap was to find the runs along the water line and dig a channel to the trap from there ,baiting the way as you do with fish oil .Covering a trap is optional as they are certainly not trap shy when fresh .Good luck .

[snareman 3]

Lol Lloyd, I figure I have the advantage (if I have mink) since I don't think we have any pine martins down here.

JOHN, YOUR INBOX IS FULL I CAN,T PM YOU ABOUT THE MINK, SNAREMAN.

[Guest little_lloyd]

Lol Lloyd, I figure I have the advantage (if I have mink) since I don't think we have any pine martins down here.

JOHN, YOUR INBOX IS FULL I CAN,T PM YOU ABOUT THE MINK, SNAREMAN.

 

 

Glen i think you should do an article on mink trapping or snaring

[Guest JohnGalway]

Hi FD,

Mostly the reason I'm covering the traps is to keep them out of sight. Like I say they're not mine, just on loan so I intend to keep good care of them. If they were my own and got nicked that's one thing but you know yourself when you borrow something

 

Hi Will,

If only I'd heard that a month ago when I was catching mice left, right and centre It seems oily fish is the bait of choice for just about everything with a decent nose It's what I'll try first anyway and I intend to experiment a bit as time moves along.

 

Hiya GW,

Sorry about the PM box, first time that's happened to me and I hadn't noticed. I've cleared out a few PM's now so there should be a bit of room

 

Hi Lloyd,

Gotta agree with you there

[Guest JohnGalway]

Got a spot of new mink permission today. I thought I would get more spots to cage than just the one but nope. I'm going to have a better look around that spot tomorrow incase I missed anywhere. Here are a couple of pics of the site before and after. Where the top cage is is where I sited it.

 

 

 

So I headed off to another bit of land not a million miles away where there's another stream. Didn't do an awful lot of looking but this is where I put a cage speculatively. No people around this particular place so no need to disguise the cage too much.

 

 

I went off then to a spot I knew where there are sheep being fed. Popped off three magpies and a greycrow in the same spot, just over the eighty yard mark for the four of them

 

Next I checked my two traps I set yesterday. Nothing in the first one and then....

 

 

Had a bit of a moment when I saw it first wondering if it was a polecat but checking and comparing mugshots online I'm satisfied it's minky

[wood smoke 0]

Thats a real good success rate so far, well done.

[cúagusgiorraí 57]

Brilliant, I have been setting a trap as well. Hopefully I will get the same success. Good on ya!