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mink
Apr 27, 2004 17:21:31 GMT -6
Post by lonetrapper on Apr 27, 2004 17:21:31 GMT -6
on the average how many mink do you think travel a brook or stream,i know a lot of factors go into this just looking for an average if you have a healthy population with little or no trapping pressure .
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mink
Apr 27, 2004 18:32:37 GMT -6
Post by woody on Apr 27, 2004 18:32:37 GMT -6
On a little creek I trapped last year, I know of at least 5 mink running that creek, I got 3 of them ;D How many I missed I haven't a clue woody
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mink
Apr 27, 2004 18:38:25 GMT -6
Post by lonetrapper on Apr 27, 2004 18:38:25 GMT -6
thanks woody
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mink
Apr 27, 2004 18:42:54 GMT -6
Post by NittanyLion on Apr 27, 2004 18:42:54 GMT -6
No way to answer that question because of the variables. I would say this, you can bet the farm it is one or more. Very few if any streams or brooks don't have any. If there is one, there is probably two, if there are two, they most likely had a litter.
Not that I like to keep reminding you all about Gappa getting zapped, ;D but the stream we were checking that day yielded 5 mink less than 100 yards from where the boss man discovered rural Pennsylvania had electricty. ;D
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mink
Apr 27, 2004 18:55:03 GMT -6
Post by trappnman on Apr 27, 2004 18:55:03 GMT -6
3 were trapped.....2 were zapped.... ;D
As NL says- no real answer- I had one creek this year that normally produces 3-5 mink- produce 8 mink- all big males within a 75 yard stretch (over 3 months).
Most locations w/habitat- I figure are good for 3-4 mink per year. I have one stretch of creek- with 3 stops in 1.5 miles that produced 14 mink this year.
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mink
Apr 28, 2004 10:52:11 GMT -6
Post by dj88ryr on Apr 28, 2004 10:52:11 GMT -6
Steve, have you noticed that those creeks with electric fences going through the water produces more or less mink, and what are the ratios of males to females on these creeks?? ;D
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mink
Apr 28, 2004 11:23:43 GMT -6
Post by MChewk on Apr 28, 2004 11:23:43 GMT -6
Hey guys its been a while...plan on longlining mink next year. Mostly for a changeup....what prices did you receive across the board? Probably try to stay away from the coons and use mostly blind sets and underwater bottom edge sets.
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mink
Apr 28, 2004 13:15:37 GMT -6
Post by trappnman on Apr 28, 2004 13:15:37 GMT -6
Average prices for me were $12 stright through nose count males, $7-8 females. Many othyers had comparable prices.
I heard of a couple that got $18 for males- but at that price, the buyer is either sitting on them or losing money.
I honestly don't see the mink market improving much- its just stagnated with the quanity of ranch mink avialable- and since most mink are sheared- any advantage of wild mink is gone- square inch is the game.
Maybe advances of a dollar or two-
Gerald Schmitt concetrated on coon this year- our coon were just worth more than mink (FOR HEAVENS SAKES!!!)
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mink
Apr 28, 2004 17:25:48 GMT -6
Post by NittanyLion on Apr 28, 2004 17:25:48 GMT -6
The mink I sold were about the same as Steve's. Coon may be more profitable.
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mink
Apr 28, 2004 19:23:38 GMT -6
Post by dj88ryr on Apr 28, 2004 19:23:38 GMT -6
Ninny, did you notice any of the pelts on your mink being singed because of the " current " in the water near your house?? ;D
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mink
Apr 28, 2004 19:26:19 GMT -6
Post by trappnman on Apr 28, 2004 19:26:19 GMT -6
Did you know Jim was 6' 2" before he started trapping that stretch...?
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mink
Apr 28, 2004 19:31:13 GMT -6
Post by dj88ryr on Apr 28, 2004 19:31:13 GMT -6
Ahhhh, now things are coming together. ;D
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mink
Apr 28, 2004 20:02:25 GMT -6
Post by BK on Apr 28, 2004 20:02:25 GMT -6
A stream is a stream is a stream,....................the real key here is what they connect, drain , or run into. You can take that to the bank,............ (perhaps not where NL works)
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mink
Apr 29, 2004 6:09:39 GMT -6
Post by Maineman on Apr 29, 2004 6:09:39 GMT -6
A stream is a stream is a stream,....................the real key here is what they connect, drain , or run into. BK, I tend to agree...Is it safe to say that the section of stream "closest" to the larger body of water will receive the most travel? This would make for good use of a map to scout the most productive sections in a trappers area... MM
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mink
Apr 29, 2004 13:04:29 GMT -6
Post by trappnman on Apr 29, 2004 13:04:29 GMT -6
Is it safe to say that the section of stream "closest" to the larger body of water will receive the most travel?
Maybe....maybe not. no real way of telling. Here for example- the exact opposite would be true. The creeks start off in the hills and flow down to either the Mississippi or it's feeder rivers- and those portions of the creeks tend to be sand bottom, shallow silty things. Not condusive to good mink populations.
My best producing areas on these creeks are often 10-15-20 miles from the bigger water.
Habitat- thats the key. Habitat means prey and prey mean mink.
A good rule of thumb on creeks- in rat areas- the portions of the creeks that traditionally producec them ost rats- wil lhave the most mink. Exceptions of course- but everyon of my "big" mink producing spots- spots where I take 4-8 mink- are also my best rat spots.
Get out in mid winter- what cover is available then- will be the draw point earlier in the season.
Mink, esp male mink- do have somewhat long travel routes- but thetheir tendency is to travel to a good area- stay a few days- travel to the next- etc. Males esp.
Females and YOY tend to stay fairly close to home through early winter, late fall.
Only tip about maps- look for 1) faster water 2) meandering places 3) marshes/grasslands.
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mink
Apr 29, 2004 20:27:14 GMT -6
Post by Computerhater on Apr 29, 2004 20:27:14 GMT -6
OK, now I'm going to pick your brains. That is because this has me dumbfounded. I have a stretch of line that has 3 small creeks crossing a road. The creeks are approximately 2 to 3 feet wide. The spacing of the creeks is about 3 miles from the first to the third with the one in the middle about 3/4 of a mile from the first one. All 3 creeks flow into a major drainage that parallels the road that I drive. At each stop the bridge is no more than 200 to 300 yards from this major drainage. I may have some competition from others but I doubt it. Could be some rat trappers on the river and also could be other trappers but I have trapped this area for years and feel quite confident there isn't any others trapping it. It is public ground so it is possible. When I scout in the fall and see mink sign on these creeks I catch mink and lots of them. When I scout in the fall and don't see mink sign I catch very few and sometimes NONE. There in lies the problem. Most years when I scout these creeks I am not seeing any sign and as stated I'm not catching many mink. The creeks are full of crawdads, frogs, chubs, and I catch a few muskrats in my sets also. The food is there. The cover is there. Long grassy overhanging banks, brush and willows and logs etc. The one creek drains a big lake about a mile up a side road. Another has beaver ponds upstream from it. It looks like a mink trapper's paradise and about every fourth or fifth year it is. I just can't figure out why this area is so inconsistent on a trappable mink population. Most of my other creeks will fluctuate some from year to year but not like this area. I may catch 6 to 9 mink one year off of these 3 locations and then the next 3 or 4 years be lucky to catch 1 or 2 a year if that. I'm to the point now that if I don't see any sign when scouting, I am contemplating passing this area by until the following year. Any thoughts or similar areas on your own lines? Randy
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mink
Apr 29, 2004 21:33:37 GMT -6
Post by woody on Apr 29, 2004 21:33:37 GMT -6
Randy, could it be that you are taking more out then is left to reproduce in the area and on that 3 year rotation more mink have migrated in? since it was an area devoid of mink. I think all animal's run on some type of population rotation. Kind of like the voles, or better yet the 7 year cacada. Just my thoughts. so take it for what ya want. ;D woody
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mink
Apr 30, 2004 6:21:11 GMT -6
Post by trappnman on Apr 30, 2004 6:21:11 GMT -6
Of those 6-9 mink- what are they? do you catch about the same on each creek? Or most on 1? It does sound like a puzzler- thats for sure Usually, a good location is a good location year after year- so...what could it be? (in no order of importance) 1) pollution 2) other trappers 3) no local mink 4) overpopulation point? Could it be that in reality the whole area is, for whatever reason, a marginal mink area? And that these 3 creeks only get mink in high population years- and the creeks get the overflow? Or perhaps the habitat in the big water is so great- that the main population is there- and only the surplus comes up the stream and you trap them out? Wonder what would happen if you skipped 1 year when you saw sign- would the next years be good trapping?
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mink
Apr 30, 2004 9:02:39 GMT -6
Post by MChewk on Apr 30, 2004 9:02:39 GMT -6
Guys i've seen this type of sit. before....my guess is what Steve alluded to but throw in a BIG push for hawks/owls... they are thick and definitely hit mink rats all small game hard.
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mink
Apr 30, 2004 19:51:06 GMT -6
Post by Computerhater on Apr 30, 2004 19:51:06 GMT -6
As far as the catch goes, the first creek is the best when things are good, but in lean years I get blanked there. The second creek usually will produce one single male mink in the lean years and up to 3 in the good years. I have caught as many as 5 on the first creek. The 3rd creek is good for 2 in the good years but again those don't happen very often.
I've trapped this area for 14 years now and in that span I've had 4 good years. Most years I will only get a mink or two tops and this year I got blanked although that was in part due to flooding from the river.
Most of the mink that I catch at these spots are males.
I don't think it is pollution because of the frogs, crayfish etc. Hawks and owls I'm sure contribute but I don't think there are any more of these birds flying the friendly skys over these locations than anywhere else I trap.
It just seems odd that at other locations whether I see sign or not usually doesn't make much difference on how many mink I catch but on this road it seems to have a direct correlation to my catch. It may be that the mink stay down on the river instead of traveling up the feeders. One of life's mysterys I guess.
Tman, I'm not sure I can bring myself to skipping these locations if I see sign during the preseason. I have to wait so long for it to get good that it would be hard to do. LOL
Randy
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