I don't know if this is related- but here goes.
I have I guess three types of locations on my line- 1) hotspots, 2) good and 3) maybes.
The hotspots are those locations where I catch 4+ mink a year. Last year, I had 8 of those locations. These locations produce about the same every year- I had 1 location this year- a hotspot that normally produces 3-5 mink a year- produce 8 mink- all big males-
On these hotspots- location is critical. Some of these hotspots I found by accident- some were earned.
I have 1 location that I trapped for many years. I would take 3-5 coon, a mink or two. Went around a couple of dead, slowlooking bends- unproductive habitat- one day- and found a little grassy sectioned clay bank area. Set a few rat traps. Caught a few rats. Caught 6 mink that year. Since then over the past 6-7 years- have taken 5-6 mink there every year. Also usually take a coon or 2.
These hotspots have been consistent since I started trapping them- spots you can count on.
Good spots are those that produce 1-3 mink just about every year. The type of location that is most of my line.
These "good spots" have also been consistent.
Then you got the maybes- locations that are convienient and you take a mink or 2 there occasionally.
I've eliminated most of these- but still set up the easy access ones.
So- these "maybe" locations are the only ones that AREN'T consistent.
So......we've come full circle as to the question- WHAT causes some places to be "maybe" places?
On my marginal streams- it comes down to a few things-
1) food
2)shelter
My "maybe" streams are lacking in one or both-
Look at a northern mink population like this- during the early summer- it is spread out over a large area. Mink, esp male mink, range quite a ways from the water. I once caught a mink at least 7-8 miles from any water- and in wet years females spread out into a lot of marginal waters.
With fall, freezing nights, shrinking of habitat- the mink move back to the waters. They move from marginal to "next to marginal" until that too disppears.
Continually working back to surviable habitat for winter- and that means food and shelter- a reliable source of food and consistent shelter both for denning and from other predators.
This can be gradual in a normal fall- or Bang! overnight with a major freezeup or dump of snow.
So in a gradual year, with the mink moving slowly back to winter territories- the have time to wander and work the "maybe" areas.
In a "panic" year- they don't.
Any of the above wanderings help?
As I was writing the above- it dawned on me- that if there was a secret to winter mink trapping- its a simple one- Find the mink's winter territory.
The travelways pick up mink- but the territory areas- those with food and good habitat, are the hotspots