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Post by trappnman on Dec 26, 2004 10:24:24 GMT -6
   some pictures from BK.... I will let him explain it... this could turn into a real good thread- feel free to post any pictures showing ice sets. Tomorrow I'll be checking a few with ice, so I'll try out my new digital. |
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Post by fishdaddy on Dec 26, 2004 10:57:17 GMT -6
that looks like my area.
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Post by BK on Dec 26, 2004 11:59:34 GMT -6
Thanks Steve. ;D The first pic. shows just how frozen things were when I checked things, no tracks at all, if you look close you can see two layers of ice at the set. The second pic. shows the dead mink a small buck, notice the trap is wired off under water, and there are no stakes sticking up to be frozen into the ice. I do this in late season as in a warm spell the shelf ice could break away and take your traps with it. The third pic. shows the point I set up, there is a small beaver stick in the bank right where the trap was. I have any number of spots I set up late like this year after year. I broke ice to set this trap ,and as you can see I broke ice to check it.  |
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Post by trappnman on Dec 26, 2004 12:27:54 GMT -6
how deep is the water in that pix?
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Post by BK on Dec 26, 2004 12:59:18 GMT -6
Perhaps 20 in. Steve the photo kinda makes it look like it drops off fast,............it does not.
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Post by trappnman on Dec 26, 2004 14:37:27 GMT -6
nor shelf ice pics, but "winter" and Mink" ... trying to figure out camera...LOL the first is where I saw the mink. A 110 is set at the waters edge directly beneath tree. A set in the holow behind the log, lori got a coon..her first live one by herself on water... note both sunny location and current  Down from the springhole, I got a 110 under the tree roots, pic #4 is about where I am standing on same side.  A trusty springhole..never get any mink here...but coon, coon, coon... always cold and frosty...gets no sun all winter....  a set that gives me...1 mink every year...under the second little "log" going back under the roots...  |
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Post by chub618 on Dec 27, 2004 15:41:06 GMT -6
man i was hoping to get some more info on this post. i have yet to purposely catch a mink " all the ones i have caugh wrere in rat bank dens!" the shelf ice here is terrible now and was wondering how to set it up.... hopefully the mink trappers guide that i ordered yesterday can help out
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Post by BK on Dec 27, 2004 16:45:08 GMT -6
Chub , you gotta get Ken Smythe's book.  I tried to help you out with a pic. of a winter BE set I only had 3 shots left on the camera. If I can answere any questions,.........shoot. |
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Post by chub618 on Dec 27, 2004 17:59:01 GMT -6
i have the b/e book and the sets that jump out at me are not connecting yet, and i have seen mink tracks in the immediate vicinity.. i guess im having trouble picking out the subtle b/e locations and i do not have enought traps to set everything!!!!!!
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Post by trappnman on Dec 27, 2004 19:14:34 GMT -6
A neat day...as I was coming out of a creek, I heard a noise and this doe crossed about 50 yards upstream. She didn't have a clue...in fact, she circled around and then walked right to me...about 30 yards away, stomping her foot...   Then the next set.... for you BK...  the remake....  View looking upstream on a good creek....  set made across from where I stood for the ice picture...in the sun, current... unbaited pocket  only 2 mink today....a foothold under a roots/cutout. Mink is to the left  BK- 2 questions...1) before ice, how many BE sets vs stream edge sets.... 2) on streams without ice, do you think the be works as well? |
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Post by trappnman on Dec 27, 2004 19:19:38 GMT -6
the only mink I got were in rat bank dens.
also- read the archives- lots of good mink info there.
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Post by BK on Dec 27, 2004 20:34:40 GMT -6
Early in the season I can trap more mink faster in pocket sets hands down. As the mink become prime two things happen, they feed more under water and more mink move to the creeks.This is when the BE set shines for me and these are the mink I want. I don't have the spring creeks to trap that you do, I don't know how manny trappers do? I dare say the conditions I trap are tougher, or at least appear to be. Your doing a good job on your lines with foot traps, I see no reason for you to change. In the pic. you posted for me I made two BE sets about twenty ft. appart one held a rat and the other held the mink( I should have set more). Now I have but one question for you,......it was below 0 when I set these traps and pretty much stayed that way at night till I ran them. How would you have set this place up? |
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Post by Steve Gappa on Dec 27, 2004 20:38:41 GMT -6
for sure- on a frozen creek- its your only choice if in water.
on that creek- does it stay iced over all season?
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Post by BK on Dec 27, 2004 20:51:18 GMT -6
Well the talk now is warmer weather for a couple days, it may open up some in the center. If it would open up sheets of ice would plug things up to the point it would come up a lot. Our season ends Dec.31. But I'm good to go. |
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Post by BK on Dec 28, 2004 15:35:38 GMT -6
Trappnman, this thread didn't fly like we hoped it would.  I thought DJ , JL or the Beav. would jump in.  |
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Post by trappnman on Dec 28, 2004 16:12:50 GMT -6
Man BK- it sure is odd being the only 2 mink trappers on this forum.....
you other guys askeered...?
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Post by chub618 on Dec 28, 2004 16:18:07 GMT -6
i just wish i could have some imput. man would i love to take mink on a regular basis.... " i guess a milliion other people would also" i do have a  about bait and lure. i have been told that mink do not come well to lure or bait... you almost have to be within feet of location to take them |
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Post by NittanyLion on Dec 28, 2004 18:52:54 GMT -6
notice the trap is wired off under water, and there are no stakes sticking up to be frozen into the ice. I do this in late season as in a warm spell the shelf ice could break away and take your traps with it. BK, if you do not use a stake, how do you stabilize the bodygripper? The bottom edge sets I made the other day it used a stick to stabilize the trap, and I wired it off on something handy close by. Couple of questions for you BK, if you are willing to talk numbers that is? How many muskrats do you catch in your bottom edge sets. How many sets do you make per location? Do you consider a bridge wall a bottom edge set if you use a body gripper? If there is 4-12 inches or more of water under a bridge, and the wall has many rocks along its entire length, would it be better to clear some rocks away from the wall, or would you use a rock as a point for a bottom edge? |
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Post by BK on Dec 28, 2004 20:08:50 GMT -6
Ninny, I do use a stake to secure the trap, and early if I'm not worried about theft I often let them stick up.But late I wire off under water and keep the stakes short. When I first started using this set I caught about 3 rats for every mink, now because of lack of rats it's more than likely about 1 for 1. I often leave three sets per stop. Kind of a rule of thumb I like to set the sides of a creek one would catch trout.
I set a few bridges that do real well, but the ones with lots of rocks can be tricky, mink crawl up on some and hunt around some.
I would be real temped to look up stream from the bridge for a set Ninny, if you had to you could lug a rock up there to form a point.
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Post by dblcoil on Dec 28, 2004 20:28:00 GMT -6
Chub, I take nearly all of my mink in baited sets. Mostly pocket sets. I believe that mink come readily to bait. I catch a lot in roots that hang down in the water also. I bait these as well. Would I catch just as many in these sets without bait? Possibly, but I feel better adding the bait. I know a lot of guys swear by blind sets, but I just havent had the "courage" so to speak to stop using bait. I have more confidence when I use it.
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