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Post by Rick on Mar 29, 2005 19:34:36 GMT -6
BK, I've never caught a mink in a foot trap in my life......all conibears, often on land. I'm a fox trapper at heart with an itch to catch more mink. When I do set this mink line up it'll be a before and after work thing as opposed to running my fox line, mostly on vacation. That's why, if I can make it work, the BE has such appeal to me. Just seems to be much lower maintenance......am I right? The good Mrs. Caven has my book en-route.
For a SERIOUS minker.....NL's philosophy makes alot of sense. I certainly think you need to have a percentage of traps on land to stay somewhat operational during high water times.....a very common occurence here.
Rick.
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Post by BK on Mar 29, 2005 20:43:12 GMT -6
Everybody that sees a mink track in the mud thinks, .....well there he goes should have had a trap here or there,.......... That's crap, if your BE set was in a good location you would have caught him there. The mink are at the water For The Food That's In The Water. Yes your trap has to be in a place they wish to hunt. But you gotta remember lots of mink pass a section of stream that don't leave tracks on the bank.
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Post by trappnman on Mar 29, 2005 20:52:47 GMT -6
BK- Im really glad you put all your marbles on the BE set- but it does get old you proclaiming its the only worthwhile set- and thats wrong. Do oy usee me doing that? No.
Perhaps your blnd set skills aren't as good as they could be?
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Post by BK on Mar 29, 2005 22:03:09 GMT -6
Now Steve, let's take a closer look at this,.....I'm talking about Conibears and your talking about foot traps and Conibears, right? From here on in I think it's just a matter of how much water we chose to have over our traps? About the blind set part, I always thought the BE set was a blind set? I don't doubt your skills ,why do you doubt mine? Heck I thought you wanted my 2 cents worth when I first read this one? You don't want me to say something I don't think do you? Here's a couple things I do think,.....last time I sold my mink to your buyer I made him happy, ....and I don't think Rich Faller can sharpen my knife right.
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Post by trappnman on Mar 30, 2005 6:27:26 GMT -6
what does my buyer or Rich Faler have to do with anything?
What I question is your constant assertion that 110s are the ONLY way to trap mink. Since you have such a low opinion of footholds- its a natural question to wonder about your techniques with them. I'm not questioning your minkology skills, just wondering why you bash footholds so vehemetly. Most other mink trappers use both- for a reason.
I welcome your opinion on the BE set- and any how to, tips, etc.
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Post by sbhooper on Mar 30, 2005 9:01:09 GMT -6
"Coulee" is a standard word for draws and canyons in Montana. I knew what it was, but never heard it used until I spent a month in northern Montana where all they have is "coulees". ;D
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Post by Rick on Mar 30, 2005 16:50:50 GMT -6
As stated, I'm nothing more than a very casual mink trapper.....but it's something I'd like to sink my teeth into a little deeper.
I've read all the mink threads, never fealt it was my place to reply. So I know we have some very accomplished, very knowledgeable minkers on here. Steve, I consider you one of them....BK as well. My experience with mink trapping is limited, but my experience with the conditions I'd be facing is intimate.
I'm just of the opinion that BK's style may be better suited to the kind of line I'm talking about. Now, I don't feel I have the credentials to argue with any of the top-line minkers on here, and if one of them tells me I got it all wrong.......my mind is open......I whole-heartedly welcome the advice of all you guys.
I would just like to know more about the BE set. Right now I don't think I would have the confidence to set a whole pile of them (the damaged psyche thing I mentioned earlier). But.....I would like to give the set an honest try, see if I can develop some confidence in it.
I will have serious limits on my time running this thing. Not looking for an "easy" way out, but low maintenance will be important. I'll be dealing with drastic water fluctuations, ice, and snow.....maybe lots of snow. Maybe lots of snow that melts back off in two day with 2" of rain.
That's why I see the conibears as the way to go. My thinking right now is BE sets, 'rat holes, bridge and bank walls, with a percentage of conibears set on land......trails, road crossings, bank holes and collapsed 'rat tunnels. Like I said, if I saw something screaming out for a coilspring I wouldn't hesitate for a second. Wouldn't hesitate to punch in a bunch of pockets in conditions warranted.......but I think that require some odd weather around here. And like I said before, I aint saying a guy couldn't do well here with pockets and blind set foot traps.......But I think the maintenance would kill ya.......and high water would have you out of commission for an unacceptable amount of time.
So, that's my plan. My first half-assed serious mink line. Is it wrong?
Rick.
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Post by dj88ryr on Mar 30, 2005 17:00:39 GMT -6
How can anyone say it is WRONG? If that is the way you want to approach it, it is right FOR YOU. I am no where near a BE expert, or even a master minker, but I know on my line, the more options I give myself, the better. I set some pockets in the perfect depth, some up higher, to be there when the water rises, ( and I know it will ), but I have caught mink in dry pockets, 18" up the bank too. I set blinds, on land, and in shallow water, and BEs when I can find that spot that looks perfect to me. Lot's of options for a mink to stumble into my sets. I try to maximize my chances by having LOTS of traps in small areas. I may have 30 traps in a 50 yard section of stream, percentage per trap is low, but it doesn't take much more time to check em, and I feel better knowing that IN MY MIND, I have all the avenues covered.
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Post by 17HMR on Mar 30, 2005 17:08:29 GMT -6
Rick, Ive been reading them all too,and got a little fever from it. Im going to try to catch some on purpose this year also takeing 50/50 footholds and 110s my weather is not normaly to bad the first couple of months. Your plan sounds good to my inexperinced mind with your weather. Jeff
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Post by trappnman on Mar 30, 2005 17:18:01 GMT -6
Rick- of course thats not wrong. Either footholds or 110s can be the main weapon of choice for mink- and in good hands- i'd guess the success is abotu the same.
I have no doubt you will do well using mainly or even 100% 110s.
My continued point is- that they are no more efficient, no more effective than footholds. Different stroikes, as always.
You will determine your style. If yo uset al l110s- your style and your success will be based on those 100s. If you would do the exact opposite- your success would be based on them.
I've been trapping mink for a lot of years- some years more successfully than other. I have been looking for and setting foothold locations for decades- thats where my eye goes.
I set darn near as many 110s as footholds- yet fully 90% of my mink are in footholds... thats just my forte- not better..but certainly not inferior to 110s.
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Post by Rick on Mar 30, 2005 18:38:33 GMT -6
Actually, I've been trapping mink for quite a few years myself. Just never took it serious.....end of the season, screwin' around stuff.....harsh, winter conditions. Started out just following mink tracks and throwing conibears everywhere he went, paying particular attention to any place he used to get in under the ice. Sometimes he lived, sometimes he died. But I chased enough of those mink tracks over the years that now I think I can just sniff those spots out....don't need to see the mink track anymore......still like to, but don't need to.
Steve, your equal amount of body-gripper to foothold and mink caught in each ratio gave me a couple more questions.
Do you find on your line, that when you experience more than the normal (whatever that is) amount of water fluctuation, that your conibears require less "babysitting"?
And, off the top of your head, would you say a majority of that 10% of mink caught in conibears are caught during times of high water? Or any other weather condition that puts your foot traps out of commission?
DJ, that philosophy makes sense on a serious mink line......remember, mine will be half-ass serious. After I'm about done with the foxes.....just to see if I can.
17, I got a little fever too. I was out waxing my conibears. Yes, I said waxing my conibears.
Rick.
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Post by BK on Mar 30, 2005 19:09:23 GMT -6
I hate to envision myself bashing anyones use of foot holds for mink, they have their place. I used them exclusively for mink myself for 30 years, I like to think I understand their merits an their short comings. I confess to being passionate about the BE set, I'll try to refrain from defending it or posting about it.
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Post by Rick on Mar 30, 2005 19:18:43 GMT -6
BK, I have never made a BE set. I haven't yet read the book, I haven't seen the video. I did however, read an incredible thread on a trapping forum a few years ago, and quite a few more since. Nearly EVERYTHING I know about the BE set I learned from you. I would really hate to see you stop talking about it......was actually hoping you'd open up a little more.
Rick.
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Post by trappnman on Mar 30, 2005 19:23:05 GMT -6
bk- no need to defend it- no one is attacking it.
as i've said time and again, I use it.
now to your questions- no. I had no water flucuations until Feb. And then it was so much- floods- that all were out of commission and if anything- pulled more out of footholds caught befoer the flood waters.
sure footholds have limitations- but heavens to betsy so do 110s.
why do I catch far more in footholds- placement of the trap is undobutedly better- as I said my eye is looking for those sets- I don't put 110s on every stream-
and I bunch up my 110s...I had 15 on one creek- caught I believe 3 mink in them...compared to aboutthe same with footholds and 5-6 in them. I put most of my 110s in clay banked creeks- grass banked creeks get almost 100% footholds.
I m not going to debate which is better- it would be silly to do so. bottom line once again- they are both good tools- I simply prefer footholds.
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Post by NittanyLion on Apr 1, 2005 19:49:39 GMT -6
T-Man said, "and I bunch up my 110s...I had 15 on one creek- caught I believe 3 mink in them...compared to aboutthe same with footholds and 5-6 in them. I put most of my 110s in clay banked creeks- grass banked creeks get almost 100% footholds."
No wonder your catch ratio for mink is 9-1 for footholds over bodygrippers. More mink will be where there is good cover ;D.
Sorry T-man, I had to do that.
I suppose I could go back over my records and give a more precise count but at the moment I don't have time to look it up. My guess would be that 85-90% of my sets are made with foothold traps. I would estimate that I catch 75% of the mink in foothold traps. I guess that would mean I have a better catch ratio using the bodygrippers.
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Post by trappnman on Apr 1, 2005 20:26:13 GMT -6
;D
I think I had 5-6 mink total in 110s this year... 4-5 rats
I freely admit- I don't even set any 110s until my footholds and coon line is out
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Tommy
Tenderfoot...
Posts: 3
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Post by Tommy on Apr 2, 2005 20:25:13 GMT -6
Steve, it would be easier to deal with any kind of constant weather.boy Rick, when you think about it- isn't that the darn truth for any kind of trapping?
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Tommy
Tenderfoot...
Posts: 3
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Post by Tommy on Apr 2, 2005 20:29:15 GMT -6
Actually, I've been trapping mink for quite a few years myself. Just never took it serious.....end of the season, screwin' around stuff.....harsh, winter conditions. Started out just following mink tracks and throwing conibears everywhere he went, paying particular attention to any place he used to get in under the ice. Sometimes he lived, sometimes he died. But I chased enough of those mink tracks over the years that now I think I can just sniff those spots out....don't need to see the mink track anymore......still like to, but don't need to. Steve, your equal amount of body-gripper to foothold and mink caught in each ratio gave me a couple more questions. Do you find on your line, that when you experience more than the normal (whatever that is) amount of water fluctuation, that your conibears require less "babysitting"? And, off the top of your head, would you say a majority of that 10% of mink caught in conibears are caught during times of high water? Or any other weather condition that puts your foot traps out of commission? DJ, that philosophy makes sense on a serious mink line......remember, mine will be half-ass serious. After I'm about done with the foxes.....just to see if I can. 17, I got a little fever too. I was out waxing my conibears. Yes, I said waxing my conibears. Rick.
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Post by Rick on Apr 3, 2005 10:26:55 GMT -6
Tommy, I know you're trying to say something here......but I aint sure what it is.....ya lost me.
Rick.
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