Mink in headwater streams

[CoonDuke]

Does anyone set up those tiny headwater trickles? Streams only a foot or 2 wide and are dry a good portion of the year? Are they worthwhile setting up since at times food is pretty scarce in them?

[dj88ryr]

I have before, without a lot of success. I think in his travels, a mink MAY, check these out, but I have never had enough success to say, yeah, it is worth it.

[chub618]

im becomming a believer in those type runoffs, the mink i caught last week was the same type of creek, i think as long as there are mice and field rats around you should have no problem picking up a mink or two, but i would only do if i could just do a drive by every day and not spend alot of time there. but thats just me i dont have a very big line either

[trappnman]

Here, I had little success in setting them up- and don't anymore.

I believe mink are food driven more than most animals. Their fat reserves are low and they need to eat on a regular basis.

So they are going to hunt and travel areas that have a good prey base. I also believe, that most of the time a moving mink is a hunting mink. So while thay might travel through such areas, if there is no reason to stick around, they won't.

[DaveM]

I dont set these places for mink, but get one once in a while in a coon set.

[chub618]

maybe im not picturing the same type of place? i have creek now that is probably 4' wide at its widest and and averages say a foot wide. and 4 to 6 inches deep brushy on both banks and dries up in the summer this creek is a drainage to a medium sized creek.

[Steve Gappa]

those type of creeks- IMO- are worthless for trapping mink. Now- does that say you will never catch a mink there? Of course not- I've caught mink in canine sets 10 miles from any water.

Im talking creeks that are dry most of the year. Not enough food to NORMALLY interest mink enough to make it part of their routine. Males will hunt brushy dry creeks.

Look at the creek- frogs there? Fish? lots of grasses with mice, shrews, woods rats? then mink. If not...not.

Now- smaller creeks- if they have food, make good mink creeks.

Overall best size creeks I feel for mink trapping, in my area- are those that are 10-30 feet or so wide. Creeks big enough to hold interest and small enough so that a mink works both sides.

I have what I call dead creeks. Shallow water, sand bototm, little vegitation- and I set up a few if convient. I take a mink from them every couple of years....say 2 out of 3 years. Mink trapping itself is low %- and these type of creeks are the lowest of the low.

You want a silver bullet for mink? Food.

[billkasten]

Small creeks are ok if they connect ponds or other bodies of water such as swamps exct.Now if a creek is just a runoff stream I keep driving.

[mole]

Hello, This is what we call a head water stream. Its onlly a few feet wide,inthe summer less thaan that.There are two coming together here and in the picture that is my wife Debbie with a mink. She caught five here. A lot of our Adirondac streams are like this,sand or gravel bottom but there is food. Small trout,minnows, lepord frogs{favorite of our mink],rodents. Food is the most important thing,next is cover protection from the winged predators. Thanks for the time and space Ed

[trappnman]

very typical of many of my streams. Many rats on them in your area?

[NattyBumpo]

Great pic Ed.

[mole]

Hello again, There are some rats,but this is not rat country. Down in the St. Lawrence valley people get more rats a day than we do in a season. Ed