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Post by trappnman on Apr 10, 2007 16:31:51 GMT -6
what are you calling flows?
ps- whats Ed up to?
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Post by jsevering on Apr 10, 2007 17:15:54 GMT -6
flows to me or what we call them here localy... are where the beaver for the most part are up near where the head waters start ....up in a higher valley .... or down low where you have a good side spring flowing into the river or brook that is protected from the velocity of a longer and a little bit... lower laying flowing brook or river and is protected somewhat by a slight step elevation..... from the faster flowing brook...
eds up to no good.... still cussing i didnt do my fair share of skinning..... and hes already seaming out a plan for next year already.... most of its what i have to do...think hes tring to condition me......jim
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Post by trappnman on Apr 10, 2007 17:55:12 GMT -6
LOl-
we have very little of that here- the upper flowages just turn into springs and usually start in rough pasture areas.
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Post by BK on Apr 16, 2007 18:22:27 GMT -6
To the dismay of some I'm back from beaver trapping and turkey killing,.........so I gotta ask a few questions here.  Much of the talk here seems to stem from mink travels on different water sheds. Might one assume this would advocate the largest part of the food source came from the water at this time of year? |
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Post by jsevering on Apr 17, 2007 4:49:19 GMT -6
im not gonna say the largest part, because i dont know, plenty of food base available that isnt fish also along the way in the higher undercuts etc. ... but i will say the fish are a ready available food source for the mink in the water, if thats what they choose to pursue .....jim
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Post by trappnman on Apr 17, 2007 6:14:45 GMT -6
yes bk- During late winter and spring, I have no doubt that the majority of food is water based- including streamside.
Look at the available cover and the available prey this time of year away from water- and isn't it only logical as to where the mink will concentrate?
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Post by mountainman on Apr 18, 2007 7:13:56 GMT -6
Fascinating. |
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Post by BK on Apr 18, 2007 17:10:57 GMT -6
Yep,....... (I'm trying to lead you here Steve)  ,.................. Perhaps we can agree the mink are there because they're not thirsty? Wouldn't it be safe to assume most of the food would be underwater, and not on top of the ice? Just a thought on my part.  |
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Post by thebeav2 on Apr 18, 2007 18:10:41 GMT -6
Once the stream freezes over and you get snow and all that heavy cover Is flattened out with a snow load where do you think all the mice are living. That grass Is not flat to the ground and mink will hunt that void.
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Post by trappnman on Apr 19, 2007 6:25:49 GMT -6
most of the food underwater? not even close here- all my good streams have grass covered banks or go through brushy woods. Mice, shrews, wood rats are common- I see many every check. Thats my #1 food for mink here.
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Post by trappnman on Apr 19, 2007 6:26:41 GMT -6
think of the stream as a 24 hours McDonalds- you don't eat there all the time- but when the other restaurants are closed, you always know McDucks is open.....
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Post by BK on Apr 19, 2007 17:49:33 GMT -6
We agree where they are Steve,.............just not why they are there.
I think you are mistaken.
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Post by trappnman on Apr 19, 2007 17:53:35 GMT -6
why do you think they are there?
Not real sure what point you are making....
mink migrate to the streams when other food sources are depleted. That includes fish and in the case of my streams here, countless small mammals living streamside.
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wbg
Demoman...
Posts: 182
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Post by wbg on Apr 19, 2007 19:16:14 GMT -6
Having observed many feeding and traveling mink I'll go out on a limb and say that food is seldom an issue. I've seen them fish off a log or rock , jump in catch fish, eat simple as that, very fast. Infact a biologist that I've done alot of work for, once released a live trapped Mink that he had worked up, opened the trap the mink ''a female'' jumped in the stream and immediately surfaced with a fish. I have also seen them kill muskrats several times, again with very little effort. In fact it always seemed that the muskrat acted as though it was his duty to die. I've never seen one catch a mouse or shrew, but have seen them mousing. Have also seen where they have caught hares while they hunt out a spring through dark growth. I believe a mink could make a living in a mud puddle!
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Post by thebeav2 on Apr 19, 2007 22:21:34 GMT -6
What I was trying to say Is that I think mink get a large majority of their food on dry land.
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Post by jsevering on Apr 20, 2007 6:38:46 GMT -6
maybe we can agree if a certain set of mink tracks are bye passing, not hunting the undercuts other than hugging it for cover ......while traveling... and not hitting every hole for fish but more or less only hitting the water were he is forced to.... it might have another.... mind set... at that particular point in time..... whether its to get to a preferred localized hunting habitat, dry land or water..... or for some other reason.... like reaching localized areas where the females are setting up shop in their preferred localized hunting areas.... flows or brooks.... and a somewhat smaller area of operation.. separated by sections of brooks or what ever.......sure would like to know how many females one buck mink is capable of breeding and how important timing might wiegh on his instincts, or how much easy prey, they may pass up on any given day... mating season or not... seems both mating and eating (hunting)would be somewhat important and instinctual, but to what degree when one conflicts to an extent with the other ? ..... jim
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Post by trappnman on Apr 20, 2007 6:49:14 GMT -6
this behavior- the randomness, the going by good hunting areas, bypassing streams, etc, etc- are not specific to late winter spring- the SAME patterns exist during the normal fall trapping season. You just don't see the tracks because of no snow.
and I also believe- that a wandering mink is STILL in a hunting mode- an opportunistic mode-
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Post by jsevering on Apr 20, 2007 6:58:05 GMT -6
dont disagree steve, but i think your missing my point.... maybe on purpose.... we haven't been married to our spouses that long to forget about hormones and such.  .....know in my younger days i wasted allot of gas just looking for a chance to.... well you remember....i hope ....jim |
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Post by trappnman on Apr 20, 2007 7:06:15 GMT -6
nah Jim- they came to me....
Chrome might not get you home...but it gets you ....
There seems to be 2 points here- 1) do mink wander more in the spring and 2) do they wander for the same reason.
1) I don't think they wander any more during breeding season- or at the very least, if not the same, darn close.
2) are they doing this wandering more because of lust in the spring? (motive)
Perhaps. Probably. Maybe....LOL
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Post by jsevering on Apr 20, 2007 7:22:07 GMT -6
actually a third also..... randomness vrs wandering... are they more random with wandering and hunting areas etc. when time isnt a factor... like cruising through showing off their chrome..or taking the time to do some roadside work ? ....jim
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