Blind sets...

[foxman]

After reading the water trapping archives for days. It seems that blind setting mink comes up quite a bit. Right now im running all pockets. I would like to learn blind sets. Im pretty sure i know where in how to set them. But my dilemma is after being on a creek for a couple hours yesterday i didnt see one place to blind set. My thinking is that im blind to this "art" as a select few have called it. My question is...where and how do you blind set? Not trying to be spoon fed. As today we are spoiled with information that was not available years ago. I'm just simply trying to become a somewhat accomplished minker. My goal for this year is 20 mink. Whether or not i reach that goal is in my opinion up to whether or not im willing to work hard.

[lumberjack]

I always look where they are forced, where sandbars taper out, bottom edges, bank contours, trails crossovers, bridge abutments, holes poked through blocked areas. etc.
I can usually find a blind set somewhere close, if not, I make one.

[trappnman]

unbaited pockets ARE blind sets, despite those not using them, disagreeing.

yes, put blind sets where you do find pinch points, etc.

But more importantly, put tem where they SHOULD be.

THat is- give them what they are looking for, WHERE they expect it to be.

I agree with lumberjack 100%- this "walking all over looking for a blind set" is the biggest trapping myth out there- if one isn't present, MAKE one.

[thebeav2]

I don't consider a un baited pocket to be a blind set.
True blind sets are a natural spot the mink normally use. In my opinion when you dig a pocket It's not a natural thing and you are trying to Entice the mink and coon to that spot.
I'm basically a blind setter but I feel you can probably take more fur by digging pockets and baiting them.
You can stop and dig 4 or more pockets at each location but you might be hard pressed to find that many good blind sets. Sure you can throw In 50 so called blind sets but the real production blind sets are few and far between at each location. And the art of blind setting Is not something you can master over night.

[barrynl]

If you are going to make a pocket it is just as well to put a bit of bait in it. What I consider a blind set is mink path's set with 120's.

That being seid over the years I have noticed that some LOCATION'S pay off more then other's. Why is this?

I am of the beleive that mink will not go far for bait. 5 feet one way or the other is no good for mink.

You must be on location.

[thebeav2]

That's true to a point. But When the snow gets deep and temps get to freezing then mink act differnt.

[Bob Jameson]

Blind or trail setting for mink is a learned skill. As stated looking for or developing a squeeze or narrow point is what is desired to be successful at it. Many times the existing features are there if you look for them or they can be developed prior to the season if time permits.

Water courses/habitat of the streams vary considerably from region and state to state. Where grassy banks and higher vegetation exist on the streams interpreting blind set situations are much easier for most to read the potential locations.

Rocky streams with little vegetation for cover limit alot of your blind set locations. Most of those must be developed before season if you plan on running a good line. Many of my local streams due to the shear banks and deeper water dont allow many pocket set ups for me.

I learned to trail set existing discreet trails I know the mink run as they are only limited to swimming the deeper water/shore edges or run the high banks. Its faster and easier running on the high bank edges here with blind and hole sets.

I agree with your statement 100%.

That's true to a point. But When the snow gets deep and temps get to freezing then mink act differnt.

[barrynl]

O.K then is this a blind set or a baited set you tell me I consider it a baited set. But it is put in a place where mink are likely to be. I have caught 4 mink out of this location this year.



Here is another one. I have caught 3 mink out of this location this year I consider it a baited set where mink are likely to be.




I think when trapping mink think corners. It does not matter what the corners are.

here are some examples:

[Bob Jameson]

I think intrepretation of blind vs trail setting can be different for some. I prefer the term trail setting which is more related to land /marsh grass trails etc. setting in my opinion.

Semantics perhaps....

Blind setting in my mind could also be a non visible trap set with no lure,bait or visible attraction used in the water or on land to intercept where an animal will happen by on its natural route of travel.

[trappnman]

trail sets are blind sets- of course they are-

the statement that an unbaited pocket, is an attractant for a few hours only, is wrong. I could use other words, but lets stay with just wrong.

how on earth anyone can state that setting a trap on a bank, waiting for a mink to step into it is a "blind" set- but making a small hole behind the trap suddenly, mystically changes that set into "not a blind set" is beyond me.

Literally, beyond me.

75% of my unbaited BLIND sets, are simple unbaited pockets- putting that pocket where a mink expects it to be.

Is a traveling mink (in prey habitat areas), a hunting mink?

My opinion is that in almost all cases (non rut), he is.

and what does a mink thats hunting, or at the least traveling in an opportunistic manner, doing?

guess thats a mystery according to what I read. Has no one watched hunting mink? has no one noticed HOW they hunt and WHERE they go?

Seems not...........

the POCKET, made it the right place, IS the attractant. and HOW the pocket is made, I think matters- make it so that there is water in the entire pocket-

if we want "correct" semantics, then lets put mink sets into 2 catagories- baited sets, and unbaited sets.

for unbaited- you have trail sets with both footholds and conibears, and you have sets- like poke holes with 110s, like BE sets with 110s, like cubbies, boxes, depressions and holes (pockets) using both.

for baited- heres a ? - how many use bait or lure without pockets? Does anyone use "smear sets", poke holes in shear banks, etc?

And if so, how many? since time is often given as a reason to not use unbaited sets- then wouldn't more time be saved, by not digging the pocket?

After all, on a eaten rat, isn't the rat the only attractant? does anyone dig a pocket at a killed rat, to catch that mink?

barry- love your locations- but contend the catch would be the same, bait or not. After all, they WANT to be there. but bait certainly doesn;t hurt.

I like unbaited for 2 reasons, the simplicity, and the reduced or eliminated attraction to coon. Many of my sets will drown a mink, but not a coon. Keep in mind, almost ALL my locations, have 1-2 BAITED sets as well- in locations where I can drown the coon. I catch less that 10% of my mink on bait.

Why?

not because bait doesn't work- but becasue of one simple fact- my mink sets are ON location, my baited sets are on COON locations. Or neutral locations by deep water, where my lure will draw them to the set.

would I catch those mink in the baited w/o the unbaited sets being present?

as BK says- we all trap the same mink.

snow is the great changer in mink patterns here- the more, the better. For me, here, my % of males goes up with the inches.

btw- seems to be a lot of females and juveniles around- coon on the water here slow so far (2 checks) so maybe lack of coon = more YOY?


Rocky streams with little vegetation for cover limit alot of your blind set locations

actually, this is a bonus- those limited locations, make the sets available- more potent.

Read the stream, read the habitat- go THERE.

-------------------------------

Bob, your last post, sums it up 100%

[barrynl]

Trappnman

Are these smear sets. I have to admit that is a new term for me. These are what I call wall set's.

All I do is place trap against wall and place a SMALL bit of bait in a crevice of rock about 1 foot above trap.







This is the best site to discuss mink trapping I have found. If I had to heir one more question about what is the best coon bait I thought I was going to go nuts LOL. I felt like saying anything organic they can fit in there mouth LOL.

[thebeav2]

I use a lot of bait I don't make the standard pocket not even close. I shove my tile spade Into the bank and pry It back and forth like you would If you were planting a seedling pine. When I'm done I have a V shaped hole. I place a whole rat or a half rat In the V shaped void then I stomp It closed. Sounds crude but It's fast and It works.
The bait In most cases Is above the water line but not by much. If I have a raise In the water level some of the rat may be under water but some of It will be above the water level. So the set Is still In working order. Both coon and mink have to move around to get this bait and the more they move around the better your chances are they will step in your trap. I've caught mink In this set when there was 4" of water over the trap. That would never happen with a standard pocket set with water running Into It.
I also like to pin a rat shank up under a under cut bank with one trap On each side,caught a few doubles that way. Same with rip rapped banks just shove a rat carcass Into a void in the rocks and place a trap in front of It. If you cant bed a trap because of the rocks just place a piece of sod for a trap bed. Or better yet make some small trap sized sand bags. They make perfect trap bedding devices In rocky areas.

And I don't agree with the statement that We are trapping the same mink. I believe there are mink that spend most of their time on dry land while some mink spend most of the time In the water. If you don't trap In those high bank trails with either some type of trail set or a high and dry pocket set or for that matter a dirt hole set. You aren't going to catch all the mink.Yes I've caught a fair amount of mink In dirt hole sets along a high bank.
Lots of ways to catch a mink You just need to use the right set for each situation.

[beaver23]

.

[thebeav2]

Beaver 23
every one does it different I have my way of doing things that might not work for some one else.
I think It might have been Red snow that told me all my posts were out In left field. Did that bother me, Nope I know what I catch and my methods work for me. I don't always agree On what others say or do but I just read and grin. They don't sign the check

[Steve Gappa]

bye beaver23

[trappnman]

every one dose it different I have my way of doing things that might not work for some one else.
I think It might have been Red snow that told me all my posts were out In left field. Did that bother me Nope I know what I catch and my methods work for me. I don't always agree On what others say or do but I just read and grin. They don't sign the check

wow oh freaking wow do I agree.

barry- those are variations I guess of a smear set- the classic is to smear a paste bait/lure on a sheer wall, trap underneath.

[thorsmightyhammer]

Would a baited pocket that catches mink be any less on location that an unbaited pocket that catches mink?

Evidently both sets must have been on location if they caught something. The bait isnt what pulls a mink over, its the hole. Many of us just believe that the bait seals the deal so to say.

[thorsmightyhammer]

BTW all these years you and I have went round and round on pocket vs blind set debates we find out you 75 percent pocket sets by your own admission.

I never said it was baited vs unbaited. I was always "a pocket will out shine a blind".

Before those of you who dont live in the mink belt jump me I was/am speaking of the general area of MN and Iowa type habitat.

[trappnman]

I never said it was baited vs unbaited. I was always "a pocket will out shine a blind".


some act like it was a big secret- I wrote 2 articles about blind sets, including the unabaited pocket as a mainstay. Not really a "secret", if you misintrepreted what I meant. and have posted dozens of pictures, showing just that- including many from last year. so now the secret is out.

and steven, by your definition, we agree- I love pockets- I just can do without the bait with active coon around.

I honestly assumed that you knew what I meant- blind pockets is the major part of blind setting- why argue over definitions. If you say POCKETS catch more mink, from MY experience, I agree. I agree- a pocket will take more than trail sets, if trail sets is your definition of blind-

but yet- two sets where I just took a double today- sheer bank, undercut about 2" up by creek, I cut out a chunk in bank- creating a ledge under bank, a foot wide, 10 inches deep- a natural stopping place. took a chunk I cut out (red wing clay), and set in front of depression, creating "walkthrough"

By your definition- blind set or pocket?

[trappnman]

very innovative method beav-