A general forum for the discussion of hunting with beagles, guns, clothing and other equipment and just talking dawgs! (Tall tales on hunting allowed, but remember, first liar doesn't stand a chance)
A couple of days ago I saw a Mink in my running pen I had the wife keep an eye on it while I got a gun out of the safe and while I was doing that the darn thing went into a brush pile and grabbed a rabbit Fortunatly the rabbit got away but the Mink got away befor I could kill it. Can any of you guys tell me the best way to trap this thing? I don't trap so any help would be great. Sunday while out in the pen I found a spot where something had killed a rabbit but I thought it was a Hawk or an Owl but now I think the Mink is the culprit.
chuck, i hate those darn critters. at my old house we had one that would kill my fish in my pond. i have never tried to trap one but i hear a lot of people use boxes with holes for the mink to climb in then a trap inside of the box. i think some use a foothold and others use a coniber. baited with fresh meat. i know guys use big rat traps, just like a mouse trap, for weasels in their boxes but i dont know if it would work for mink as they are quite a bit bigger. of course all the game laws and trapping regulations have to be followed when killing mink you can search over on the michigan sportsman trapping section also.
On dry land the best trapping method would be to find where he is getting in and out and set a 120 Conibear in the path. I have found that conventional mink trapping methods that work in creeks and streams rarely work on dry land. The mink has a taste for rabbit and he will be back regularly till you get him. You wont wanna let any dogs around where the Conibears are set cause they are unforgiving. Finding where he gets in and out will be the biggest challenge. You find that and you will surely catch him. Good luck.
Scot
ARHA PP HOF GRBCH GRRCH Willow Creek Shadow ARHA PP HOF GRBCH GRRCH Talk That Talk Molly ARHA PP BCH Crane Creek Clutch
I trapped mink and muskrats but that was a long time ago plus hides brought like 20 bucks for a mink. We always trapped creeks and rivers never set dry land traps afaid of catching someones pet. I dont think many trap any more for the fact prices being so low we may be getting over abundance same with racoons. I had heard silver creek beagle club about lost all rabbits due to mink several years ago. Shooting them would be my first thought ..I think they can be flushed out where you could get a shot.Seems to me like red birds is what we used frequently above the traps. I guess you could contact a member of that club could tell you how they went about eliminating them.
Thanks, I do have a creek on the back side of the pen. It's not in the pen but on the outside about 10 feet from the fence. I think thats how he found the rabbit deli.
Reddog1, if you don't want to set snares or traps in your pen, just go get yourself a small Haveaheart live trap and bait it with a dead squirrel or rabbit.
That'll get him and won't interfere with any running you do in your pen.
reddog1 wrote:A couple of days ago I saw a Mink in my running pen I had the wife keep an eye on it while I got a gun out of the safe and while I was doing that the darn thing went into a brush pile and grabbed a rabbit Fortunatly the rabbit got away but the Mink got away befor I could kill it. Can any of you guys tell me the best way to trap this thing? I don't trap so any help would be great. Sunday while out in the pen I found a spot where something had killed a rabbit but I thought it was a Hawk or an Owl but now I think the Mink is the culprit.
Thanks in advance for any advise.
reddog
My home club down here in Indiana has been going through the same thing for a number of years. The mink are destroying a lot of our newly released rabbits. We're going to discuss a trapping program next Tuesday.
* I enjoy meeting new Beaglers & Squirrel Dog Owners. It's a blessing to find other's with such unique interests.
* I also enjoy helping future hunters.
I trapped weasles in my grandpas chicken coop and rabbit hutch when i was a kid with hindged box with a hole on one and a large rat trap in it just put a little scent bait in it like sardines all members of theweasle family are very courius works very well
I had the wife keep an eye on it while I got a gun out of the safe and while I was doing that the darn thing went into a brush pile and grabbed a rabbit 
you can search over on the michigan sportsman trapping section also.