# Thieving Mink



## Mick105 (Jan 6, 2012)

With only a week left of Michigan's Mink/Muskrat trapping season left, I decided to pull the last of my rat sets. I got down to the very last trap and wouldn't ya know it, a muskrat. Well half a muskrat. Mink tracks were all around what was left or the rat. Its only the 2nd time I found a half eaten rat in a trap. The first time I used the half eaten rat as bait and snagged a big buck mink that night. If this were one of the first few traps I pulled the decision to set up for that mink would have been easy but this was the very last trap. Out of pure laziness I decided against setting for him and let the thieving rodent live... until next winter.


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

Do you have a lot of mink around you Mick?


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Perhaps he'll supply you with quarry for next year Mick.


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## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

Those mink love rats ! At least you are helping him/her be a little larger next season.

Last week I nailed a nice buck mink 27 inches on a blind set a fatty too. Now I know why my traps were empty. Rats ran big this season I only ran a few traps but the rats were there. Next year I am going to have a bunch of colony traps.

Did you hear about the price of beaver hides ?


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## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

Mattuk said:


> Do you have a lot of mink around you Mick?


A lot is a relative term. We do have a strong population of them here in SE Michigan but not as many as some other areas. Currently I am catching 1 mink per 10 muskrats targetting only rats.


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## Mick105 (Jan 6, 2012)

MATT, Like OAC said, it all depends on the area. Last season I lived about 45 from where I am now and I was lucky to catch 2 mink there. My mink/rat ratio is about the same as OAC's too.

OAC, Last I heard beaver were about $40/pelt average, has that changed? Was that buck you caught singed at all? I haven't had any that were singed this year, I'm thinking because of the warm weather. It has been a couple weeks since I caught one though.


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## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

I heard beaver were over 50 and on the increase ! Wish I had time to hit them this season.

What do you mean by singed ?


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## Mick105 (Jan 6, 2012)

$50 eh? I wish I had somewhere to trap them! The hairs will be curled at the end like burnt hair. I'm not exactly sure what causes it but it seems to happen later in the season and reduces the value of the pelt.


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## Jesse lackey (Feb 23, 2012)

Mick, I'm up by big rapids, and the mink here went downhill bad about two weeks ago. Big bucks bringing $3. Some good the extended season did this year. All of my sets were pulled three weeks ago.


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## bones44 (Jan 7, 2011)

Welcome Jesse to PT ! When i used to fish on the Huron River the mink were as thick as thieves. It was nothing to see 25-30 on a day floating the river east of the dam.


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## Jesse lackey (Feb 23, 2012)

Thanks bones, 
I'm not sure where the Huron river is though.
where are you at in mid Michigan? I live by Remus.


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## bones44 (Jan 7, 2011)

Just south of Lansing. I used to live by Flat Rock.


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## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

Hey welcome, JL ! I am Detroit south to Toledo and hunt up towards Glennie.

That last mink was perfect in fact I am going to tan and keep it being so large.

I had a great place to trap beaver till someone cleaned them out GRRRR. I ice trap and all my ponds were void of action.


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## Mick105 (Jan 6, 2012)

Jesse welcome to PT. I do some trapping every year in Hersey, Reed City and Chase. I had heard mink were dropping but had no Idea it was that much. I may keep mine until next year if that's the case.

Bones I fish the Clinton River a lot and see quite a few but not 20-30.

OAC you said your ponds were viod of action, did you mean ice??? I haven't ventured out to far on the ice this year but for $50 dollar pelt I probably would have. A crotchety old farmer near me has a couple big ponds with beaver in them but he refuses to allow anyone to hunt or trap his land. I even offered to help out around the farm and he had a few choice words for me as he told me to leave.


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## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

Mick ice was/is good up north beavers were hard to find in fact I found only one and I kept missing the otter. If I lived there I would/could do well on both. Rats were light but they were there. Every where I went I found about the same thing. No fresh cuttings on any of the beaver huts.

Same for the yotes. Fox seemed to be up though.

What area of the Clinton do you fish ?


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## Mick105 (Jan 6, 2012)

OAC, when I was out duck hunting I found a spot with good beaver sign even saw a few swimming across the lake. The problem is you either need ice or a boat to get to it. The ice on the lake is solid enough for the first 50-60 yards then open so neither are possible. I played cat and mouse with the fox up north. Trail cam pics showed him in the area during the week, when I was downstate, and nothing when I was set up for him. Generally I fish from Yates Cider Mill to Coyote Joe's for Steelies and the Oakland Twp. stretch for brooks, browns and the occasional rainbow. I guess that stretch is technically the Paint Creek but it feeds the Clinton not too far south of it.


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