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Joined: Dec 2017
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OP
Joined: Dec 2017
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I am new to this forum but have already learned so much. Can anyone tell me if a mink can do any structural damage to a hillside farm pond?
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 8,800 Likes: 69
Chairman, Pond Boss Legacy award; Moderator; field correspondent Lunker
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Chairman, Pond Boss Legacy award; Moderator; field correspondent Lunker
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 8,800 Likes: 69 |
Welcome to the forum!
Muskrats and beaver are primary burrowing concerns pond owners harbor. Mink prey upon muskrats, voles, frogs, and there are reports of them hammering cormorants too, which in my book makes them a preferred visitor on my ponds. I don't mind sacrificing a few fish knowing my pond is being patrolled by mink. They are solitary and rarely seen - at least in my experience.
Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau
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Joined: May 2009
Posts: 5,730 Likes: 289
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 5,730 Likes: 289 |
Mink are fierce predators. I have personally seen a large one take down an adult rabbit (the screaming was unnerving until he switched from holding a leg to its neck). This year, I saw one climb a tree and check out a pine squirrel tree hole. Nobody was home at the time but when the owner returned he acted pretty agitated (must have been the smell lefty behind). Saw a second one about a quarter mile away on a another stream a couple days later (could have been the same one but unlikely). My neighbor traps several on my place each year, but I like having some around (not so much when I had chickens).
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Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 188 Likes: 2
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 188 Likes: 2 |
Any tips as to what bait a mink will take in a trap? KFC?
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Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 27 Likes: 1
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Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 27 Likes: 1 |
I have always used the meat from a muskrat when I'm specifically making a set for mink. It is one of their favorite foods. Otherwise, I would go with raw chicken (not cooked).
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Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 2,058 Likes: 7
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Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 2,058 Likes: 7 |
Welcome to the forum!
Muskrats and beaver are primary burrowing concerns pond owners harbor. Mink prey upon muskrats, voles, frogs, and there are reports of them hammering cormorants too, which in my book makes them a preferred visitor on my ponds. I don't mind sacrificing a few fish knowing my pond is being patrolled by mink. They are solitary and rarely seen - at least in my experience. I have personally watched a mink aggressively hunt a Canadian goose in the water. I was shocked but not surprised they would try. They are tuff little buggers. Look up 160 coni-boxes. I have had very good luck with these once the water if frozen. They do like fresh bloody meat. Place it between the wire mesh end and the coni. Make sure the trap is well wired down in case you get a martin. A martin will take your whole set. Cheers Don.
Last edited by DonoBBD; 01/17/18 09:44 AM.
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Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 101
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Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 101 |
Youtube "pet mink" sometime. I don't remember the specific title on the vid, but a guy takes his pet mink out to a stream or pond, turns him loose, and videos the thing taking muskrats. It does its work then comes back, he pets it like a dog, and it hops in it's kennel and they go about their way. It's pretty cool to watch a mink when it's got its sights on something it wants.
I found the vid while trying to determine if I should try to get rid of a mink that was hanging around my pond. I know some disagree, but I fall on the side that prefers having him there.
J Waters Dam'd Waters Farm 2/3 ac dam'd stream pond BG, HBG, RES, LMB, YP
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Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 101
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Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 101 |
https://youtu.be/pzdK8v-UHd4Here's the mink/muskrat vid I previously mentioned.
J Waters Dam'd Waters Farm 2/3 ac dam'd stream pond BG, HBG, RES, LMB, YP
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Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,381 Likes: 46
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Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,381 Likes: 46 |
I just watched a few of that guys videos. That is very cool!!
Keep This Forum Viable, Read Pond Boss Magazine - America's Journal of Pond Management
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Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 997 Likes: 57
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Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 997 Likes: 57 |
Wow........seeing is believing. Who would have thunk it.
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Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 2,058 Likes: 7
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Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 2,058 Likes: 7 |
I have a buddy that would use a pet ferret to hunt rabbits. He would put his wedding ring around the ferrets nose then put a finishing nail behind the ferrets front teeth. The wedding ring would not come off because of the nail and the ferret could not open his mouth to get a hold of the rabbit.
Send the ferret down the rabbit hole and the rabbit would come out and just pop him with a 22.
Yes one time in a fox den he came back out with out the wedding ring.
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