Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Mink?

What kind of pressure can mink put on the fish in our pond? Last fall we got lucky and shot on along with 9 musk rats.

I have never trapped mink before but I am seeing allot of sign. Tracks again this morning hopping right past my BBQ on my back porch. Crayfish being eaten and only the large claws left on the bank. I know racoon's eat them all with nothing left but the odd thing is just the claws are left. With all the mink sign I am leaning to the mink leaving the claws.

Thoughts on trapping the mink? We do have a family dog but shes more of a pet/person than dog. She doesn't really dog.

Cheers Don.

While Mink will catch and eat the occasional fish, I wouldn't be concerned. They are a terror on muskrats.

I think TJ had a problem with one getting into one of his fish cages under the ice, but that's in a captive situation, like a mink in a chicken coop. In that instance, it's bye-bye mink.

I saw one on my trout pond. It became a victm of high velocity lead.

I have heard they really like trout. There is two at least around here the way the sign is. Going to try to get them on the game camera. There is a spot to the west of the water fall we keep finding these crayfish claws.

I encourage mink [whatever that means] on my property per Scott's post - they're an effective predator on muskrats. I don't mind losing an occasional crayfish or bg as long as I know there's pressure on the rats. I tie my fish cage lids down now and didn't lose any fish this Winter - lesson learned.

Don, This maybe off track somewhat, however when fishing several times I have watched M-rats dive under a duck herd and pull one hapless full size quacker underwater and drown it. Then come back up for air and hold said duck like it was a prize and do a chatter of sorts. as it swam on it's back towards the den. Those ducks go down hard!! Dan

Funny day I have seen ducks disappear from large fish but never a muskrat.

The one Mink we did take this fall was chasing three muskrats in our pond and the mink thought he would hide in the water fall. There was hair all over the surface of the pond. My youngest the sniper got the mink with the 17 HMR. Had to make a stretcher because all we had were muskrat and coon stretchers.

If the mink are not hard on the fish I will leave them be. I was shocked to see one hop past my BBQ this morning.

+1 I would leave the mink. They are great predators of all the rodents around.

My Uncle's pond was almost decimated by muskrats. We had to set traps for a long time and then a new set came in. It was an ongoing problem. Or else we never got all the old family out. Dan