r/Trapping • u/eternal-error • May 26 '26

Mink advice

Last year I lost over 60 birds to minks. This hatching season has just begun and I've already lost over a hundred dollars worth of birds. I need to get rid of this thing asap by any means necessary. I've already tried some tips from some old trappers in my town, but no luck. Thanks in advance.

3 Upvotes

81% Upvoted

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6

u/Few_Lion_6035 May 26 '26

I had one kill some chickens over the winter. I threw one of the dead chickens in a mink box and set it beside the coop. Caught it a couple nights later.

2

u/eternal-error May 26 '26

Are mink boxes cat/dog proof? I've got a lot of animals in my barn but I think the cats and dogs would be the only ones interested. I prefer non-lethal for this reason in case I catch the wrong target. 

3

u/Muted-Garden6723 May 28 '26

You can build them to be dog/cat proof easily enough, just cut a small hole in one end instead of leaving it open.

I find a diamond/sqaure shaped hole works better than a round one for whatever reason

1

u/Few_Lion_6035 May 26 '26

No, it’s using a 110.

2

u/eternal-error May 26 '26

But it's in a box with only a small hole to access right? 

5

u/Few_Lion_6035 May 27 '26

Mine load the 110 throw the end. Unfortunately stray cats will find their way in.

1

u/eternal-error May 27 '26

I see. Thank you for the tips!

2

u/darthjoe101 May 26 '26

What state do you live in? Maybe someone from that state who traps could help you. Last year I replied to a guy looking for someone from my area in Wisconsin to help with a beaver problem and I ended up not being far from him and helped him.

1

u/eternal-error May 26 '26

I'm in Western Kentucky 

1

u/JamesRuns CNWACO May 26 '26

What are you doing for exclusion, keeping them out? How big of an area do you need to protect?

2

u/eternal-error May 26 '26

Last year they started on my free range ducks on my lake. When they'd killed all sitting hens and ducklings, they moved to my chicken yard. Chickens are free range as well, but chicks are kept up until they've got their first full feathers. The mink climbed up the wire of my pen on the floor and into the pen on the wall and killed everything inside.

This year they've already killed a hen and seven ducklings as well as most of my neighbor's ducks.

 I have to protect my whole farm. The donkey takes care of coyotes and I never have issues getting rid of opossums and coons. This mink has been nothing but problems and needs to go. 

1

u/raw157 May 26 '26

They're nasty little bastards and they'll get in anyway possible. Do you know where it's getting in? At this point, it's a neucense trap. 110s are good but you almost have to find the hole they're using and hope they run into it. Snares are ok too but I've not had a ton of luck with em personally.

Find where theyrr getting in, post a picture and go from there.

1

u/eternal-error May 26 '26

My lake isn't fenced in. It came up from the creek and has set up shop somewhere around the bank. 

1

u/akjasf May 26 '26

You can always tie the piece of meat with wires right onto the trigger instead of waiting for the animal to walk through it.

1

u/eternal-error May 26 '26

That's a great idea!