I knew whenI built this pond in the middle of basically wilderness, and put fish in it I would have to find ways to defend it. So far it has been air attacks by Herons and King fishers. Dye in the pond fends off the diving birds, and a line of knee high cotton string with martigras beads attached thwarted the waders.
Now the attacker is coming from land with submersible capabilities. HE HAS TO GO. Any trapping tips?
A 12 gauge trap with #4 steel shot will remove that visitor.
He's a little cutie!
Jeff:
If Robert thinks he is a little cutie maybe you should rehome him or her as the case may be.
GAB
It is cute but look at him, he's friendly enough to let you get close enough to shoot it. I'd worry about their smarts and ability to destroy a lot of stuff and eat a lot. You dog may make a nice snack out of it too... How about snapping turtles trained only to go after the mink (Is that what it is? Muskrat?)?
Mink can be tricky to trap. They roam wide areas and don't regularly use the same trails or go to the same places consistently. If he is coming in through the same trail regularly you can blind set the trail with a #1 long spring trap, or a 110 conibear. Your best bet would probably be to make a baited box set. Use some scrap wood to make a 4 sided box or cubby. Either use it as a pass through with bait in the center and a trap at each end, or block one end. I build the box sized to use a 110 at the entrance with a notch in the sides for the spring. If you set it next to the pond you could also use a foot hold at the entrance with a drowning rig into the pond. Use a fish based bait, canned tuna or mackerel work, the stinkier the better. If you catch it live they are mean, and they stink.
How much can one eat?
When putting food out, fish or whatever the wildlife will come.
So you either stop putting food out or more food.
Killing everything you don't like at the dinner table is not good. With food out, they will keep coming.
Or till you kill them all.
Wildlife always gets the short end of the stick.
I have a big heart for wildlife as you can tell. ffcheesy
At my place, they all eat. ffcheesy
Sometimes when I go out the wildlife is there waiting for me. ffcheesy ffcheesy
Like the cfarm, when he yells the deer come running. ffcheesy ffcheesy
I wish you luck Jeff, to find a way where all the wildlife doesn't have to die to keep your fish.
Maybe you can catch them and send them to YH. He has more fish than he wants. 10 or so should do it. ffcheesy ffcheesy ffcheesy ffcheesy ffcheesy ffcheesy
I didn't realize a mink looks so much like an otter. If it was an otter, I'd say just let it be as they typically move on rather than staying in one place.
I don't know about a mink, never have seen one here.
Jeff,
What kind of fish did you stock in the pond? Sorry if I missed that on an earlier post. How many fish can a mink eat? Can he really make an impact on the overall population?
They often steal my bait since I use small live bream for bait on my set hooks and I once rescued a 3 lb channel cat a very large mink had just pulled up on the bank. It was still flopping when I got there. I have more problems with otters as they eat my big fish but I write it off as the price I have to pay to fish where I do.
If the mink is not causing too much damage I just enjoy having him there.
Hybrid Bluegills and some largemouth bass. He may be hunting frogs. There is no end to the frogs. I can tell you that my neighbor that has the pond on the corner, that has been there 40 years thinks its bad. That is honestly what I have to go by, but come to think of it, I think he might of voted for Biden.
I guess that means any solution will have to be eco-friendly, organic and carbon negative. You better check to see if the mink speaks Spanish and if so it may just be simpler to move and let him have the place. :uhoh:
Good luck.
That mink would have to be a lot bigger and meaner to eat my hybrid bream. I once saw the bream eat a cow that had fallen into the pond before the cow finished mowing. (Mooing?)
Quote from: YellowHammer on October 05, 2024, 09:15:23 PMThat mink would have to be a lot bigger and meaner to eat my hybrid bream. I once saw the bream eat a cow that had fallen into the pond before the cow finished mowing. (Mooing?)
They must have cross bred those bream with piranha!
So, I found this den about 50 yards from the pond. I'll put a camera on it. The hole I estimate 5-6" diameter, with a goodly amount of soil removed, dug into the hill so water doesnt go in it.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/1000031270.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356164)
I wonder if mink dig their own dens or just take over one from a muskrat or other critter? They live in the rocks on our local lakes and rivers but there are plenty of washouts and such for them there.
Good luck getting another video of him.
Both I think. This is new, I traverse past that spot at least weekly, and where it is, that excavation sticks right out.
After having a camera on the den for a week, I got two surprise photos. A not a red squirrel, never saw anything on this property other than pine/red squirrels. I'm guessing gray. Maybe he hitched a ride one time in my truck from Harrioson.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/1000031465.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356265)
And this. ffsmiley
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/1000031492.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356264)
Either The den was deserted, never completed, or just ready for ice fishing stays later.
Just saw that flipping mink. It swam across the pond, got up on a rock in the shallows, and had part of a dead fish in its mouth. It went back in the water and swam over and out and went under the boat. I came up and got the shotgun, halfway back I seen it go up over the clay pile and into the brush.
I have a live trap here, im trying that. The way he scooted uner that boat, i figured thats where I'll put it, so I did. I have some canned salmon here from 2021, so I used a little of that for bait.
Hmm. I'd be more concerned with an otter than a mink, as far as eating fish. I really don't know how many a mink can catch and eat. I know otters can clear out a pond in short order!
I hope no otters show up. They aint far, I can tell you that. Old friend Lou had him getting in his ponds all the time, but his pond was connected to carlton lake via carlton creek, and then calton creek leaves the lake and goes out to the St. Mary's
Them otter travel a long ways over land. I saw one this fall going across the neighbor's pasture, but following a narrow row of woods and hillside that run across the middle. No creek or lake for 1/2 a mile. I see more river otters now a days than I ever saw as a kid. Not much fur trapping these days.
I've had mink clean up a small trout pond before. They keep coming back for dinner until they are all fished out. These were small speckled trout, no bigger than 8" long.
Yesterday while walking, I found a bear path beat down to the mud down by the creek. Crosses the road and follows and old logging road. He's been eating the neighbor's corn. The corn was just cut this week, but there is lots of waste cobs on the ground. Judging from where the path comes from, he's likely got a den on the back of the neighbor's place, but likely in the adjoining maple woods of another owner. Neighbor also has some sheep and bears love sheep meat. Local bear hunter says he never seen a bear all fall. Hmm. I see paths and tracks, gotta be bears. :D
So the young man I found to come trap, actually his dad found me via my youtube channel came over yesterday. His name is Jacobb he is 17 and home schooled. I like him! We took a walk and I showed him the trails to stay betwenn to stay on the property, but first we walked down to the pond with Cedar.
I told him.I had set a live trap on the peninsula under the boat and the story of cedar getting his nose to the mink before it escaped into the water.
I lfted the boat to show him and the SOB was under there! Instantly Cedar was on him and grabbed him in the middle. The mink made a big hiss and twisted and tried to get a hold of cedar. Cedar dropped him to get another grip, and instantly the mink was in the water and gone. The mink had a big frog havlfeaten. That is when we noticed the blood in the snow by the bank. I quickly grabbed cedar and looked him over. Turns out the blood was frog blood.
Jacobb when right back home and got some traps and set them about 4pm yesterday. He was back last night to check, but nothing yet.
Im going to check traps today as the young man has two thanksgivings to attend. His girlfriend is native american, and they have something special today as well.
Anyhow, like I said, I like the kid, and what a better situation? A young man that is highly interested in the outdoors and trapping. Not a lot of those around anymore. It was a great day, despite my finding the short cut from the top of the front porch to the sidewalk yesterday while on the phone with
@Cedarman. It is less than one step to the bottom.
Thanksgiving two year ago we all went for a walk after eating. All heck cut loose in the chicken coop as we passed by. I opened the door to see what was going on and not 3 feet from me on top of the laying boxes was a mink all puffed up and staring at me. I reached for the poker stick Mariann keeps to see if I could swat him or better. What looked like a medium size cat size turned and went through a knot hole not much bigger than a quarter. I could hear the screaming as it ran right by everyone to get into the stone wall. Ash ran around to find it but long gone.
Lost two chickens and had to build an entire new coop 100% enclosed in 1/4"steel wire mesh, under the building and run and on all framing before finish boards and roof.
IMG_0521.jpg
I'd like to have some ducks on the pond, but not sure they would stand a chance here.
Good find Jeff! Also, nuts it was under the boat! You'd think it'd ran off as soon as it heard y'all. I bet it does now.
I assume Jacobb is making gloves?
I'd also love to have ducks. I'd have to do some learning, because I think they can fly away!
Between the old fox that prowls here all night and possibly the odd coyote [but mostly not] a duck would never last long. Chickens don't stand much chance. A fox can go through a 4" hole and we have weasels which are deadly on chickens.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11009/weasel-March25-2019.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=262965)
First year we moved in the weasels were here. He's under there eating chicken. ffcheesy ffcheesy And I seen tippy [red fox] bury chicken in the garden. But she keeps the ground hogs out. Found her den behind here last spring, in a ground hog hole. ffcheesy ffcool
It's getting real. He's shown too many cards. Ambush is inevitable. Jacobb is going to get this guy and everyone he knows!!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/1000032869.jpg) ffcheesy (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356937)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/1000032874.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356936)
I've had ducks. muscovy. Most not very pretty, but very good Mothers.
But ducks do not like clean water.
Well, the kid have any luck?
Sorry to say this but I'm rooting for the mink. :uhoh: I know that's not politically correct but any furbearer who can get out and catch a frog in the snow deserves a chance.
Surely you can spare a few frogs for the cause.
Quote from: WV Sawmiller on January 03, 2025, 10:19:39 AMSorry to say this but I'm rooting for the mink. :uhoh: I know that's not politically correct but any furbearer who can get out and catch a frog in the snow deserves a chance.
Surely you can spare a few frogs for the cause.
Howard you are living too high off of the hog. If you saw the mink eating you next meal I'm pretty sure your attitude would be different.
GAB
That is so cool! I didn't even think frogs could mobilate in the snow and water that cold! I figured they would be frozen nearly solid like I would be. I guess those are "snow leopard" frogs.
Send him down here and he can eat all my piranha bream he can handle. I like him!
@Jeff has
@Wildflower named him yet?
better plan to make something from the hide and eat the meat if you dispatch him at this point. :snowball: ffcheesy ffcheesy ffcheesy
I'd suggest we start a poll of the members and see how many want to kill the mink and how many want him as the forum mascot but I suspect the Boss has the final say in the matter and it won't matter what the poll says. smiley_smug01
That brings up a thought - should we have a Forum Mascot and what is his name.
I'd have to suggest a beaver of course. I'm not sure about the name yet.
Okay, okay - I digress and this thread is supposed to be unwanted mink terrorizing upper Michigan.
The good news about the Mink, is that there has been no sign that we can see the last week, but the snow was all gone. Im hoping the coyote that was sniffing his tracks dug him out
Did the Coyote look like this?
Riding With Dad 2024 OLV (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpfLRL1Ypo0)
true story :wacky: :wink_2: ffsmiley ffsmiley ffsmiley
Quote from: doc henderson on January 03, 2025, 11:33:50 AM@Jeff has @Wildflower named him yet?......
If she hasn't I bet Jeff has several names for him. ffcheesy
Howard I vote against the beaver for mascot, they are vermin here and have killed a large number of nice White Oaks on the property I work. They are good for target practice.
I think you should be our mascot. :wink_2:
Tom,
This mink vs Jeff battle reminds me of Mom vs beavers where I grew up.
Beavers had built a dam across a wet weather stream and built about an acre pond there that eventually got all the way back to the big culvert under US highway 29 (a 4 lane highway) there in N. Fla. She and you both share the same opinion of beavers.
Mom would get out and find a nice red maple or bay tree and work for days cleaning the honeysuckle and briers around it till was finally clear and accessible only to come back and find a nice pencil shaped stump and top dragged halfway back to the pond.
She tried to get my drunk/pothead cousin to shoot them but he never could hit one of them. Finally the highway department hired a trapper who came and trapped them before they had to set up a ferry operation between Pensacola and the Alabama line along highway 29.
I'm sorry but I am too busy to be the forum mascot but am honored at the nomination and must respectfully and regrettably decline. I guess maybe if it makes you feel better we can use a porcupine as a mascot unless your genealogy research finds a more suitable relative for the job. ffcheesy
Word in, the mink is still there today. We need snow up there to narrow the paths.
I think I saw his eyelid move in the video. Maybe name him Blinky or Winky! the Mink.
I think we need to name the Mink Rocky because he takes on all comers and comes out on top. ffcheesy
I say name him Minky Von Pelt. ffsmiley
And remember, a mink gotta be lucky every day. A fur trapper only gotta be lucky once. :wink_2:
Wasn't it in Jeremiah Johnson where they said a man/mink is judged by the nature of his enemies? What is this saying about Jeff and this mink?
Come on Jeff - admit it. You really like and respect this mink and will be sad to see him gone. :thumbsup:
Tippy (the fox) comes around once in awhile in the winter. You see her tracks along the edge of the tree line in the back yard. One day a week ago I think she was here during the day, instead of the night. I look out around the back yard for tracks every day. There was none this one morning and an hour later I seen her tracks everywhere. But never laid eye on her.
One time, this was probably 15 years ago now. I parked the RAV4 in the garage and left the door up. I was unloading groceries and a door on the car was open while I carried groceries in. Came out of the main house to the parked RAV for more bags and she was in there fishing for some fresh chicken breasts in the grocery bags. Like Dirty Harry would say, 'You've got to know your limitations.' :uhoh:
I told Jacobb, if he traps a coyote, that has the mink in it, I want my frog back.
Quote from: WV Sawmiller on January 03, 2025, 03:43:15 PMCome on Jeff - admit it. You really like and respect this mink and will be sad to see him gone. :thumbsup:
Howard, have you ever heard the expression "You have to read the room before you speak?" ffcheesy ffcheesy
I wanted to be the fisher on my pond so it otter be a mink weaseling in I spose
Ribbet, ribbet, ribbet, ri...Ouchh!
Quote from: WV Sawmiller on January 03, 2025, 03:43:15 PM
Howard, have you ever heard the expression "You have to read the room before you speak?" ffcheesy ffcheesy
Ya Howard, The room wants to kill everything and it will be better. [payattention] ffcheesy ffcheesy
I on the other hand would live trap it and bring it to that big lake. Probably find a mate and have more.
It's funny that all the animals were there first, and then a man showed up and found the animals were not part of his plane.
I didn't know you liked eating frogs, Boss. ffcheesy ffcheesy
Just watched a Mississippi trapper video of setting trap for beaver but catching an otter holding a good size bass in the trap.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10180/Otter_bass_trapped.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=357284)
At 20:58 minutes in this trappers video. Interesting character and also a usual watch for me.
That's quite something for sure. ffcheesy But man is he ever polluted with beavers. Otter will kill beaver, but he likes fish better. ffcheesy
Donkey,
That's pretty amazing.
I lose a catfish on my lines to an otter every trip or two and sometimes I have a bushhook pulled up on the bank with the bait gone where a mink stole the little bream I had on it for bait. I just write it off to paying my dues. They are just doing what otters and minks do and it is their home I'm fishing in.
In the past I have had beavers chew off the end of a willow limb including the bushhook I had tied on it. Beavers won't eat fish so that is the only damage I ever got from them.
I have caught an occasional blue heron stealing my bait in shallow water. They are a pain to get off a hook. Once I watched a big water snake tail walking with my bait in his mouth. He was not hooked but was just trying to get the little dead bream off.
I sure wish I had a pet mink to catch pesky the frogs out of my pond for me. ffcheesy
Problem is Howard, he won't stop at frogs. If you would like to drive up and donate some catfish fillets, ill trade a few bluegills to the mink and let you play with him. ffcool
I sure wish I could come up that way. I'd be glad to bring you 40-50 lbs of catfish fillets. Let me know when you are passing through this way and we'll fix you up with a years supply and Rocky can keep working on his frog control project. :thumbsup:
Well, the Mink is dead. I dont know how, but he is dead. So far i have not seen a live blegill, but have found 3 long dead ones over the last 10 days. I hope there are some left. Minnows are not near as fun to feed. I made a short video of the events of finding out of it's demise. It'd been dead awhile.
https://www.facebook.com/share/r/191xuPyiZw/
20250503_181203.jpg
Wow. What's fast enough to kill a mink hut not strong enough to carry him off?
Here iswhat I surmise. This is the last we saw of the mink on camera. I think the Coyote found him, and gravely injured him but it escaped into the pond and died under the ice and sunk to the bottom. I think as the water warms, decomposition excelerated, bringing the carcass to the top, and the scaveger birds drug him up out of the water. I hope parts of him fed whatever fish he had not killed while he was down there. Fair guess ya think?
Sounds good. Why are you finding dead bream? Did they freeze? Or do they have teeth marks where he was eating them?
Are the bullhead catfish still there, or did he get them too?
Certainly possible, might even have been a barred owl to.
Ive found 6 dead bluegills so far, 4 of them only partially there, 2 whole, and 2 of them just now. Floating, and shredded. We have so many predators and it was a hard winter so I don't know. The ice has only been gone a couple weeks. Ive not seen any of the bass. I checked water temp uesterday and it was up to 56°
Time will tell I guess. I sure hope some fish survived to give me incentive to add more. I'm sure the bullhead catfish made it just fine. I'll know for sure when I start seeing the swimming black circles of yunguns.
Well at least there's one less predator poachin' in your ocean! :thumbsup:
Jeff, do you have anywhere for the fish to hide from critters like the mink? I don't remember seeing any christmas trees tossed in or anything and I guess I'm not sure what a mink can hunt through underwater. Makes me think maybe some deeper water (which is likely not likely) or some good underbrush to snag your fishing hooks on.
The pond bottom has a couple big boulders and a craggy bottom. I am working on some structure to add to the deeper part, but really, it won't be of much deterrence to a warm blooded killing machine designed to do what it does to cold blooded lethargic fish in a U.P. winter. I knew this going in that defending this pond from predators would be a constant.
Niw that spring is here, we get a whole new set of infiltrarors, mostly airborne. ffwave
Between all the predators and the cold, those fish have a pretty hard life, but hopefully, they made it. If even a few did, they will spawn and repopulate quickly.
Hybrids so probably no. The water is still 57° so hopefully they are still hanging low. ffsmiley
some hybrids can mate and go back to the original genetics.
We do not want green sunfish,and thats what we would get.
Good news! Not sure what they were, but they were fish!
That's good to see.
Cool!
I kinda miss the Mink but on the other hand I bet he would taste like crap.
I'm only thinking like that cause I put in my Moose draw today
You hunting moose up at the northern end of the province?
About 30 yrs ago moose showed up all over the province , Now we have a draw season on them so about 5 miles out of town works sometimes
Even down on the bald headed prairie? I suppose they could hold out in the slews and along rivers.
A new predator to my fish while I am away. Sat and watched helplessly on live camera.
Devil with the blue dress on (https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1DdZ3AnWem/)
Neighbor's here with trout ponds always fought with great blue herons. I seem to be in the flight path of a pair that I have seen now for 3 years. That and the occasional bald eagle floating bye. Bitterns eat fish and frogs and snakes. Got them around here too in the wetlands. When you hear them, they sound like they are dropping stones in water. They have to gulp a bunch of air to make their call. A weird way to sing. ffcheesy ffcheesy ffcool
I think I read somewhere mink like to eat heron eggs. Just sayin... ffcheesy ffcheesy
I think those birds are federally protected under the law, may want to check with the Michigan DNR.
"Always good to heron the side of caution, rather than do something you might egret." ffsmiley
They are, I can't touch it, but I have a solution that worked last year. I stake off the shallow shore water, run a cotton string about thigh high to me, then hang chunks of mardigras beads. The birds will not land in deep water, and will not walk into the string.
Several years ago we were fishing in our local QCOE lake and one flew up and lit on a dead limb about 10-15 ft above the lake. The limb broke and he fell in. He finally flopped his way to shallow water and walked out. I guess that happens more often than people think. We have pictures of bald eagles falling from a broken limb but it was high enough he recovered before he hit the ground.
I saw one take flight off from a limb when I was about 15. I was somehow looking right at it, and saw it unfold itself to take off. I almost run the other way!!!!
Was the weirdest thing I have even seen.
I'm not sure why but I find it hilarious when a bird or squirrel breaks a tree limb. The surprise of it for them always makes me laugh.
We have one clumsy squirrel that seems to miss about once a week. He lives in a big hickory in front of our barn and we will be working out there and hear a "plop" as the stupid squirrel hits the ground, shakes it off and runs back up into the tree.
Quote from: aigheadish on June 11, 2025, 07:07:41 AMI'm not sure why but I find it hilarious when a bird or squirrel breaks a tree limb. The surprise of it for them always makes me laugh.
Quote from: YellowHammer on June 11, 2025, 07:18:47 AMWe have one clumsy squirrel that seems to miss about once a week. He lives in a big hickory in front of our barn and we will be working out there and hear a "plop" as the stupid squirrel hits the ground, shakes it off and runs back up into the tree.
When I was 16-17 or so I had what was probably the worlds best squirrel dog. Bertha would smell and see them and would not tree till she was right on them. She would chase squirrels, coons and possums up saplings and such to get away. It was not uncommon to go kill 15-20 squirrels in an afternoon with her.
One summer/early Fall the scuppernongs were starting to get ripe and a pesky squirrel was getting into them. We had a big horizontal arbor about 7-8 ft high made of wooden posts. Bertha would ignore the squirrel till I got home from school Bertha would go chase the squirrel who had a regular route down the arbor jump to a nearby water oak limb then follow the connecting oak limbs along an old fence line to the woods and tall pines behind our house. It was pretty much a game for both of them with the squirrel running and jumping and Bertha running and barking below.
One day I came home and they started their normal routine but something had changed. Mama had decided the limbs needed trimming. My mom would get a 10' step ladder and lean it against a tree. climb up sawing off every limb she could reach with a 2' long handsaw till she got to the top of the ladder where it clearly says "THIS IS NOT A STEP" and stand on the top and reach and saw as far as she could reach. She had "pruned" (butchered?) the limbs on the water oaks along the old fence line.
The squirrel made his leap from the arbor and barely made it. He ran along 2-3 more trees and climbed higher from some extra reach and made a mighty leap only to find his limb was gone. He must have been 35-40 feet high and I wish I had a video of the "Oh Crap!" look on his face as he spread as wide as he could and rushed to the waiting Bertha below. He hit the ground and rushed to the base of the nearest young water oak and made several circles around the base with Bertha snapping at him. While she come times caught squirrels like that this one was more fortunate and escaped with only the loss of most of his tail hairs.
Mama continued her tree trimming until she was in her mid 60's. My brother walked around the house one day and heard her screaming and found her bear hugging a large cedar 10' above ground in the back yard with her hand saw and fallen ladder below her. He righted the ladder and she got down mostly intact and turned 95 back in April but leaves the limbs, or at least the ones requiring a ladder, alone.