



Produced by Linda M. Everhart, Blairstown, Missouri




MINK TRAPPING.

  [Illustration: A LARGE MINK.]

MINK TRAPPING

A BOOK OF INSTRUCTION GIVING MANY
METHODS OF TRAPPING--A VALUABLE
BOOK FOR TRAPPERS.

EDITED BY
A. R. HARDING.

PUBLISHED BY
A. R. HARDING PUBLISHING CO.
COLUMBUS, OHIO.

COPYRIGHT 1906
BY A. R. HARDING.



CONTENTS.

  I. General Information
  II. Mink and Their Habits
  III. Size and Care of Skins
  IV. Good and Lasting Baits
  V. Bait and Scent
  VI. Places to Set
  VII. Indian Methods
  VIII. Mink Trapping on the Prairie
  IX. Southern Methods
  X. Northern Methods
  XI. Unusual Ways
  XII. Illinois Trapper's Method
  XIII. Experienced Trapper's Ways
  XIV. Many Good Methods
  XV. Salt Set
  XVI. Log and Other Sets
  XVII. Points for the Young Trapper
  XVIII. Proper Size Traps
  XIX. Deadfalls
  XX. Steel Traps



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

  A Large Mink
  A Mink Trapper
  Looking for Food
  Good Signs
  Nicely Handled Wisconsin Skins
  Some Prime N. E. Skins
  Large Iowa Mink
  Caught in Midwinter
  Northwestern Skins
  Trapper's "Shack"
  A Good Mink Stream
  Where Signs are Plenty
  Indian Trapper
  Camping Out
  Moses Bone
  A Young Trapper
  Large Southern Mink
  Caught in Minnesota
  A Few Good Ones
  Broke the Fastening
  Trapping Down Stream
  Eastern Trapper and Traps
  Barricade Set
  Northwest Trapper and Mink
  Northern Mink Trapper's Shanty
  A Few Days' Catch
  Three Log Set
  Some New York State Skins
  Pole Deadfall
  Stone Deadfalls
  Board or Log Trap
  A Good Fastening
  Mink and Other Steel Traps

  [Illustration: A. R. HARDING.]



INTRODUCTORY.

While there are some excellent mink trappers, no one man has studied
out all the methods, for the conditions under which the trapper in
the South makes his largest catches would probably be of little value
to the trapper of the Far North, where snow covers the ground the
greater part of the year.

Conditions along the Atlantic are different than the Pacific, and as
well the methods used by thousands of trappers along the Mississippi
and its tributaries differ from the Eastern or Western Coast trapper,
for the mink's food is not the same along the fresh inland waters as
the coast or salt water.

The methods published are from all parts of the country, and many
experienced trappers tell of their best methods, so that it makes no
difference in what part of America you live, something will be found
of how to trap in your section. Most of the articles are taken from
those published in the H-T-T with slight correction.

A. R. HARDING.



MINK TRAPPING



CHAPTER I.

GENERAL INFORMATION.

Mink are found in nearly all parts of America living along creeks,
rivers, lakes and ponds. While strictly speaking they are not a water
animal, yet their traveling for food and otherwise is mainly near the
water, so that the trapper finds this the best place to set his
traps.

The mink is fond of fish, rabbit, squirrel, birds, mice, etc. In some
sections they eat muskrat, but we believe they prefer other animals,
only eating muskrat when very hungry and other game is scarce.

At certain seasons scent seems to attract them while at other times
the flesh of the rabbit, bird or fish will attract them. The trapper
who makes mink trapping a business should have various kinds of traps
and sets for them, such as steel traps, both bait and blind sets, as
well as deadfalls.

Mink, while small, are quite strong for their size and very active.
While a No. 0 Newhouse will hold them, the No. 1 is usually
considered the proper trap.

As already mentioned, mink travel a great deal near water, so that
the place to catch them is close to the water or in the water. If you
notice mink tracks near the water, in some narrow place where the
bank comes nearly to the water or a rock or log projects nearly to
the water, carefully dig a hole the size of your trap and an inch or
more deep, covering with a large leaf or a piece of paper first. Then
place a thin layer of earth removed over leaf or paper, making the
set look as natural as before. The dirt from the hole for trap as
taken out should be thrown in the water or to one side. One of the
great secrets in mink trapping, especially blind sets, is to leave
things as near as possible as they were before the set was made.

There are various shades of mink--some quite dark, others brown,
pale, and some cotton. The greater number, however, are brown. In the
Northeast, Maine, etc., mink are not large, but the color is rather
dark. In the same latitude some ten or twelve hundred miles west in
Minnesota and Manitoba, Canada mink are larger but not so dark. Still
further west on the coast of Washington mink are again smaller, being
somewhat similar in size to the Maine mink but much lighter in color.
Throughout the central section such as Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa,
etc., they are larger than the Maine mink but smaller than Minnesota.
In color not near so dark as the Eastern or Maine mink.

The cotton mink is found principally in the prairie and level
sections. In general appearance it is much the same as a pale or
light brown mink, but on blowing into the fur the under portion is
white, hence cotton. Such skins are worth much less than the brown
and dark ones. In fact, for years cotton mink sold for 10 to 50
cents.

During the past years the value of mink skins has varied a great
deal. The number exported annually varies from a couple of hundred
thousand to a half million skins or more. This gives but a faint idea
of the annual catch, for large numbers are used each year by American
manufacturers.

There has been a great deal said about mink climbing trees, many
being under the impression that they could not or did not unless
leaning trees. This is a mistake however, as trappers have tracked
them in