Watched a nice buck mink come thru the grass, just off the edge of the lawn. He made a beeline, about 35 yards, to a small bunch of grass, came up with a vole, and made a run for cover. He had to use his nose, the vole was under the grass, he could not see it from 35 yards away. I believe he has a better nose than I thought.

I would bet that he heard it rustling in the grass, and didn't smell it.

-TJ

either way hes nice to have around if hes keeping the voles out of your yard lol

So has anyone tried mice or voles in pockets for mink? I've been saving some for DH sets but may give them a try for mink.

Ive used mice for mink sets and they work really well, trap them mouses all fall just before trap season opens, put em in a ziploc and freeze them, them use em in cubbies sets for mink, or pocket sets. Then I get the stretcher boards ready.

AKtrpr

I think they got better noses than most people give them credit for. I'll keep using a few drops of a good lure in my baited sets anyway.

~ADC~

Want a good mink lure...try Lenons weasel lure. Yes I said weasel lure. Wonder what he puts in that bottle ???

I am glad I am not a vole.

LM Shortcut writes...
Want a good mink lure...try Lenons weasel lure. Yes I said weasel lure. Wonder what he puts in that bottle ???

Thanks for the comment LM! One ingredient in the bottle is for sure an age old secret of the premiere lure makers in formulating a good mink lure, weasel musk. Mink and weasel are natural enemies and the addition of weasel musk to a mink lure acts as an enrager in that a mink will dive right into a hole or pocket where he thinks there is a weasel inside. The base of my weasel lure is fresh blood so I assume the mink would think a weasel had made a fresh kill when he smells the blood and weasel musk odor emiting from the hole. Ace

Ok now I have another question about the mice. I have several frozen now. If I want to preserve them to stay fresh in the set can I just put them in some S.B. and water as they are? Should I gut them? [Hope I have a big enough knife]

I've never used mice Bigpat but I think if I were I would use them fresh frozen and replace them at a set every few days when they start to taint. I'm doubtful that soaking them in preservative water would work very well. Ace

Thanks!

I use pure weasel musk for mink. Bought several quarts of pure weasel glands from (the late) Dave Edwards. Man, it takes a lot to make a quart! I ran them through a blender and it sure made some nice paste...every time I open a jar to smell it, I get "nipped" on the nose! Ha!

I do the same as AKtrpr.
I have used mice and/or 1/2 of red squirrel for 50 + years for mink, fox and now for coyotes. I stomp/whack the mice after they thaw out so their guts are exposed.
The squirrels I chop in half before I bag & freeze them. In the dirt holes for canines I place them gut side up under some grass or leaves. For mink I just place them in a small cubby along the shoreline of streams and ponds where the mink is forced in close. The mink like theirs fresh, where as the canines take the bait eather way.