So I came across the design sheet of these the other day, quite interesting. Makes sense to me and especially for around here in NS. So who’s used them? What do you think of them? And what’s the catch rate with them?

I've thought about building one for the creek behind the house. A quarter inch of rain raises the creek 2-4 inches. Then drops off in a day or two. Curious to hear what everyone says.

First of all the mink has to have a reason to swim out there. And for the most part I don't see why they would.

I did have some luck and caught a few mink by floating some floats under some low bridges. But the mink were just using them for resting areas. They don't work so well with a fast current.

Blinds sets with body grips are more efficient with lots less work..

But water flocculation's come Into play here. Un stable water conditions put most sets out of business
When I dig a dirt hole I always dig It about 4" above the water level. if I get a rise of 2" or so my set Is still operational. The mink can stand and I will still catch It. Blind sets for the most part are worthless In fluctuating water conditions.

Here's where the real minkers go to the Blue Bucket set.

We go through such extreme fluctuations it’s not even funny. One day we have a perfect stream to trap on, the next day every blind set and pocket set are drowned out completely with all our freezing and thawing. Even my regular 160 boxes get flooded out all the time. This here would be the only completely operational set that I know of

Forget about the box If It were me I'd just use a float of some kind. Keep It close to the bank and give It a try.

Beav I think he is talking about the floating box set that is half in-half out of the water and baited. I don't think its asking a mink too much to check it out in a culvert pool? If I had 150 or so I would set them out I bet they work. I have 0 carpentry skills and don't feel like making them. Plus with some of the flooding I get here I could see quite a few missing no matter how they are tied off.

beav>>> whats the blue bucket set?

It's hard enough to get a mink to commit to a dry land box let alone a floating box. But nothing ventured nothing gained.

Quite a few people down here use floating otter sets and catch mink in them, and coons, rats and beaver too. Lots of flood control reservoirs and karst geology. Causes our water levels to vary widely. Floats are about the only way to trap some places.

But are they boxes or some type of a open float.
I have caught mink and coon On my stool sets and floats out In ND but trying to get them to commit to a box I have my doubts.

They are basically a 2 foot piece of black corrogated 6" pipe on floats. There was an article about them in Trappers Post last year or so ago. Most use a 220 or 280 on them.

Got ya.

Here in PA it would save me resetting countless times for the possum, coon and skunk catches and did I mention feral cats....

FHA has plans for a mink box, I have no experience with them.

https://www.furharvesters.com/pdf/floatingminkbox.pdf

He doesn't bring that one up often and I thought I'd try to describe it but I'd better let him do it.

the article in the trappers post was designed for otters. But I don't see why it couldn't be scaled down for mink. Using 120 -220s a 280 is to open for mink in my opinion.Leon was using 8" corrugated pipe I cant see why 4-6" wouldn't work for mink. Actually you could mount hagz brackets on the ends of your pipe and guard it with footholds

it just needs a lil grass over it

I have some plans for the floating otter set that Leon handed out at one of our state meetings. The set of plans I have uses a 6" pipe and 220s. He was saying that he gets mink, rats, coon, beaver and otter in them and even has caught some bobcats when the water dropped and left the float high and dry. I think a 160 would work fine if using the 6" pipe. The 4" corrugated drain tile is cheap and would work well with a 120 and should take plenty of mink and rats. It would not surprise me if an otter shoved its head in 4" pipe version, I have caught a few in some really small cubby boxes.