Ohio season runs until Feb 29. With that being said when do you notice a winter rat becoming a spring rat. Also someone told me about mink getting caught too late in the season and becoming “red” and down grade a mink pelt. I have never noticed this is there any truth to mink being caught in the month of Feb?

i've never really noticed it, This is about the time I really like trapping muskrats, mainly because the glands are starting to show up. Which just about worth more than the rats themselves do anymore.

End of March in Wyoming.
Varies some depending on ice out population and temps.

Muskrat trapped in subpar habitat without a good, healthy
food supply will start to exhibit springy fur condition a lot
earlier than rats trapped in high quality habitat.

w

I just pulled my rat line this morning . Not because of differance in hides , but because of high tides every day made it harder to reset after each check . I had fun this season and ended with 65 rats .Far below what i usally catch, but im happy.

I have seen this also.

In today’s market a big February buck mink seems to grade ok along with earlier caught mink despite the fact the color is definitely poorer.

They were definitely on the move today. I've been waiting for the water to go down after the last big rain and as i was setting i saw a few swimming around. I go back after i was done setting and had 7 rats. Being all conibears i'm glad i checked them or they would have been out of commission for tonite. 5 males with nice glands. I never thought i'd say it but i'm trying to avoid the mink.

Those last 2 weeks of our Indiana season is some of my favorite trapping. Usually takes a little more effort to find them. Almost all 2x rats!!! Big rats with big........Glands!!

I used to always trap when glands were big......love that time