Minks
Baits for Minks
Minks most often come in contact with humans when they target chickens and other poultry, often decimating an entire coop at one time. Similarly, they are known to empty a backyard ponds of all their occupants, since they also love to eat crayfish, frogs and fish. Trapping is an ideal method for mink control. Below, you can find the best bait options to lure them.
Best Mink Baits
As carnivores, minks respond best to traps baited with fresh kills. Chicken and fish are particularly good baits, but don’t just buy packaged meat from your grocery store to bait the trap. Bloody meat is particularly attractive to minks and most grocery store meat has been thoroughly cleaned and drained. Instead, visit a local butcher and explain that you need fresh, bloody meat to bait a live animal trap.
Minks are also likely to investigate food that includes sight attractors, such as bits of fur or feathers. Try adding a sparse covering of these to your chosen bait.
Favorite mink baits include:
How to Bait a Mink Trap
Choosing bait is just the first step in catching a mink. How you place the bait inside the trap is just as important as what you choose. It’s essential that you bait your trap strategically to ensure a successful catch.
- Force the mink to enter the trap fully (body and tail).
- Encourage the mink to engage the trigger (step on the metal plate).
- Take into consideration the trap’s door configuration (1-door vs. 2-door):
For a 1-door trap, place the bait behind the trigger plate. Ensure bait is placed away from the trap walls so the mink cannot steal the bait from the outside.
For a 2-door trap, you have several options: you can place the bait just behind the trigger, bury it in the ground underneath the trigger plate/trap or hang it from the top of your trap.
Expert Baiting Tips
- For an added attractant, sparsely cover your bait with fur or feathers depending on what you’re using.
- If you have a pond or other water source that minks lurk around, place the trap along a bank where water can enter and make your fish or frog bait appear especially fresh.
- To prevent minks from knocking the trap over, place a brick or weight on top to secure the trap.
- After baiting your trap, make sure that there is no bait in the way of the trigger mechanism. Test it by gently pressing on the plate - the doors should close with little force.
Professional Advice on Baiting an Animal Trap
Our friend and Havahart® supporter, Billy the Exterminator, talks baiting traps.
