94 FUR FACTS 



Winner of Third Prize 



"The following is the way I caught a number of mink, from the 1st 

 of November until February 27th. In the early part of the fall, I 

 ordered from Funsten Bros. & Co., two gross of traps. They came 

 and were all "O. K." I sold one gross to some prospecting trappers. 

 On or about the 1st of November I began setting the balance of them 

 for mink. Thinking I did not have enough traps, a little later on I 

 ordered a few dozen more, also a pair of rubber boots. 

 Having about two hundred traps, I felt that I was ready for mink 

 trapping right. 



I have been trapping for the past fifteen years. In 1901 I began 

 paying special attention to these little animals. Since that time I 

 have studied every crook and turn in their nature. I have tamed 

 them, experimented with various kinds of baits and scents to attract 

 their attention. Mink will eat almost any kind of food in the way 

 of meat, fowl or fish, but he prefers to kill his own game. But if he 

 is real hungry, he can be taken in trap with an ordinary piece of meat 

 of some kind. Cheese is about the most effective bait of this kind 

 that can be used in this way. 



The mink is more suspicious than most small animals, but one of 

 the easiest attracted if properly managed. This must be done by 

 knowing just where and how to put your trap. My method of taking 

 mink is to go early in the fall before trapping time to look over the 

 territory I want to work. If I find it satisfactory, I begin to prepare 

 as follows: Look along bluff near the water's edge, dig holes about 

 eight inches in diameter, and about three feet back in the bluff; 

 throw a lot of driftwood about the hole to make it look as 

 near natural as possible, leave the place for about ten days or two 

 weeks, then take your traps and go over the territory. You will 

 find at almost nine out of every ten holes you dug that mink have 

 made regular pathways in and out of the holes. Then with a boat, 

 or a pair of rubber boots, I go into the water and set the traps. 

 Mink can be taken in runways, but the holes are much better, as 

 they often are attracted, and they are most sure to go in and out of 

 them. If there is no suitable place to make holes in bluff, a mound 

 of dirt may be thrown up about two feet high, extending up the bluff 

 or down near the water's edge; then make a hole at the bottom, near 

 the water, throw a lot of old leaves and trash over, to hide signs of 

 digging, leave the place for about two weeks. You will find that 

 almost every mink that comes along during the winter will go through 



