Bottom Edge Sets

[kyle]

I was as big of a skeptic as you could find when it came to the Bottom Edge...

Yesterday I set some traps on a stretch of crick, there weren't many spots to set footholds so I put out all the 110's I had brought along. I figured I would give this bottom edge set a try.

I was made a believer by the first trap this morning!

(I just wish my brother was a better camera man)



And the next trap....



And then the last trap to finish off a great morning.



Now I wish I would've put out a hundred of these. But 3 catches out of 5 110's isn't bad. ;D ;D

[funkyman60]

Nice catch for this time of the year.I caught my first mink this morning too on a BE set.A giant buck.Missed him with a pocket and with a reg. blind so a friend told me to try a BE set.I geuss thats what it took to raise my odds.

[4fur]

Kyle, if you don't start taking it easy on the fur over there, little trappers in St. Ansgar will have to go to a zoo to see any furbearers! WTG!

[kyle]

Ok, I think I see what you're saying...

I'll be in the Banana Belt first thing next season to hand you ears of corn and stoplosses.

[dchawks]

I looked in the archieves but i could not find an detailed explaination of the bottom edge set.
could you explain what exactly your ideal location and trap placement is
thanks

[4fur]

Of all the different trapping methods and sets, I think it's about the most difficult to explain, even with pictures, since the trap is placed entirely under water. I compare it to shooting a shotgun in the sky and expecting a goose to fall! Minnow will probably do another demo at the ITA convention next fall unless he is on ESPN in Hollywood by then!

[minnow]

Kyle, Just imagine running a couple hundred bottom edge sets & going to college too. Know imagine running a couple hundred bottom edge set & running a couple hundred 1.5 coils in pockets. You just dont miss too many mink when there coming & going.

Dchawk, The easiest way for me to discribe what, where & how to place your 110 condibear for a bottom edge set is.

First a bottom edge set is nothing more than a underwater blind set using a condibear trap. Bottom edge set can be used for Mink & Muskrat, (Beaver & Otter too Just bigger trap) . For Muskrat & MInk use a 110 CB with 4 ft of wire attached to the chain. You can use a wood stake to stablize your trap.

Because mink & Muskrat like to hug the banks in there travels. With that in mind its will become easier to locate trap placement. Look for locations underwater (at banks edge) or obstruction in the minks & muskrat line of travel. Place trap close to these obstruction.

Trap locations: #1 Bridge walls underwater, #2 banks that have sluffed off in towards the creek & #3 Im not willing to give away yet, #4 rocks or broken concrete slabs ect. under water (large & Small these you just will have to learn as you go).

#5 Another place that is a hot spot is where a tile drains in to a creek or pond ect. This location will be a easy way for a mink to enter the water when things are frozen up tight. This becomes #1 when the water is nasty cold. (like it is right now)

Note: There is a learning curve to this method. Once learned you'll be a believer too.

Hope this helps with a few tight chains.

4fur, Hollywoods not for me! But I do like the bottom edge set! Keeping an open mind on trap placement puts the mink on target every time.
It still amazes me where a mink can be caught. If a trap is not seeing any action it could be out of place by as little as a inch or so. I guess it would be like shooting geese whith a shot gun. Just try to make every shot count.

Keep traps cleaned out of debree, it will keep them from going around your set.