American Mink Cub Along the South Fork of the Eel

From Talia Rose:

This summer I was blessed to have about 15 encounters with an American Mink family. The Mink has been a very rare sighting along our river ever since the “California Fur Rush” in the 1800s when they were trapped almost into extinction. They are beginning to come back, with several breeding pairs in our area. Minks, like most wildlife, do not stay in one place and move up and down the river. They are very tiny, roughly a foot long with males slightly larger, and excellent hunters.
My encounters with them this summer began when I spotted a female catching crayfish, lizards, fish and even wood rats and bringing it back to a den. By the behavior, I knew there had to be babies. A few weeks later I found the super adorable babies who were smaller than 6″ long. I confirmed there were at least two. After several more encounters, I watched as they began to learn to hunt, and figured they were about 8 weeks old at that time. My most recent encounter, this week, puts them at about 4 months old. Mink babies strike out on their own in the fall and this one seems to have done that, and to be a skilled hunter, just like it’s mom.

More of Talia Rose’s photos can be seen at her website here.

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25 Comments
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David Wilson
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David Wilson
5 years ago

Great shots Talia! I love your wildlife photos.

Dawn Hill
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Dawn Hill
5 years ago

Beautiful pix! How does anyone kill these adorable guys for a coat?

Fred Bear
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Fred Bear
5 years ago
Reply to  Dawn Hill

Use a conibear sz 110 trap and sardine/gland type bait. Usually drown them after capture to preserve fur quality.

Jaekelopterus
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Jaekelopterus
5 years ago
Reply to  Fred Bear

You’ll probably be getting roughly about 400 raccoons and 200 housecats per mink using that method.

TQM
Guest
TQM
5 years ago
Reply to  Jaekelopterus

He probably eats the cats as part of his Neanderthal diet.

Theodore Nugent
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Theodore Nugent
5 years ago
Reply to  TQM

#metoo #neanderhtalllivesmatter

Shame on you for your lack of tolerance I’m sure your against Bigfoot using the binary restroom too.

SourTangant
Guest
SourTangant
5 years ago

Great post! Great pics! Thank you for sharing this with us!!

Hollie
Guest
5 years ago

Great article and pics! Thanks for sharing.

TracyF
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TracyF
5 years ago

Thank you Talia! What incredible photos!

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago

Wonderful pictures. I’ve never seen any.

political moderate
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political moderate
5 years ago

Thanks Talia, always enjoy articles with your work. BTW how can one distinguish between river otters and a mink?

Fred Bear
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Fred Bear
5 years ago

River otters are big as your leg. Mink are the size of your foot

political moderate
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political moderate
5 years ago
Reply to  Fred Bear

Okay thanks. River otters always travel in at least pairs. Are mink solitary creatures?

Talia Rose
Guest
5 years ago

Yes, Minks are solitary creatures, except when a mom has babies and they travel together. The male does not stay with them.

Ernie Branscomb
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Ernie Branscomb
5 years ago

It’s kinda like the difference between a cow and a horse…

Talia Rose
Guest
5 years ago

Minks, besides being much smaller, swim with their head out of water. Though they will dive deep to hunt, they don’t love to just play in the water like Otters, and will travel on the river’s edge when possible.

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago

In the mid 70’s I came upon a small mink in Trinity County on the Trinity below Douglas City in late fall Steel Head fishing beautiful sight and memory

Jeffersonian
Guest
Jeffersonian
5 years ago

Outstanding patience to get these shots! I have been an outdoorsman all my life and have only seen one mink. This was near the old Fisher mink farm at the bottom of Humboldt hill. I assumed it was the descendant of an escapee.

Mark
Guest
Mark
5 years ago

We saw one at the Arcata Marsh last year.

Gypsy Rose
Guest
Gypsy Rose
5 years ago

Where I use to live there as a whole family of River Otters that would start showing up behind my place when the days started getting shorter I really enjoyed them.

redwoodfive
Guest
redwoodfive
5 years ago

We are so blessed to have Talia Rose bring us that which we would otherwise never see. Every day, there is a treasure waiting for us!

Judy Currier
Guest
Judy Currier
5 years ago

Beautiful Pictures! I had no idea there were mink in H Co. thanks for the lesson this morning.

Aaron
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Aaron
5 years ago

I met a mink (or fisher ) a few times at one of my camp spots on Trinity River during steelie season. At night with my light on them. Unmistakeable prance/walk.

Lynn H
Guest
Lynn H
5 years ago

Wow, a couple of them seem like really nice close shots. First one is just awesome!

Carol C.
Guest
Carol C.
5 years ago

Really cool photos!