Mink spend most of their time around wet areas and since we’re surrounded by creeks, we were lucky to spot one moving from place to place. They love to swim and can dive up to 16’ deep! Their territory marking is a musky discharge from their anal glands, some say it’s nearly as nasty as a skunk’s spray. They will spray this, hiss, snarl, or screech when surprised or angered. They will purr like a cat when content.
Minks favorite food is the Common Muskrat, which I assume we have around here, but I haven’t seen one or found evidence of one…yet. They will also eat rabbits, mice, chipmunks, fish, snakes, frogs, young snapping turtles, and marsh birds. Their predators include foxes, bobcats, lynxes, and great horned owls.
The mink moves frequently but will sometimes make their own dens in stream banks. Otherwise, they use muskrat dens, beaver dens, or hollow logs.
To learn more check out Wisconsin DNR EEK! site
