American mink

Scientific name: Neogale vison

How weight is recorded: Whole weight

Field notes

Appearance

Mink are small, elongated mustelids with dark brown to nearly black fur, often with a white chin patch or throat spot. Males are noticeably larger than females, with a sleek, weasel-like body and short legs.

Size and weight

Males: 0.9–1.2 kg, 45–51 cm body length; females: 0.6–0.9 kg, 38–43 cm body length.

Habitat

Mink inhabit wetland edges, marshes, streams, rivers, and lakeshores with dense vegetation and nearby water. They require riparian corridors or emergent cover for denning and hunting.

Distribution

Neogale vison is native to North America from the Arctic to southern Mexico and Central America. They favour freshwater wetlands and coastal marshes, avoiding arid regions.

Diet

Mink are carnivorous, feeding primarily on small fish, frogs, crayfish, aquatic insects, muskrats, and small mammals; they occasionally take waterfowl and adjust prey availability seasonally.

Behaviour

Mink are primarily crepuscular and nocturnal, solitary and territorial except during breeding. They are active foragers along shorelines and in shallow water, traveling regular traplines through their home range.

Hunting tips

Read sign along waterways: look for five-toed tracks in mud or snow, dark droppings deposited on rocks or logs, and scent-mark sites. Approach quietly along stream banks during dawn and dusk, moving slowly to spot mink entering or leaving water. Stalk to elevated vantage points overlooking feeding areas and dens, remaining downwind when possible.

Whole weight

This species is logged by whole weight — the animal weighed entire, as taken.

Where it is hunted

Listed as huntable in 9 countries in Huntify.

Names in other languages

These field notes are general species knowledge, not legal advice. Always check the current seasons, quotas and firearm rules where you hunt.