26 November 2024

Easy American Mink sightings in coastal South Carolina

Hi, this is my first post on Mammalwatching.com

Day before yesterday I had another close encounter with a confiding American Mink (Neogale vison) – at Huntington Beach State Park in coastal South Carolina, USA.

American Mink are easily seen and are pretty accustomed to humans around the rock jetty at the north end of the park. This jetty (on the south side of Murrells Inlet) is paved and extends about 2/3 of a mile into the ocean. The jetty is about a 15-20 minute walk from the beach parking area. The Mink seem to favor the section of jetty with the inlet channel on one side and salt marsh on the other. I usually visit the site in fall and winter but I imagine Mink can be seen year-round.

A Google map of the location is here:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/33%C2%B031’37.5%22N+79%C2%B002’00.3%22W/@33.527069,-79.0344389,452m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m4!3m3!8m2!3d33.527069!4d-79.033417?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MTExOS4yIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

I watched the Mink prowling among the rocks, swimming out in the water and diving and north then rolling dry on the sand.

Here are a few photos from yesterday:

American_Mink-stalking_jetty1_HBSP_11-23-2024_EC85_39x22-Sb

American_Mink-stalking_jetty3_HBSP_11-23-2024_EC00_41x26b

American_Mink-rolling_in_sand3_HBSP_11-23-2024_EC00_63x31-Sb

American_Mink-rubbing_sand4_HBSP_11-23-2024_EC20_58x24b

American_Mink-rubbing_sand6_HBSP_11-23-2024_EC36_60x31-Sb

Here are a couple of closeup portraits from last fall:

American_Mink_portrait1_HBSP_11-19-2023_2cropb

American_Mink_portrait3_HBSP_11-19-2023_232_34x20-Sb

Nathan Dias – Charleston, South Carolina, USA

American_Mink-stalking_jetty1_HBSP_11-23-2024_EC85_39x22-Sb

“These days I prefer to hunt with a camera. A good photograph demands more skill from the hunter, better nerves and more patience than the rifle shot.” — Bror Blixen.

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offshorebirder
Post Views: 280

4 Comments

  • 27 November 2024
    Jon Hall

    Welcome to the website and community. And thanks for this. Great photos. I really must try for a better look at a Mink!

  • 28 November 2024
    wildlife_watcher

    Thank you. I am in Western MA and while mink are very common here, they are not particularly easy to see. I find their tracks and scat, sometimes prey remnants but rarely the animal itself is seen. Next time I am in SC, I will certainly give the area a look.

  • 30 November 2024
    ChadJ

    Thanks for the excellent tip! Will definitely check it out on my next drive through the Carolinas.

  • 2 December 2024
    offshorebirder

    I went back yesterday and had a VERY close encounter with a different American Mink – this one seemed smaller than the one the previous week.

    Here is an iPhone video of it foraging and then ‘running off into the sunrise’:

    https://www.youtube.com/shorts/QIXmO_k1sF0

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