# Muskrats



## wigg (Sep 20, 2008)

I'm currently trying to catch muskrats out of my dad's pond as they are destroying it. I'm not having much luck with the 110's. Is there an easier way?


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## Pops2 (Jan 27, 2003)

colony trap & footholds at a feed bed


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## ||Downhome|| (Jan 12, 2009)

you might want to check with the IDNR, not sure if you need a State Habitat Stamp even if trapping nuisance animals and you still may require a permit as well as follow general trapping regulations.

though I am sure a colony trap is illegal.

try a raft, http://www.thefurbearer.com/Sets_muskrat.html


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## Ed Norman (Jun 8, 2002)

When I was a kid trapping them, I always enjoyed wiring a piece of carrot or apple to the pan of 3 or 4 trap and laying it on the bottom, when I was all out of 1s and 110s.


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## oth47 (Jan 11, 2008)

Float sets for ponds. Just something that'll float and hold 2 or 3 #1 or 1 1/2 traps.Put some grass on it with maybe some bait in the middle.Tie a rope on it so you can pull it to shore to check it.


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## oldasrocks (Oct 27, 2006)

Bark them with a 30-30. That way you can still eat them. "barking" is shooting right next to them and the concussion kills them. I've harvested many squirrels that way when deer hunting and no deer. In season of course.


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## wigg (Sep 20, 2008)

Thanks for the suggestions. We have made some progress with them. I have baited a live trap so we can give that a try and maybe release somewhere else. The one that we have seen is huge. One of the bigger ones I've seen. Never have ate a muskrat!


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## Pops2 (Jan 27, 2003)

they are deliscious but beaver is better


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## salmonslayer91 (Oct 10, 2010)

im partial to Nutria!  dam things are everywhere! whats your favorite way to prepare em?


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## Pops2 (Jan 27, 2003)

muskrats? brown them & stew in barbecue sauce all day in the crock pot

you do any dog work on the nutria?


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## salmonslayer91 (Oct 10, 2010)

Sounds Mouthwatering... i used to do a little dog work then had a bad experiance and have yet to start training again. besides around here mostly all on e has to do is watch the creek at dusk or spotlight em at night grazing and simply pick em off with a .22


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

I'm wondering what the OP means by "destroying the pond". If there was no food the rats wouldn't be there. If the rats weren't there the weeds would probably choke out the pond.


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## salmonslayer91 (Oct 10, 2010)

well nutria which are very similer to muskrats burrow into the banks of man made canals and irrigation ditches causing widespread flooding and exploding maintanence costs so maybe his rats are damaging the banks?


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## pheasantplucker (Feb 20, 2007)

Muskrat is exceptionally fine eating! Pops 2 is right on the money!


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

salmonslayer91 said:


> im partial to Nutria!  dam things are everywhere! whats your favorite way to prepare em?


Do you have nutria in OR?


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## poorboy (Apr 15, 2006)

oldasrocks said:


> Bark them with a 30-30. That way you can still eat them. "barking" is shooting right next to them and the concussion kills them. I've harvested many squirrels that way when deer hunting and no deer. In season of course.


:huh:
An don't worry about where one of them thutty thutty bullets skips off the water to, country's 'gittin to populated anyway!:hrm:


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## trapperJim (Jan 24, 2008)

poorboy said:


> :huh:
> An don't worry about where one of them thutty thutty bullets skips off the water to, country's 'gittin to populated anyway!:hrm:


My thoughts exactly. Too funny.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> I'm wondering what the OP means by "destroying the pond".


The burrows in a dam can drain the pond, and make it extremely dangerous to mow or even walk on


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## salmonslayer91 (Oct 10, 2010)

fishhead said:


> Do you have nutria in OR?


more nutria then muskrat id say  yes very plentiful all stemming from the old fur trade industry


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

I had no idea they lived that far north.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

Does anyone use #0 longsprings for rats? I've been thinking that they should work and are lighter to pack into remote areas. They probably aren't going to hold a **** or otter but I really don't want to pack those out anyway.


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## oth47 (Jan 11, 2008)

I started my 2 boys out on muskrats with #0 longsprings.They'll hold a rat,but more chance of escape because the #0 isn't heavy enough to hold the rat under water like a heavier trap would.I always had a soft spot for #0 traps..


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

I was just talking about that with a friend. I think it could be remedied with the use of drowning sticks. Then weight doesn't matter as long as the trap holds.


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## oth47 (Jan 11, 2008)

Yep,drowning sticks make a big difference,when I wrote that about the weight of the #0 I was in the midst of a brainfart.


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## moocow (Jan 6, 2010)

110 coni right over the hole catches em every time if set properly.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

Does anyone use shelf sets for underice rat trapping? They're used for beaver and catch the stray rat when baited with aspen tips.

I've seen some videos where people use boards with a trap hanging from a nail just below a carrot. I'm making some collapsable shelves for setting in beaver ponds that are too deep for my hip boots. I was thinking that they would work well under ice too if the right bait was used. They could be attached to a dry pole and would save carrying a bunch of boards around.


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