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Re: Bottom edge sets for muskrats
[Re: AJE]
#6337619
10/01/18 11:30 AM
10/01/18 11:30 AM
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 4,497
PA
PAskinner
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 4,497
PA
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The only place those lured sets shine for me is out in a big marsh. If I'm going to use a lured set on a creek, I have to anchor it for everything, and might as well use a pocket set, and expect coon. And I still have the runs set too, as that pocket set is worthless once it freezes. The deep runs and BE's just keep going regardless of the weather, no matter what kind of water you're on. We aren't allowed colony traps, but I can think of some good spots for them if we were.
Right now I’m having amnesia and déjà vu at the same time. I think I’ve forgotten this before.
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Re: Bottom edge sets for muskrats
[Re: The Beav]
#6337648
10/01/18 12:19 PM
10/01/18 12:19 PM
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 2,738
Iowa
coydog2
trapper
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trapper
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 2,738
Iowa
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Well you don't need water over the trap to catch rats. They walk right over high dry traps. And you don't need mud to make a rat set. And In most rat trapping areas we don't have beaver.
And don't forget about having to pull up those bottom edge set every day to remove all the debris that hangs up In them.
Then of coarse when It starts to freeze up your going to have to break ice when setting and checking.
Sure they catch a few mink and a few rats but you can do better with other sets.
Just another gimmick set In my opinion.
If I was going to screw around with bottom edge sets for rats and mink I wouldn't use body grips. I would build some short versions of the colony trap. I would attach a weight to the bottom and a cable to the top. Find a area for the trap lower It Into place and tie It off. NO stabilizing and no wet hands and In most cases you don't even have to get In the water. But you will still have to remove derbies from the trap.
But It's going to be a lot easier.
Well anyway that's my take on the B&E set. I like to know how one thinking that bottom edge set is a gimmick.I have got beaver and otter and rats a mink in that set .Just use a bigger trap for the beaver and otter.Places that you could not find that would work out in a creek and then you have that set and use it and able to take what you plan to trap.Each place have it own place for what ever set it calls for. It is just another tool to use on the line.I do not worry about junk get in the trap when it dose that is not problem for me.I check my traps every day and i trap water and dry land.All on the same lines I trap.but to each there own for what works for them.
Life member of DAV,NTA,NRA,ITA.Also member of FTA,CBA
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Re: Bottom edge sets for muskrats
[Re: AJE]
#6337712
10/01/18 02:03 PM
10/01/18 02:03 PM
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 2,738
Iowa
coydog2
trapper
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trapper
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 2,738
Iowa
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For all the times I use this set I see not need for it because they hug the bottom edge. That is why I see not use for fence.I have not seen that I needed it.If it look like a area that looks like that some fence could help I would use it .other then that I have not. Someone else might have other ides.
Life member of DAV,NTA,NRA,ITA.Also member of FTA,CBA
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Re: Bottom edge sets for muskrats
[Re: AJE]
#6337742
10/01/18 02:40 PM
10/01/18 02:40 PM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 622
Wisconsin
Lance Squires
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 622
Wisconsin
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I don't use a fence and although there's no way to know, I don't think I have too many go around just because of their nature/habit of hugging the edge. As far as using colony traps under the ice for your bottom edge sets, it works great until you have to chop them out. LOL!! Much easier chopping out a 110. Very good set to use and definitely has moments when it shines. You do have debris clog it up but not every trap is affected. I set enough to cover my bases. Everyone mentions setting points and although they're probably the best, there's other places that can be effective as well. I set anywhere I have a vertical bank and catch plenty of fur. If I had to rely solely on points, I wouldn't set near as many traps.
57 years trapping. It's who I am. Every day is still as exciting as it was when I was a kid but a little more work.
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Re: Bottom edge sets for muskrats
[Re: The Beav]
#6337744
10/01/18 02:47 PM
10/01/18 02:47 PM
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Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 1,076
Maine
mainer
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 1,076
Maine
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Well you don't need water over the trap to catch rats. They walk right over high dry traps. And you don't need mud to make a rat set. And In most rat trapping areas we don't have beaver.
And don't forget about having to pull up those bottom edge set every day to remove all the debris that hangs up In them.
Then of coarse when It starts to freeze up your going to have to break ice when setting and checking.
Sure they catch a few mink and a few rats but you can do better with other sets.
Just another gimmick set In my opinion.
If I was going to screw around with bottom edge sets for rats and mink I wouldn't use body grips. I would build some short versions of the colony trap. I would attach a weight to the bottom and a cable to the top. Find a area for the trap lower It Into place and tie It off. NO stabilizing and no wet hands and In most cases you don't even have to get In the water. But you will still have to remove derbies from the trap.
But It's going to be a lot easier.
Well anyway that's my take on the B&E set. A dozen 110s takes about half the space of a single colony trap, and "short versions of the colony trap" would catch one rat (at best) versus twelve. I can fit a couple of 110s with wire in a vest or jacket pocket; haven't yet found a way to slip a colony trap in any of my pockets. Besides, my hands and rear-end are already wet, not to mention the bottom-edge of my coat, crotch, and usually one leg or both...I wear hip boots. If I'm dry while water trapping, I'm having a pleasant illusion.
"...in a very few days we succeeded in taking over one hundred beaver, the skins of which were worth ten dollars per pound."
Jim Beckwourth (1856)
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Re: Bottom edge sets for muskrats
[Re: AJE]
#6337834
10/01/18 05:18 PM
10/01/18 05:18 PM
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MsgRet
Unregistered
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MsgRet
Unregistered
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Good point. I use colony traps on culvert aprons because of the metal or cement bottoms prevents staking down a 110. Before colony traps were legal here I used a brick wired to the conibear chain and leaned against the spring with conibear flux against the side.I use the colony trap now because I can catch more than one critter. As for fencing etc I refer back to Ken Smythe's book. Don't remember the exact words but he essentially said "don't change anything, keep it natural" The set creates itself.
Last edited by MsgRet; 10/01/18 05:23 PM.
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Re: Bottom edge sets for muskrats
[Re: AJE]
#6337875
10/01/18 06:03 PM
10/01/18 06:03 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,834
Wisconsin
The Beav
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,834
Wisconsin
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With my colony traps I can catch up to 6 rats and I have taken 12 In one. But of coarse I can't use 9x9 x30s here In WI So even with a 6x6x20 I could catch 4 or 5 rats at a time.
And I only have to find 2 or 3 locations not 12. LOL
Sorry guys but I'm not spending all my time looking for the perfect spot for a 110 B&E set. While I can be gang setting with # 2coils and catch most of the rats before they even get to those perfect B&E locations.
Is a channel set for beaver with a 330 considered a B&E set? I always take the guess work out of otter and beaver trapping by setting where they are traveling not where you think they might be traveling.
Just for argument sake. I bet I could go on a stream with another trapper and He would use B&E sets and I would use something different. You want to make a bet on who would catch the most rats.
The forum Know It All according to Muskrat
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Re: Bottom edge sets for muskrats
[Re: pcr2]
#6337878
10/01/18 06:05 PM
10/01/18 06:05 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,834
Wisconsin
The Beav
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,834
Wisconsin
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love ya Beav.,and i must say all my early training from dad and grampa involve the heal of my boot,an apple,and a 1 stoploss with 4 ft of wire.good times for sure. And I bet ya caught a ton of rats. Good times for sure.
The forum Know It All according to Muskrat
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Re: Bottom edge sets for muskrats
[Re: The Beav]
#6337897
10/01/18 06:33 PM
10/01/18 06:33 PM
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 28,978
potter co. p.a.
pcr2
"Twerker"
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"Twerker"
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 28,978
potter co. p.a.
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With my colony traps I can catch up to 6 rats and I have taken 12 In one. But of coarse I can't use 9x9 x30s here In WI So even with a 6x6x20 I could catch 4 or 5 rats at a time.
And I only have to find 2 or 3 locations not 12. LOL
Sorry guys but I'm not spending all my time looking for the perfect spot for a 110 B&E set. While I can be gang setting with # 2coils and catch most of the rats before they even get to those perfect B&E locations.
Is a channel set for beaver with a 330 considered a B&E set? I always take the guess work out of otter and beaver trapping by setting where they are traveling not where you think they might be traveling.
Just for argument sake. I bet I could go on a stream with another trapper and He would use B&E sets and I would use something different. You want to make a bet on who would catch the most rats. Meet me in Minnesota and we'll see. 
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Re: Bottom edge sets for muskrats
[Re: AJE]
#6338160
10/01/18 10:08 PM
10/01/18 10:08 PM
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MsgRet
Unregistered
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MsgRet
Unregistered
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Beav, you possibly would catch the most rats.
Last edited by MsgRet; 10/01/18 10:11 PM.
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Re: Bottom edge sets for muskrats
[Re: AJE]
#6338185
10/01/18 10:26 PM
10/01/18 10:26 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,834
Wisconsin
The Beav
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,834
Wisconsin
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Meet me In ND I will even put you up. MN is off limits and we would have to put up With 49er. LOL
The forum Know It All according to Muskrat
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Re: Bottom edge sets for muskrats
[Re: AJE]
#6338194
10/01/18 10:41 PM
10/01/18 10:41 PM
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 5,958
South metro, MN
Calvin
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 5,958
South metro, MN
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Beav, I've caught many mink in BE sets on streams (between pockets) that I believe the pockets would not have taken. Muskrats probably to a much lesser degree, however. And yes, colony traps work better than the little 110s most times. But mink sure do love those 110s for some reason (I'd still opt for a 160). I think it was Don Powels vid that showed this pretty well. Seems those mink almost go out of their way to swim through a little body grip.
In areas of high rat populations it might not be all that...but it sure has it's place in stream country. Just another trapping tool for certain areas.
Last edited by Calvin; 10/01/18 10:48 PM.
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Re: Bottom edge sets for muskrats
[Re: AJE]
#6338213
10/01/18 11:19 PM
10/01/18 11:19 PM
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MsgRet
Unregistered
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MsgRet
Unregistered
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I will trap rats in marshes, sloughs, and farm ditches(love this rain) right up to deer season using footholds, colony traps and 150s in runs. Not any BE sets yet. After deer season I trap mostly public streams and run BE and baited pockets for mink and colony traps for mink and rats. Prices being what they are there is little competition. Where I am I don't foresee a drop in rat population on the streams by December. I don't look very hard for BE locations. They are always there...any protrusion, rocks, hummocks, and even those DNR trout stream improvement submerged logs get set up. But it's only a tool, not THE tool. IMO it happens to be outstanding on streams in nasty winter weather and they are low maintenance.
Last edited by MsgRet; 10/01/18 11:31 PM.
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Re: Bottom edge sets for muskrats
[Re: ]
#6338299
10/02/18 06:18 AM
10/02/18 06:18 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,466
Wisconsin
Muskrat
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,466
Wisconsin
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. . . IMO it happens to be outstanding on streams in nasty winter weather and they are low maintenance. X2 . . . And don't forget about having to pull up those bottom edge set every day to remove all the debris that hangs up In them . . . By the time December has rolled around the Beav has found the couch. If he was really trapping using BE sets he'd discover as MsgRet pointed out above there really is no maintenance on these sets in winter. . . . Then of course when It starts to freeze up your going to have to break ice when setting and checking . . . Setting streams usually means no or little ice to deal with as the current keeps 'em open unless we go into the deep freeze. If/when that happens I just wait 'til it warms back up again to run the line. Also, as MsgRet referenced, I too have gone to all #150s. They fit perfectly on the KB stabilizer. Speaking of KB stabilizers, someone on here last year suggested parachute cord instead of wire for attaching the bodygrip to the KB. Am switching over this year to all cord.
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Re: Bottom edge sets for muskrats
[Re: AJE]
#6338411
10/02/18 09:19 AM
10/02/18 09:19 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,834
Wisconsin
The Beav
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,834
Wisconsin
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By December I have caught all the rats I need to catch and I'm trapping $100.00 coyotes for the DNR.
It seems to me as long as you have open water and It's open because It's moving your going to have debris moving along the bottom. And since the water Is open and In the winter the water has stabilized for the most part pocket sets will absolutely out preform a B&E set.
For those that are using B&E sets lets be honest. How many mink and rats are you catching In those sets?
I will bet you my SSC that I can go down to the Bad Fish In Dec and catch 100 rats In 3 days In pocket sets. Or feed beds up under those under cut banks. I don't think I have to worry about losing that bet. LOL
At times Rats may travel under water but they are up on the banks feeding as long as there Is open water. and In my opinion that's the best place to catch them.
The forum Know It All according to Muskrat
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Re: Bottom edge sets for muskrats
[Re: AJE]
#6338573
10/02/18 01:03 PM
10/02/18 01:03 PM
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 1,971
Peoria County Illinois
Larry Baer
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 1,971
Peoria County Illinois
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Every state's different. We cant use colony traps here. BE is just another type of set- not the only one. I use it here and it does produce when the ice is on OR the water is up and down better than feed beds and other sets. But like Beav say when the water is not hard it is not the best set in the deck- at least here anyway. You can't keep a rat out of the BE sets if you have them.
I have one pond I trap with a stump out on the water. It is about 3' deep and the outside edge of that stump is smooth with a trail where rats and mink swim right along the edge of it. Great spot every year.
Just passin through
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Re: Bottom edge sets for muskrats
[Re: AJE]
#6338615
10/02/18 02:28 PM
10/02/18 02:28 PM
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MsgRet
Unregistered
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MsgRet
Unregistered
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Well I see we're still at it. I am presently out in the Marsh and sloughs checking water levels and sign, mostly washed away but the rats are there. It's fun and fresh air This discussion is reaching its end I think. I'm gonna do what I do and you are gonna do what you do based in where you live.Good luck this season. Gotta go. Peace.
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