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Muskrat are every where but my traps! #6378800
11/21/18 01:56 PM
11/21/18 01:56 PM
Joined: Nov 2018
Saltlake city utah
S
Steelflight Offline OP
trapper
Steelflight  Offline OP
trapper
S

Joined: Nov 2018
Saltlake city utah
It's like they know. So I'm trapping a river that you can't walk very far with out seeing a herd of rats moving about freely. But I can't seem to get there paths to go into my 110s. Been bottom edge and lining up on holes. Nothing. Yet I know they are there. Yes just started trapping this year. Thought muskrat where a bit easier. I may try bank minute floats next. But I would like to know how some of you mentally go through your set ups.


You may think before you act. The question is did you listen to your own council?
Re: Muskrat are every where but my traps! [Re: Steelflight] #6378810
11/21/18 02:12 PM
11/21/18 02:12 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Wisconsin
Muskrat Offline
trapper
Muskrat  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2006
Wisconsin
Originally Posted by Steelflight
. . . with out seeing a herd of rats moving about freely . . .


A herd of 'rats, eh? grin

How about describing this river. Do you have runs going into the banks? Do you see where they're crawling up on the bank to get at roots and plants? You got cattails? Pictures?


Lifetime member of WTA and NTA
Re: Muskrat are every where but my traps! [Re: Steelflight] #6378815
11/21/18 02:23 PM
11/21/18 02:23 PM
Joined: Nov 2018
Saltlake city utah
S
Steelflight Offline OP
trapper
Steelflight  Offline OP
trapper
S

Joined: Nov 2018
Saltlake city utah
Pictures in bound


You may think before you act. The question is did you listen to your own council?
Re: Muskrat are every where but my traps! [Re: Steelflight] #6378821
11/21/18 02:41 PM
11/21/18 02:41 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
MN
160user Offline
trapper
160user  Offline
trapper

Joined: Jan 2007
MN
A 110 right at the mouth of a run or den is almost a sure thing.


I have nothing clever to put here.





Re: Muskrat are every where but my traps! [Re: 160user] #6378952
11/21/18 07:16 PM
11/21/18 07:16 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Montana
Taximan Offline
trapper
Taximan  Offline
trapper

Joined: Jan 2007
Montana
If you have rats and you aren't connecting,your locations are off.Move things around till you figure it out.Not all holes go anywhere and some are not active.Keep working at it.

Re: Muskrat are every where but my traps! [Re: Taximan] #6378989
11/21/18 08:08 PM
11/21/18 08:08 PM
Joined: Apr 2014
MO
cfowler Offline
trapper
cfowler  Offline
trapper

Joined: Apr 2014
MO
Originally Posted by Taximan
If you have rats and you aren't connecting,your locations are off.Move things around till you figure it out.Not all holes go anywhere and some are not active.Keep working at it.

Yep, just gotta stick with it. It'll start making more sense and you'll learn to see where you need to set with little effort. But for now, just have to work at it til it starts clicking for you.


I trap for fun. I skin 'em for the money!
Grinners For Life-Lifetime Member, MO Chapter, Den #1
~You Grin, You're In~
Re: Muskrat are every where but my traps! [Re: Steelflight] #6379093
11/21/18 10:01 PM
11/21/18 10:01 PM
Joined: Nov 2018
Saltlake city utah
S
Steelflight Offline OP
trapper
Steelflight  Offline OP
trapper
S

Joined: Nov 2018
Saltlake city utah
If you can make it out here is a float I put together with scrap wood. My
design is a half box to allow flow as the river goes with small leg holds on either end. Eye mounts are on either side. You can control depth as you sink the stakes. Adding a small shelf for bait. The cross peace is for piling reeds on top.

1542851760978689645687.jpg
Last edited by Steelflight; 11/21/18 10:46 PM. Reason: Spelling

You may think before you act. The question is did you listen to your own council?
Re: Muskrat are every where but my traps! [Re: Steelflight] #6379260
11/22/18 01:42 AM
11/22/18 01:42 AM
Joined: Jan 2008
Alaska and Washington State
W
waggler Offline
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waggler  Offline
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W

Joined: Jan 2008
Alaska and Washington State
I think you may be disappointed with floats, they generally work best (if at all) in the spring. Focus more on putting your traps where the rats are already going instead of trying to bait them to where your trap is. I think things will start to click for you if you go that route.


"My life is better than your vacation"
Re: Muskrat are every where but my traps! [Re: Steelflight] #6379305
11/22/18 06:27 AM
11/22/18 06:27 AM
Joined: Sep 2007
South metro, MN
C
Calvin Offline
trapper
Calvin  Offline
trapper
C

Joined: Sep 2007
South metro, MN
What are your banks like? Mud with some elevation.....or beach like?

Re: Muskrat are every where but my traps! [Re: Steelflight] #6379629
11/22/18 02:33 PM
11/22/18 02:33 PM
Joined: Nov 2018
Saltlake city utah
S
Steelflight Offline OP
trapper
Steelflight  Offline OP
trapper
S

Joined: Nov 2018
Saltlake city utah
the bnks varie alot in just a 1/4 mile stretch. most of it has been lined with rock . the rats are going in between them for their dens and holes parts of it are bare to the mud. Only a few places have easy walking as most of it is very steep along the banks. as I promised pictures are coming i'm going out to check my line today. no cat tail. almost the entire bank is over ran with another weed called fragmities. i think thats how you spell it . it's almost like cane. grows just as dense and a royal pain to get through. (thats a severe understatement.)


You may think before you act. The question is did you listen to your own council?
Re: Muskrat are every where but my traps! [Re: Steelflight] #6379647
11/22/18 03:06 PM
11/22/18 03:06 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Rodney,Ohio
SNIPERBBB Offline
trapper
SNIPERBBB  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2006
Rodney,Ohio
Phragmites...the plague of muskrat trappers.

Re: Muskrat are every where but my traps! [Re: Steelflight] #6379692
11/22/18 04:05 PM
11/22/18 04:05 PM
Joined: Nov 2018
Saltlake city utah
S
Steelflight Offline OP
trapper
Steelflight  Offline OP
trapper
S

Joined: Nov 2018
Saltlake city utah
Your not lying


You may think before you act. The question is did you listen to your own council?
Re: Muskrat are every where but my traps! [Re: Steelflight] #6379738
11/22/18 05:49 PM
11/22/18 05:49 PM
Joined: Nov 2018
Saltlake city utah
S
Steelflight Offline OP
trapper
Steelflight  Offline OP
trapper
S

Joined: Nov 2018
Saltlake city utah
Here are the pics. The weeds are here. I saw four rats in just a quick walk. Full disclosure I need new waders so I'm doing my searching awkwardly. Then I have a pic of a set of tracks where they are moving along the bank. A trap is set in that path but no dice. I'm trapping the jordan river here in Utah.

20181122_142814.jpg20181122_142508.jpg20181122_142017.jpg20181122_141752.jpg

You may think before you act. The question is did you listen to your own council?
Re: Muskrat are every where but my traps! [Re: Steelflight] #6379740
11/22/18 05:56 PM
11/22/18 05:56 PM
Joined: Nov 2018
Saltlake city utah
S
Steelflight Offline OP
trapper
Steelflight  Offline OP
trapper
S

Joined: Nov 2018
Saltlake city utah
the top pic is of a little rat coming towards the region of my set. i'm shakking my head at it all but will keep going at it.


You may think before you act. The question is did you listen to your own council?
Re: Muskrat are every where but my traps! [Re: Steelflight] #6379772
11/22/18 07:24 PM
11/22/18 07:24 PM
Joined: May 2015
MN
S
SkyeDancer Offline
trapper
SkyeDancer  Offline
trapper
S

Joined: May 2015
MN
Used to river trap for rats. Generally there will be spots along the bank where they are digging roots/eating. These spots, along with deb sets are good. Use the 110's for the dens/runs and #1-1 1/2 long springs for the bank feed spots. Set the trap where it appears they are coming out of the water....Trap should be in the water an inch or so under water. You may need to dig a spot for this to work. I always used a good muskrat lure...dip a stick in the bottle and stick it up on the bank above the trap. Trap should be set up to fall into sweet water so the rat will drown. Sometimes it he!ps to place a stick out in fewer water for them to wrap the trap wire around. You should soon be skinning rats!

Re: Muskrat are every where but my traps! [Re: Steelflight] #6379998
11/23/18 07:55 AM
11/23/18 07:55 AM
Joined: Sep 2012
New York
P
proratman Offline
trapper
proratman  Offline
trapper
P

Joined: Sep 2012
New York
Even if your trap is 5" off center of the run, you will miss the rats. Don't be afraid to block down your sets. Rats are easily blocked into sets.

Re: Muskrat are every where but my traps! [Re: Steelflight] #6380054
11/23/18 09:47 AM
11/23/18 09:47 AM
Joined: Sep 2007
South metro, MN
C
Calvin Offline
trapper
Calvin  Offline
trapper
C

Joined: Sep 2007
South metro, MN
It looks like you may be able to make a pocket set in some of those areas. Pockets sets are deadly on rats. And doesn't have to be anything fancy... Can just use your boot many times. And the best bait/lure for a pocket set for a rat is a part of a skun rat. Of course mink and coon like rats too...so stake appropriately (for the coon).

If you want less coon friendly bait, use carrots, or anything light color that stands out...but usually just the pocket is appeal enough.

Re: Muskrat are every where but my traps! [Re: Steelflight] #6380072
11/23/18 10:25 AM
11/23/18 10:25 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Wisconsin
T
The Beav Offline
trapper
The Beav  Offline
trapper
T

Joined: Dec 2006
Wisconsin
Listen to Calvin he gives good advice.


The forum Know It All according to Muskrat
Re: Muskrat are every where but my traps! [Re: Steelflight] #6380086
11/23/18 10:42 AM
11/23/18 10:42 AM
Joined: Nov 2018
Saltlake city utah
S
Steelflight Offline OP
trapper
Steelflight  Offline OP
trapper
S

Joined: Nov 2018
Saltlake city utah
Going to try that.


You may think before you act. The question is did you listen to your own council?
Re: Muskrat are every where but my traps! [Re: Muskrat] #6380087
11/23/18 10:42 AM
11/23/18 10:42 AM
Joined: Feb 2014
On Georgian Bay, Ontario Canad...
H
Hutchy Offline
trapper
Hutchy  Offline
trapper
H

Joined: Feb 2014
On Georgian Bay, Ontario Canad...
Originally Posted by Muskrat
Originally Posted by Steelflight
. . . with out seeing a herd of rats moving about freely . . .


A herd of 'rats, eh? grin

How about describing this river. Do you have runs going into the banks? Do you see where they're crawling up on the bank to get at roots and plants? You got cattails? Pictures?


Since we are on the topic...

A muskrat group is called a 'colony, horde, pack, plague or swarm'.

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