I am trapping a pond that has 3 big muskrat huts and 2 smaller ones. The pond really isn't that big but I don't want to wipe out all the rats. Anyone have suggestions what to look for. Thank you for your help!

wipe em out......try it.......they will migrate in if you do.

Not sure if that is a good idea

What does the surrounding area look like? Got muskrat populations outside of this area? River going by?

Why do you think it is not a good idea? Are you trying to conserve a rodent? Have you tested them for parasites? Disease? Do you know next years precipitation and nutrient inflow levels? Catch them while you can.......there are way too many things outside your control to impact muskrats. Read the past research and you will see trapping has a very small impact on rat populations long term.

Siegs, I have to agree with TreedaBlackdog.
If there is a travel route (river, ditch, etc.) nearby you will have new rats migrate in faster than you think.

If the existing rats are still there during the yearly dispersion, those young rats looking for a new home will either have to fight for that space or move along. If a suitable habitat is there waiting because the previous rat population was wiped out, they'll move right on in and get to eating, pooping and making baby rats.

The rats that are there came from someplace. And If you take them all out they will be replaced.

I have a pond that I trap and this is the 2nd year I wipe them out and new ones had show up after I wipe them out the first time and also 2 beavers did also. So I just wipe them out because there will be new ones for the next season.also for there dens they will have the pond drain out in time.

If you don't want to wipe them out then don't it's up to you had some old timers say if you take 5 rats out of each house you do no damage to the population. So that is a starting point. Once you catch 15 if the catch rate falls off to the point it isn't worth going there move on. Your choice good luck hope you wear out your skinning knife this year.

To put it into anltjer light muslrats will breed at least 3 times during the spring and summer. Having 5-8 in a litter. In a place with limited predators. Your prolly helping by increasing the mortality rate for them.

You better catch what you can before a mink shows up and cleans em out.

Well I appreciate the feedback guys. The weird thing is that there is no ditch, stream or anything nearby that I know of. Just the interstate. The little drain off thing to the right just runs to nowhere.

I marked the 6 Muskrat huts I found another one today.

Muskrats will travel considerable distance over land to find suitable habitat.

I'll get a picture of this pond tomorrow for you guys.

We had a wet spring and rats were everywhere every puddle had rats in it then it dried up they were moving all over the countryside looking for water to support them, trap a few and leave the rest but there is no formula that is 100%.

I took (5) out of a 1/2 acre puddle yesterday- I didn't trap the house but after I pulled traps I popped a hole in by the house with my spud- it was 1-1/2 feet deep, I'm sure they would've froze out. although, based on the temps this week it might be open water by next week.

Most muskrats only live a year or so.

If you are serious about wanting to increase the rat population then reduce the predator population (dominate male muskrat, mink, fox coyote coon otter possum and turtle) as they will kill more than you will.

Read "Muskrats and Marsh Management" by Paul L Errington, this book will help a lot in your understanding of the life cycle of a muskrat and its environment. Book costs around $10 for hardcover $6 for softcover on Amazon

I trap a lot of small spots like that. Generally, I pull my traps at the second check...maybe the third. My guess is, the catch will fall off fast. Set it heavy.

So how far away is the closest body of water?

Found out there is a long ditch that runs right to the bottom left and across the road from the pond.

And that goes where?

It is just a ditch that travels out in the country and runs beside the roads.

Good advice here.

Sort of reminds me of this situation in Prairie du Chien . . . .

I have no idea how they can get to that pond though because it is a good distance away and there is a pretty tight fence there at my pond

Wipe them out??



Easier said then done.

I find it easy to wipe them out of area.i do it all the time and what you do is set hard and spend less time there. If it is a river you will only do a job on the main ones that is there and then will have some seed left .For ponds like is talk about it dose not take long to clean them out with open water. through the ice it will take longer.If you find the runs when ice just come in with the bubbles under the ice you will find it easy to get them.That what works for me .

The first 3 pictures are the pond and the last 2 are where the ditch is located. Not sure how they could migrate with the fence there? I had a colony today that had a big rat and a kit in it. I'm not sure if wiping it out is a good idea because of the distance between the ditch and the pond with the fence installed. Let me know thanks!

That 4X4 wire fencing will not deter any muskrat and as has been stated before they travel overland in search for suitable habitat. Catch as many as you can other otherwise disease will most likely take over in that pond and wipe them out for a while.

I have found rats on the highway 2 miles from the nearest mud hole. Their biggest challenge is getting from place to place without being eaten either from attack above or on ground. They see a fenced in pond they probably think safe haven from coyotes and such. Even a chain link fence will not stop them if they want in there, nor the predators either. I'd just concentrate on my trapping skills and catchem all. If there is a food supply and water source they will come, probably from the same place the ones that are there now came from.

That fence wouldn’t stop a coyote, let alone a muskrat.

yes

I would suggest that this pond is past its peak cycle. The ariel images show a good band of emergent vegetation on its perimeter. The live shots show very little. Food is an important part of the CC equation. To summarize, I’ll go out on a limb here, no matter what YOU do this pond will carry less rats in the near future.

That said, trap them hard. Looks like some good conditions.