i' m going with decline for sure.
at least my section is about 1.3 what they used to be ,an i have some beaver dams and ponds,small creeks.
a few pockets here and there. I almost hate to catch them as i dont have a healthy population to begin with.
Beaver on the other hand is plenty

Since I started trapping 17 or 18 years ago, I can count the number of muskrats that I've seen on one hand.

So... About the same. Lol

Mike

Its about the same

Rat harvest is more dependent on value than populations, generally.

We on our 5th year or so of good water levels here. Actually too much: Seems like we did lose a litter last year due to flooding. More so in Stream/ river country.

Funny how we have far, far more rats than SD nowadays. Funny how that karma thing works out in the end.

Gone to very low population here.

Makes one wonder. Could be just no more NRs boasting of big catches on the web?

What I find interesting is how the highest notable populations came with record prices and pressure on the resource. Agreed, a mistake was made but it takes two to tango.

It's probably because the Non resident doesn't want to bust huts In Dec In SD. And most likely there Is still Ice on the sloughs By the first of March. So In most cases there Isn't any open water opportunity.

And from what I've herd they have been going though a drought period In some areas.

But the bottom line Is you can't trap rats at $3.00 averages and make any money.

That is the work of a higher power. Maybe it is Karma?