Alrighty then lol. I think Bryce, you and me have come to an impasse and hopefully can agree to disagree because I find your post to contradict your previous one and I care not to continue. I say this with the upmost of respect, not as a meanie butt. I am not a scholar, I just report what I see in my little neck of the woods. I don't like what has happened and want it to go back where it was, a naive notion.


Jeff

Who said I like what is taking place. I post what I see happening and much is based on reviewing data from many sources. Just because we don't like something does not mean we should not try and understand what is taking place and maybe why it is taking place. Change is not made by shaming others or calling them stupid, change is made by working to find ways to empower change. In a very capitalistic world money speaks very loudly as to what takes place and we have to admit that we are feeding twice the world's population on about 20% fewer acres than a generation ago. What we don't know are what are the consequences of that huge change in our world, but the route that has been chosen is funded by persons, firms and nations even that have a lot of control over how things take place and at the present time 2 billion hungry people everyday are probably not too concerned about how their calories were created.
We are seeing several islets of farm to table growing in the USA but for the most part it is taking place with upper middle class families and as we continue to have wider spreads in wealth with more and more families fitting into the modest income and wealth range the growth in those options will be limited. Unfortunately we are at the same time in the USA a widening gap between rural and urban residents in health and longevity with the urban residents living longer and healthier even if they are eating more calories from an industrialized growing system. With 40% or more of the produce we eat grown outside of the USA I would worry more about how those products are grown and the soil they are raised on.
Bryce

I grow weary of all the talk about the evils of Roundup. It does not accumulate in in the food chain. In fact, as soon as it hits the soil, it breaks down.
The ambulance chasing lawyers are getting filthy rich on people who have come down with lymphoma without any scientific evidence of cause and effect.
If Roundup and GMO crops were outlawed, farmers would have to go back to spraying the fields with chemicals which actually do cause harm to the environment and people.

As far as muskrat decline is concerned, there is no magic bullet. Given the vast differences in habitat, etc in different parts of the country, a magic bullet explanation is highly unlikely to explain decline all across the country.
Furthermore, population decline of any species is never due to one or two causes. It is generally due to multiple causes.
Biologists have not "found" the cause because there is no money available to do the research necessary to conduct it, nor is there an outcry from the public to get to the bottom of it.
They are "rats". Who wants more rats?

52Carl. Double 2X

X2 on the amount of BS he spewed!

Continuous rising water has finally caught up to our local rat populations here. Last year we lost one entire litter to rains. This year looks like 2. Never thought I'd ask for drought but we could use one about now after 5 solid years of excess rain. The areas of the state with shallower potholes still seems to have decent rats, however.

If you've never seen a feedbed constructed in 6 feet of water, it's pretty impressive. In clear water you can see what looks like a pyramid of vegetation under the water with just the tip sticking out.

We have as many raptors and mink as anyone. A bald eagle nest on about every slough or lake and mink a plenty. They do take a toll, but in the right water conditions the rats are still there.

“The number of breeding adults is down, and they’re really getting hammered,” Hardisky said. “The whole eastern U.S. and Canada is experiencing the same thing. There has to be a common denominator that we need to identify.”

"Muskrats are preyed on by all sorts of other animals, he noted. He said they’re “born to die,” with some studies showing up to 96 percent mortality in given population in any one year."

I'm in central PA now. I was here 6 years ago and trapped for a week and caught 15 muskrats in a beautiful little stream. After moving away and now returning, I caught exactly zero rats in the same creek. I did see a little sign so there are a couple rats left, just a significant decline in 6 years.

I can't help but admire your debating skills.
Just as well. It is grossly unfair for me to have a duel of wits with an unarmed man.

Glyphosphate doesn't just disappear it is found in the urine and milk in cows that were fed grain that was sprayed with it months before. Right now the USA alone is producing enough grain to feed the entire world population 4thosand calories each each day. It suppresses reproduction.and destroys immune systems.

There are spots that have them here. Lots of things affect them. I do believe there are more predators than ever. Not just land animals, but tons of predatory birds. We now have fisher and otter added to the mix. But, I see less places with cattails and more with other weeds that don't support rats. Lots of factors.

We are experiencing an explosion here.

I’m guessing the Dakotas is turning the corner as well.



Our rats breed like rats. They won’t eat tainted shoots and fear no predators!

Lol, your something else. You offer, well if it wasn't for roundup farmers would have to go back to putting harmful chemicals in the soil lol. Like Round up isn't harmful. No it's safe but we have to modify the seeds you plant so you can spray the crap out of the fields, what's that? You now have weeds that have mutated and are immune to Roundup, well just spray more and more. I know your a proponent of Roundup but have you once considered the inert ingredients?

Yep the dry areas now have huts all over in places they have not been seen in for many years and it will only get better this boom of water will be around for several years.

Don't yous guys get snow no mo?

Tomorrow night 1-3. Snow is only useful before cold

Things sure have changed since I was a teenager.

I remember the blizzard well, I don't think your math adds up though.

We do have a lot more predators,especially aerial ones,than what we had in the '70's.They make a dent,know doubt,but the biggest difference I've noticed is with habitat.I started 'rat trapping in the mid '70's in southern Michigan,well known at the time for its 'rats.Muskrat habitat was everywhere,ditches had lots of cattails along with ponds and lake shoreline.Now when I go down I'm always surprised at how bare these areas are today.Lakefront property back then almost always had cattails ,today landowners clear it all out and plant their lawns right to the waters edge.Even ditches are cleared.I was talking to a DNR tech a month ago about how good the fishing used to be in a local marina,and how bad it is today.How all the weed growth under water and bank side was gone.He said thats because they apply(applied)for a permit to rid the area of weeds.So now the yacht owners have a weed free marina but the local fish and wildlife have taken a hit.I think this is indicative of whats been going on all across 'rat country.

I am not a proponent of Roundup, nor against its use. I do sleep better knowing that it has replaced some very nasty chemicals which actually do kill people. You don't need to worry about any inert ingredients with these chemicals because they don't break down when they hit the soil. They remain intact!
What is your proposal? Stop using chemicals altogether?