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Footholds for muskrats #7082567
12/10/20 12:18 PM
12/10/20 12:18 PM
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 6,366
east central WI
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k snow Online content OP
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k snow  Online Content OP
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Joined: Oct 2009
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east central WI
How do you minimize wring outs with longsprings? I've had 2 out of 3 rats wring out of longsprings yesterday. These are bank sets, #11's (coon and the occasional otter show up here) where the rats are coming out of a creek. Trap is set in about an inch of water, 3 feet of chain out to the center of the creek which is just over my knees.

The 1 rat that was held was almost a wring out also.

Thanks.

Re: Footholds for muskrats [Re: k snow] #7082575
12/10/20 12:28 PM
12/10/20 12:28 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 17,550
Rodney,Ohio
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Double longs just aren't the greatest for them as it's not easy for the trap to swivel as the springs can drag in the bottom.

Re: Footholds for muskrats [Re: k snow] #7082578
12/10/20 12:32 PM
12/10/20 12:32 PM
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 45,270
james bay frontierOnt.
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Boco Online content
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james bay frontierOnt.
1.5 LS on a slide wire-no lock needed.
They obviously cant reach the deep water with your set-up-trap is too heavy or is tangling in grass before it gets to deeper water.


Forget that fear of gravity-get a little savagery in your life.
Re: Footholds for muskrats [Re: k snow] #7082581
12/10/20 12:36 PM
12/10/20 12:36 PM
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 6,366
east central WI
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k snow Online content OP
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east central WI
Thanks guys, that's kind of what I was suspecting. I was concerned about coon and otter getting in 1's or 1.5's

I'll replace them with single springs.

Re: Footholds for muskrats [Re: k snow] #7082582
12/10/20 12:37 PM
12/10/20 12:37 PM
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 1,099
KY
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ILcooner Offline
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Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 1,099
KY
drowner rigs

Re: Footholds for muskrats [Re: k snow] #7082583
12/10/20 12:39 PM
12/10/20 12:39 PM
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 178
New York State
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Kev56 Offline
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Posts: 178
New York State
#1 longspring stoploss or double jaw traps will keep them from wringing out and hold most 'coons that come along.

Re: Footholds for muskrats [Re: k snow] #7082584
12/10/20 12:40 PM
12/10/20 12:40 PM
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 610
Wyoming
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thedude055 Offline
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Wyoming
#11's I have found are just hard on rats no matter how to run them. Maybe center swiveled if they are not already. Sometimes you can get caught between a rock and a hard place and need to set the trap for the animal that could come in and it makes it harder on the target animal. #11's are a good choice for that i think butyou are getting adverse results. In a similar situation i have used #2 traps with light pan tension and catch rats like mink in old victor #2's and then have less to worry about coon and otter. My two cents. What traps you have at your disposal though dictates how you set and run though i know htat for sure.


Owner Wind River Trapping Supplies
Re: Footholds for muskrats [Re: k snow] #7082595
12/10/20 12:50 PM
12/10/20 12:50 PM
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 45,270
james bay frontierOnt.
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james bay frontierOnt.
The bigger traps are fine on floats.


Forget that fear of gravity-get a little savagery in your life.
Re: Footholds for muskrats [Re: k snow] #7082597
12/10/20 12:52 PM
12/10/20 12:52 PM
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 19,691
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hippie Offline
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Get yourself some 1.5 coil springs and don't look back.

Re: Footholds for muskrats [Re: Boco] #7082599
12/10/20 12:53 PM
12/10/20 12:53 PM
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 6,366
east central WI
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k snow Online content OP
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Originally Posted by Boco
The bigger traps are fine on floats.


Makes sense. Off the float and into the water.

Re: Footholds for muskrats [Re: hippie] #7082608
12/10/20 12:59 PM
12/10/20 12:59 PM
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 36
Ohio
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Shorex4 Offline
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Ohio
Ive been meaning to ask if I'm setting 1.5 coils for rats but my area has a ton of coons using the same slides and runs can I get away with not using double jaws?

Re: Footholds for muskrats [Re: Boco] #7082609
12/10/20 12:59 PM
12/10/20 12:59 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 17,550
Rodney,Ohio
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Originally Posted by Boco
The bigger traps are fine on floats.

Or any other straight drop-off.

Re: Footholds for muskrats [Re: k snow] #7082611
12/10/20 01:01 PM
12/10/20 01:01 PM
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 6,366
east central WI
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k snow Online content OP
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east central WI
Its a steep bank here, but the sets are in little shallow nooks. Apparently the rat can't get the trap out of the shallow nook and into the deep water.

Definitely switching to smaller (single spring) traps, I'll just make double sure that they are staked well should something bigger happen into them.

Re: Footholds for muskrats [Re: k snow] #7082612
12/10/20 01:02 PM
12/10/20 01:02 PM
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,972
South Dakota
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Rat Masterson Offline
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South Dakota
A muskrats first reaction when caught is to jump in the water for safety, unless tangling in vegetation a foot of water is plenty. I use 1 1/2 coils for rats with laminated jaws and a M Kelly pan and 3 feet of chain. Rats can move it but can't swim with it, works for me.

Re: Footholds for muskrats [Re: Shorex4] #7082615
12/10/20 01:08 PM
12/10/20 01:08 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 62,661
Minnesota
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Originally Posted by Shorex4
Ive been meaning to ask if I'm setting 1.5 coils for rats but my area has a ton of coons using the same slides and runs can I get away with not using double jaws?

1.5 coils have nabbed me otters twice and coons for years


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Re: Footholds for muskrats [Re: 330-Trapper] #7082634
12/10/20 01:24 PM
12/10/20 01:24 PM
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 36
Ohio
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Shorex4 Offline
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Ohio
I figured they'd work but is it worth spending the extra on double jaws to stop chewing. They'd be set on land and water and the water is only 12 to 18 in so not enough to drown a coon

Re: Footholds for muskrats [Re: k snow] #7082638
12/10/20 01:27 PM
12/10/20 01:27 PM
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 165
White House, TN
camlock Offline
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White House, TN
When trapping for just rats I like the Blake and Lamb sure hold guard type trap in a #1 or 1-1/2 size long spring. The trap will pin the rat down to the spring so it wont twist off. They will drown in shallow water .Duke makes a #1 surehold trap that is similar to the B&L.

Last edited by camlock; 12/10/20 01:39 PM.
Re: Footholds for muskrats [Re: Shorex4] #7082645
12/10/20 01:32 PM
12/10/20 01:32 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
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Rodney,Ohio
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Originally Posted by Shorex4
I figured they'd work but is it worth spending the extra on double jaws to stop chewing. They'd be set on land and water and the water is only 12 to 18 in so not enough to drown a coon


For coon double jaws are a good idea in non drowning sets.

12" is enough water to take care of coon if you keep him there.

Re: Footholds for muskrats [Re: k snow] #7082647
12/10/20 01:35 PM
12/10/20 01:35 PM
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 36
Ohio
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Shorex4 Offline
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Ohio
I figured they'd work but is it worth spending the extra on double jaws to stop chewing. They'd be set on land and water and the water is only 12 to 18 in so not enough to drown a coon

Re: Footholds for muskrats [Re: k snow] #7084361
12/11/20 02:20 PM
12/11/20 02:20 PM
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hippie Offline
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If you keep the coon in the water, you'll end chewing. Make sure your trap can't reach dry ground.

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