Re: Is Rat a Rat?
[Re: nimzy]
#7376247
10/10/21 09:22 PM
10/10/21 09:22 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,830 Wisconsin
The Beav
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We fished stump lake and the water level was down at lest 4 feet. And same with all the other lakes we fished.If they get freezing temps before they get any melting snow It's going kill off a lot of rats that are still there.
The forum Know It All according to Muskrat
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Re: Is Rat a Rat?
[Re: nimzy]
#7376319
10/10/21 10:43 PM
10/10/21 10:43 PM
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 10,471 mn north of blakely
Steven 49er
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You knucklehead, snow is an insulator. I've seen very few sloughs freeze completely to the bottom throughout.
"Inflation is always and everywhere a monetary phenomenon". Milton Friedman.
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Re: Is Rat a Rat?
[Re: nimzy]
#7376338
10/10/21 11:02 PM
10/10/21 11:02 PM
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 10,471 mn north of blakely
Steven 49er
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Something to think about Gary, Devils Lake is probably 35 to 40 feet higher now than the 1940s. Is the lake down? Or is it up?
"Inflation is always and everywhere a monetary phenomenon". Milton Friedman.
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Re: Is Rat a Rat?
[Re: nimzy]
#7376381
10/10/21 11:47 PM
10/10/21 11:47 PM
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 4,040 ND
grumley701
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ND
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The extreme snow fall of 09, 10, 11 led to the rat boom, yeah the high summer water made it possible but without that thick layer of snow most sloughs would of froze down them years also. The winter of 13 with weeks of subzero temps and no snow all winter, most the sloughs froze down and killed most the rats.. 2013 you could drive anywhere on Devils Lake and needed an extension to get through the 38" to 40" of ice. The sloughs I was taking 100-200 rats out of in 10, 11 and 12 were baron of rats the winter of 13. That was my experience anyhow..
Pure Blood
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Re: Is Rat a Rat?
[Re: nimzy]
#7376405
10/11/21 12:19 AM
10/11/21 12:19 AM
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 4,040 ND
grumley701
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ND
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and as for ND rats being more apt to climb on things than rats east of here perhaps it's the lack of aerial predation and how dense our cattails are? It's not like there are a lot of perches here..lol
Last edited by grumley701; 10/11/21 12:21 AM.
Pure Blood
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Re: Is Rat a Rat?
[Re: Steven 49er]
#7376418
10/11/21 12:55 AM
10/11/21 12:55 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,830 Wisconsin
The Beav
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You knucklehead, snow is an insulator. I've seen very few sloughs freeze completely to the bottom throughout. And I said if they don't get any snow before they get freezing temps. If you have 12" of water In ditch or pond and you get freezing temps it's going to freeze down In few days. And yes Devil's lake Is down from what It was last year.
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Re: Is Rat a Rat?
[Re: nimzy]
#7376509
10/11/21 08:28 AM
10/11/21 08:28 AM
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,134 sseMinnesota
blackhammer
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[quote=nimzy]Do rats adapt to our methods making future generations more difficult to catch?[/I have to think rats are stupid and that’s why rats, rabbits ,rodents in general reproduce like they do . They will get spooked sometimes pounding on houses in the winter but they don’t quit using houses I have seen rats go around colony traps I think about one spot were I caught maybe a dozen rats in a run and all of a sudden they made a run going around trap or occasionally had them plug pockets so maybe your not crazy to wonder. It’s all about survival instincts .Only thing making them harder to trap for future generations however will be no fur market.
Last edited by blackhammer; 10/11/21 09:12 AM.
Ah,for the life of a millionaire,say some,but just let me stay a trapper. Bill Nelson
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Re: Is Rat a Rat?
[Re: The Beav]
#7376633
10/11/21 11:25 AM
10/11/21 11:25 AM
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 45,491 james bay frontierOnt.
Boco
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james bay frontierOnt.
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You knucklehead, snow is an insulator. I've seen very few sloughs freeze completely to the bottom throughout. And I said if they don't get any snow before they get freezing temps. If you have 12" of water In ditch or pond and you get freezing temps it's going to freeze down In few days. And yes Devil's lake Is down from what It was last year. it takes a while for ditches to freeze down to bottom.The ground has to freeze first.The ground continues to freeze down when the snow on the surface is melting in spring. Some creeks and ditches dry up if they are fed by bush run off when the ground freezes.This often leaves shell ice here on beaver ponds especially..See this here in feb/march when the bush run off freezes up solid.its a funny feeling walking to a beaver house on the ice,only to have it collapse en masse,and drop you 3 feet onto dry ground. Some blackmuck bogs here never freeze even when the clay is frozen down 10 feet. It is never a given in any year.
Last edited by Boco; 10/11/21 11:29 AM.
Forget that fear of gravity-get a little savagery in your life.
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Re: Is Rat a Rat?
[Re: nimzy]
#7376746
10/11/21 02:21 PM
10/11/21 02:21 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,830 Wisconsin
The Beav
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The problem Is that all the rat dens are now exposed. So even if that 12" of water doesn't completely freeze to the bottom the rats are still homeless. It's going to take some time for the rats In ND to make a come back.
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Re: Is Rat a Rat?
[Re: blackhammer]
#7376919
10/11/21 05:12 PM
10/11/21 05:12 PM
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Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 4,043 WI
nimzy
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i have to think rats are stupid and that’s why rats, rabbits ,rodents in general reproduce like they do . They will get spooked sometimes pounding on houses in the winter but they don’t quit using houses
I have much respect for rodents, muskrats and beaver. When under pressure, I believe they condition themselves to survive. Perhaps it’s a prey instinct. They are masters of avoidance and have the ability warn their comrades of danger. IMO that is the reason our catch generally plummets after 2 or 3 checks. My money says we usually leave more behind than we catch. Sometimes it takes humility to appreciate our adversaries.
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Re: Is Rat a Rat?
[Re: nimzy]
#7376928
10/11/21 05:23 PM
10/11/21 05:23 PM
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,134 sseMinnesota
blackhammer
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i have to think rats are stupid and that’s why rats, rabbits ,rodents in general reproduce like they do . They will get spooked sometimes pounding on houses in the winter but they don’t quit using houses
I have much respect for rodents, muskrats and beaver. When under pressure, I believe they condition themselves to survive. Perhaps it’s a prey instinct. They are masters of avoidance and have the ability warn their comrades of danger. IMO that is the reason our catch generally plummets after 2 or 3 checks. My money says we usually leave more behind than we catch. Sometimes it takes humility to appreciate our adversaries. . Rats are my friends not my adversary. LOL. The higher animal numbers are the easier they are to trap this applies to all fur bearers. It is natures survival instinct. Always amazed by beavers engineering skills . Humility? I love trapping rats but you can overthink the whole fur harvesting deal. IMO
Last edited by blackhammer; 10/11/21 05:31 PM.
Ah,for the life of a millionaire,say some,but just let me stay a trapper. Bill Nelson
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Re: Is Rat a Rat?
[Re: nimzy]
#7376956
10/11/21 06:00 PM
10/11/21 06:00 PM
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,134 sseMinnesota
blackhammer
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Yea I’m the classic over thinker . Preferable to not thinking Interesting thread. I think trapping about every day. Cloudy fall day gets the trapping bug going.
Ah,for the life of a millionaire,say some,but just let me stay a trapper. Bill Nelson
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Re: Is Rat a Rat?
[Re: The Beav]
#7377317
10/12/21 07:31 AM
10/12/21 07:31 AM
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Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 4,043 WI
nimzy
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I just got back from ND on a fishing trip. The area I trapped Is all dried up catching any number of rats would be just about impossible. . Old construction saying. You gotta crack an egg to make a cake. Drought is just Mother Nature starting over. Patiently awaiting her next masterpiece:)
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Re: Is Rat a Rat?
[Re: nimzy]
#7377867
10/12/21 11:16 PM
10/12/21 11:16 PM
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Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 2,801 WI
WIMarshRAT
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They are masters of avoidance and have the ability warn their comrades of danger. IMO that is the reason our catch generally plummets after 2 or 3 checks. My money says we usually leave more behind than we catch. Sometimes it takes humility to appreciate our adversaries. Communication coming back from the dead or from the living?
Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...it's about learning to dance in the rain!
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Re: Is Rat a Rat?
[Re: WIMarshRAT]
#7378373
10/13/21 05:14 PM
10/13/21 05:14 PM
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Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 4,043 WI
nimzy
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They are masters of avoidance and have the ability warn their comrades of danger. IMO that is the reason our catch generally plummets after 2 or 3 checks. My money says we usually leave more behind than we catch. Sometimes it takes humility to appreciate our adversaries. Communication coming back from the dead or from the living? I believe both. Rats are highly social. Isn’t social, defined by, the ability to communicate? It would seem odd that such a well defined community wouldn’t communicate.
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Re: Is Rat a Rat?
[Re: nimzy]
#7378391
10/13/21 05:49 PM
10/13/21 05:49 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,830 Wisconsin
The Beav
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The thing about the area I trap In ND Is that we have great cattail marshes and the water depth Is about 4' but you never encounter any rat huts all the rats live In bank dens. Sure you may see a few huts In shallow water ponds but 95% of the rats are In the banks.It does make It easier to catch them.
The forum Know It All according to Muskrat
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