Re: Muskrat Float Design
[Re: iowaratman]
#7386596
10/23/21 08:14 PM
10/23/21 08:14 PM
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 10,158 St. Cloud, MN
trapperkeck
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 10,158
St. Cloud, MN
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I have used the exact same design, except mine were 24" long. Only because I ripped down 4' wide sheets of plywood and it was less cutting. I will say, a longer float will equal more doubles. I had days where I had 35 floats out and scored as many as 67 rats. I screwed a bent washer on each end with a hole drilled in it to accept a quick link to attach traps. A #1.5 Duke DJ on that setup has taken 1,000's of rats for me. Always in the spring. Quite hit and miss in the fall, unfortunately.
"The voice of reason!"
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Re: Muskrat Float Design
[Re: iowaratman]
#7386634
10/23/21 08:42 PM
10/23/21 08:42 PM
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Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 476 Oregon
SpottedOwl
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 476
Oregon
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We don’t have huge numbers of rats in my area. Why does the extra 4’" result in more doubles? Less tippy?
Owl
Spend time with your kids while THEY still have time
Your life is an occasion ..... Rise to it
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Re: Muskrat Float Design
[Re: iowaratman]
#7386826
10/24/21 07:48 AM
10/24/21 07:48 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 24,197 Wisconsin
The Beav
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 24,197
Wisconsin
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looks like the perfect float. Now you just have to place the bait up about 7" above the traps.
The forum Know It All according to Muskrat
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Re: Muskrat Float Design
[Re: The Beav]
#7386839
10/24/21 08:11 AM
10/24/21 08:11 AM
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Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 242 IA
kinley31
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trapper
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 242
IA
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looks like the perfect float. Now you just have to place the bait up about 7" above the traps. I know a guy in South Dakota that uses the same design, and never puts a stitch of bait on them. Not saying bait won't help, but they'll work without bait also.
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Re: Muskrat Float Design
[Re: iowaratman]
#7386843
10/24/21 08:16 AM
10/24/21 08:16 AM
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 5,994 South metro, MN
Calvin
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 5,994
South metro, MN
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I see a couple issues (having used them quite abit and having watched many many rats swim onto them and how they react). The traps should be secured to the ends....and realistically it's still abit too short. You'll get a lot of one rat in two traps with that setup. Sometimes rats jump off the side and sometimes they run in the direction they are facing (to your other trap).
The width is better than most that make them but if you're going to make more, make them just wide enough for your jaws to fit between the outer firring strips. I've watched more than a handfull of rats that will walk the furring strips. Sometimes they'll drop a foot and sometimes not. if the pan is too far from the furring strip they are apt to miss the pan. This is where the biggest (and lightest) pan you can find helps more than most think. The first thing I do to my rat traps is take the stock pan off. Watch a few rats walk all over your "properly tuned" traps and the lightbulb comes on pretty quickly.
The staking setup is fine...but I'd use fiberglass rods. I've caught more than a few coon on floats and they hang up pretty close usually.
Also, most use the closed cell foam underneath as rats tear up the white stuff pretty good.
That said, floats work great in the Dakokas but don't work worth a hoot around here in MN. I hope you can get them to work for you. Good luck.
Last edited by Calvin; 10/24/21 12:26 PM.
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Re: Muskrat Float Design
[Re: Calvin]
#7387418
10/24/21 08:35 PM
10/24/21 08:35 PM
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 10,158 St. Cloud, MN
trapperkeck
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 10,158
St. Cloud, MN
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I see a couple issues (having used them quite abit and having watched many many rats swim onto them and how they react). The traps should be secured to the ends....and realistically it's still abit too short. You'll get a lot of one rat in two traps with that setup. Sometimes rats jump off the side and sometimes they run in the direction they are facing (to your other trap).
The width is better than most that make them but if you're going to make more, make them just wide enough for your jaws to fit between the outer firring strips. I've watched more than a handfull of rats that will walk the furring strips. Sometimes they'll drop a foot and sometimes not. if the pan is too far from the furring strip they are apt to miss the pan. This is where the biggest (and lightest) pan you can find helps more than most think. The first thing I do to my rat traps is take the stock pan off. Watch a few rats walk all over your "properly tuned" traps and the lightbulb comes on pretty quickly.
The staking setup is fine...but I'd use fiberglass rods. I've caught more than a few coon on floats and they hang up pretty close usually.
Also, most use the closed cell foam underneath as rats tear up the white stuff pretty good.
That said, floats work great in the Dakokas but don't work worth a hoot around here in MN. I hope you can get them to work for you. Good luck.
They would work fine in MN if we had a spring, open water, season!
"The voice of reason!"
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Re: Muskrat Float Design
[Re: trapperkeck]
#7387466
10/24/21 09:23 PM
10/24/21 09:23 PM
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Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 17,183 Iowa
~ADC~
The Count
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The Count
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 17,183
Iowa
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I see a couple issues (having used them quite abit and having watched many many rats swim onto them and how they react). The traps should be secured to the ends....and realistically it's still abit too short. You'll get a lot of one rat in two traps with that setup. Sometimes rats jump off the side and sometimes they run in the direction they are facing (to your other trap).
The width is better than most that make them but if you're going to make more, make them just wide enough for your jaws to fit between the outer firring strips. I've watched more than a handfull of rats that will walk the furring strips. Sometimes they'll drop a foot and sometimes not. if the pan is too far from the furring strip they are apt to miss the pan. This is where the biggest (and lightest) pan you can find helps more than most think. The first thing I do to my rat traps is take the stock pan off. Watch a few rats walk all over your "properly tuned" traps and the lightbulb comes on pretty quickly.
The staking setup is fine...but I'd use fiberglass rods. I've caught more than a few coon on floats and they hang up pretty close usually.
Also, most use the closed cell foam underneath as rats tear up the white stuff pretty good.
That said, floats work great in the Dakokas but don't work worth a hoot around here in MN. I hope you can get them to work for you. Good luck.
They would work fine in MN if we had a spring, open water, season! Iowa too.
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Re: Muskrat Float Design
[Re: iowaratman]
#7387632
10/25/21 08:06 AM
10/25/21 08:06 AM
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Joined: May 2012
Posts: 5,912 michigan,USA
seniortrap
trapper
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trapper
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 5,912
michigan,USA
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Calvin: The first thing I do to my rat traps is take the stock pan off. So whats your answer? A wider pan or what?
Vietnam--1967 46th. Const./Combat Engineers
"Chaotic action is preferable to orderly inaction." "After the first shot, all plans go out the window!"
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Re: Muskrat Float Design
[Re: seniortrap]
#7387651
10/25/21 08:23 AM
10/25/21 08:23 AM
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 5,994 South metro, MN
Calvin
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 5,994
South metro, MN
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Calvin: The first thing I do to my rat traps is take the stock pan off. So whats your answer? A wider pan or what? Yes, Mikes Wild river pans are about the best I've used. HD and pre bent for consistent tension. Double post for me.
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Re: Muskrat Float Design
[Re: trapperkeck]
#7387652
10/25/21 08:24 AM
10/25/21 08:24 AM
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 5,994 South metro, MN
Calvin
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 5,994
South metro, MN
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I see a couple issues (having used them quite abit and having watched many many rats swim onto them and how they react). The traps should be secured to the ends....and realistically it's still abit too short. You'll get a lot of one rat in two traps with that setup. Sometimes rats jump off the side and sometimes they run in the direction they are facing (to your other trap).
The width is better than most that make them but if you're going to make more, make them just wide enough for your jaws to fit between the outer firring strips. I've watched more than a handfull of rats that will walk the furring strips. Sometimes they'll drop a foot and sometimes not. if the pan is too far from the furring strip they are apt to miss the pan. This is where the biggest (and lightest) pan you can find helps more than most think. The first thing I do to my rat traps is take the stock pan off. Watch a few rats walk all over your "properly tuned" traps and the lightbulb comes on pretty quickly.
The staking setup is fine...but I'd use fiberglass rods. I've caught more than a few coon on floats and they hang up pretty close usually.
Also, most use the closed cell foam underneath as rats tear up the white stuff pretty good.
That said, floats work great in the Dakokas but don't work worth a hoot around here in MN. I hope you can get them to work for you. Good luck.
They would work fine in MN if we had a spring, open water, season! I'm not sold on this viewpoint anymore. A few years ago we had a super early spring thaw here where I was able to set out some floats before season closed. Rats were moving and we had open water. The floats were a big fail.
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Re: Muskrat Float Design
[Re: iowaratman]
#7387890
10/25/21 03:23 PM
10/25/21 03:23 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 24,197 Wisconsin
The Beav
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 24,197
Wisconsin
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They never worked for me other then In ND. And they connected both fall and spring. But more effective In the spring. If you place your bait up high It doesn't matter how they climb on the float they have to stand on their hind legs to get to the bait. Never caught a duck on one but I'm sure It could happen. But I'm more partial to using stools then floats.
The forum Know It All according to Muskrat
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Re: Muskrat Float Design
[Re: The Beav]
#7387904
10/25/21 03:40 PM
10/25/21 03:40 PM
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 24,839 New Hampshire
Nessmuck
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 24,839
New Hampshire
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They never worked for me other then In ND. And they connected both fall and spring. But more effective In the spring. If you place your bait up high It doesn't matter how they climb on the float they have to stand on their hind legs to get to the bait. Never caught a duck on one but I'm sure It could happen. But I'm more partial to using stools then floats. Beav....can you post a pic of your stool ...
It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees.
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Re: Muskrat Float Design
[Re: iowaratman]
#7388256
10/25/21 09:58 PM
10/25/21 09:58 PM
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,700 S Illinois, former cheesehead
Kelly
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,700
S Illinois, former cheesehead
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I used 2x6’s 30” for my floats-the 1 1/2 coil fits great on the end in them. I put a rail on the end so trap wouldn’t fall off. Also had rails but were 3/4” x 1” on sides. Caught over 2200 rats in them with way more doubles than singles. I used no bait, just lure except for a pile of green grass around center stake and after a week didn’t use anything at all but shakes the water out of dead rats over my float 😉 Maybe in the fall bait like carrots would be better, I don’t know since I didn’t need any.
Now here is what I learned.
The rails need to be as narrow as possible and at least 2” tall to discourage climbing onboard from over the sides and running up/down the rails. I like the idea of a triangle piece pointy up.
30” is perfect IMO but suppose 24” would be minimum if you used high sides. Still use 2x6”. Now I’d use nothing but #2 old Victor #2 SJ coil springs with big pans and because this trap is 5.5” jawspread might have to add my rails to the side of board.
Ok, your chain is too short-have seen rats climb back up the chain from underwater. I want a heavy trap hence the #2’s and lots off heavy chain so once they are down no coming back up. They get bite up from other males in the spring so the more you can stay away from that the less damage.
Last edited by Kelly; 10/25/21 10:01 PM.
Enjoy Mother Nature's Glory, everyday!
Once one opens the mind to the plausible, the unbelievable becomes possible!
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