Congrats!

Keep at it as that will be one of many!

Chris

Congrats. Your on your way to a lifetime of enjoyment and learning in the great American outdoors.

Nice job! Just saw this. Now the addiction starts!

Maybe someone experienced in your area could give this gentleman a few pointers if he is open to it ? I would hate to see you get discouraged and quit as we all want to see new trappers. As you can see here we are all pulling for ya. I was like 10 when I started trapping muskrats. Nobody was ever around me that trapped so learning was on my own with maybe a little help from FFG magazine. In all trapping, learning to read fresh sign is important. You may think they are there and maybe they have been but are now long gone.

WAY TO GOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

Moosetrot

Good job stay at it and most of all enjoy

Ok check no 2 on this line, 2 more skrats today! Thanks for all the encouragement guys. Im keepin after it dont worry. 1 perfect and 1 foot catch on 110s. Id guess a large and an XL compared to yesterdays DX if Im right.. Got em on the boards hangin now. Slick Pan, Eagleye reached out since hes in my area and we met. He gave me some lure and directions how to make my own plus tips on my tactics. Ive been talking to The Beav a little as well since hes not too far. Moved one of the sets from the first day and had one of my new sets from yesterday hit. I could have 20 sets in this marsh but the ice is at the point where I dont want to venture to far from the edge yet. It will be great next week when Ill be able to kayak it, and then again when it re freezes. Absolutely loaded with huts. Will probably go scout another area tomorrow.

As a side note, any tips for not busting open the stomach meat when skinning? Ive tried hanging them and doing them on the bench. I finally got the head/face done right on the last one, but had the guts pop out on all 3. (Not split open, just pop out of the cavity).

About all you can do is work very carefully around the belly area. As you know, its pretty thin on those rats!
Glad to see you are having some success. You'll just get better with time and experience.

Congrats on the catches! Persistence pays off - learn from each catch that connects and also the ones that didn’t connect . Always ask yourself why certain sets connected vs ones that didn’t? Patterns will start to emerge and in time you’ll get a sharp eye for locations and sets. Your definitely on right track!

As to the rat bellies tearing- use your knife to LIGHTLY score the connective tissues attaching the hide to the brisket area ( just below the front legs on belly side) . Lightly pull / put pressure on the hide with one hand while scoring the connective tissue with your knife. You Usually only have to get the hide down an inch or so until it’s freed up enough to just peel the rest of the way off without tearing. If it still feels like it might tear pull the hide with one hand while applying pressure to stomach membrane holding it in place can also help prevent it from tearing. It seems like for me at least if you don’t score that first point of connective tissue they tend to tear off with the guts much more frequently .older or leaner rats with less fat tend to be harder to peel and need more scoring to get the hide off of the belly without the stomach membrane tearing. It’s hard to explain but hopefully this helps

Added to the above a hand towel for a grasping help to hold the belly membrane in place is also something that will help you.

Nice prime big muskrat there. Look at the white around the legs. Good job boarding and skinning it ! Lots of rat trappers use just 110's although its more fun to catch um in a foothold. You should be able to buy some good used 110's on trap shed but if not then this summer at the conventions you can get used ones.

Two more today guys. Stackin up fur in the shed. Lol. Thanks again for the support. Pulled em today since breaking through every other step of the ice was pretty inconvenient. Will reset on weds or thurs when the ice is gone. Skinning went better, one good face and guts stayed in for the most part this time. Other face was good but eye holes got big. Opened up a hole fleshing too but doesnt matter since im using them myself.

Fun, ain't it????!!!!!!

Moosetrot