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When to move on ? (muskrats) #7425218
12/08/21 05:31 AM
12/08/21 05:31 AM
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,311
Indiana
K
kyron4 Offline OP
trapper
kyron4  Offline OP
trapper
K

Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,311
Indiana
Been trapping a a small oddly shaped farm pond, about an acre or so in size. I've got 13 rats out over the last week and now it seems cold. Got a skim of ice the other morning and saw a few bubble trails. So there are a few more in there left. Any opinions on how many could be left ? I have another area to set and don't want to waste sets and time for one or two rats. thanks

Re: When to move on ? (muskrats) [Re: kyron4] #7425284
12/08/21 07:55 AM
12/08/21 07:55 AM
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 7,216
W NY
Turtledale Offline
trapper
Turtledale  Offline
trapper

Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 7,216
W NY
Unless your trapping them completely out for someone I'd take the cream off the top and move on. Leave a few for breeders and move on.


NYSTA, NTA, FTA, life member Erie county trappers assn.,life member Catt.county trappers
Re: When to move on ? (muskrats) [Re: kyron4] #7425291
12/08/21 08:07 AM
12/08/21 08:07 AM
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 2,871
NNY
0
080808 Offline
trapper
080808  Offline
trapper
0

Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 2,871
NNY
2X

Re: When to move on ? (muskrats) [Re: kyron4] #7426220
12/09/21 08:03 AM
12/09/21 08:03 AM
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 3,971
WI
N
nimzy Offline
trapper
nimzy  Offline
trapper
N

Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 3,971
WI
Don’t worry about leaving seed, those are simply “feel good” intentions. The rats will tell you when it’s time to move a on. I always try to catch one more.

Pull the traps on the check before the catch plummets. Lol.

Believe it or not your regulated trapping activity has little to no influence on muskrat populations.

Last edited by nimzy; 12/09/21 08:11 AM.
Re: When to move on ? (muskrats) [Re: kyron4] #7426341
12/09/21 11:20 AM
12/09/21 11:20 AM
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 74
Iowa
F
flatdead Offline
trapper
flatdead  Offline
trapper
F

Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 74
Iowa
I tactic I use is move sooner then later. Once I caught a kit I move to a new run or area.

Re: When to move on ? (muskrats) [Re: kyron4] #7426431
12/09/21 01:18 PM
12/09/21 01:18 PM
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 2,794
100 Mile House, BC Can
bctomcat Offline
trapper
bctomcat  Offline
trapper

Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 2,794
100 Mile House, BC Can
Move trap to new location after third check.


The only constant in trapping is change so keep learning.






Re: When to move on ? (muskrats) [Re: nimzy] #7426603
12/09/21 05:50 PM
12/09/21 05:50 PM
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,121
sseMinnesota
blackhammer Offline
trapper
blackhammer  Offline
trapper

Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,121
sseMinnesota
Originally Posted by nimzy
Don’t worry about leaving seed, those are simply “feel good” intentions. The rats will tell you when it’s time to move a on. I always try to catch one more.

Pull the traps on the check before the catch plummets. Lol.

Believe it or not your regulated trapping activity has little to no influence on muskrat populations.
. X2. could not have put it any better. Leaving seed is just BS when it applies to rat trapping and most other fur bearers as well. In certain situations the rats just keep coming especially in creeks and small rivers. And guess what unless of severe drought or flooding next season there will be plenty of muskrats .

Last edited by blackhammer; 12/09/21 05:50 PM.

Ah,for the life of a millionaire,say some,but just let me stay a trapper. Bill Nelson
Re: When to move on ? (muskrats) [Re: bctomcat] #7428995
12/11/21 10:30 PM
12/11/21 10:30 PM
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 2,042
SE Kansas
K
K52 Offline
trapper
K52  Offline
trapper
K

Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 2,042
SE Kansas
Originally Posted by bctomcat
Move trap to new location after third check.


I agree with this100%. After the 3rd check you are better off moving your sets, you’ll catch more rats, after 3 checks you should have those spots pretty well cleaned up.

Re: When to move on ? (muskrats) [Re: kyron4] #7429897
12/12/21 09:41 PM
12/12/21 09:41 PM
Joined: Oct 2021
Posts: 279
Minnesota
Northernbeaver Offline
trapper
Northernbeaver  Offline
trapper

Joined: Oct 2021
Posts: 279
Minnesota
Pull when the catch percentage tells you to.
Typically in rats, 3 checks and move the traps to greener marshes.


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Re: When to move on ? (muskrats) [Re: kyron4] #7430184
12/13/21 08:30 AM
12/13/21 08:30 AM
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 3,971
WI
N
nimzy Offline
trapper
nimzy  Offline
trapper
N

Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 3,971
WI
If a swamp is only good for 3 checks I’d probably skip it.

Re: When to move on ? (muskrats) [Re: nimzy] #7430346
12/13/21 01:07 PM
12/13/21 01:07 PM
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 2,794
100 Mile House, BC Can
bctomcat Offline
trapper
bctomcat  Offline
trapper

Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 2,794
100 Mile House, BC Can
Originally Posted by nimzy
If a swamp is only good for 3 checks I’d probably skip it.
I never said three checks on a pond then move. Make three checks on a set then move to a new location within the pond, until the pond is essentually trapped out then move to new pond.


The only constant in trapping is change so keep learning.






Re: When to move on ? (muskrats) [Re: kyron4] #7430366
12/13/21 01:50 PM
12/13/21 01:50 PM
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 586
central IA
B
bodycount Offline
trapper
bodycount  Offline
trapper
B

Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 586
central IA
You are pond trapping. Just something I have observed creek trapping rats is that a certain percentage are traveling rats just passing through. These sets will produce season long. A weather change really gets them moving. Plus larger rats are caught as the season moves along.

Re: When to move on ? (muskrats) [Re: bodycount] #7430382
12/13/21 02:26 PM
12/13/21 02:26 PM
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 2,794
100 Mile House, BC Can
bctomcat Offline
trapper
bctomcat  Offline
trapper

Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 2,794
100 Mile House, BC Can
Originally Posted by bodycount
You are pond trapping. Just something I have observed creek trapping rats is that a certain percentage are traveling rats just passing through. These sets will produce season long. A weather change really gets them moving. Plus larger rats are caught as the season moves along.
Correct, and good point re stream trapping rats.


The only constant in trapping is change so keep learning.






Re: When to move on ? (muskrats) [Re: kyron4] #7430517
12/13/21 05:13 PM
12/13/21 05:13 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,797
Wisconsin
T
The Beav Offline
trapper
The Beav  Offline
trapper
T

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,797
Wisconsin
When I set a small body of water I set EVERY LOCATION so I'm not moving sets around In that body of water. I check twice then I leave them un checked for 2 days then check on the third day. If I have any rats I re set those sets that have made catches and pull the other sets. My goal Is to catch every rat that lives In that body of water.


The forum Know It All according to Muskrat
Re: When to move on ? (muskrats) [Re: nimzy] #7430889
12/13/21 11:39 PM
12/13/21 11:39 PM
Joined: Oct 2021
Posts: 279
Minnesota
Northernbeaver Offline
trapper
Northernbeaver  Offline
trapper

Joined: Oct 2021
Posts: 279
Minnesota
Originally Posted by nimzy
If a swamp is only good for 3 checks I’d probably skip it.


Not everyone has the rat marsh of rat marshes out their back door.


The official Trapping Across the World Discord server.

https://discord.gg/AsdrzB5XgE
Re: When to move on ? (muskrats) [Re: kyron4] #7430978
12/14/21 01:31 AM
12/14/21 01:31 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,797
Wisconsin
T
The Beav Offline
trapper
The Beav  Offline
trapper
T

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,797
Wisconsin
When we trapped rats In ND we checked the same traps for weeks and came up with 2500 rats. We set for days before even checking traps.


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