The water is some high.Had to rebuild and make some new feedbeds.Made quite a few of my walk thru feedbeds sets.

Ain’t seen that much rat sign since high school

Looks like a fun day. .....

looks like you got rats , you should do good,

nice I have only ever traded rats for the old man that used to own the lake across the street from my first house( now rent house) they were tearing up his dam. so I picked up 6 110s and set them in the runs. caught 6 or 8 can't remember. so I have no experience really going after them like you are. thanks for posting I go over your pictures and learn a lot thanks.

Your welcome

Sure looks like a good time! I hope you catch a bunch, Bruce.

How many sets were you able to get in?
Looks like a good bundle of stakes.

Bruce, you better sharpen your knife.

Somwheres around 80 sets.

Right on Bruce,better get the knife ready.

Looks like a fun and long day , you should sleep well tonight if you aren't two sore.
Looking forward to following your journey.

Thanks everyone.Headed out first check this morning

Love the photos - reminds me of my years in north dakota. really miss trapping rats - it is therapeutic just being out there.

Before I really even started trapping - I found a small ditch when I was in college bird hunting with rats swimming around and eating. I would often sneak down there and just watch them - was very peaceful to me just observing them in their daily activities. I think these observations really taught me to appreciate trappers even more as I firmly believe some of them are some of the most wise biologists out there. I see some of the PhD kids roll into furbearer biologists today with no trapping experience......sitting about 10 feet away may be an old high school dropout who has trapped 50 years - I know who has the better education and who I would rather have managing our species.

Howja do?

Good stuff. I completely agree.

Great post. Did you do any good?

Just got home.Got to the pond and found at least half of it already with ice.Did alright everything considered sprung traps,ice and all.Managed to catch 23 muskrats..Also set up the lower end of the lake I had not set up yet setting another 30 sets.Hopefully the ice holds out and doesn't become permenant.Pictures in a little while.

Good luck. How prime are they now?

Thanks for the pics Bruce, supposed to warm up here next few days. You got enough skinning to keep you busy tonight.

How far from Bingham are you?

A lot further north

Nice pictures. Nice catch. Way to go!!!

looks like a good day, thanks for posting,

You can keep the ice up there Bruce.lol We been dry all fall but it looks like it will start raining Wednesday and not shut off for a week. You just have to adjust to conditions. I also got 23 rats today. Can you use colony traps in Maine?

The ice is sure making me nervous.Looks like only one week or less trapping this year for muskrats.

Nice pix Bruce. Fill those stretchers!

I don't envy you. Many years we only get a few days here before freeze up. Busting ice in waders with your shins isn't as much fun as it sounds. Keep after them and good luck.

Nice pics

Even worse 160user there is no wading as there is no bottom.

Good job.Looks like you might have a couple blacks in there.I used to get extra for them.If not,,I would skin out round like a beaver and tan them.

Knowing roughly were you live, which direction is this from your house.

Way to go Bruce !!

First muskrat I ever caught was in a cross-over for nutria. I wasn't even sure what a muskrat was back then.

Good to see you getting 'em. Looks like fun.

Way to go.Yes you can use colony traps in Maine..I should make some more up.

Down to 22 degrees last night.Going to catch up on some skinning and hopefully the sun can get rid of any ice before I get out there.

Be careful breaking ice today,

Amazing

Oh man, you said the "ice " word. Lol. I'm heading up that way on the 13th. Was hoping it would stay open water by then. It's a pain breaking ice with an aluminum canoe and the whole world can hear you coming.
Guess I'll concentrate on beaver and get my marten boxes out. Looks like ya did good. Get them while the waters open!

Thanks for sharing your trapping time. I have enjoyed the thread. It brings back many memories as a youth trapping rats.

Today got off to a slow start.Wife and I got a call from her daughter to come pick her up from Bangor as she got her drug rehab done.I did not get to the lake untill 12:30.Caught 12 in my new 30 sets set yesterday and another 6 for a total of 18 today.

Good haul Bruce, any ice today? Do you ever catch any mink in your muskrat sets?

Good stuff. More huts are being built here. With as warm as it' has been, they have time left

Nice catch Bruce and great pics.

Nice catches and Pics!
I like the walk-thru feedbed set!

Great pics !!

Jumping in and out of the canoe....makes for a good sleep..lol

Very nice Bruce!
I miss them guys,,,,,, just can’t get excited with price,…

I checked today and there is VERY little rat sign on my line this year. The lake that normally will have 75-125 houses has 2.

Nice action!! Someday, if we ever get slough water levels back and stabilize for a year or two, I might have to do the old wader thing before I get too gimped up.

I hope you average more than $2 a piece put up when you sell ...

Nice catch and good work, but that photo is brilliant. I hope you can blow that up to be a wall hanger.

Bryce

wtg it should warm up there for a few days now, good luck,

Thanks.Rain today.Suppose to hit low 70s Thursday.

Got caught up on my skinning this morning as its raining.If it don't rain to hard might set a few new sets on the very upper end of the lake I have not set yet.

Ended up setting another 30 sets on the north end of the lake.Then I checked the 30 sets on the south end catching another 6 muskrats.

looks good, did you pull the ones you had out?

Probably pull some today and the rest Friday or Sat.

18 more today and a trophy freshwater clam.Pulled the original 80 sets only catching 4 there

Those look like large rats. Nice job and I do miss rat trapping.

Good Catchs

Thanks.I really liked the one caught by the head in a ! 1/2 coil victor pinch pan.

Using any carrots for bait ..with the body grippers ?

looks like a good day

Nope dry trail sets

Snorkeling Muskrat.

Looks like you have some vintage traps,
Comes with experience like man using them.
Thanks for sharing the fun.

I love this post!

Thank you.Pulled the rest of my line today as the catch dropped off with me catching 3 more for a total of 68.Now on to trapping some fisher and marten in the near future as everything opens up tomorrow otter,beaver,marten,fisher,mink,etc.Deer season also opens for residents.

Thank you for taking the time to post all the pics! I enjoyed looking.

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