Does it matter if you skin the bark off or not?

No it does not matter.I have never skinned the bark off.

I let the rats open them up. Love seeing white bites.

Just need to get the traps tied on and I’ll be in business.

Maybe a bit thin
Watch out they’ll eat them off

Maybe next year cut 'em early and let dry before season. Otherwise, if there are beaver in the area, they might do you the disfavor of making dinner out of 'em.

Looking good.Nice straight ones.Very nice.

While the marsh was still frozen pretty much I managed to find a couple places to set. I’m a bit out of practice but I’m hoping I’m catching the tide right.

Way to go, nice catches!!!

Very nice.Those are some dark colored muskrats.

If you have "Busy little Beavers" in that area, you Might be Wise to Remove the bark from your "tree" poles! If NOT, a Bunch of your traps might come up missing from the Beavers "dragging" your "poles" away because of the Fresh Tree Bark on them! I NEVER use fresh tree branches and such around Beavers! NEVER! Unless I want to Trap Beavers! They will have NO Problem dragging away your Muskrat sets!

In fifty something years of muskrat trapping I have lost around maybe 5 traps total to beaver and Maine is full of beaver.

3 foot tides. Not bad. About 23.7’ ebb here today. Those muskrats look great!

No where near the problem Eagles are.

Blue herons around here.

I have always cut mine WELL in advance or the Beavers chew them off. I cut Hazelnut or Ash. I always leave a Y at the top of the stake and tie a piece of ribbon on them. I bundle them just as tight as I can get them in groups of 25. When I am done setting at the end of the day it is easy to tell how many sets I got in based on how many bundles I have gone through. I store them in my pole barn when not in use and I easily get 10-15 years out of them this way.

In 2009 I bought 200 7 ft by 3/4 inch 1st cut bamboo stakes. I have over 160 of those left after 16 seasons. Some used for other things. Straight, smooth, the don't gain water weight, flexible and about 1.25 each with shipping back then. I have held 100s of coons with these stakes over the seasons.

Bryce

Dirty word I realize... bamboo.

Tried bamboo and it about run me through numerous times walking the marsh here. I cut the gum early a few years ago and when it was time to use them half of them broke just snapping the trap on them. lol