Snaring muskrats with fishing line

Anyone ever do it?

Seems like it could cause pelt damage?

I experimented a few years ago with combination mono/cable snares for coyote. Hard monofilament fishing leader material could be made to form a decent loop when the set was made but the loop would lose its shape in a few hours as temperatures fluctuated. Small loops for rats might not have that problem, particularly if in water. You might consider tiny 1x7 stainless steel cable, available on Amazon or as tooth resistant fishing leader.

I know some people who use picture wire to snare rabbits.

Thanksfor the feed back and sharing your experiences .

Back when I was a kid I couldn’t afford traps I began my trapping career using snares mostly made from copper wire and it worked good , along the way I tried using some of the old type black fishing line or other line but unless it was rigged to a spring pole or other device to get them off the ground and dispatch quickly they tended to just bite through it

Did catch some but there was a large number of chew outs

The wire they sell at some of the larger outdoor stores to make your own leaders makes some really awesome small game snares

Just get 3/64th cable.

Most likely will.

water I use 1/32 for rats.

Muskrats are a pray animal.They do not fight like a predator animal.
1/32" 1x19 3/64" 7x7 and 3/64" i1x19 are just fine for muskrats. NOT MINK.
I use 3/64" NEWT'S LOCK on the 1/32" cable.
One swivel will work on muskrats.
Tryed 3/64" on mink .I lost to many to twist outs.( double swiveled snares) Its just too small for mink.

Forget all that other fish'n stuff. Buy good stainless steel snare cable. Your time is worth 100x's more.

a sliding duck weight on the cable takes the rat down after catch out of sight out of predator's mind.

Let us know how it goes for you.

I will. The river is my lab this season.

So you can't use 110s? If I had the use of BGs snaring rats would be my last option.

In terms of producer traps leg holds are a winner right now. Bgs are an option and I do use them.

Im just asking about if any one has snared muskrats with fishing line. After the advice Im sticking to cable. What can I say I like toexplore options. Appreciate your concern on keeping it simple beav

I suspect folks that snare rats do it more for the novelty. It seems setting out a colony trap would be quicker & more effective.

Was just wondering about what your rules were. Good luck.

" IN NEWT'S WORLD "
Snares are the best tool for dry land muskrats

Dry Land Muskrats avoid 110's
The twist out of foot holds

Long before my time they would use just a simple brass wire loop and eye on a cedar peg for walking muskrats. Called them "chokers".

Guitar strings. The ones that are just wire. Never did it. Just a thought

About 20 years ago I was given a rat snare and cedar stake for an ole timer Tom Brown. He was using rat snares back in the 30s. I asked him why he used them back then? He replied I use them on the feed beds where the water is too shallow to use a drowning set and conis was not around yet. As Newt stated they are the best dryland tool. I use them on my muskrat control jobs on retention ponds in complexes, where the den holes are deep. and the rats are grazing on the green grass. People walking by do not see the little snare set there and I give them enough cable to swim with a duck decoy weight on it if the water is deep enough to take them down. Also can be used on floats instead of a foot trap.

But wouldn't a 110 BG be more efficient? Especially a 110 sized RBG

Not necessarily if you have to catch rats on dry land. I get a lot of avoidance on rats with exposed traps if I have to set dry.

That's true to a point. But what happens when the rat doesn't go to water? And I can see them wrapping up around the support. I'm a fur trapper and I don't see for rats being trapper or rat friendly.
In a tight grassy trail I have caught a good share of rats In 160s.

I cannot remember, I would have to dig through things, but seems Newt had a pretty good DVD on snaring muskrats and mink.

Snood system of snaring by Raymond Thompson is about snaring rats

I still use snares for rats in suburban areas one because there cheap two because there almost invisible unless you know where they are located

It’s been my experience that rats go down pretty fast in a snare because there is seldom much evidence of struggle