Woj
#3 Newhouse
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Post by Woj on Dec 7, 2012 9:22:36 GMT -5
Hi guys-
Still learning here. Do muskrats use feed beds during the day, night, or when ever they d@mn well feel like it? I have found several feedbeds where I am trapping, some with bright white trimmings and others not. I have set the ones with the whitest trimmings but have not had anything in them as of yet. I did happen to catch 2 in 110's, which is the first time for that for me.
Thanks Nick
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Post by trappermac on Dec 7, 2012 10:11:42 GMT -5
They use them whenever they feel like it.....if it's icing up overnight then they typcially will not use them (those beds will turn into feedhuts when they sense it's starting to ice up). If you're seeing feedhuts already then they're usiing them now rather than the open beds. You want to set the beds that have the large and/or thick matts of vegetation, along with fresh cuttings...shows they are regularly used. The small scattered ones or any without fresh cuttings I'd stay away from.
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traps82
#3 Newhouse
Hope is always alive
Posts: 3,208
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Post by traps82 on Dec 7, 2012 10:19:03 GMT -5
Any rat lure Nick? Use vanilla or a friend suggested molasses mixed with either cherry syrup or mint.. Thanks jonathon721 I am getting some myself!! Use parsnip or apple for eye appeal.. Or a strip of white cloth with the lure on it.
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Woj
#3 Newhouse
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Post by Woj on Dec 7, 2012 11:01:02 GMT -5
Thanks. I only set the ones with the fresh cuttings. I have trouble telling the different between huts and feed huts. I know there are people laughing out there I am sure As for lure, I have used Night Owl's Ditch Digger in some of the feed beds, mint oil in others, and nothing in others.
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Post by trappermac on Dec 7, 2012 11:47:17 GMT -5
Thanks. I only set the ones with the fresh cuttings. I have trouble telling the different between huts and feed huts. I know there are people laughing out there I am sure . no laughing....those feedhuts can get large and look like huts....can't touch them anyways, gotta be treated like a house.
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Post by uncledoug on Dec 7, 2012 12:11:20 GMT -5
Anyone have a picture or 2 of feed beds or feed huts, I have no idea what they look like. Woj hope you don't mind me asking a question on your post.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Dec 7, 2012 12:14:11 GMT -5
Under Wally's suggestion, set every trap you own. I put 2 traps per feed bed and set every feed bed I see. More work and more empty traps, yes, but at least I'm catching them daily. Nick, I'm learning this game too.. I trapped rats as a young teenager (before I discovered the other beaver ) and I had about 2 dozen traps to set. i sat every darn one of them around a muskrat hut when I found one....
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Woj
#3 Newhouse
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Post by Woj on Dec 7, 2012 12:20:28 GMT -5
No worries about posting here. This is an open forum and all posts are welcomed. Eric- I have done the same. I only have 12 traps that I would designate as muskrat worthy but they are all out there. I do have a couple 160's I can add to the mix though now that I think of it. Every feedbed that has white clippings has 2 Stoploss in it. Finally have a few minutes after work today to do a little more scouting and wandering around the swamp. Maybe I will find something I didn't see before. I will be taking the duck gun too just in case
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Post by snoeblind on Dec 7, 2012 12:31:45 GMT -5
Nick, never be afraid to ask questions that is how we all learn. I have been at this for over 30 years and pick up useful hints and tips reading these posts everyday. As far as the rats go not always as easy as it seems it should be. Every swamp and water hole is different. Just chopped all of my sets out of one location this morning. It is a hard place to trap with not a lot of "traditional" locations. Freeze here has put me almost out of business until the ice can be walked on. Anyways keep asking those questions.
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Post by trappermac on Dec 7, 2012 12:52:03 GMT -5
Anyone have a picture or 2 of feed beds or feed huts, I have no idea what they look like. Woj hope you don't mind me asking a question on your post. Couple examples of feed huts...quite a bit smaller typically, and not as smoothly built (as domed or rounded) as a house. You got to stay the 5ft from them like a house...usually easy to find a run going into them.
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Woj
#3 Newhouse
Posts: 3,381
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Post by Woj on Dec 7, 2012 13:03:10 GMT -5
I will try to take some pictures today in my waddle through the swamp
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Post by uncledoug on Dec 7, 2012 17:43:07 GMT -5
Thanks for the photos Trappermac. I've seen those but figured they were houses.
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austinp
#3 Newhouse
the next fur season is never far from our minds :)
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Post by austinp on Dec 7, 2012 18:07:13 GMT -5
in the feeder hut picture, it looks to me like the main traffic flow is within the red outline: see where ice appears thinnest? That's from constant traffic "burning" the bottom of ice with waves and friction. Walk back 5+ feet in that visible trial, cut thru the ice and set trap just below surface if water is deep or on the bottom if water is shallow. generally speaking, those trails will either be a straight beeline to the nearest houses or den holes, or patch of vegetation being dug for feed. in time you will "see" where those runs are as you park the truck and take first glance at the cluster of houses and huts as they come into view Attachments:
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austinp
#3 Newhouse
the next fur season is never far from our minds :)
Posts: 3,008
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Post by austinp on Dec 7, 2012 18:13:38 GMT -5
See that surface vegetation pushed aside into a visible traffic pattern inside the horizontal red box above hut? That is rat travel on the surface. Somewhere beneath that vegetation to the left is most likely a defined run where the bottom is either shiny and/or different color than surrounding bottom. Any change in color = traffic flow from muskrat travel down there. Vertical red box is my best guess at where another traffic channel might be. Just to the left of this picture, to the left of that vertical red outline is probably a bottom channel that meets the horiztonal red box. Somewhere in there you can be 5 feet away and legal to set. The no-brainer channel is visible across the face of this hut. Every rat in the area is swimming below the floating vegetation to enter and exit feeder hole chewed in the side of this hut. But it's inside 5' zone, so no go for NYS trapping Attachments:
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austinp
#3 Newhouse
the next fur season is never far from our minds :)
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Post by austinp on Dec 7, 2012 18:17:21 GMT -5
as for feedbeds in general, unless it is a big one with tons of vegetation, they are low odds set locations overall. If you spend more time teaching yourself to read muskrat travel subsurface, it will reap much bigger rewards down the road. I myself don't bother with feedbeds at all unless that's the only place I can find to set. I'd say much better locations for footholds are rat toilets... the more poop, the better. Big, big feedbeds and all rat toilets with various vintage droppings. Not just three turds on a rock or hummock... places where muskrats are obviously visiting repeatedly to potty. Hot spots to set all season long, and improve with effectiveness as winter turns to spring
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cooper67
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oswego county trappers ,nysta,jefferson county
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Post by cooper67 on Dec 7, 2012 22:41:39 GMT -5
nick try some marsciano cherrys from store as they like it.
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Post by Itrapny on Dec 8, 2012 9:24:56 GMT -5
Typical muskrat feedbed.....high percentage set for me. Usually only take 1 'rat per feedbed however unless it's exceptionally large.
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austinp
#3 Newhouse
the next fur season is never far from our minds :)
Posts: 3,008
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Post by austinp on Dec 8, 2012 10:20:42 GMT -5
When I commented on feedbeds yesterday, did not mean to disparage setting them... it appears someone who emailed me took it that way. My thought was that if you set 100 feedbeds of which 25 are major (multiple rat use) and 75 are minor (single rat use) you might have 30+ rats overall first check and fewer than that second check onwards. If you instead set 100 traps in travelway runs, you will likely have 50 - 65 rats first check and 30+ second check. Feedbed sets target a lot of single rats... travelways & runs sets target multiple rats traffic. So the hit rate is much higher when targeting multiple rat use locations, which include major feedbeds, major toilets and all major travelways & runs. ** There is nothing wrong with setting single-rat locations at all... my point was anyone can learn to find better locations than that. It's no different than setting hunting zones versus major travel lanes for canines. One can set open field locations where a couple of local fox hunt, or set major travel zones such are railbeds, streams and rivers, highways, etc and expose sets to numerous fox passing thru. Everything I posted in this thread and other threads is my attempt to share info and help trappers put more fur in their sheds. That's it. Hopefully it helps point others in the right directions toward bigger catches. The absolute last thing in the world I care about is who catches how much compared to anyone else, etc. If that type of schoolboy mentality was ever on my personal radar, it would be a major reality check to get a real life. By the same token, anyone who truly cares about someone else taking more fur than them needs to work much harder on getting a real life for themselves in this world. So with that, rest assured that whatever I post anywhere in this forum is my attempt to help others think outside the box. There is a lot more to effective muskrat trapping than most trappers discuss, including myself. It ain't the super-simple process too many canine trappers assume it to be. Putting up numbers of muskrats is just like anything else... a continual learning process for anyone
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traps82
#3 Newhouse
Hope is always alive
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Post by traps82 on Dec 8, 2012 10:48:47 GMT -5
When I commented on feedbeds yesterday, did not mean to disparage setting them... it appears someone who emailed me took it that way. My thought was that if you set 100 feedbeds of which 25 are major (multiple rat use) and 75 are minor (single rat use) you might have 30+ rats overall first check and fewer than that second check onwards. If you instead set 100 traps in travelway runs, you will likely have 50 - 65 rats first check and 30+ second check. Feedbed sets target a lot of single rats... travelways & runs sets target multiple rats traffic. So the hit rate is much higher when targeting multiple rat use locations, which include major feedbeds, major toilets and all major travelways & runs. ** There is nothing wrong with setting single-rat locations at all... my point was anyone can learn to find better locations than that. It's no different than setting hunting zones versus major travel lanes for canines. One can set open field locations where a couple of local fox hunt, or set major travel zones such are railbeds, streams and rivers, highways, etc and expose sets to numerous fox passing thru. Everything I posted in this thread and other threads is my attempt to share info and help trappers put more fur in their sheds. That's it. Hopefully it helps point others in the right directions toward bigger catches. The absolute last thing in the world I care about is who catches how much compared to anyone else, etc. If that type of schoolboy mentality was ever on my personal radar, it would be a major reality check to get a real life. By the same token, anyone who truly cares about someone else taking more fur than them needs to work much harder on getting a real life for themselves in this world. So with that, rest assured that whatever I post anywhere in this forum is my attempt to help others think outside the box. There is a lot more to effective muskrat trapping than most trappers discuss, including myself. It ain't the super-simple process too many canine trappers assume it to be. Putting up numbers of muskrats is just like anything else... a continual learning process for anyone Hmmm .... I got it And I loved the red high lights... VERY informative
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Post by trappermac on Dec 8, 2012 13:18:33 GMT -5
I agree with Austin...learning to read the water and finding the runs is the key to taking rats consistently. If I walk into a marsh with 50 traps to set for rats 45 of them will be coni's and 5 will be stoploss's for the bed or toilet that I just can't pass up. Other then that it's runs....not affected by freeze-up, the trap is exposed to more rat traffic, just a higher percentage set. One problem with feedbeds is that the rats are typically pushing vegetation ahead of them up onto the floating mass and then you find a snapped trap full of vegetation. If you are in an area where you just can't find the runs due to water depth, muck, etc.....then get the feedbeds set.
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Woj
#3 Newhouse
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Post by Woj on Dec 8, 2012 18:57:40 GMT -5
Great thoughts and ideas. Thanks for sharing guys. I pulled all my feedbed sets today, as it has been 5 days with nothing. Going to try to concentrate on finding some more runs on Monday.
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Post by mikeb on Dec 8, 2012 19:13:59 GMT -5
Hey Woj if you can take photos of area that might help as well -as everyone above stated runs are the key-if you get a layer of thin ice the bubble trails will be very easy to find!!!
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Post by nightstalker1 on Dec 8, 2012 19:41:13 GMT -5
Try all the sets Nick. Looking at the Mannville $10.13 average, a couple dozen rats can cover some costs
I enjoy catching them in the spring but don't have the time or the drive to go after any type of numbers
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Woj
#3 Newhouse
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Post by Woj on Dec 10, 2012 11:46:45 GMT -5
I didn't get a chance to get the pictures as I forgot the camera but will be resetting on Tuesday so hopefully I can remember the camera then.
Tom- muskrats are fun trying to get figured out that's for sure. I just set every trap I own that I have set up for rats. Unfortunately, we only have until February to trap here so the spring rat trapping doesn't work for me. I would sure love to give it a shot sometime. The best beaver trapping I ever had came in the spring when they extended the season.
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austinp
#3 Newhouse
the next fur season is never far from our minds :)
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Post by austinp on Dec 11, 2012 7:51:46 GMT -5
yesterday's catch from 48 #160s all in runs was 22 rats, a female mink, a male mink that something pulled up on the bank and shredded, and a 4" rainbow trout. Never in my life have I lost a trapped mink to damage. I think it was either a great horned owl who watched it struggle or a red fox that came along and scented the trapped male from gland release. The trout was released and swam off to hopefully grow a few years before riding in someone's creel on a distant April 1st. ** Too many trappers dismiss muskrat trapping as "simple" because the animals are stupid. Too many trappers over complicate canine trapping because fox and coyotes are supposedly "smart" to varying degrees. I have seen for years in another message board where trappers scoff at anything more complicated than sliced apples in pocket sets or corn cobs on a stool set for rats. Meanwhile, mostly the same trappers knock themselves out trying to reinvent complex variations of dirt hole and flat sets or magic lures for fox & coyotes. The real truth? Blind setting for muskrats is how (relatively) big catches are made. The more traps you set in the paths of multiple rats' travel, the higher hit rate enjoyed. There is nothing wrong with setting feedbeds and pocket sets for rats, but keep on being a student of the game past that. While out & about, constantly observe every little sign of muskrat travel in the water. Visualize how they get from point to point in the water. Over time, it'll all come clear in your mind. Muskrat trapping for numbers is much more complex than canine trapping for numbers when it comes to specifically sets and set locations. Fox and coyote trappers can excel with the same two or three different style sets in cookie-cutter fashion, in systematic application. If someone is gonna roll (relatively) big numbers of rats, the locations and sets variation will be much more diverse. Way more. In reality, keep it simpler for canines while making it more intense and complex for muskrats is the key for big production in both. Most trappers have it backwards due to common misconception spread by the unknowning. Which is exactly why the said majority never roll up (relatively) big numbers of either. Always keep thinking, keep learning. Be a graduate and post-graduate student of this game, regardless the quarry Attachments:
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