|
Post by nycoontrapper on Nov 23, 2013 15:54:16 GMT -5
Hey everyone. I have been trapping a little farm creek with muskrats for 15 years now and this year we have an issue. While doing some scouting the crick as been damed up by beavers. Although there is still muskrat sighn down stream I was wondering how to set the beaver pond for rats. There is no huts or bank dens that we can find. My idea was to trap them similary to under ice. 110s with carrots on tongs and maybe a float. Any ideas or tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
|
|
|
Post by nytraper18 on Nov 23, 2013 17:23:25 GMT -5
Set the beaver runs and youl snag a few
|
|
|
Post by kirkwooder on Nov 23, 2013 17:24:12 GMT -5
Baited floats work well. You will want to look for their travel ways as well. There may be visable paths in the mud on the bottom of the pond, especially if there is any kind of vegitation growing. The pathways, in the pond itself, being used most will look muddy. Set these with 110's. Set all the feeder streams coming into the pond, even those that may only have water in them occasionally. There should also be a spot where they are crossing the dam to get to feeding areas down stream, 1 1/2's work good in these areas when hidden slightly with some grass or leaves. I like to put these sets on drowneder rig.
I've never had much luck with baited conni triggers, but there are trappers that swear by them, and a trap set this way has a much better chance at making a catch than the trap left in your basket! I would suggest to set on the sign if you can, even if you forgo the pond. If the rat was there to leave the sign, then it will likely visit there again.
|
|
|
Post by nycoontrapper on Nov 23, 2013 19:08:49 GMT -5
Thanks for the replies the issue is it just a flooded hard woods as it never was a pond before and its now so deep finding sighn is difficult but I will go again and look for what you said thanks again.
|
|
|
Post by silverfox on Nov 27, 2013 16:09:40 GMT -5
what has worked for me and my son this just yesterdsay (similiar scenario) the rats have actually made dens within the beaver dam, we have had about 1 inch of black ice and just walk along the dam looking for bubbles and "troths" coming straight out of upside of dam (below water level)then set accordingly (check your regs for any restrictions to proximoty of sets to beaver dams, huts etc)i put 5 110's in such areas while trapping the beaver and all 5 had rats the next morning
|
|
|
Post by nycoontrapper on Nov 28, 2013 13:20:58 GMT -5
come to think of it i saw what i thought was a hole while looking for the cross over but me and my dad decided it was nothing. we figured how could a muskrat dig into wood but i guess we will put a 110 over it and see.
|
|
|
Post by redrat on Dec 31, 2013 17:43:53 GMT -5
Here in Iowa there are alwaysrats in beaver dams even though they show no sign. Just get chest waders and set with feild corn. That is if you have much field corn in NY.
|
|
tmc
#2 Newhouse
Posts: 2,447
|
Post by tmc on Dec 31, 2013 19:16:48 GMT -5
lol, um yeah... oh, baby have we got field corn! You do realize that we can't all see the Empire State Building from our 21st floor single of the tenement building, right? Even without the smog? But the walk from Central Park to Mount Marcy is a rather short & sweet one. Sorry for the (good natured, I assure you) ribbing, but I guess it's been awhile since I encountered any Noo Yourk stereotyping. It's amazing how different Upstate is from the Big Apple. In 1973 I spent the summer in southern California, and no matter how many times I explained it, people couldn't grasp the concept that the State is far more than The City. I'm giving you an open invitation to visit us sometime, redrat, I think you'll like it here (maybe just to visit, though - the taxes have taken on shape and solid form and now we know where zombies come from!!!). And I think it'll surprise you. I'll even walk you out back to pick some field corn. But you'll have to visit someone else if you want to trap muskrats, I've got precious little water area to trap now. A couple of short lengths of tiny feeder streams/ditches, and one small (1/8 acre) pond, that's it. No rat sign in the pond since a neighbor trapped them out about 6 years ago. Must've forgot to plant more seeds? Anyways, hopefully you know I'm just teasing, I know you weren't saying it the way I made it out.
|
|