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Post by fingerlakesfur on Jan 19, 2006 12:12:52 GMT -5
Just wondering if anyone is having luck finding muskrats. I for one have not.
Seems to be a decreasing population everywhere I go and everyone I talk to.
Scottthetrapper & I have talked about this in great length, decreasing habitait, dwindiling food sources etc......
Any Thoughts?
Dale
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Post by timwilcox on Jan 19, 2006 13:41:38 GMT -5
The population has dropped ALOT. I have found if you do find them, there seems to be many in 1 area. Why they are not spread out is beyond me. But in 1 area last year I caught the most I have in years.
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Post by wmthrower on Jan 19, 2006 13:55:36 GMT -5
I don't ever hit too many spots for rats but two years ago I trapped an area that I had trapped before. I didn't find nearly the sign I did before. I trapped much harder as well. Maybe this year I'll get lucky.
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Post by Hawken315 on Jan 19, 2006 14:01:38 GMT -5
I have found that rats all over my line have dropped over the last ten years.I figure its mostly food and habitat changes that have been going on.And the loss of alot of farm land,and there is that purple loosestife that seems to be taking out our cattails everywhere.. Just my thought.. Jay
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Post by critterbob on Jan 19, 2006 17:54:15 GMT -5
I have seen an increase in my area. I don't target them much but just about every cattaill marsh around here has huts on it. With the price they are bringing I might just get after a few. ;D
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Post by Itrapny on Jan 19, 2006 17:56:17 GMT -5
I bet by April they'll be close to $10. They are going for over $7.00 right now. I wish I had more to trap, very slim pickins around here. I had one area I got a few before it froze up but I'd lik eto get a few more at those prices
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Post by bnolan on Jan 19, 2006 18:06:44 GMT -5
Wayne,
Who is buying them at that price?
CHT
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Post by Itrapny on Jan 19, 2006 18:15:39 GMT -5
Genesee Valley Trappers (Honeoye, NY) Auction Results January 15, 2006 # Low Ave High Beaver 136 9.50 27.49 42.50 Coyote 24 12.00 22.69 27.50 Deer 16 1.00 1.61 4.50 Fox – Gray44 19.00 22.99 27.50 Fox – Red 338 0.50 18.08 28.50 Mink 85 8.50 18.82 24.00 Muskrat 419 0.10 5.58 7.20 Opossum 17 0.10 1.52 3.75 Raccoon 267 2.00 11.63 17.50 Skunk 1 NS NS NS Weasel 1 1.00 1.00 1.00 Other – Fisher2 34.50 34.50 32.50 Other – Otter3 65.00 75.00 80.00 Other – Martin1 40.00 40.00 40.00 # of Lots 452 The remaining auctions are 2/19/06 & 3/19/06.
$6.25 at the NAFA auction with very strong demand, that is what is driving the increased prices at local auctions.
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Post by bnolan on Jan 19, 2006 18:52:47 GMT -5
Thanks Wayne, where is Honeoye near? maybe I'll go to it in march
CHT
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Post by Itrapny on Jan 19, 2006 19:57:28 GMT -5
It's in Western NY. There will be an Auction in Little Falls in April that generally does very well too!
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Post by walkonwater on Jan 20, 2006 9:59:11 GMT -5
The rat population down here is down nearly 100%. As a kid 100 a day is not an exaggeration. I can remember it was work! Hauling them out then hauling the carcasses back down and stepping them into the mud. We have incredible tidal marshes here that were perfect rat habitat. There was literally miles of tidal cattail marsh and catching a rat as you placed the trap was a daily occurance. Now there are only isolated pockets of cattail, it is all foxtail and I could put up a hundred rats for a season if I target them, but the numbers just don't justify the effort.
WoW
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Post by grzclaw on Jan 21, 2006 1:13:20 GMT -5
i have spoken with many older trappers in the late 60-70's in my area! They believe that this is just a circulation of the spotted liver disease! to the best of my knowledge it pretty much wipes out populations in smaller creeks and marshes. so then the larger creek rats produce and over time you will again see them back in these locations again! just a theory from the old timers, but hey they have been around longer than I, and some of them say they have seen this thru out there life. they say it take splace about every 12-15 years. like I said just a theory!! I also tend to agree with what walkonwater says as well!! Maybe the 2 things combined have an affect on population!! GRIZ
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Post by steveadam on Jan 21, 2006 17:48:57 GMT -5
The liver disease makes the most sense. We have bald eagles and falcones around a lot of the state now. I`ll bet they eat a lot of rats.
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Post by Itrapny on Jan 21, 2006 17:57:50 GMT -5
I think it is a combination of a lot of factors seemingly coming together at about the same time. The proliferation of purple loosestrife and phagmite grass displacing the native cattails, the increase of hawks, owls, and other birds of prey since the DDT ban in the 70's, disease is certainly a factor as well as all animals run in a cycle. It certainly isn't just one thing because a creek that I would catch 100's of 'rats out of when I was a teenager looks the same now as it did then. The cattails are still there, in fact, the water is probably cleaner now then it was then, maybe the 'rats prosper in pollution, I don't know? ?
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