|
Post by crabbait on Mar 30, 2013 4:54:22 GMT -5
Caught a rat yesterday and it was chewed up pretty bad. Is it worth the time and effort to try and sew up a muskrat? Thanks.
|
|
|
Post by mole on Mar 30, 2013 5:03:01 GMT -5
Try it and see. Then tell us.
|
|
|
Post by Itrapny on Mar 30, 2013 6:23:45 GMT -5
No, it will still be graded as damaged. With a skin out critter you can't hide anything and when they dress the fur, the cut areas will lose fur around the cuts.
|
|
|
Post by proratman on Mar 30, 2013 8:48:07 GMT -5
I catch a lot of chewed up rats every year. Every rat is worth something. If it is really bad, what I do is put it on a wood stretcher and pin the damage back into its original place.
|
|
|
Post by fisherman on Mar 30, 2013 10:20:07 GMT -5
Only my opinion, but when I start catching cut up rats or beaver it is time to pull my traps.
|
|
|
Post by ryan on Mar 30, 2013 20:00:43 GMT -5
A mink did that to one of our rats this year too.
|
|
|
Post by fisherman on Mar 31, 2013 8:36:13 GMT -5
My rats are beginning to get cut up. Hate to quit, but I'm pulling traps tomorrow.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 31, 2013 10:28:25 GMT -5
I still don't get why people trap rats during the breeding season.
|
|
|
Post by crabbait on Mar 31, 2013 18:48:06 GMT -5
First rat with bites, and yes I did pull my traps, thanks.
|
|
|
Post by walleyed on Mar 31, 2013 19:18:04 GMT -5
I still don't get why people trap rats during the breeding season. We trap rats during the breeding season here in the Northern zone because the Muskrat season runs until April 15th HINT: ( So we can skin them and sell their pelts.) ;D ;D ;D The prices payed on Spring Rats are usually on par with what we get for early fall rats, and slights and slightly damaged are still paying $10.00 bucks or more. Mostly we trap Rats when the season is open because we are trappers and because next opener on October 25th is a LONG ways away The ice just went out in most places around here so the damage is still limited. I hope not to be pulling my traps until April 15th. walleyed
|
|
austinp
#3 Newhouse
the next fur season is never far from our minds :)
Posts: 3,008
|
Post by austinp on Mar 31, 2013 20:26:15 GMT -5
We trap rats during the breeding season here in the Northern zone because the Muskrat season runs until April 15th HINT: ( So we can skin them and sell their pelts.) ;D ;D ;D The prices payed on Spring Rats are usually on par with what we get for early fall rats, and slights and slightly damaged are still paying $10.00 bucks or more. Mostly we trap Rats when the season is open because we are trappers and because next opener on October 25th is a LONG ways away The ice just went out in most places around here so the damage is still limited. I hope not to be pulling my traps until April 15th. walleyed yup, 100%
|
|
|
Post by gamehunterdh on Apr 1, 2013 0:52:31 GMT -5
I still don't get why people trap rats during the breeding season. We trap rats during the breeding season here in the Northern zone because the Muskrat season runs until April 15th HINT: ( So we can skin them and sell their pelts.) ;D ;D ;D The prices payed on Spring Rats are usually on par with what we get for early fall rats, and slights and slightly damaged are still paying $10.00 bucks or more. Mostly we trap Rats when the season is open because we are trappers and because next opener on October 25th is a LONG ways away The ice just went out in most places around here so the damage is still limited. I hope not to be pulling my traps until April 15th. walleyed Lol x3
|
|
|
Post by crabbait on Apr 1, 2013 4:52:13 GMT -5
Thanks Mr. Walleyed, thats better than I could have said it.
|
|
austinp
#3 Newhouse
the next fur season is never far from our minds :)
Posts: 3,008
|
Post by austinp on Apr 1, 2013 6:31:08 GMT -5
Thanks Mr. Walleyed, thats better than I could have said it. Bob is our eloquent spokesman here
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 1, 2013 9:17:21 GMT -5
That $10 rat could possibly be capable of producing 6-12 $15 rats for the fall. Spring trapping does more damage to populations than drought, or birds of prey. Mark and I used to get 100 rats each off the golf course every fall up until the time he went up and did some spring trapping, now they are lucky if they get 20.
|
|
|
Post by fisherman on Apr 1, 2013 9:51:30 GMT -5
I for one take pride in my fur. I don't trap just because the season's open. October 25 is too early to catch quality, prime fur. I don't set for mink or fisher until later. I don't set for beaver and otter until December 15. The best quality rats are late winter/ early spring.......until they start getting bit up. I think we should leave those rats at that point until next season. I don't need to catch every rat in the marsh. Just my two cents.
|
|
austinp
#3 Newhouse
the next fur season is never far from our minds :)
Posts: 3,008
|
Post by austinp on Apr 1, 2013 10:06:53 GMT -5
back in mid-January I noted that I'm done trapping red fox because fur quality was breaking down AND breeeding season was underway. A few other trappers noted they'd keep on after the fox because rubbed reds were still worth more than prime reds a few years ago, and bred females will find new mates if the males get taken from a pair.
So why is it that muskrats, a rodent that multiplies exponentially each year are considered more important to "protect" than red fox which multiply linear each year?
There is no doubt in my mind that NYS will lose its red fox population long before it ever loses its muskrat population. imo just because muskrats live in water and water itself is seen as a limited supply, therefore muskrats are viewed as limited supply. But the fact is we should be much more defensive of red fox than muskrats when it comes to population concerns
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 1, 2013 12:09:38 GMT -5
The fox population seems to follow the rabbit population.
|
|
austinp
#3 Newhouse
the next fur season is never far from our minds :)
Posts: 3,008
|
Post by austinp on Apr 1, 2013 12:41:22 GMT -5
The fox population seems to follow the rabbit population. nationwide, the fox population tends to invert with local coyote population and land-clearing practices. Midwest states that once had more red fox than NY now have few or none. that could one day be New York's fate, too. Meanwhile, muskrats are rodents and they breed like rodents everywhere. The ONLY limitation to muskrat populations is quality of habitat, which includes ample water, food and protection.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 1, 2013 13:17:47 GMT -5
You forgot to mention overtrapping. I used to trap a pond that had a good popuation, I would get 18 rats then pull my traps. I did this for over 20 years but a few years ago someone found it and cleaned it right out after I pulled and there hasn't been any sign since. The last few years I have noticed that someone jumps in right behind me as soon as I pull and it is not a coincidence that there are fewer rats at these places.
|
|
|
Post by fisherman on Apr 1, 2013 14:01:35 GMT -5
Austin, no argument from me about the red foxes. I see and catch far fewer reds now and I blame it primarily on the d@mn coyotes, however that is not the only reason. I'll probably be hung from the yardarm, but I'd like to see the fox season close end of December. I can not see why guys will trap badly rubbed foxes or bitten up rats purely because they are "saleable". Same thing with a November 1 beaver or October 25th fisher. As far as rats go I think they get pounded every which way; from water situations, agricultural practises, chemicals, birds of prey, herons, and over trapping. I know they have tremendous reproductive rates, but I can show you a lot of marshes that hold few to no rats. As far as the fox season goes I hate to see those early caught flat, thin necked reds. In another month they would be so much better, but how do you seperate coyote season from fox season? I can remember when there was no season on fox and in my county they paid a bounty on them year round! Remember the state "rabies control" trappers? Anyway Austin I don't believe we are at odds. Pulled last of my rat sets today. Have a few beaver sets out until next weekend.
|
|
austinp
#3 Newhouse
the next fur season is never far from our minds :)
Posts: 3,008
|
Post by austinp on Apr 1, 2013 14:15:59 GMT -5
Anyway Austin I don't believe we are at odds. Pulled last of my rat sets today. Have a few beaver sets out until next weekend. Al, there is no possible scenario in this life for you & I to be at odds imo it is individual choice to trap whenever legal seasons are open. I used to believe that flat red fox were a waste of resource, until recent years when I see some October fox sell for the same or more money as other December fox. We might see late Jan rubbed fox sell for $40 - $50 at the May nafa sale. Next year the clearest Dec reds may slip in price to $35 instead. So how can we really say what is of value or not? It is all 100% relative to past and future pricing. Likewise I often catch chewed-up rats in November from crowded conditions where water tables are purposely drained in the fall. I think the concept of "prime" versus "subprime" is too subjective for me to determine when its ok to trap versus not. As for population preservations? I see red fox hammered by callers in late Jan thru mid Feb for contests and individual sport. I found two pregnant females road-killed in March at the nearby area where I trap. Muskrats that guys "saved for seed" in the spring of 2012 died out 100% in the summer drought of 2012. As time goes on, I'm more of the mindset to trap while seasons are open and weather conditions permit. I think the rest will take care of itself thru weather patterns, land use and diseases that are all beyond our control
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 1, 2013 14:41:34 GMT -5
If you think the rat population was down this year, just wait till next year.
|
|
|
Post by fisherman on Apr 1, 2013 16:04:49 GMT -5
Austin, you hit it right on the head. "It is individual choice".
|
|
austinp
#3 Newhouse
the next fur season is never far from our minds :)
Posts: 3,008
|
Post by austinp on Apr 1, 2013 16:39:01 GMT -5
If you think the rat population was down this year, just wait till next year. I cannot wait until next year... found this location last weekend... within minutes drive of Syracuse Attachments:
|
|