Muskrat problems!!!

[Go Big Red!]

Alright trappers, I need some advice here.  Here's my situation:

Over the winter, the muskrats burrowed into our yard on the pond edge and have left behind huge holes.  With the warm weather, the sod has collapsed in two spots.  One spot is 3 feet in diameter and at least 2 feet deep.  The second is 18 inches in diameter and 2+ feet deep.  The burrow entrance was right under the ice pack and they torn it up.  Worst part is, my kids' play set is 6 feet away from the holes.

I can shoot them (not legally but I will), I cannot poison them (neighbors dog and lots of little kids), no snare traps(dog and kids), so I guess I'm left with a "living trap"(I will dispatch them eventually). Ideas? Sizes? Cost? Anyone want to come over and trap for free or beer at least?

[Outdoors Junkie]

You might be able to get a nuisance permit.  I know deadeye got one to take care of some troublesome beaver.

See the link below.

http://mnoutdoorsman.com/forums/index.php?topic=20525.0

[bonecollecter82]

http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page638.html

[deadeye]

We had a simular issue a few years back.  It was a road crossing a small swamp to access fields beyond.  The road would collaps as they burrowed into it.  I don't know how the edge of your pond is, but we laid a chain link fence along the bank, above the water line extending down into the water.  No problems since.   

[Go Big Red!]

http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page638.html

Thanks for the link!

We had a simular issue a few years back.  It was a road crossing a small swamp to access fields beyond.  The road would collaps as they burrowed into it.  I don't know how the edge of your pond is, but we laid a chain link fence along the bank, above the water line extending down into the water.  No problems since.  

They dug underneath my chain link fence.  I may need to pick up a roll and see if that helps.  I assume they stopped digging because the couldn't get through the fencing right?  Or what if I used a different type of wire fencing?

[lentz]

bow?? broad head? judo tip? Shh??

[Go Big Red!]

i dont know any thing about muskrats but could you fill in the hole and then put a pice of steel on the holes and put sand bags ontop so they cant come out and they would go bye bye in the ground and stay there

They'll dig right around that.  Tried it already.

[deadeye]

It was a road edge with water on one side.  We just rolled out the chain link fence on the bank of the road with most of the chain link under the water.   I believe it was 4 feet high so with say 6 inches out of the water that left 3.5 feet down the slop of the road. 

[GRIZ]

For one I am not shur if you would need a permit to take them. If you had someone else come in and do it for you then yes you would or they would.

Two ways of trapping them comes to mind. Without having seen the situation it's hard for me to say forsure. The first comes to mind is a colony trap in the water in front of the den entrance. Basically it's a live trap underwater that can make multiple catches at once but no the rats wouldn't be alive when you got there. One wouldn't have to worry about kids or pets either with these.

The next one coming to mind would be a float which works real well this time of yr. The chances of kids are basically none an a dog is also unlikely but not entirely impossible.

[Go Big Red!]

Griz-

The rats dug the burrow and tunnels I believe just after our pond iced over for the winter months.  I found the den entrance (Approx 8-12 inches below the water line) and two branch tunnels off of it.  Both areas have now collapsed in due to the ground warming up.  Very sandy soil to so easy digging and not much weight needed to cave in.  I have considered the colony trap but with the tunnels collapsing, I doubt they use it anymore.  I will need to find the other den in the pond.  Tell me more about the floating trap please.

[GRIZ]

A picture is worth a thousand words.

http://jayme220.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=archive&action=display&thread=21

The one I use most is most similar to #14. They seem to work best when there is still ice out on the pond and it's just thawed around the edges 15-20 feet.

[Go Big Red!]

A picture is worth a thousand words.

http://jayme220.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=archive&action=display&thread=21

The one I use most is most similar to #14. They seem to work best when there is still ice out on the pond and it's just thawed around the edges 15-20 feet.

We don't have much ice left.  After today, probably none.  Do you think a floating trap will work w/o ice?

[beeker]

have you tried sitting down with the muskrat leader and discussing your issues before turning to violence? maybe you could put a camera in their den and learn from them. 

[lentz]

have you tried sitting down with the muskrat leader and discussing your issues before turning to violence? maybe you could put a camera in their den and learn from them. 

how would you go about getting the camera in the den?

[MTCOMMER]

have you tried sitting down with the muskrat leader and discussing your issues before turning to violence? maybe you could put a camera in their den and learn from them. 

Yeah, Big Red - you should know, Diplomacy is the only way to get anything resolved.  Politely ask them to quit messing with your stuff, if that doesnt work - your will just have to move, cause its they wont be going anywhere   

I think this calls for a CADDY SHACK moment - get the dynamite!

[Go Big Red!]

have you tried sitting down with the muskrat leader and discussing your issues before turning to violence? maybe you could put a camera in their den and learn from them. 

Please refrain from commentary until the sporting clay season begins.  Thank you for your support.

 

[Go Big Red!]

have you tried sitting down with the muskrat leader and discussing your issues before turning to violence? maybe you could put a camera in their den and learn from them. 

how would you go about getting the camera in the den?

Oh lentz, it was a joke.  Kids these days....      But why do you come over and try to put a camera in a den for me?  We could shoot a MNO special on "Muskrat Lentz".   

[lentz]

do they bite scratch and not let go?


if so ill try but ill have my parents cancel my insurance and you can pay for the rabies shots?

[lentz]

get fire works that are water proof and throw them in the den they run out and you have someone with your weapon of choice ready if they ask what the bang was say i farted  (SHHH)

[Fawkinnae]

As I recall muskrats don't really have leaders in the conventional sense. Their form of government is more like a commune, all for one and one for all. However muskrats are assigned a mentor at a very young age. I studied muskrats in college.

[HD]

As I recall muskrats don't really have leaders in the conventional sense. Their form of government is more like a commune, all for one and one for all. However muskrats are assigned a mentor at a very young age. I studied muskrats in college.

I thought I told you to stop smok'in that stuff? 

[Randy Kaar]

Just play this over and over... They will leave.

randy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgCk3bnvO5Y&feature=related

[beeker]

muskrats suck. a guy I shoot with gets his 22 bullets from some place in australia.. these don't have a casing and don't make a sound according to him. never seen em, can't find em on the web.. but it would be nice to have something like that.  my 10/22 has a heavy barrel and a flash suppressor on the end.. doesn't sound like much more than a firecracker

[lentz]

Just play this over and over... They will leave.

randy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgCk3bnvO5Y&feature=related

i downed the song because it annoyed me

[Fawkinnae]

have you tried sitting down with the muskrat leader and discussing your issues before turning to violence? maybe you could put a camera in their den and learn from them. 

Everytime I read this I crack up (not like nut-house crack up but laugh-really-hard crack up).

[Go Big Red!]

have you tried sitting down with the muskrat leader and discussing your issues before turning to violence? maybe you could put a camera in their den and learn from them. 

Everytime I read this I crack up (not like nut-house crack up but laugh-really-hard crack up).

Typical beeker fashion.... 

[beeker]

I was just kidding.. everyone knows you can't negotiate with a muskrat.  woodchucks on the other hand, they're very open to discussion.

[MTCOMMER]

I was just kidding.. everyone knows you can't negotiate with a muskrat.  woodchucks on the other hand, they're very open to discussion.

[youtube]DjGwusHrOtk[/youtube]

Im not sure, Woodchucks can be pretty mean too.... dang things dont listen either!

[Fawkinnae]

I was just kidding.. everyone knows you can't negotiate with a muskrat.  woodchucks on the other hand, they're very open to discussion.

beeker you're killing me...   

[GRIZ]

A picture is worth a thousand words.

http://jayme220.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=archive&action=display&thread=21

The one I use most is most similar to #14. They seem to work best when there is still ice out on the pond and it's just thawed around the edges 15-20 feet.

We don't have much ice left.  After today, probably none.  Do you think a floating trap will work w/o ice?

Yes they work well yet.They are hammering them out in SD. Many guys are getting 300-400 a day right now with floats.
I have been putting up rats for a buyer who's been picking them up out thereand it isn't even funny when he comes up with a trailer of 9500 rats on sunday afternoon and going back out the nextday. So if ya want to learn how to skin rats fasterI know someone who will be willing to pay ya while ya learn.