filling in the holes from muskrats Banks undermined almost 4 feet

[Michelle K linnane]

We dug up around the ponds a little today the muskrats had undermined my banks so bad. In some places the banks were collapsed back in some cases 3 and 4 feet. IT was so bad I was afraid to train the dogs on that side as there were holes all over the place. I did not dare get the mower close either. One of the kids was weedwacking out there and the bank gave way.
So today we started to fix them. We dug the really sloppy clay stuff out and it just flatten itself right out if it was really watery you hardly had to spread it. In a few days I will go out and level with my bucket bottom. But anybody who asked to trap here always gets permission and I hope the hides keep going up but there does not seem to be hardly muskrat sign now.
Lord I hate muskrats and hope pelts stay high. Will take some more pictures as I flatten out a few spots. This was about 3 ｽ hours with the backhoe.

 

[Sysop]

I've got about a dozen places they've been digging out for years I'm getting ready to hook my backhoe up and do the same thing.

 

[Fossil Farm]

Muskrat pelts are predicted to be $10 to $12 this winter. All fur prices are up.

 

[Michelle K linnane]

Hey Sysop
We found that the muck out the ponds is the best. Espcially the clay maybe the grass will not grow for a year or so. Yea!!!

Fossil Farm
Trap a muskrat (extinct is forever,,, lets get on with it!!!)

 

[Dozernut]

I have that job to do next Summer. One of the Amish boys came around asking if he could trap the creek on the back ten. I told him yes and ask if he would trap the muskrats in the pond. His eyes lit up and he said he sure would, the price on Muskrats is up. So maybe he will take care of my problem.

 

[mrmikey]

I had a pond that the muskrats ruined in less that 2 years. It was man made years ago by the previous owner as a skating pond for his kids, as of now the only time it's wet is for a couple of days after it rains. The rest of the time it's a swamp....Mike

 

[BeezFun]

Dogs are about the best deterrent there is for muskrats. Since you're a dog trainer, I'd get one or two dogs to live out there at night and come in during the day. Any of the terrier breeds are great at hunting this kind of critter.

 

[Michelle K linnane]

Ponds do need maintenance on occassion. I like my banks very steep so cattails can not grow. You do not want too much bull rush to get started as that will take over a pond. I also use blue bayou from tractor supply to keep weeds down. And we have dug the banks out 3 times
in 20 years due to muskrats. I normally take a old mattress springs and attach a chain to it and drag around with my tractor and that loosens the weed on the sides. Just trying to keep stuff under control before it gets too bad. I had some cattails starting on one side we dug those out yesterday. Also we built the overflow side I would like the water level tobe another 3 to4 inches higher than it is right now. There is another low spot I want to be the over flow after this. So hopefully by building the bank up there it will change now.
For years it was not worth people time to trap now the hides are up I hope the trappers can put a hurting on them.
I was talking to a friend on mine he was here fishing as we have too many bass and he was catching them. Trapping season will be here soon and he will use them as bait for trapping. The large mouth bass are all from 5 inches to 10 inches. So far this year we have taken out at least about 300 to 350 and need to get more out. I hate to waste them, but want them out I can not stand to catch them and just throw them away. He caught a good 5 gallon bail full and is coming back tomorrow night will catch more. He is bring a friend. Works for both of use
he get free bait I get rid of fish. He also uses those new coon traps around my Pheasants pens to get rid of more predators. They will
catch a house cat or dog. it is like a cuff trap. He is targetting fishers along the creek to, they can do a number on birds also.
If people are a little more open to trapping them not have the damage to ponds and loose some of their chickens and other livestock.
When this guys traps here I check the traps for him in the morning and night when I have time. He traps for coyotes on my place I know
were are the traps are and we spring them on Friday night and reset them on Monday. This way I do not worry about my dogs or
other peoples when we hunt and I am not providing a heaven for the predators. Well got a little off subject but those are some of my thoughts.

 

[oosik]

I have a five acre pond that is eighty feet deep. Typical of this area - completely vertical basaltic lava walls with absolutely no shore line. Two feet out from the wall - its 45 feet deep. I get muskrats & beaver but they don't stay long. All the alder, birch, quaker asp etc are long gone and that is their winter food supply. I even get river otter passing thru but since there are currently no fish in the lake they too pass on. The best long range solution to muskrat & beaver is to remove their winter food supply. This will mean removing all birch, alder etc from a distance around the pond. In my case this was accomplished over fifty years ago by the muskrat & beaver themselves. They did a great job of it - these type trees have never come back. Obviously, this is a natural pond created by the floods from glacial lake Missoula.

 

[Sysop]

Dogs are about the best deterrent there is for muskrats. Since you're a dog trainer, I'd get one or two dogs to live out there at night and come in during the day. Any of the terrier breeds are great at hunting this kind of critter.

I'd second a vote for a Wheaten Terrier, awesome farm dogs.