Gun, Poison, Trap? How should I do it in?

[gsganzer]

Would it be a Muskrat or a Nutria? Do you have Nutria in Ohio? I would think a leg trap would work.

 

[Junkman]

Don't let Mike know, but I dug the hole myself just to give him something to worry about. As for those dust mops that he calls dogs.... They have to circle the dog food bowl for several hours before they will eat it. He has them so paranoid about everything in and around the house, they don't trust him for anything. Last month, he zapped one with the welder just to see what would happen..../forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[edski]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( No one else in my area wants the little critter either..... )</font>

Thanks PineRidge,

While I am all for humane treatment of animals, I for one don't appreciate inheriting other peoples problems (I've enough of my own). I've posted rants Re: live trap and release in other posts so will spare you all any further debate (or perhaps won't take the bait).

I've solved my past muskrat problems using a low mass, high velocity, remote opening technique...most any caliber will do (late afternoon/early evening). I've heard of folks lining their banks with fence to discourage burrowing, but have no first hand experience.

Good luck...

 

[MossRoad]

Blowing up the hole in the dam sounds like a sure way to get on TV. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Why are you using a live trap if you are going to kill it? Are you curious as to what it is before you do it in, just in case it is not a muskrat?

When I was a kid, we had thousands of muskrats in the lake behind our house. It was pretty easy to sneak up on them if you were patient. I like to look for them in floating weed mats. You will see their heads poking up in there when they are getting air.

 

[PineRidge]

Moss I'm really not positive it's a muskrat as I haven't seen it as of yet but what else could it be? I'm actually more afraid of hurting my dogs or the other more serious traps would already have been set.

Muskrats must be pretty used to staying put as I read an article that said if you try to relocate one you should go at least ten miles out so it won't end up back in your pond again.

Hey Junk, how far is it to CT from Ohio anyway? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Do you need another pet to play with your dogs?

 

[PineRidge]

Gsganzer I'm not aware that we have any Nutria here in Ohio but I could be wrong, it's happened before. (being wrong I mean)

 

[thegreatrandini]

leghold traps suck! Anyone who uses them is not cool! Cruel. Shoot him or use a more humane trap. Posions suck, they may kill something else and too much suffering..... I kinda like muskrats I don't think they really hurt a dam like folks think.... Nothing you can't fix in five minutes.. They are kina cute...... If your gonna kill them kill them quick.... You would want the same.....

 

[Dargo]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I don't think they really hurt a dam like folks think.... Nothing you can't fix in five minutes.. )</font>

I've owned lakes for decades, and they do harm dams a lot more than most people think. I've spent hours and hours repairing their damage. I have a tremendous distaste for the destructive little buggers.

Now, having said that, I will tell you that I've only used traps that kill instantly to rid my lakes of them. I actually tried to relocate some many years ago. They seem to be like homing pigeons! They won't take "no" for an answer. But, take solice in that I won't poison them or use a leg hold trap. When I remove them, they never know what happened.

 

[SPIKER]

yes to dargo: Muskrats & dams don't mix, they burrow holes into the dam which starts water entering the dam and pretty soon the dam is flooding down river and the lake is going with it. if the pond is built in level ground and almost flush to ground level then the problem is not so bad untill you are mowing and have the earth collapse where they have a den! many a tractor have taken a bath this way! late evening or early morning with 22 works but becarefull firing into water (rickershey) bate them using some corn (still on the cob and nailed to a board up on the edge of the bank where you can get a good shot! works great. 7 mm , 22 or even a 22mag will do wonders at a good range. all you really need for close range is a 22short or good pellet gun.
the conebear traps are instant stoppers too. they can be placed down & back into the holes this cures the problem on first contact. also will fold you're fingers back on themselves very quickly /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif I'll be buying a new one here pretty soon for a woodchuck who is making a home in my back barn, I tried poisen didn't work, so now out comes the trap and I'll cover the hole with plywood to prevent cats from going in there but I doupt one would with a chuck in there.

also note that propane is heavier than air and will kill by suffocation if the burrow goes under ground though a match is not needed put in torce and cover hole let torch run for 30 min on low... the propane will 1./ force the critter out,
2. asphicate it
3 add match and blow up te area (you're self included. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

MarkM

 

[PineRidge]

Mark I have heard this mentioned before and I would like to just clarify a point. Do you use the fact that propane is heavy and puddles to fill the den and suffocate the animal. You are not lighting the propane with explosive results, correct? I mean if propane works well by itself I do have a propane tank and I could use it if the gas itself is all that is needed.

I'm not using propane in conjunction with flame though, nosirree, nope not me, no, no, no. I would really like to drop in on Junkman some day, but not from the sky because I touched off an explosion on the dam. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

How about it Junk would you like me to drop over...... /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif