Muskrats!

dhcmca · Apr 21, 2002

Based on the discussions I have read on this board, it appears that many of you have ponds. Do you have any remedies for dealing with muskrats and the damage that they can do to a pond?

Thanks in advance.
Dave

beenthere · Apr 21, 2002

Trap them, or they will (could) destroy your pond banks. Or have they already done that?

dhcmca · Apr 21, 2002

They have done a great deal of damage to the banks of the pond. They managed to tunnel under the foundation of a bridge that crosses a small stream and collapse the support. I just borrowed a small box trap, but I'm not sure what to use for bait. Any suggestions?

Dave

EdKing · Apr 21, 2002

The best way to trap muskrats is with a No1 Conibear (sp) style trap placed in thier tunnel openings, preferbly under water to avoid catching other animals. If you are not familiar with a Conibear style trap, it is made up of 2 squares of steel rod, hinged in the middle. The animal goes through the center and the trap closes killing it instantly. There is no need of bait with this style trap. I used to trap muskrats for thier hides when I was growing up, but the low prices of furs have made it not a worth while endeaver.

Old_Wanker · Apr 21, 2002

Call up your State's game commission and check what the guidelines are for trapping in your state (you should be able to pick up the regulations at a local hunting store or outfitter). If you want to do it yourself you may have to take a trapper education course and get a license (some states need it some dont). You could also call a local wildlife control business and theyll take care of it for you.

If you want to look into it more and get a whole lot of good information then find a copy of the "Fur, Fish, Game" magazine (you can usually get it at the grocery store). This is an excellent resource that every outdoorsman should subscribe to and always has information on trapping. Buy one of their videos and youll pick it up in no time.

Or you could wait out there with a shotgun. Just dont go using high velocity hunting rifles near water as they ricochet the bullets off the surface.

Dozernut · Apr 21, 2002

Do you have cattails in your pond? They are the favorite food of muskrats. Remove their food source and they will not stick around. I have found that Roundup works well on cattails and will not harm your fish. This was suggested to me by an conservationist from the U.S.D.A. office, it worked great.

TonyC · Apr 22, 2002

I echo Ed King's response word for word. I used to trap them when I was young also. The only caveat is that trapping them by covering their hole might be illegal in your state. If you are located where no one would ever know then I wouldn't concern myself with any trapping laws!

Thomas · Apr 22, 2002

If young children playing around the pond,and mother Muskrats fears there to close to the den she will attack in a spilt second.

The male Muskrats can be nasty when its mating season.

EdKing · Apr 22, 2002

Funny we are talking about muskrats. I let the dog out to do her business this morning, and when I let her in, she must have caught a muskrat, as she has a fresh one laying on the porch. Guess I have to get the shovel out and dispose of it.