Done water trapping for season

[cat daddy]

Well, it's been a great season and have enjoyed being in waders almost every day for the last 4 months. Always wanted to take the time to trap till I got burned out. I'm experiencing significant damage with the 'rats, so I pulled and stored the traps today. Caged my first bobcat last week and will chase them till seasons over. Ended up with 801 'rats and 29 mink. Thanking the Good Lord every day for good health. Maybe see some of you guys at Prineville!

[big wood]

nice job on the rats. I am not far behind you as far as water trapping. I think this is my last weekend. tired of fleshing beaver. good job

[3nails]

Hmmm... Fighting damage? Haven't noticed anything here yet. Maybe just not as many rats around as you have.

[onetrapper]

was in your area a week ago saw alot of orange ribbon LOL  My rats were ok but 1 week makes a differance I'm sure. 

[cat daddy]

Only had 5 'rats on my final pull and two of them had good size holes in them. There are still a lot of good 'rats Im sure. I just hate skinning a nice xxxl 'rat and find I've got a 3 dollar rat instead of a 10 or 12 dollar 'rat.

[onetrapper]

So how do you think the population is doing?  Do you find the you can trap them hard and there are still as many the next year?  Do you use a boat much?  Floats?  I did catch a couple in live traps just fooling around.  Thanks

[pnwmtnmn]

Were you trapping ditches or lakes at the finish? I'm in a lake and have no damage at all, course the ice only came of last week.

[cat daddy]

This is the first season that I've really trapped hard, but I know in many instances, as I was pulling traps out of an area, I would see 'rats swimming around. Trapped creeks and ditches all season. Trapped some bank dens but mostly bottom edges and clean bottom runs right in the middle of the ditch or creek. I talked with Gary Shumann who made the video "rat race" and he told me he's trapped the same spots for over 20 years and still puts up 2000 to 3000 'rats a year. He also has a lot of competition. I don't think I hurt the population too much

[Carp Commander]

I took my rats sets out last weekend. Seems to be a lot of fresh scars. It's kind of depressing to think the season is coming to an end!
 

[onetrapper]

I took my rats sets out last weekend. Seems to be a lot of fresh scars. It's kind of depressing to think the season is coming to an end!

did you have any more success with floats..going to try some this week.  i see part of the problem was them crapping on the landing but not entering so made landing smaller..we'll se

[bone collector 12]

What causes the scars and holes and stuff?,not a trapper but definitely interested

[Humptulips]

What causes the scars and holes and stuff?,not a trapper but definitely interested

Muskrats bite muskrats, beavers bite beavers. Territorial fighting/breeding season.

[Carp Commander]

My success with floaters (bait only) was mixed. I pulled two in one night then went empty for three days! After that I moved and caught one the first night and then blank for two more.

I am not sure whats going on with the floaters. based upon the scat they leave every night on the landings, it's obvious they use it but wont committ inside the one-way doors. I tried apples, turnips, carrots and parsnips.

I have a couple more design ideals and hope to get them tested early this up coming season. I will be sure to share any of the designs that start to produce. I am sure that floaters would be more successful this time of year with lure. I just wont put fur up that's damaged and I am seeing a lot of that allready.

Doug 

[onetrapper]

agree they would use them more now....some how I think a self resetting trap door on a float would be best..but that would take some experimenting.  A counterbalance of some sort would reset the door after it dropped the rat. gonna take time but we will keep improving methods. 

[cat daddy]

Off topic from rat floats but I misspoke in an earlier post about checking cat cages every 72 hrs, I meant 24. My bad