Post by: Carp Commander on November 01, 2013, 03:42:11 PM
I scouted out three more locations that are new to me. Found pretty much the same scenario at each of them. I was encouraged a little when I started finding mink sign (see you in a few more weeks), lots of beaver sign (see you in six more weeks) but not a ton of really good muskrat sign. It seems to me that muskrat sign is difficult to find in fast and deep running water.
I finally put in a dozen muskrat sets and I guess that's better than nothing. At least the season is finally here. Good luck everyone!
P.S. Cage trapping makes me wish I didn't have a short box.
Doug
Post by: boneaddict on November 01, 2013, 03:47:36 PM
Post by: Hannibal on November 02, 2013, 08:15:51 AM
Post by: bob maier on November 02, 2013, 05:08:26 PM
Post by: Carp Commander on November 02, 2013, 06:08:48 PM
Post by: Blue on November 02, 2013, 06:46:51 PM
Post by: 70sdiver on November 03, 2013, 06:21:09 AM
Post by: Carp Commander on November 03, 2013, 10:29:23 AM
hey how many rats did you end up with last year?I only got 16
Final total was 62 last season.
I am setting my sights at the 100 mark this year. I have mink on the brain pretty bad as well. Other than a few beaver spots (trying to keep land owners happy) I am strictly chasing rats & mink this year. I just need the water to come down another foot.
Post by: Carp Commander on November 29, 2013, 10:04:08 AM
My daughters and I put a rat line out this past Weds. and we will be running the first of our Washington traps in a couple of hours. Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!
Doug
Post by: Carp Commander on November 29, 2013, 10:04:53 AM
Post by: Carp Commander on November 29, 2013, 10:05:36 AM
Post by: Carp Commander on November 29, 2013, 10:06:27 AM
Post by: 3nails on November 29, 2013, 10:43:18 AM
Post by: Carp Commander on November 29, 2013, 03:19:05 PM
Post by: onetrapper on November 29, 2013, 05:26:55 PM
Post by: Carp Commander on November 30, 2013, 08:14:54 AM
I imagine the water is starting to close up
Yes I am loosing a lot of water to the ice. I have a few ditches that I have never seen freeze solid.
Post by: Carp Commander on December 10, 2013, 11:13:34 AM
Having a great year so far. Skinned out a frozen coyote yesterday! Forgot just how hard skinning a cold yote could be.
Caught 23 muskrats this weekend and the struggle to catch mink seems to be continuing from last year.
Post by: Carp Commander on December 10, 2013, 11:22:36 AM
In small areas like this will the beaver run the muskrat out? I wouldn't think so as they don't compete for the same foods.
What would make a pound like this, fed by a canal system full of muskrats, with year round water, not hold muskrats?
Post by: onetrapper on December 11, 2013, 08:45:15 AM
Post by: Carp Commander on December 15, 2013, 02:25:27 PM
No mink yet but there is always tomorrow. I have two mink traps that the coons keep getting into. I will set for coons once all the duck hunters are gone for the week. Those bigger traps are hard to keep hidden.
My friend's son, Easton, with a few rats from today.
Post by: Machias on December 15, 2013, 02:43:42 PM
Post by: Carp Commander on December 16, 2013, 04:48:22 PM
Started working on a skinning machine. Seems to work so far just need a coon to put on it.
Haven't decided on how I am going to attach the fur clamps to the base of it. I went with a 2000 pound, 12volt wench and 4x4 wooden frame.
Only took about two hours to put together and I have less than $100 into it.
Post by: Turner89 on December 27, 2013, 09:48:36 PM
Post by: onetrapper on December 27, 2013, 10:00:04 PM
Post by: Carp Commander on December 28, 2013, 04:11:00 PM
I have been playing around with muskrat floaters again this year. I have all but given up on mink (for now). I am in the 60's on rats this year so I think Ill make the goal of 100.
Looking forward to hitting it hard January and February!
Doug
Post by: onetrapper on December 28, 2013, 08:49:24 PM
Thanks
Darryl
Post by: Carp Commander on January 04, 2014, 02:32:40 PM
Make any changes to floats what seems to work best for bait
Thanks
Darryl
Yes went from that big platform looking thing from last year to a more compact version. Still fascinated with making floaters work! Not sure what I am doing wrong as I can not get consistency with them and the numbers have been horrible.
I took one of Mike's "holey grails" GREAT trap by the way and put it head-to-head with one of mine. Six days and I caught one rat. I caught the only rat in the holy grail. Both baited with the same thing and same lure. I am thinking about moving them to ponds and seeing if that makes a difference. Later on I will try them again with gland lure and see what that does.
Post by: Carp Commander on January 04, 2014, 02:38:54 PM
Ice is still preventing me from getting back into a honey hole. I hope the ice leaves before the rats start getting all bit up!
Some of the best help a dad could have!!!!!!!!!
Post by: 3nails on January 04, 2014, 03:24:33 PM
Post by: Ole man fintucky on January 04, 2014, 05:49:54 PM
Post by: Carp Commander on January 04, 2014, 06:23:59 PM
Just wondering what is the going rate for rats and coyotes? And who do you sell them to? A guy named roger used to buy mine 15 to 20 years ago. He would come down from Spokane twice a year.
Very difficult to quote as the fur market is just that, a market. RUMOR has it the prices are going to drop this year but last year I had a twelve dollar average on rats. That number is one of the best prices in many, many, many years. I don't do a lot of yotes as they won't go in a cage. Shot coyotes will bring a much lower number depending on the amount of damage, caliber used and such.
Are you putting them up for auction or wanting to sale them green?
PS.. Thanks for tip you gave Aaron the other day. I have trapped it before but keep running into too many duck hunters. I worry about stuff getting stolen.
Post by: Ole man fintucky on January 04, 2014, 07:49:22 PM
Post by: onetrapper on January 04, 2014, 08:24:56 PM
Post by: pnwmtnmn on January 05, 2014, 12:35:46 PM
Post by: Humptulips on January 05, 2014, 09:42:48 PM
Just wondering what is the going rate for rats and coyotes? And who do you sell them to? A guy named roger used to buy mine 15 to 20 years ago. He would come down from Spokane twice a year.
Looking for a market for carcass
or put up fur? I would call Eric Degman (509)881-0618 in Wenatchee
Post by: UrbanTrapper on January 05, 2014, 10:37:04 PM
During the spring the males will be checking any REPEAT ANY hole for females. When they crawl out they leave scent from the glands and that attracts other males and some females.Thanks, I'm learning from this. So spring would be the best time to use muskrat gland lure then, right? What lure do you recommend?
Post by: pnwmtnmn on January 05, 2014, 10:50:20 PM
Post by: Carp Commander on January 12, 2014, 02:44:54 PM
Post by: Carp Commander on January 12, 2014, 02:53:11 PM
1. The rats moved the colony and exposed it to either a hawk or mink (steep bank covered in grass, so no tracks).
2. A mink went under after a leg that was sticking through the trap and pulled the trap out of the run.
Anybody ever seen this before? At first I thought mink all the way but mink are not shy of colony traps so why didn't he go in after the rest.
I actually hope it was a mink because I left 7x7 single door baited with fresh muskrat.
Post by: hardkorrhunter on January 12, 2014, 02:53:54 PM
Post by: Carp Commander on January 12, 2014, 02:55:54 PM
Post by: Carp Commander on January 12, 2014, 02:57:23 PM
Oh well at least it was fur!
Post by: Cultusman on January 12, 2014, 03:00:07 PM
Post by: Turner89 on January 12, 2014, 05:30:39 PM