# A few more muskrat questions



## apostle423 (Jan 22, 2008)

Hello All,

I am really getting into this muskrat trapping. I can barely sleep at night in anticipation of what the morning will bring. My son and I are hooked, Ha!! But now I need to hone my skill. I have been using the board thru the ice set, and now I have progressed to a few questions

1.) Is it possible a trap is too weak or old to hold a muskrat? I have been using some older traps and have noticed in the past two days some sprung traps, missing carrot, but no muskrat. Is it typical to have this happen, or am I missing something? Maybe I'm not setting up right, see next question.

2.) Is there a proper depth or distance from the ice/hole you should set the trap and bait. I have read some things saying place the trap about 8 inches below the ice and not to have it near the hole. Other places say the carrot should be an inch below the surface. Some say to have the trap right next to the carrot and other say to have the trap several inches away. Right now I am pushing the board so the carrott is just beyond the hole (if I kneel down I can see it still), and just below the ice (I would say an inch or two) with the trap sitting on the board about 3 or 4 inches under the carrot. How am I doing? What is the best way to set this up??

3.) How important is the dying of your trap when under the ice? I bought two new traps from Jay's (they are new, no dye). Also do you use a trap as is straight from the store, or should some tweaking be done to improve them. If yes, then what do I need to do. So far the new traps have seen no action.

4.) I ordered some stretchers. How long do you leave a pelt on a stretcher? Is there a process there, or do you simply slip it over the stretcher like a sock and wait till done? 

5.) Any tips on finding the bank dens? I look for changes in the ice for the runs, but it all looks the same for me. I would like to get some of my body traps in the action.

6.) Any other ways to use my body traps thru the ice while trapping on a pond? A friend tole me he just hangs the body traps down thru the ice with a stick on top near the huts and they just swim in to it. Does that really work??

Well that is probably more then enough questions for now. I appreciate all the responses. Happy trapping to everyone.


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## Gander Club (Dec 31, 2004)

Trap touching the carrot! Carrot 1-2 inches below the bottom of the ice. Board at a 45 to 30 degree angle from horizontal. Sprung traps are normal as are stolen carrots. It only means that the rats time is short. I've never dyed a trap for muskrats...they don't care. Spray painting them would work if you are worried about the rust.


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## FMann (May 12, 2007)

I will try and answer your qustions that I can in order. 

1.) yes a trap can be too weak to hold a musk rat, having said that it is possible that you are just missing the rat and there is nothing wroung with the trap. Use a piece of stick and trip the trap see how hard it is to pull the stick out. 

2.) this verys from trapper to trapper and I think it mostly depends on the size of the rats, I have set the traps right under the carrot and have had them about 4" below the carrots on the same pond and caught rats in both situations. You just have to play with it untill you get it right. 

3.) you shouldn't have to do much to your traps for muskrats. again this verys from trapper to trapper.

4.) the last thing to dry on a rat (so I'm told is the mouth) leave the plet on the strecher untill the mouth is dry. 

I have no answers for numbers 5 or 6 after the ice is on. 

Good luck on your rats.


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## USMCSniper (Dec 21, 2006)

best advice I can give is keep trying different ways, there is no rulebook that says this way will work and this way won't...Find a way that works for you and go with it...that half the fun anyway. As far as the new traps go it doesn't matter much to rats, but if you like leave them outside in the rain for a few days to get a little rust on them, and then they are ready! a little rust is a good thing. As far as stretching and drying goes it depends on the temp and humidity of your fur shed/garage/barn etc... My garage was heated and dry so it only took a couple days to dry. Hanging the Coni's near the surface does work I have had success with it. Good luck and full traps!!


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## magnumhntr (Aug 18, 2003)

If you haven't already, hook up with someone to show you how to properly flesh and stretch the pelts. I went to my local buyer and he was more than willing to give me a demo, and I gave him a couple barley pops for his time. Well worth the investment to have someone show you the right way, instead of learning the hard way 

Chris


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## apostle423 (Jan 22, 2008)

Thanks Guys,

I can't wait to try out the tips.
How would I locate a local fur buyer?

Is it a bad or a good thing, that I can't wait for Christmas to get over, so I can get back out there to do some trapping?? My wife is getting worried  Ha!!


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## magnumhntr (Aug 18, 2003)

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/furbuy_85691_7.PDF

The link above has all the liscenced fur buyers in Michigan....

Chris


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## MapleRiverSalmon (Aug 19, 2007)

I live 20 min south of you and my offer still stands. I can show you my fur shed and everything it takes to put up rats, ****, beaver, ext. I do a good gob and have had more than a few top lots in canada.


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## dboom (Nov 20, 2007)

Take MRSalmon up on his offer. 15 minutes in an experienced trappers fur shed is worth the time in gold!!! Glad to see you have the trapping bug and are getting your son involved. My daughter (27yr) old lives in SC and still wants to run a line with me. I haven't ran traps in several years but after getting back to this site it's looking like a line will happen next year...


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## Beaverhunter2 (Jan 22, 2005)

If you want to see the rigs I make for under-ice 'rat trapping, see this thread on the Michigan Trappers Forum:

http://forums.michigantrappers.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=14702#14702

There's a couple pictures in it.

Good luck and be safe!

John


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## kgiovann (Dec 14, 2009)

The Superintendant of the golf course we are trapping this year gave us 9 110's that they had in thier maintenance barn. They were only a year old but very rusty. I won't take them out of service to dye them until we're done for the season, but as-is, they require double the force to set than the others we use. Dying them not only removes the rust and makes them easier to set, it quickens the way they close. There are posts in the archive on how to do this. It advises to not wax the body grippers, only the long-springs. 

My advice on the bank dens is to wait until next fall, unless you can see bubbles. It'll be easier then to walk around the lake and put stakes in the active runs and then come back when you can. In October, with the vegetation down, the runs really stand out. There's no guarantee that the dens will still be active under ice, especially the shallow ones, so try to get them early in the season. Too bad technology allows us to buy stud-finders, but not run-finders.


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## Beaverhunter2 (Jan 22, 2005)

If you are interested in the muskrat tip-ups, take a look at this thread on the MTPCA Forum:

http://forums.michigantrappers.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3378

Jon Southworth came up with some great improvements!

John


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## apostle423 (Jan 22, 2008)

Ok Another Newbie question,

I hate to show my ignorance, but I got to know. What is the little metal stick for that hangs on the trap chain?

I just don't see what I'm supposed to use it for.

Let the razzing begin.


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## Joe R. (Jan 9, 2002)

If you are refering to the elongated triangle piece that is on the chain ring of some older longspring I have the answer for you. The triangle piece was actually used as a means of trap fastening a long time ago. It was pounded into a fence post or log to hold the trap secure. Thankfully we have much better ways to secure our traps now.

Joe


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## apostle423 (Jan 22, 2008)

I see said the blind man as he pissed into the wind and it all came back to him suddenly :lol:


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## Bow Hunter Brandon (Jan 15, 2003)

Joe R. said:


> If you are refering to the elongated triangle piece that is on the chain ring of some older longspring I have the answer for you. The triangle piece was actually used as a means of trap fastening a long time ago. It was pounded into a fence post or log to hold the trap secure. Thankfully we have much better ways to secure our traps now.
> 
> Joe


Ok so what is the thing on the chain of a stoploss for ?


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## Mister ED (Apr 3, 2006)

Bow Hunter Brandon said:


> Ok so what is the thing on the chain of a stoploss for ?


 Delay pin for the stoploss bail. The trap jaws close, the delay pin holds the stoploss bail in the set position until the animal (rat) pulls against the chain ... thus pulling the pin on the bail.

Most people do not use them. When Bogmaster helped Duke redisign their #1 Stoploss ... the decission was made to leave it off. That is why you see it on the old style model of Dukes and not on the new style.


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