# law question for trapping muskrats



## Shop Rat (Apr 8, 2006)

My mom asked me to trap some muskrats because they are destroying her lawn. Her house backs up to a gravel pit turned fancy subdivision. It is in city limits with neighbors that don't have a clue. ( a new neighbor asked my mom what she dug and buried from her house to his, he thought that she tapped into his electrical. She had to tell him what a mole is!)

Anyway, can I trap muskrats out of season if they are damaging her lawn? If I wait until the season, I still have the problem of trapping in city limits. I don't think she wants to pay an exterminator. My next step is to call the city, but I was hoping to get info here, too. If the neighbors see me pull a muskrat out of a hole, they might freak out!


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## soggybtmboys (Feb 24, 2007)

Typically you cannot take a furbearer out of season, unless you are issued a nuisance/damage permit from the local DNR having jurisdiction. Typically they will assess damage and go from there. Even if they issued a permit, you would have to check with local authorities on local laws to make sure you are in compliance. Certain furbearers are allowed out of season, check with the Hunting regs on those, ie ***** and coyotes doing or about to do damage on private property.


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## alex-v (Mar 24, 2005)

Does she have moles or muskrats? I did not know that muskrats would burrow tunnels like the one you describe going from one house to another.

If they are muskrats then why did she have to tell the neighbor what a mole was??


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## Shop Rat (Apr 8, 2006)

alex-v said:


> Does she have moles or muskrats? I did not know that muskrats would burrow tunnels like the one you describe going from one house to another.
> 
> If they are muskrats then why did she have to tell the neighbor what a mole was??


One mole went thru the yard, the neighbor thought that my mom dug or buried something.(I have not idea what this this guy was thinking) From the lake, there are at least 10 muskrat holes at the waters edge and soft spots up toward the house. One part of her yard is tunneled so badly by the muskrats that it is sinking near the lake.

I was there today. One neighbor came over and my mom talked to him about the muskrats. He said that he is on the board for the neighborhood and there is nothing in their bylaws about them, and also said that they use a guy from Romeo to trap them. The neighborhood association might pay for it. Most neighbors are putting up retaining walls and they don't have problems with them. My mom's spot is natural, so they are in there big time.


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