Any rats yet??

[braggadoe]

certainly, can't beat the floats. but i really enjoyed the 2-3 weeks prior to open water. it was sure easy to tell where they lived. subs/colony traps moped up in the runs aswell as baited sets, under the ice. also the huts/push ups.



still enjoying it now. have to get through spring, too look forward to fall. with some steelhead fishing in between.

[nube]

Well I went out tonight and kicked butt. Got 33 rats and shot another beaver. I am checking tomorrow and I am done for the season. My wife said enough trapping this year
I don't blame her, it has been a long haul and a lot of time away from home. I took my 5 year old with me tonight and she had a blast. She would get so excited every time I pulled one out of the truck. She also dedicated herself the title of Muskrat carrying girl! Got to love it.

[pointer]

image.jpg I got home from work tonight the wife and little one were going for a walk so I took my 22 and went for a drive got 18 more rats and a beaver

[nube]

How many do you have this year pointer? Your slayin them bro

[pointer]

Originally Posted by nube

How many do you have this year pointer? Your slayin them bro

I lost count at 155 lol I must be close to 200 now if we didn't get that bad weather last week I would have a load more but I'm not going to complain

[HunterDave]

I think that someone ought to start a muskrat count thread in the Fall like the coyote thread. I'd be curious to know how many rats we could rack up on here.

I went out tonight for a quick second check of my 6 floater sets and I came back with 6. Only one in a trap and I shot the other 5. They were swimming everywhere and it looked liked they were getting organized so I got out of there.....lol. What a nice night to be out there.

[pointer]

Originally Posted by HunterDave

I think that someone ought to start a muskrat count thread in the Fall like the coyote thread. I'd be curious to know how many rats we could rack up on here.

I went out tonight for a quick second check of my 6 floater sets and I came back with 6. Only one in a trap and I shot the other 5. They were swimming everywhere and it looked liked they were getting organized so I got out of there.....lol. What a nice night to be out there.

It was a beautiful night last night no wind and lots of animals moving the slough I took the beaver from was alive with rats I counted 27 at one time on the water and on the edge of the ice. I didn't bother with shooting any of those I left them for breeding stock lol

[braggadoe]

if you own the property it really doesn't matter. talking numbers is a good way to lose permission to trap. next thing you know, landowners cousin/family member hears how good your doing and wants to trap the spot.

this year, i've had several people phone me and tell me that to stay out of their area.

i've had FN people's tell me that there going to trap my RMFA because it's their traditional right.

there's something to be said about keeping a low profile.

[pointer]

Originally Posted by braggadoe

if you own the property it really doesn't matter. talking numbers is a good way to lose permission to trap. next thing you know, landowners cousin/family member hears how good your doing and wants to trap the spot.

this year, i've had several people phone me and tell me that to stay out of their area.

i've had FN people's tell me that there going to trap my RMFA because it's their traditional right.

there's something to be said about keeping a low profile.

I agree. That's what I like about the land I trap on both father and son don't trap and they only let one guy trap their land so it works out nice for me

[DUKE-1]

Originally Posted by GStyler

Has anyone tried orange or other coloured flagging tape? I've seen a few youtube videos where guys just tie it to coni triggers, and it seems to work.
Sure would be easier to carry around than bags of carrots or apples.

Also, anyone else getting "bugs" on their rats. I've had a few that were covered in hundreds of what i think are ticks (or tick larvae). Havn't been bit by one yet (i don't think), but i didn't notice them for a while at first until they were everywhere. I skin in the garage, and dry the boarded rats in the basement where its not as humid. Wife wasn't impressed. haha. I Raided em in a bucket, and there were still some living. Then I raided them till they were dripping... and still a few survivors. Freezing them would probably do the trick. I didn't really want to freeze it while it was still soaking wet. But if I wait for the rat to be dry, the ticks are everywhere. For the guys that freeze em to skin later, is it ok to freeze them when they are still wet? I don't want a giant Rat-sickle to unthaw later.

I got these pics of them by reversing another lens infront of my lense. they are about the size of a grain of salt. these are dead ones. the live ones splay their legs out a little more, and can move fairly quickly. very hard to get an infocus shot at that magnification. but, I wasn't going for artwork... just as a reference. haha.





Graham.

Your no alone here had a few rats with these on them . geeez

[DUKE-1]

As a newbie i felt i had my hands full with 26 rats in 36 hrs. my thumbs are sore from skinning lol.. Any ways had one rat pull his front leg off in deep water wrapped up on a cat tail. and had another decide he didn't want to drown and play possum.. i had a good laugh at my self jumping back. lol..

Huge txs again to all you guys with the teaching .. you guys are a good group.. corey.

[The Spruce]

2nd one this season. Might have to start saving them and get a unique Muskrat hat made. Thought I would share.

[HunterDave]

Originally Posted by braggadoe

there's something to be said about keeping a low profile.

Yup, not to mention the possibility of losing traps, or worse, my muskrat yacht that I hide in the reeds. I put my float sets out where you can't see them from shore for that specific reason. I don't mind mentioning what/how I'm doing on here but I'm pretty quiet about it in real life.

[HunterDave]

Originally Posted by The Spruce

2nd one this season. Might have to start saving them and get a unique Muskrat hat made. Thought I would share.

That's cool! Do you think that it would bring in a premium price at the auction? I'll be keeping some rats to tan as well, mainly any that have holes in them that I have to sew. Making hats/mitts is a good summer project.

[nube]

Well the wife said she has had enough this season and it is time for me to stop
Pulled traps this morning and got another 21 in them. Guess the rest will be breeding stock. Funny thing is I didn't even hit a few decent lakes I had scouted out so I think I am in good shape for the fall.

Thanks for a good year guys.

[HunterDave]

I'm going to leave 6 float sets out just to see when I start catching scarred rats. It'd be handy to know what the time frame is from break up to mating in order to help with my planning for next year. I think that I'd rather catch them in smaller batches over a couple of weeks rather than catch a ton in a few days. I just have to keep track of my catch rate in order to determine how many sets to put out next Spring.

[Saskabush]

Originally Posted by DUKE-1

As a newbie i felt i had my hands full with 26 rats in 36 hrs. my thumbs are sore from skinning lol.. Any ways had one rat pull his front leg off in deep water wrapped up on a cat tail. and had another decide he didn't want to drown and play possum.. i had a good laugh at my self jumping back. lol..

Huge txs again to all you guys with the teaching .. you guys are a good group.. corey.

Way to go DUKE! I know what you mean about sore thumbs ...may have bit off more than i can chew this week. Have hauled 72 home since Friday. I'm in the same boat as Nube now, wife is sick of hearing the word muskrat so i pulled everything this morning. Finished the spring with 105.

[DUKE-1]

Originally Posted by The Spruce

2nd one this season. Might have to start saving them and get a unique Muskrat hat made. Thought I would share.

love that black one cool indeed

[DUKE-1]

Originally Posted by Saskabush

Way to go DUKE! I know what you mean about sore thumbs ...may have bit off more than i can chew this week. Have hauled 72 home since Friday. I'm in the same boat as Nube now, wife is sick of hearing the word muskrat so i pulled everything this morning. Finished the spring with 105.

wow dude way to go. now its stretcher making time. i'm 10 rats from my goal of 50.. got another 14 today.. had another good laugh with something in the truck that needed the .177 Stoeger treatment. Please tell me i'm not the only one who has tossed a live one into the truck

[DUKE-1]

Another question .. do you guys sew those rats with bites?? had a few so far, not alot.

[HunterDave]

Originally Posted by DUKE-1

Another question .. do you guys sew those rats with bites?? had a few so far, not alot.

How far south are you? I haven't seen any scarred rats yet.

[Secret coulee]

My two best rats this spring after drying on the stretcher are 20" how gooda rats are these or I should say how big is other guyses top end cause I no 17"+ is an XXXL rat at the auction house for nafa,just curious is all just how big they can get.this was an Awsome thread to follow this spring good job and rat hunting guys I pulled out of er today to many bit marks for me.cheers

[HunterDave]

Where are you guys that are getting bite marks? I got another bunch today with no marks whatsoever. I couldn't get trapping around here for a week after guys south of Calgary so I'm wondering how much time I have.

[Secret coulee]

I am doing my rating just south of brooks and the last couple days every body is chewed up no wounds festering yet just all fresh bites and multimal on a bunch of rats I'm kinda happy now as bad as it sounds I'm ratted out but in a couple weeks lol I'll wanna giver again but gotta wait till fall

[KWO]

I am trapping just north of Calgary. Very few bites so far.

[HunterDave]

Thanks. I'm not going to change anything up but it's good to know what I'm looking at.

[H380]

Originally Posted by DUKE-1

wow dude way to go. now its stretcher making time. i'm 10 rats from my goal of 50.. got another 14 today.. had another good laugh with something in the truck that needed the .177 Stoeger treatment. Please tell me i'm not the only one who has tossed a live one into the truck

Got you beat buddy. Never had a live rat in the truck , but got out at a hardware store and saw a freshly killed coyote sitting up in the back of the truck . That got a little interesting .

[PCP_ECOM]

Well one more check on Thursday then i'm done,6 more to hit the 200 mark and 100 for the spring,love this thread,been awesome first season for me,Peter

[DUKE-1]

Originally Posted by HunterDave

How far south are you? I haven't seen any scarred rats yet.

alittle East of you.. Saskatoon sk ice is still 75% on ponds and 95% on lakes

[DUKE-1]

Originally Posted by H380

Got you beat buddy. Never had a live rat in the truck , but got out at a hardware store and saw a freshly killed coyote sitting up in the back of the truck . That got a little interesting .

Oh Shyte is all i have to say