Time to talk rats.....

[trappnman]

We all have probably trapped rats and many of us still do- but we don't talk much about it.

I started trapping on rats and have trapped them in the big marshes, small ponds, rivers and streams.

I trap them exclusviely on small streams- and take 230-300 a year. I've been trapping most of these creeks for years and take em in the same locations each year. Someone once said "Trapping rats makes you feel like a trapper.." and I agree.

So- lets get some opinions-

Do you use bait?

Do you use lure?

If so, how effective do you rate them?

Whats your favorite lure/bait?

Ever use specialty sets- floats, etc?

Where do you primarily trap rats?

What's your favorite rat trap?

Do you use snow, newspaper, other- to predry rats?

come on. give us your secret set.....


If I left anything out- feel free to discuss it.

[bblwi]

Rats
My average take of rats over the 24 years of trapping is about 110 with 5 years from 1994-2000 where I got 154,270,244,192 and 152. The rest as you can see are far lower with my last 5 year average about 60. Rat populations are low, price is low and so catch is down considerably. I love rat trapping and will do more when time permits as rats take time.

1. Baits, never have
2. Yes for 15 years, no for 7 and yes again in specific areas. I find lure does not increase my catch, lure seems to decrease the # of days to catch my take and then move to the next stream section.
I would rate lure as marginally affective and also helps guide the rat across my trap and more front foot catches, which I want and less misses.
I use sweet lures and the coons hit the sets hard too.
Favorite lure, I have been using Craven's Bread and Butter for about 10 years. I also liked Leo Heoft's rat lure. I mix the lures now with fish oil to extend

Specialty sets
Floats-for five years many, quit as success ratios were low. I am building about 2 dozen now again for my #2 square jaw coils with chicken wire over the top and on styrofoam base. These will be in my long setup areas under bridges and culverts. Keep the ducks off the floats with the chicken wire

I trap 1 big marsh about 60-100 rats, 6 small private ponds, 2 sloughs with slow ditches and I have access to about 5 miles or wadable rivers and streams that I will setup again
For rats specific sets in marshes, streams I have several dozen round pan 1 victor stoploss. I love them. (great on coons) If I had none I would buy that many dozen of the new Duke that Bogmaster designed.
2 sqare jaw coils on floats,
2 dozen 1.5 single long B&L in good drowning areas on houses, big feed beds. (nice kill area) horrible on coons.
110s I have just about quit using. If I do late season conis for rats, I use my coon 160s that are not being used
Snow, newspaper, but mostly my 2 horsepower Sears Wet and Dry Vac, use on coons too. Go against the fur grain and you can take most of the water out of the pelt in about 15 seconds.

I have no secrets. My past rat line was to go into a section of stream or marsh set heavy and in 3-5 days move. I am starting to pick my spots more, set heavy for rats, coon and mink in spots and leave them longer. Not many more rats but more mink and a few more straggler coons.
I have also noticed that when later season 160 conibearing spots the following. I would setup bu narrow points with say 2 traps in a cluster area. In aobut 3-4 days I take 2-4 rats. If I move about 150-200 yards up or down the stream I get to new rats.
I do not know their territory and or ranges but that is just something that I noticed.

Bryce

[trappnman]

something of interest is how many rats migrate throughout the winter. I set up certain sections of creek- and leave all the marginal (and non permisson areas) as my seed spots. So in a typical stream situation- you get that first rush of rats- for the first 3 maybe 4 checks- then you get a lot of empty traps. I am now mink trapping- and you would be surprised at how the rat catch then become stable- where I am slowly continuing to pick up those rats on that trapped out stretch. As it freezes and conditions change- the rats in the marginal areas are moving back into the better habitat areas. I have many creeks where I continue all winter long to take a rat or 2 each check.

I trap all private property on small streams- and there always seems to be plenty of seed, cause each fall, the populations are just about the same on every creek- a mediocre location was still mediocre and a good location was still good.

Habitat to me is still the key for rats- good habitat- high banks, grassy overhangs, deep water... and these streams are remarkibly stable throughout the years.

One kinda secret on stream rats -or any rats really but easier to predict in streams- is that rats are terrible swimmers- and tey are at the mercy of the current in many stretches. Muckrats are like a chunk of cork with a tail...they steer but aren't powerful swimmers....anyway...after just about every fast water stretch and a small creek, you have a calm section-...near or at where the current would push anything floating- and where that rats stops to rest- is an ideal location.

[Wright Brothers]

Made this 110 holder from scrap I had here. With some more tinkering I found a way to place a trap at bottom and top. The breast of pond in pic has vertical wall of wire caged stone. I can wire holder to the wire cage. Didn't get to that end of pond this year, this pond gets wind from N NW and freezes quick, and I pulled at freeze up.
seldom use bait, never lure.
Mainly trap streams, but gaining more ponds.
110s, and longs are my fav.
A rack high in shed gets the rats to dry with wood stove.
My best season was 1977 partner and I took 81.

[vttrapper]

My rat take vary's a great deal, really depends how the weather is on my 1 week runs. I have broken 135 and have caught as few as 30 in a season.

I use the lath system with 110s similar to the Wrights, also use old 1 and 1.5 stoploss longsprings. Last on the list are assorted 1.5 , 1.75 and #2 coils which are not dirt worthy. the coils all have drowners on them and are used for rats as well as coon and mink. I set every "otter type" run with 220s which in turn take more rats than otter.

Gang settng with all bodygrips. usually set a minimum of 3 traps and have set as many as 8 when the run demanded it. Best take is 6 on 1 run.

I trap creeks, rivers, ponds, marshes and swamps.

A few years back I found i could hurt a rat population as I took 28 rats out of a small pond. Since tha season I take only 4 or 5. No new houses are built so I have been limiting myself at many locations and it seems to be helping withthe take and size of the average rat i take.

No lure or bait. Just runs and feed beds.

frank

[trappnman]

Yes- ponds can be trapped out- Esp if they are isolated from good populations.

Had a pond close to home- owenr wanted the rats gone- 25 houses at least- just like old time marsh trapping in a way...so I hit it hard..then a dry summer- never sawmore than a rat or 2 there again...Owner was happy...but i liked that little pond...

[foxtail]

I use bait much of the time. Often, I am looking for coon when I find sign that there are rats there also. If the area is best not left to special sets for them, I will get the rats in the coon sets. If I can, I will make sets specifically for rats. There are a few creeks that I trap that are good only for a few rats, these get set with pockets just like I make for coon.
I still assume that I might get a coon and stake for them, but I don’t get coon there. I put fish in the hole along with fish oil.

I use lure when the rats can smell it. Naturally it is not used with submerged sets.

I find that bait and lure are quite effective on rats when used in the proper situations.

My favorite bait and lure for them is plain fish and fish oil. I sometimes use commercial rat lure, but not really often.

I have tried floats in the past, but I don’t want ducks and now I have a crooked CO looking to nail me for anything he can. I think he would charge me for them as if I was trapping them on purpose.
I do use colony traps as often as I can. I love colony traps.

Most of the time I trap the rats on small streams and drainage ditches. A few come from the rivers, but very few.

Most of the rats that I get on purpose are caught in stoploss traps or colony traps. I get quite a few in 1.5 coils though.

As far as predrying rats, I had a rack on my truck when I had it to allow the critters to blow in the wind and let the water run off. Here is what it looked like-
www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid161/p52e640f2f0a7fa633c1aa651498fcb5a/f4c756e4.jpg[/img]

I also like to hang everything up by a leg when I get home so it can dry in the wind. www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid142/p4c5e3a47c035ab27e36bb9f7726f45bd/f6b5b729.jpg[/img]
I hang the coon,beav, etc by the front leg. The rats get hung by the tail as they slip out of the loop when you use the front foot. Sometimes I use their back foot. Mink are hung around the neck. Sometimes I hang them in the shed with a fan on them. www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid142/p6f4e1730b46b08f2f1c644a57601b0ab/f6b5c441.jpg[/img]

I also use a visegrip welded to a plate mounted on a table to skin most critters. The rats get their tails put in the visegrips and I run the knife up one leg onto the tail and repeat on the other. It makes for a nice straight cut. It also makes for a third hand. I don’t have pics of that though. Maybe I will take one tomorrow if I don’t forget.

[RiverRat]

When I target rats which is rare anymore. I mainly use 110s but also use foottraps anywhere I can get him to step , feedbeds trails goin up on land. I like to take those baby carrots an shove em in the mud along thier travel way real good producer for me with corn I get too many non targets like waterfowl an such. I dont have a favorite foothold anything I can get them to step into works. I use alot of 1 jumps an longs I use alot of 1.5 an 2 longs, 1.5 cs 2 cs. It will either kill him intantly or I will set up a tangle wire. I do some summer ADC on rats in large privatly owned lakes the water is too deep to get to the runs so I run alot of floats , here I do perfer the old sq jawed victor 2 cs it gets em good an high no escapes. Once in awhile on the coon line I will blind set for rats , kinda breaks up the norm of coon'n. I have a dry room in my shop similar to foxtails but I like to skin all wet critter first. I heat it an run plenty of fans. Dont have to worry bout dogs or people or the rain for that matter doin it that way. I also lay all wet critters on a wood pallet to let them dry somewhat afore I get home. RR

[mattduncan]

my rats in the fall come from mostly drainage ditches which we have plenty of i take from 250 -500 a year depending on time pouplations and amount of compatiton being as these drainage ditches will dry up on a dry year i find this makes a big diffrence in pops from year to year wet year more rats dry year less rats ,i use 90 % colony traps by far the fastest most effective way of taking rats in my situation in the pring i trap around 100 more depending on the amount of time and also when our breakup and floodouts occour 90 % floats this time of year triangle design made from chunks of ceader rail or 2x4 or4x4 which i get from a local wood shop they come as crossers between lifts of lumber across the bottom i used to use wood but now a going to all wire mesh because it makes them lighter and the traps sit just under the right amount of water this is all river trappin i/ve tried a boat for this but it seems you need 2 people th run this way and man is it cold when you dump it when you hit that fence just uder the water that you dident see so now i pretty much just bridge hop and set my floats under them as far as duck problems only ever caught one in 20 years of runnin this setup i've got a mesh rack to keep them up of the bed of the truck and when i get home i have s hooks made from #9 wire which i poke through the hind leg to hang them up . as far as bait and lure on my floats i use apple or parssnip or carrot chunks i have a homemade lure which is deadly on rats and also coon so i try to stay away from it in the spring as i don't want the coon

[foxtail]

Here is the set up for the skinning.

I also have a sharpener next to the work area.

The rat has their tails put through the jaws and everything else has a back foot put in.

[trappnman]

for drying- if you have snow- a brisk rolling around of the rat/mink dries it off almost completely.

I then wrap a section of newspaper around it- and by the time I get home- the rat/mink is pretty much completely dry.

if no snow- a good shaking and then the paper wrap...

[gcs]

It's a little different here, I only have tiny remnants of salt water tidal marshes, and cricks I can access, the stable fresh ponds are too developed, with little to no access. When I say tiny, 12 sets are about it.

Water depth can be 0 to maybe 36" depending on tide, I set and check at or about low tide.I pick the weeks that the tide is low early in the morning, otherwise the seagulls get them first! Only use 110's with a piece of lath wedged between the spring for a stake.
You'd think floats would be good on these fluctuating depths, but have had no luck with them, I set den holes and runs, the runs produce best, seems I can only get 1 rat per 2-3 holes,
There are no houses here.

I've had no luck baiting with apple, parsnips or potato, yet the rats dig and eat white roots, also have had no results using lure.
The rat population in these areas are thin, I'll usually get 4-6 rats per spot and all sign dissapears and I pull out. I can get the same amount every year from each spot.
This ain't high volumn rat trapping!,lol

I hang the rats by a hind leg after toweling them off and set a fan in front of them to dry before I skin.
I usually wait till Dec. to start, I'll target coons first, but sometimes heavy ice keeps me from hitting all spots.

I've put them up on wire, and homemade boards, On most of my wire stretchers, the hooks are gone or shot, I found that if you slide a piece of cardboard inside the pelt, you can pin them like they were wood forms. Sorta like wire coon stretchers with a wood skirt, you don't get that scalloped look like regular wire, and the sides won't ride up.
That's it, just wish there were more places to play.

[Vanmeer]

Don't have big rat populations but managed to get 120 this past fall. My best year trapping without a partner. Use mostly stoploss and a few conibears. Started using colony traps the past two seasons and man are they slick. Caught 3 mink in them this year. Only have 5 of them but will have many more this coming season. They are never out of working order and are pretty much maintanance free. Use lures once in a while, which consist of commercial lures, a good mint smelling white toothpaste, apple shampoo,etc. Use an apple slice once in a while, but mostly use fish hoping for mink and rats still come in and get caught. I use float sets under bridges which I put right against the wall. Use a long float with 2 traps, use 4by 4's or cedar poles and put a bottom of scrap lumber on. Usually put a small chunk of sod on each end to bed trap in and the mink seem to love them too. Wrap my rats in newspaper and finish off in front of fan. I use the vicegrip on a board but use a spring clamp instead I found at local pamida store. I trap small beaver ponds and a stretch of river that runs through 3 lakes, which I use a canoe for. Had a guy tell me there were no rats as he was standing on shore making sets, nope wasn't any rats....on his side of river but man did I find houses on little islands and on the other side of river which was inacccesible without canoe or boat. Would have never known without a conoe there were any rats around by sign on the shore he was standing on. I think I took 70 some from that stretch. ;D

[trappnman]

so are you usuing colony traps in runs- or just in likely locations on the bottmm? rk was telling me he had luck putting them right in the middle of a narrow stream and I can see that- I've mentioned before that a favorite set of my dads was in shallower water- make a open ended, roofless rock tunnel about 3-4 feet long and a1.5 ls in the center with te chain going out the downstream side for ease in drwoning. Was a decent set.

Never trapped tidal marshes- but did trap the Winona pools for many years- and there the water levels were drawn down and let go up on a regular basis. Seemed odd setting traps on land 12 inches out of the water- but at night knew they would be covered....

[mattduncan]

i set colony traps in the runs such as where the weeds narrow down but ussally i can see a defined trench in the bottom where they are swimmin even if it's just a shiny spot on the bottom thats were to set also on cement box culverts right against the wall in my area if you run around 100 colonys the first two days are busy skinning days as this is when the bulk is taken and i ussally pull and mve in 5 days with so staying longer if i'm driving by most of my trappin is road trappin so i dont woory about cleaning them out as the migrate and fill in the sspots again as for footholds i find drainage tiles to be hot spots for them also set under willow clumps and rootwads with a stick dipped in lure

[Vanmeer]

Use colony traps in rat runs in marsh, also tried them below a culvert and below a beaver dam where there were small creeks, both caught a mink. third mink came from culvert about two feet out creek took a ninety degree turn, was about three feet deep. Dropped trap right on bottom fenced it in with sticks and bingo had a female mink on my next check.

[sbhooper]

I did not intend to trap rats, but started trapping them this spring out of necessity. The little beggars were plugging an overflow in a dike. I built a float with scrap lumber and armed it with two Duke 1 1/2s. In between the traps I drove four finishing nails on which I put four small carrots. I also put a cotton ball with some anise on the side of top of the float that is out of the water. The carrots are just barely under the surface of the water. The poplulation in this area is not high even though the habitat is good. There are LOTS of hawks and owls that I believe keep them hammered out fairly well. I have caught 7 rats on this little float and it seems to work real well. No ducks or other incidentals and the overflow has not been plugged now for three days.
I just put out a pole with two 110's on it. I painted small pieces of pvc carrot-color and put them on the triggers. The pvc is set right at water level. Just above the water level I again used my coton ball with anise. Any opinions on this set?

[NittanyLion]

Do you use bait? No, I do not target rats, I catch about an average of 160-175 each year in my mink sets. I run a line that has slightly more than 50 locations for mink. I catch a couple or more at each location. I do occasionaly bait pockets with muskrat or mink, the rats get in those sets. This past season I caught 151 muskrats, of which only a hand full were caught in sets made for rats. I am not sure if I am a mink trapper that catches a lot of rats, or a rat trapper that catches mink

Do you use lure? NO

If so, how effective do you rate them? N/A

Whats your favorite lure/bait? N/A

Ever use specialty sets- floats, etc? Most of my sets are bridge abutment, pocket, or blind sets for mink.

Where do you primarily trap rats? Most of my locations are fairly large creeks flowing through farmland.

What's your favorite rat trap? If I were to target rats with only one choice my trap would be a bodygripper


Do you use snow, newspaper, other- to predry rats?Yes, most the time there is no snow available, when there is I roll the rat or mink in the snow and roll it in newspaper. If no snow is on the ground, I roll the critter in a newspaper, as said before, it is usually dry until I get home. On rainy days, I tote my catch in a rubbermaid tub with a lid on.


come on. give us your secret set.....A well made blind set for mink lol. Put a lot of sets in the water.

In my area I used to bust my buns to try to catch 100 plus rats when I targeted them, I do not see the large concentrations of rats that I saw 20-25 years ago, I pick up a few here and there. The farm ponds that used to produce 10-25 rats 20 years ago produce very few, in fact, I don't even set them up. I think the ponds in my area are infested with snapping turtles, and they are hard on the rat population.