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Post by conibear on May 23, 2006 19:53:22 GMT -6
Boy with the rat prices the way they are I bet everbodys going to be a rat trapper next fall. LOL
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Post by coyotewhisperer on May 23, 2006 20:02:20 GMT -6
I caught my very first muskrat last year. I didn't have any around when I was a kid had lots of mink though. Now I have a ton of rats and no mink LOL. I'll be after the rats hard next year. Bet you wish you wouldn't have traded those 110's for 650's now huh conibear LOL
Jeff
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Post by conibear on May 23, 2006 20:06:48 GMT -6
Jeff not at all I will put those MB 650 to good use also.
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Post by coyotewhisperer on May 23, 2006 20:30:33 GMT -6
I've got quite afew places where the water is too deep to get into with waders and make a pocket set and forget about dens or runs you cant find them on my murky creeks so I'm building a few of these. bigger size colony trap on scrap wood floated by capped pvc pipe. A hole is in the middle of the colony trap with pvc inserted so the rat will dive down that and be in a larger cage underwater. Bait with some apples and my homeade rat lure and I think Ill be in buisness in those spots that are too deep. Jeff
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Post by coyotewhisperer on May 23, 2006 20:36:17 GMT -6
heres a view from the top Anyone got an opinion on them? Jeff
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Post by JWarren on May 23, 2006 20:43:09 GMT -6
I have two questions on it, will the rats push through the doors on the colony trap with the trap high and dry? Also, would the setup catch rats without the colony trap part on it?
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Post by coyotewhisperer on May 23, 2006 20:49:28 GMT -6
From my investigation into building these yes they will go in the colony trap just fine floating on the water. I don't think you could get the rat to dive down that hole without using the colony trap. And about 8 to 10 rats will fit in the bottom resevoir. I think using them in deep water will avoid coon problems and I won't be surprised if I catch a mink in it also.
Jeff
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Post by mmwb (Andrew Parker) on May 23, 2006 20:51:40 GMT -6
I think it was Darcy A. who also used a similar design. Indicated they worked well.
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Post by coyotewhisperer on May 23, 2006 21:01:40 GMT -6
I read somewhere someone making something similar but they used wire tube down the middle and floated it with styrafoam. PVC pipe was easier to work with and will last forever. I'm building different size ones the one pictured is the smallest. Also to keep things simple there is not a door in the underwater cage. The floats are attached to the under water cage. From the wood up is a seperate piece. The top and bottom pieces are held together by the two tarp straps. So to collect my rats I'll undo the tarp straps lift it up pull the rats out then restrap it and I'm back in buisness.
Jeff
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Post by JWarren on May 23, 2006 21:32:05 GMT -6
I read about someone using chicken wire oversized minnow trap style for rats. They claimed you could lay the thing near a house (not in a runway of any kind) and the rats would check out the holes and get caught. I am just wondering if they would dive in and check out the hole on the platform? I know that every rat in the river would perch on it. I bet if a rat got in the cage he would go to the sides and drown. I guess there is only one way to find out, I'm trying it if nobody else has.
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Post by coyotewhisperer on May 23, 2006 21:37:48 GMT -6
Let me know how it works. Until I get a good report from ya im gonna leave the colony trap on top but you may be right. Either way its one more tool to add to my tool bag.
Jeff
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Post by trappnman on May 24, 2006 6:18:43 GMT -6
there again- anyone you know have 500 rats sititng there untouched because prices were too low this year?
Not hardly.
I don't believe that rat harvest has the potential to increase much.... sure, you can pick up a few more crick rats, but at least here-----the rat marshes are hit EVERY year, irregardless of prices.
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Post by CoonDuke on May 24, 2006 6:24:30 GMT -6
Same here. The old timers eat up every patch of easy water. Everybodys a rat trapper. They trapped rats when they were a buck, and they will trap them when they are 9 bucks.
I think competiton will increase, but total harvest will stay pretty much the same...at least here in PA.
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Post by dj88ryr on May 24, 2006 6:32:53 GMT -6
Not so sure about that Dukie. I know I increased my rat harvest times 2 from the previous year, and I will and have added a lot more rat territory this year. There are pockets here and there, that no one has been trapping, at least up here, so instead of taking vacation to canine trap, I will do it for my water line. IF I am still here. If not I will be up to my ears in rats, beaver and mink anyway, and have the added bonus of Fisher and $60 otter, I will trap them for that.. ;D
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Post by robertw on May 24, 2006 6:41:39 GMT -6
There is the pothole country in North Dakota....lots of rats never been trapped all saying CATCH ME! CATCH ME!
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Post by thebeav2 on May 24, 2006 6:47:26 GMT -6
The only thing that will Increase will be THEFT. All of us that trapped during the late 70s and early 80s witnessed lots of It.
Those colony traps work just great If set like they were intended to be set. Under water and In a run. I'm not sure how they will work above water. I just don't see the a rat working that hard to push open the doors to get the bait. I'm sure a few rats can be caught but how efficient will It be? There are tons of sets that will take lots of rats with very little effort on the trappers end. It's kind of like using floats.In some situations they work great In other situations you will be checking lots of empty traps. But Like the old saying goes,Nothing Ventured Nothing Gained
But I will have to say those are some well built set ups and I wish you all the luck In the world. Here In WI they would be Illegal since we can only set traps that will take one animal at a time. No repeating type traps.
Gary
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Post by trappnman on May 24, 2006 6:50:48 GMT -6
Yeah, those pothole rats are easy. Froze solid by Oct 15, scattered around the countryside.
On the rat marshes in the north, if you get a good week, 10 days...you are lucky.
The money trappers trap a variety of animals- the old don't put your eggs all in one basket.
I trap 250 rats a year, and if I could have taken 300, I would have.....
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Post by thebeav2 on May 24, 2006 11:43:02 GMT -6
On a GOOD rat marsh a week Is all you need to take 300 rats. And with good trap check management you can be In at least 2 other marshes In that week. So If your In GOOD marshes 800 + rats would not be out of the question. NAFA personnel told me ND rats are of very poor quality.
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Post by trappnman on May 24, 2006 11:48:18 GMT -6
You are correct beav- we used to take 750-1000 off a good marsh and thats with competition.
but - a good rat marsh all to yourself- and 2 more waiting there all ready for you.
Doesn't happen around here.
And most GOOD rat marshes around here, are Fed land and therefore you only have a few traps to work with.
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Post by ColdSteel on May 24, 2006 12:58:31 GMT -6
For some of these folks to think the rat market will not increase much thats a bunch of bull.Otter increased about 10,000 so whats your prediction on rats?Heck I can skin and put up 2 rats that will just about equal my catch of one beaver with a hell of alot less work which one would you go after
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