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Post by musher on Jul 1, 2006 17:22:20 GMT -6
With the price of rats I would like to target the ones that are around the beaver huts on the line.
There are no 'rat marshes here but every beaver colony has a few. A guy could pick up 4-5 per hut. That makes them worth more than the beaver!
What sets would you use (fall season) to get the rats without interfering with the beaver?
The usual trapping pattern is set 2 traps for beaver at a location, not in the hut entrances (no young beaver, please), and remove the traps when 2 beaver are caught.
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Post by dj88ryr on Jul 1, 2006 17:37:27 GMT -6
Musher,
If you get away from the lodges a little, usually up the runs that the beaver use to haul sticks, you will probably find smaller runs off of those that the rats are using to enter the beaver runs, set them up with 110s or 160s and the beaver will knock them over in most instances if they get in their way. Also feed beds set with #1 LS or 1.5 coils will wok well too. Floating rats islands will work too, if the beaver tries to get on them ( unlikely ) they will just tip them.
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Post by ColdSteel on Jul 1, 2006 17:43:30 GMT -6
I plan on hitting some rats harder this year too while beaver trapping probably along with everybody else.I don't think rat prices will stay over 9 bucks for long (I hope I am wrong )as a matter of fact the last 5 yeras at NAFA my average has been under 3 bucks
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Post by thebeav2 on Jul 1, 2006 18:42:31 GMT -6
I'm assuming that you are trapping open water since you stated FALL season. Are the rats living In the beaver Huts? If so I would think the rats would be feeding and resting and preening on the beaver hut. Some small traps placed In strategic locations On the hut would probably take some rats. But It could be hit or miss without the use of lure. Other then that I would look for feed beds along the shore line.
Colony traps placed In the beaver channels won't catch any beaver but they might take every rat that swims those channels . a little guiding might help. They would have to be stabilized well but It could work for you.
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Post by musher on Jul 2, 2006 5:23:25 GMT -6
Yep, they are usually living in the hut. They leave very little sign.
If I set in the hut entrances I would catch them but I'd be messing with the beaver.
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Post by thebeav2 on Jul 2, 2006 7:46:32 GMT -6
I never tried it but I still think a colony trap placed In the bottom of the beaver channel several feet from the hut wouldn't disturb the beaver but would catch the rats . The beaver would just swim over the trap like it was some stick or something In the channel. Not sure but It might just work. Some small wire mesh wings attached to each end might help direct those rats Into the trap In the wider beaver runs. Couldn't hurt to try one. Nothing ventured nothing gained.
Or how about some baited floats around the hut? The beaver probably won't mess with them but the rats might.
Gary
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Post by musher on Jul 2, 2006 9:00:32 GMT -6
The colony trap might work. I only have one so maybe I'll concoct a few out of chicken wire.
I was thinking of float sets but I've never had much success with them in the fall. A bait set with a very solidly tied #1 on a slide could work also. The hut might be the ideal location.
Blind otter sets seem to work great ;D. It won't be such a drag when a rat is waiting. Those large BG's do make skinning rats a pain, though. If it isn't a bone sticking you, it's the guts falling out of the rat, or the head pulling off, or the rat pulling in two ....
Since I started using Beav's method of pushing the head through, as opposed to pulling down on the pelt, it isn't as bad BUT give me a rat caught in a suitable trap if you want to stop me from "blessing" the furshed.
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Post by Steve Gappa on Jul 2, 2006 16:33:38 GMT -6
I'd make small unbaited pockets on the hut if legal with #1s. Works quite well on rat houses, why not beaver? (if the beaver didn't plug them)
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