Muskrat toilet trap location

[Mark]

I have searched several archives and cannot find a answer to this question. I have been trapping for 35 years and have never set a muskrat toilet. I have two golf courses this year that want me to rid them of as many rats and beaver as I can. I scouted one course yesterday and saw several toilets. I know many set these and I want to give it a go.

What is your rule of thumb for the trap location?

Lets assume the toilet is a flat rock about 24 inches in diameter. This rock has droppings on one end of it only. Will the rat approach the rock from the same direction each time? I see no tracks or sign at the rock other than the droppings. I figure the rat comes in from the water, but what end do I set? Some of these rocks are in the stream with a decent amount of current and some are in the ponds. Some are also in a stream with very little current. (the beaver damed the stream in this area) I would like to make this set part of my arsenal, but I would like it to be high pecentage. Any help would be appreciated.

Mark

[BismuthBoy]

I've always had problems trying to get a set on a rock being used as a muskrat toilet. Logs are a different story, you can at least bed the trap somewhat by cutting a flat spot, but with rocks there's not much you can do. Instead, put in several bait sets right handy to the rock. Use a piece of apple on a stick, bed a trap right underneath in an inch or so of water, run to a stake in deeper water for a drowning set. If you have coon in the area make sure you're staked well, preferably on a slide wire. I also use lure, Asa Lenon makes an outstanding muskrat lure.

[walkercoonhunter(Aaron L.)]

mark in the stream which has current i would tend to think the rat would approach from the downstream side...as far as them useing the same spot to go on the rock there is some sorta reason they are useing it...ease of getting on i would think...rock lower on that side,shollower water on that side,low spot in the rock mabey,tree branch running up to the rock that they can easily walk up to get on....if i was going to set it up and would want to channel them into a trap i would take a big tree branch and lay on the down stream side tight against the rock slightly under the surface of the water....so this way they would be useing it to get on and off the rock all the time...and you could use your traps on this log with multipal foot holds for multi catches.....same gose with the beaver dam...usually when you see a rat toilet they are on rocks or logs or something thats easy for the rats to get on...and from my observations here in my area they will be somewhat close cover so the birds of prey cant easily see them....

[trappnman]

all good advice- on a toliet such as a flat rock- set a trap on either side. I set where I can mostly- on many sucl locatins- the rats climb up from all sides, given everything else is equal. Use a bigger trap, as usually there is no way as has been said to stabilize them properly.

I most times just make a set or sets close by on a feedbed or unbaited/lured pocket.

[Wright Brothers]

Reminds me of a set I learned from my uncle. He placed a wooden plank at a slight angle into the water beside a poop rock. piled rocks on back end to stabilize and hold it there. Placed trap on plank, under water.
Think I was in second grade at the time. I ran with him every weekend and on Christmas break. That set had the most catches. I ask him why not put two traps there? He did and it would double sometimes, other times it would still work if fluctuation cause one trap deeper and one shallower. When shore ice started this set was still good cause out from shore in a little current. Creek was the size of small trout stream.
I can picture that line like it was yesterday, but can't get there from here.

[furman]

I don’t really target rats (don’t have many) but I can’t pass these sets up just for the fact that this was the first real set that I learned. This is something that has stuck with me for from when I started trapping. Brings back good memories from the past when I make this set.