|
Post by northof50 on Jan 11, 2019 20:22:11 GMT -6
Good read and discussion. Look at it another way. look at the amount going into the auction...ya the price are down but...12 years ago there was 75,000 mink in the first auction this year what 11,000 wild. What does that do to the population....the more you take out the better the next years reproduction will be... young not being killed etc. When you take out muskrats the new generation does expand with out those male bitting everything up.
The beaver mean everything on a steams health, from holding back water so drought times there is a reservoir for everywhere everyone to go to. That well stick dam is being maintained but there had to be a beaver around, Steve had you not had some 2-3 inch rains that would have washed out a dam here.
|
|
|
Post by braveheart on Jan 13, 2019 5:30:01 GMT -6
You have some nice looking Creeks!! Nice hard bottoms to them. Ours are all mud. The weather will not cooperate here just about dry out get snow or rain but more than likely both rain and snow.
|
|
|
Post by trappnman on Jan 15, 2019 9:00:16 GMT -6
ironically, 2 days after I pulled, a big rain, and dam blown out.
Dam was stagnant, and not being maintained. I've heard since, the beaver are about a mile downstram on the river. Good place for them lol
Yes, we do have some good streams. 100% they ae spring fed limestone creeks, and all good trout streams. The rock is both a blessing and a curse for sure.
|
|
|
Post by mustelameister on Jan 16, 2019 17:25:46 GMT -6
It's been water fluctuations down here at the tail end of the Lower Wisconsin River that's really done a number to the 'rats. Had high water half the summer and most the fall. Pockets of 'rats this season. And a few scattered huts inbetween.
Running more bottom edge than ever this winter and doing a lot of experimenting. Always experimenting. And I'm liking the results.
|
|
|
Post by trappnman on Jan 18, 2019 10:58:12 GMT -6
if I had the rats, I might go way heavy with BE sets via colonys. Do far better with them than BG BE sets. My limited use shows me the value-
sold my last fur. got $3 average, nosecount on the rats- all decent size, no damage and all nice prime plets
sold those 3 coon for $32. all were XXXl+, 2 very nice color, 1 D color and all good fur, no rubs, good bellies
rats put up, coon green but dry and brushed
|
|
|
Post by redsnow on Jan 23, 2019 18:38:09 GMT -6
Above we were talking about rat populations, I'll tell you a couple things that I think make a difference. We have a lot of predatory birds. Hawks, owls and eagles.
Very seldom do you see a muskrat in the daytime, if it is, it's almost always swimming. I'm sure a hawk or eagle would nail one, if it'd be sitting up on the bank or on a log. But if you think about an owl, they are there hunting when the rats are up on the bank digging roots and stuff.
My opinion, an owl is one of the most efficient predators there is, as far as small game. It'd be nip and tuck between a big owl and a bobcat, as to who is best.
I like to varmint call when I get a chance, I've called in a bunch of owls. You won't know that it's there till you hear it land in a tree overhead, maybe see it in the skyline, sometimes. I've called in hawks and eagles too. But you think about an owl, sitting on a tree limb, up 20 feet above where a rat is digging, it would be dead meat in a flash.
I've had mink mess with trapped rats, ruin the hide and eat a meal, and almost always catch a mink in the same trap in a night or 2.
I think there is a fairly good mink population in the area that I scouted the other day, not a lot of sign, but the water had just dropped.
If I'd have time, I'd love to set the place up for 2 or 3 weeks. I don't have the time, and there's no way that I'd even come close to breaking even. We've got snow in the mountains, and here in the valley the temperature got in the 50's today. It would be a real chore keeping foot traps working.
|
|
|
Post by lumberjack on Jan 28, 2019 8:47:46 GMT -6
I always thought birds of prey have night vision, so I don't see what it matters when a rat is out, whether it be day or night? Unless I am missing something?
|
|
|
Post by trappnman on Jan 28, 2019 11:39:08 GMT -6
Had a few lines in past where owls would take a rat or two every day. Very frustrating. I don't think hawks and eagles have night vison.....at the very least I know they roost at night and don't hunt. Owls on the other hand you bet
|
|
|
Post by redsnow on Jan 28, 2019 19:47:37 GMT -6
I agree that hawks and eagles don't hunt after dark. I figure their eyesight at night would be about the same as a wild turkey or so?
I've been out coon hunting, and some dogs will get gamey, and boo-hoo around turkeys on roost. They'll let you walk right under them, they they'll fly off. So they can see stuff moving around.
Just like people, it's gotta be almost pitch black before you need a flashlight just walking a road. But that's a good way to have a twig poke you in the eye too.
I've got a trail camera on that property that I scouted the other day, the camera is watching a deer salt lick. I forget, it's been a year or so ago, I got a picture of 2 screech owls. One owl was standing on the salt block, and the other one was in flight, maybe 10 feet behind. The camera is up at the base of the low ridges, about 500 yards from the river.
A screech owl only stands 6 or 7 inches tall, but I'll bet they'd nail a muskrat sitting up on the bank.
I checked that camera and scouted the river again yesterday. I dropped off a fox carcass at the camera, more than likely I'll have hawk, eagle and buzzard pictures next check.
I had 3 or 4 rat turds on the same log as last time, fresh castor mound on the point, same as last time. No mink or otter sign. I think the beaver is staying in the old bank den downstream. My guess is just 1 beaver.
I've put the word out, I can't find any beaver.
|
|