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Post by bogwalker on Jan 20, 2004 22:42:49 GMT -6
Hey...just opened our state association letter and among other news was a question asking if any of us have noticed a decline in rat numbers.I for one have noticed they have dropped off by my camp and Im sure of a couple of reasons. I was just wondering if anyone else has experienced the same thing.And any ideas as to why?Thanks for any input.
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Post by dj88ryr on Jan 20, 2004 23:00:36 GMT -6
Here in PA, all I have heard and witnessed is a very poor rat population and it is getting worse. Some say pesticides, some say increase in Raptors and Mink, some say environmental ie. weather, most say disease. May be a combination of everything, but they are in serious trouble here.
When I left NH in 2001, the rat population was real good, never saw any flucuation in the 24 years I trapped there.
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Post by foxtail on Jan 20, 2004 23:45:26 GMT -6
I suspect it is a combination of the following factors.
-Draining the marshes
-Tiling all of the land so that all of the water rruns off fast instead of seeping into the waterways.
-Raptors
-Chemicals
-Lack of water in many parts
-Perhaps a few others as well
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Post by trappnman on Jan 21, 2004 9:23:24 GMT -6
Another of lifes mysterys. I do believe it is caused by many things- certainly all of the points mentioned-with the primary reasons being different in different areas.
Here- on the upper Mississippi- and maybe for a long way south on the river- I personally believe it is the major floods that have hit the Mississippi over the past 40 years.
One sad thing about our constant expanding urban spawl is that waterways and waterholding areas are being filled in.
A good example. Apache Mall- the largest mall in this part of the midwest- is built in Rochester on a WETLAND, BOTTOM area of the Zumbro River. Perhaps the major bottom area upstream from the town.
This was done in the late 60s. Developments then went up all around it. In the mid 70's- the Zumbro flooded most of Rochester- killing 7 people.
Coincidence? I can't see how.
Think of how many 100 and even 1000 year floods we have had in past 40 years! The water has no place to go- and the more channellization that occurs- the worst it becomes when we do get heavy rains.
And those flood overwhem the backwaters all along the River- and you see dead muskrats everywhere. Muskrats are very poor swimmers (stamina wise)- so many drown- and the ones that reach "safety"- the roads around the backwaters- are either run over or are easy pickings. This water stays high for weeks and even months.
Habitats destroyed while numbers get destroyed.
This pattern repeats itself in 5-10 year periods.
Add to that the change in the TYPE of vegetation in the marshes and the exploding raptor population along the river.
The rats never get built back.
Meanwhile- the rat populations on the creeks remain pretty darn stable year after year and have been that way since I moved here in the mid 80s.
---------------------------------------------
I should add- prior to 1965- when there were big rat marshes- the competion was intense- long before the fur boom. Every house and feeder in the marsh would have a trap by it. The rat population THRIVED. Rats and mink were big money to the people in this area- most towns had multiple fur buyers long before the boom.
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Post by foxtail on Jan 21, 2004 11:54:23 GMT -6
Thank you.  |
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Post by fishdaddy on Jan 21, 2004 17:39:59 GMT -6
declining here in here in ohio to but the beaver are booming.
fish.
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Post by Mike Tucker on Jan 23, 2004 7:55:18 GMT -6
Steve, Pasted below is a link to a 6 year study done by USGS & USFWS in the Upper Mississippi Refuge on muskrat harvest numbers relative to water depth & vegetation. www.umesc.usgs.gov/reports_publications/psrs/psr_1998_06.htmlThought you might find it of interest as part of this study was from your area. Regards, Mike |
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Post by trappnman on Jan 23, 2004 9:29:19 GMT -6
Very interesting- its always more intersting also when you have trapped and lived in the areas described.
Vegitation related issues seem to be a #1 concern- thats John Erbs best guess also.
Regarding the water levers- if I am reading this right- the levels were only a concern and recorded during trapping season- not in the spring or in early fall-
And during trapping season- the water is fairly stable- fall runoff is not usually an issue- and any water control would be for navigation or draw down..
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Post by woody on Feb 25, 2004 20:27:13 GMT -6
I don't know about your guy's area's. but here in Ohio the rats started to decline when the farming practices changed. the cleaning of stream banks, opened the stream to overhead dangers for the rats, thats about the same time the coyotes showed up. Now don't get me wrong, we have a healthy population of rats here you just have to find them. I can think of three marshes with in 8 miles of the house that has rat huts on it. and one has a hut that is over 8 feet tall.  No one is allowed to trap these marshes so the rats go unchecked. woody |
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Post by briankroberts on Mar 14, 2004 15:49:50 GMT -6
Most of the streams and rivers here in IL have had a 100' buffer of grass added to each side inthe last 10 years to stop erosion and are rats are on the up swing, I'm not sure if this is soley responsible , but it don't seem to be hurting.....B.....
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Post by bblwi on Mar 14, 2004 19:12:09 GMT -6
There have been several threads on many forums discussing this very issue. Lots of ideas, hypothosies etc. Many are probably correct.
Where I live in eastern wi, we had good rat populations during the fur boom with the $8 rats in the round. Harvest did not seem to be the issue. Today our rat population on our streams, rivers and marshes is a fraction of what it was even as late as say 1998-99.
We have the 9 year cycle in grouse, snowshoes etc. What knowledge does any one else have as to cyclic rat populations?
Bryce
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Post by woody on Mar 14, 2004 20:09:38 GMT -6
Bryce, Rats go through a 7 year cycle, if I remember right. ;D woody
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