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Post by trappnman on Jun 27, 2011 10:54:05 GMT -6
weren't legal growing up, so never have used them, but have bene legal here now for several years.
anyhoo- bought 2 sat at WI dist 5- basic square type, figured I'd try a couple, if i liked them, i'd make more.
my thought its a few good rat creeks, freeze more than they are open, and I's use the colonys as BE type sets (clay type banks)
so am 100% a nooby at colonys- so any tips to either do or avoid would be greatly appreciated.
thanks!
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Post by coonboy on Jun 27, 2011 20:35:29 GMT -6
My best tip, set them. I was surprised at some of the dumb looking set that catch rats. BE , middle of little creeks, one of the best those grass covered fence across the creek, just throw the traps under. I started to wire them off to keep beaver from pile driving them. I use alot of 12x8 traps. if the creek or spot is wider set two trap side by side to block the creek down. Good luck!
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Post by TurTLe on Jun 27, 2011 21:16:13 GMT -6
A really good set with them is BE at the four corners of a box culvert. You'll be suprised how many days you'll have rats in all four traps. Sometimes even a bonus mink.
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Post by northof50 on Jun 27, 2011 23:00:54 GMT -6
My problem under the ice is otter moving them when a rat is inside.
Problem solver 330 on the edges.
Lots of willow sticks to mark corners for the chainsaw cutting for inspections.
Having the hindges off the top say 2 inches; also lets the traps freeze in and still them keep working. Once ice up occurs a lot more rats just surface bobunder the ice in their swimming, vs hugging the bottom.
Are you allowed blocking in Minn.?
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Post by halfton on Jun 28, 2011 6:58:23 GMT -6
Put them along the edges where you would put any B.E. conni set     When I know the water is getting up because of rain or snowmelt I will stake it down good and leave it. Have picked up some extra fur by leaving it. Got a couple of shallow feeder streams here that I will put a couple in the center of them along with staking them down when the water is going to get up. Will pick up a couple as they get out of the fast moving water into the slower flowing tributaries Russ |
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Post by trappnman on Jun 28, 2011 8:23:53 GMT -6
so how are you staking them?
I'm going to be in water with current- was thinking 2 rebar offset in middle?
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Post by Jason on Jun 28, 2011 11:33:56 GMT -6
Check and make sure the doors will still open AFTER you've placed the trap. Sometimes the doors will get stuck in the closed position after getting them settled into place.
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Post by kelly on Jun 28, 2011 12:48:12 GMT -6
so how are you staking them? I'm going to be in water with current- was thinking 2 rebar offset in middle? Just a simple T-bar through the middle along one side will do the trick, Steve. |
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Post by halfton on Jun 28, 2011 20:52:33 GMT -6
Like Kelly says one t-bar on the side is usually good enough for me on the small feeder streams.
If you are going to have current like you say Steve I would double stake them.
Single stake might work but I just feel more comfortable with two.
Russ
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willow
Tenderfoot...
Trapped all my adult life,
Posts: 7
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Post by willow on Jun 29, 2011 6:54:03 GMT -6
culverts with water flowing through them are a great place to catch rats, and the odd mink, best to put the trap at the out flow end, you don't want the trap to move under the road which your catch plugging up the culvert, the roads department frown on this.
....willow ...
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Post by mustelameister on Jun 29, 2011 7:41:43 GMT -6
culverts with water flowing through them are a great place to catch rats, and the odd mink, best to put the trap at the out flow end, you don't want the trap to move under the road which your catch plugging up the culvert, the roads department frown on this. good tip |
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Post by thebeav2 on Jun 29, 2011 12:12:40 GMT -6
Yep a good tip and I'll have my traps at the upstream side staked so I won't have that problem Oh but wait a minute we can't set In a culvert here In WI we have to be 3 feet away. Another dumb ass restriction.
Staking colony traps take some 1/4" cold roll . If your trap Is 6x6 you will need a piece about 27" long bend one leg of the cold roll 10" long then make the next bend at 6" then another bend at 10" now you have a u shaped devise, now place this at the middle of the colony trap and use 3 hog rings to fasten It to the top of the trap.
Now you have two legs that you can swing down and shove into the bottom to stabilize your trap when not In use or you don't feel you have to stabilize the trap just fold the stabilizer up so the legs aren't hanging down.
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Post by northof50 on Jun 29, 2011 19:41:26 GMT -6
Beav do you have the rule of no guiding into the traps/? Couple of old fridge grates put at the start of the ice up, marks where my traps are in the ice and come spring... well it's dead meat time..oh wait Minn has no spring season..too much micro managing from so few winners er whinners I should say.
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Post by thebeav2 on Jun 30, 2011 6:19:27 GMT -6
Can't guide either But you can place as many traps as you need side by side to get the job done.
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Post by KristenD on Jul 14, 2011 16:04:30 GMT -6
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Post by mustelameister on Jul 14, 2011 16:41:39 GMT -6
I'm wondering if Kristen could put on a workshop for us . . .
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Post by KristenD on Jul 14, 2011 21:32:50 GMT -6
A workshop? I'm still learning myself! : )
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Post by trappnman on Jul 15, 2011 7:21:08 GMT -6
bank dens would be nice indeed- I think i've found about 5 over the years. seems in some aeas they are everywhere, in others not so much.
so for me, they are going to have to be edge sets.
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Post by TrapperRon on Jul 18, 2011 9:38:19 GMT -6
Our registered traplines we have now do not have many rats or beaver. In the past colony traps or as we call them submarine traps were a go to trap for muskrats. My preference was the 12 inch round trap with a funnel at each end. Culverts, runways, beaver channels and narrowed down creeks were ideal locations. We also had some super large ones in which we have caught beaver and otter.
In the past where I was under ice snaring beaver I would hang a funnel colony trap with the funnels painted black under the ice. The black funnel looks like a hole and rats swim into it. I only paint the inside (entrance side ) of the funnels flat black. Inside the trap the funnel is shiny so they can not see the way out.
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Post by trappnman on Jul 18, 2011 9:50:39 GMT -6
In the past where I was under ice snaring beaver I would hang a funnel colony trap with the funnels painted black under the ice. The black funnel looks like a hole and rats swim into it. I only paint the inside (entrance side ) of the funnels flat black. Inside the trap the funnel is shiny so they can not see the way out.
now thats a neat idea-
did you have good success rates- ie a rat or two most checks?
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