I recently got permission to trap a pond that has some muskrats in it. I have never done any water trapping but I got a half dozen 110s and a couple No 1 and 1 1/2 long and coil spring traps. I also made a couple colony traps from videos I saw on you tube. I was gonna try to get a few sets in for the last week and see what happens. The pond has been frozen for a while so I haven't been able to see under to look for runs or bank dens. They have a hut made on one bank and there is one part of the pond that is not frozen and has a couple trees laying over where it looks like they have been feeding on. Anyone have any advice on what would be the best sets to put out? Most of what I have seen and read has said to use carrots or apple for bait. Is there anything else that would work? Trying to get sets out quick and throw everything I can think of at them since the season is almost over.
If you have trees laid over and there chewing on them you have Beavers, as well as Muskrats from what you described Post pictures
Ice is good way to see trails look for bubbles all in a row they will lead to bank dens , break ice set 110 there, I know there's snow on but should sweep back enough to see,. I caught 54 one year in pond...
I took it as they were getting out on the tree to feed. Or are you saying they are eating the bark on the tree?
Correct they are climbing on the trees and feeding there. I tried looking for bubbles but the ice was too cloudy to see through. I ended up cutting a couple holes around their hut and setting some 110s there with bait under the ice this past weekend. No luck yet but hopefully the ice will melt a little bit and make it a little easier to see something. I did break a couple holes around the trees they are feeding on to see if that would let them get back to them.
Caught my first muskrat yesterday in a colony trap. Same as you said, I couldn't see through the ice after the rain (top 1/2" was just slush), but found a spot that looked like some bubbles. I couldn't believe it worked. Had my 3 year old son with me and he was pumped. I can't wait to get out there today to check again. I can definitely see how this becomes addictive
Here's one more tip when things are frozen over for a long time walk banks of ponds slowly and look for vent holes where they den up most times it'll be very small but if there's a heavy frost it'll be melted around it, straight in front should be a hole under water.
1 more muskrat yesterday. Ice finally thawed around the edges and I was able to find 2 really good looking runs, so I'm anxious to get back out. Amazing how much better skinning the second one went. My 6 year old daughter was quick to point out that I wasn't nearly as good as the people on youtube hah
The ice finally thawed out yesterday where I could get some better sets in and find some bank dens. I ended up catching one while I was setting a trap on an entrance that was about 5 ft from it. Hoping to have a few more today.
Look for toilets, could be big clump of grass or a log that has droppings set a 1½ long spring/coil spring just under the water there
