Dakota Posted November 27, 2009 Report Share Posted November 27, 2009 I checked my trapline again this morning and looky what I caught! Nevermind the date. I wasn't even expecting to get anything and left all my trapping gear and .22 in the vehicle figuring that if I needed it I could always go back. The second trap of the check held this nice 'rat already expired (due to the cold or a possible drowning I'm not sure, the water is fairly deep right there and it was floating on the water) and caught in a perfect hind foot catch. I honestly don't know how I got him instead of a mink or coon because I haven't seen a muskrat lodge for miles around. Thanks for all the help and advice though, everyone! He's wrapped in newspaper and drying right now; after a week of stringin' steel with no success it's nice to have some fur to put up. Dakota Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oneshot Posted November 27, 2009 Report Share Posted November 27, 2009 Good job Dakota, Nice rat!!! He most likely drowned. You may not be seeing any rat lodges because they are living in bank dens. The entrance to the dens will be under the water line. That's the "ice breaker", now let's start catchin some fur buddy. Be careful that belly don't turn green and spoil on ya while your drying out the fur. If ya have a hair dryer set for air only, no heat and ya can dry it out quicker that way...:clap: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dakota Posted November 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 27, 2009 Thanks, Oneshot! I'm just ecstatic right now. Say, do you know any good recipies for 'rat or can the carcases even be used for coon or predator bait? Thanks! Dakota Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sureshot Posted November 27, 2009 Report Share Posted November 27, 2009 I used to use them for bait for coyotes, congrts on the rat, I caught over 150 one year right in our town resevour, was awsome they were averaging about 4 bucks the year before, I had them all cleaned and streched and sent in, when I got the check I nearly crapped, average 35 cents a rat, I knwo up here they change it that then need to be strched fur in, not sure if you know or your market is the same, good luck and lets see some bigger critters!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oneshot Posted November 27, 2009 Report Share Posted November 27, 2009 If you want to eat them here's a link for some recipes. http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/muskratlovely/recipes.html#bop I have eaten them and I was at a wild game cook a long time ago and a guy made muskrat shanks in red eye gravy that was so damned good I ate so many I got a belly ache!! Unfortunatly the guy would not seperate from his recipe or how he cooked them, but believe me, they were fantastic and I've never forgotten how good they were!!! You can also use them for bait on predators. Mink luuuuvs muskrat and you can dig a pocket in the bank (don't let water get in) and put a hunk of rat in the back of the hole (8 inches back) next to that make a small hole with your trap stake 2 or 3 inches deep and apply mink lure to a cotton ball and push it into the hole with your trap stake. Use a drowning set for this as mink that don't drown may twist their leg off. Also make sure this set will hold a big coon cause you'll catch them at this set too. Good luck buddy....:yes: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin R10 man Posted November 27, 2009 Report Share Posted November 27, 2009 Congrats on the muskrat Dakota!..I tried some at our wild game feed...went down a little slimmy and had a very wild taste...more so than what I care to eat...figured Id better not try any more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevebeilgard Posted November 28, 2009 Report Share Posted November 28, 2009 congrats, dakota. you'll get that mink or coon one of these days. keep after it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prairiepredator Posted November 29, 2009 Report Share Posted November 29, 2009 Nice job Dakota! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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