# muskrat hunting?



## huntersince94 (Jul 8, 2012)

There's a muskrat problem at my papas and I'm wanting to hunt them. Is there any tips and tactics for them?


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## bones44 (Jan 7, 2011)

Never heard of them being hunted, only trapped. You might want to check your laws first. Just in case. Good luck !

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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

That's good advice ! I've never heard of hunting them either, although I'm sure someone has done it.


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## 220swift (Mar 2, 2011)

Trapping (body catch and colony, some leg hold) is the only viable solution to get rid of them. If your local laws permit, I always preferred the colony traps. Put it in a rat run and every rat that swims through the run is caught. My best one day one colony trap catch was 17 rats


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## Antlerz22 (Apr 18, 2011)

Just like the wolves problems I.E eating cattle etc...they dont care. Unless its government property--so muskrat/beaver destroying levees dikes etc they would get rid of them. Louisiana right now is shooting on site every nutria they can, they are destroying levees dikes etc.. and have cost 500mil damage and they have a bounty of 5$ a tail. So having said that, if its destroying a dam or the like--I wouldnt need approval from anyone. Some things take a direct approach, like s.s.s


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## Antlerz22 (Apr 18, 2011)

Stonegod said:


> My neighbor has a creek running through his property and beavers are damming it up and causing flooding problems across the road in a new housing development. The township has told him that it's he's responsible to get rid of the problem. They told him that he's not allowed to shoot them....even though hunting with firearms is legal here.......and he can only trap them when in season!!! So the poor guy has to go out once a week and break up the dams until trapping season starts!!!


 Thats what I'm talking about--I would get a crossbow stash it at night near where they are and casually walk up (no one will see a "weapon" carried in) and then sit where I could get a shot off without being seen. Red tape is just that, break out the scissors and cut away!! I wouldnt need a season for something costing me money or problems for others just waiting to sue--WRONG ANSWER. Go to the fish and game and in so many words let them know they will either allow a special harvest, or trap them themselves--if not then the bills will become their problem. Also if not--then my remedy.


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## Deerhunter 28 (Jan 10, 2012)

LT in NC 12 ga. Shotgun season is 24-7-365!

PSE EVO 57 Lbs.
Blacked out


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## Beets (Feb 7, 2012)

my buddys parents live on a small lake comunity and we have sat on the deck many time picking them off. But dnr has classifyed them as a problem on the lake. Good Note 58gr. vmax out of a .243 littery will make no mess at 100 yards. lol it would send them about 10 yards into the water when shooting them on the bank. made my buddys dad happy there was no mess in his yard to clean up.


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## bones44 (Jan 7, 2011)

Most DNR offices will offer a harvest permit if their is a significant problem. Many of those guys do a fine job protecting our resources and do understand the situations unlike their bosses.


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## fr3db3ar (Aug 6, 2011)

I've done some pest removal. 69 SMK opens them right up stem to stern.


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## bones44 (Jan 7, 2011)

Stonegod said:


> The ODNR told him he had to have the township make the request, when he told the township this they said that they'll have to contact the county water&sewer dept. to see what they thought about it.........meanwhile he's knocking down dams and waiting.


 Then they will have to form a committee to elect another committee to do a study and public forum....pretty much typical politics.


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## Antlerz22 (Apr 18, 2011)

Stonegod said:


> The ODNR told him he had to have the township make the request, when he told the township this they said that they'll have to contact the county water&sewer dept. to see what they thought about it.........meanwhile he's knocking down dams and waiting.


 I would let the flooding make up their minds, and say "well I put the ball in your hands--my liability ended at that juncture, as I proposed a legal workable alternative and you didnt respond in kind--so sorry"


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## bones44 (Jan 7, 2011)

I'm with you Ralph.


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## NattyB (Jan 5, 2012)

.22LR is perfect for 'rats. Try to get a high vantage with sun at your back to make shooting easier. Hunt early mornings and late evenings. The only beaver I ever saw shot sank, so the idea was discontinued. I have little recollection of the incident besides that. Plug every rat hole with a conibear is a good bet for farm ponds. My boys have done it for friend's ponds and they get a big kick out of it. Diver sets are the bomb if you don't mind building a whole bunch of cage traps. (Diver set is an underwater cage trap which plugs the den hole. Rats swim in, but they can't swim out. A non-spring loaded angled in door allows entrance but not exit. It's kind of like the trot-line of muskrat trapping. You can clear out a den in one night.) I would check on legality of all these methods at the very least for your knowledge.


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