Well, time for a muskrat update...
I just got a call from Trapper Joe. He got 7 of 'em. He now wants to wait until this fall to come back in for the next round of trapping.
In keeping with my offer to pay $5 per rat (since they are out of season and worthless for fur trade), I offered to send him a check for the work performed. He quickly waved it off and would not hear of it. He repeated his desire to come back this fall. He did mention that maybe, if I didn't mind, he might like to come back to collect some frogs.

No problem, Joe...frogs it is, my man.