Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Muskrat Help

Can anything be done to prevent these guys from digging holes behind lake walls other than either shooting them or trapping them? I feel like we are all having to put concrete mix in muskrat holes all along the walls on our 22 acre pond.

Right now we have the lake down 4'-6' to work on walls and docks and you can see holes in the bottom of walls where they have come in from the bottom to get in the yard. There's probably not enough cement in town to fill them all in (just kidding but you know what I mean).

Rip-rap will discourage their tunneling.

Find a local trapper.

If you can reduce or eliminate their preferred forage source [cattails] you can thin their numbers as they won't be able to support a dense population and will head for greener pastures. Dense cattails can support a lot of skrats.

How about Esshup at the pond for a day? TJ, didn't he kill all your muskrats with a hand gun?

Uh, that was Rainman/Rex.

Only issue is that the muskrats have to be white, or PVC-ish, in color.

I've never tried this ----- so it is just an idea.

Get a small engine like a lawnmower engine. Hook up some metal flex tubing and run the exhaust up the hole. Fill the gas tank and put just a pinch of 2 cycle oil in the gas tank. Maybe a 300-1 ratio (chanisaw normally 40 or 50 to one)Run the engine exhaust into the tunnel for a while with engine running at full throttle.

Maybe the carbon monoxide will do them in. Or at least chase them out.

Car or pickup exhaust might work too. Don't put oil in gas though. Garages use exhaust flex hose to pipe exhaust out of the mechanics buildings, so should be available. Use gloves - don't burn yourself on the pipe.

Probably something illegal about it though. Almost everything is any more.

What size rip rap should be used?

Ah yes, PVC rats...they're all over at my place.

Another way rats are kept out is to bury chainlink fence in dam.

HaHa...My bad...Sorry Scott!

Ah yes...a Green solution....

You will need to trap or kill them if you want to remove them. Check local laws. If you enjoy shooting they are active at dusk and into the night.

And while trapping process is ongoing, remove or severely reduce their forage.

You can also place coyote piss or garlic pepper here and there around your pond to deter them. This works with mixed results.

You've stumped me. when I order rip/rap they never give me a choice as to sizes? To me, rip/rap is pretty large, with chunks 6-9" long or so.

Just to clarify, are you wanting to remove existing 'rats, or prevent a new population from showing up? The reason I ask is due to you saying your water levels have been dropped. Muskrats will sometimes leave on their own accord when the water gets low and uncovers their runs and dens. Are you still seeing fresh sign?

I have seen a few paw prints but I am not convinced they are muskrats.

Look for their runs in the water on the bottom. It will look like a shallow trench maybe 6 to 8 inches wide. They always seem to follow the same route. Just set a 110 conibear in the run. No need to try to hide it with anything. For some reason they won't swim around it. They just go right throu.

Only once.

Unless you do like I do sometimes and forget to unlatch the safety lock.

Been there. done that! I used to check the traps at dusk, around midnight and again at dawn. A few times I had traps that just sat there or were knocked over. ...... on closer inspection....ah crap!

Edit: Of course that is the same trap line I was running when I thought it was a good idea to cut across the ice instead of fighting the brush on the shore. Filled my waders clear full when I dropped thru! Cold walk to the truck!

OUCH....that hurt!