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Joined: Aug 2002
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Hall of Fame Lunker
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Hall of Fame Lunker
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How effective is large rip rap limetone stone in keeping muskrats from digging into a bank? My guess is it depends on how much, but they still might find an opening? Anyone have rip rap and can indicate if they still have rat problems?
Has anyone been desperate enough to lay out a roll of fence material just above the water line down into the water the full width of the fence to keep them from digging? It doesn't seem like it would be difficult as my main pond is drained for maintenance.
One of my small reproduction ponds has a dike that is not really as wide as it should be (although it's fine if the rats don't dig into it) due to property line constaints. Other than removing all cattails that are a food source, I'm wondering if there is any more I can do to not allow the to dig into the banks.
I do trap them out every year but I'd like to prevent them from digging in the first place.
Last edited by Cecil Baird1; 04/24/09 02:23 PM.
If pigs could fly bacon would be harder to come by and there would be a lot of damaged trees.
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Ambassador Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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Ambassador Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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One of my ponds has fencing material laid down on the lake side and extending into the water. The other pond has rip rap on the face. I've not had any muskrat problem with rats on either dam. My muskrats have all made dens further up the lake, generally at the mouth of coves.
Bing
"I love living. I have some problems with my life, but living is the best thing they've come up with so far." � Neil Simon,
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Joined: Aug 2002
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Hall of Fame Lunker
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Hall of Fame Lunker
Joined: Aug 2002
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If pigs could fly bacon would be harder to come by and there would be a lot of damaged trees.
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,534 Likes: 841
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Cecil:
Some of the houses that I trapped at had seawalls that went down 1' below the bottom of the lake and the 'rats still dug under it. I've never seen them dig any deeper than that tho. Water depth there was 18" to the lake bottom.
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Joined: Jan 2009
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Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
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Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
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My dad has a seawall at his house in a salt marsh creek. The muskrats are constantly digging under it. When its low tide the wall is exposed, at high tide water is 3' up on it...
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Joined: Jan 2009
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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My dad has a seawall at his house in a salt marsh creek. The muskrats are constantly digging under it. When its low tide the wall is exposed, at high tide water is 3' up on it... CJ: Any idea how far down into the dirt the seawall is placed?
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Joined: Nov 2008
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Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Cecil,
When MWHF put in my dam they buried some chain link fence on the pond facing slope. Seems to have worked thus far.
Bryan
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Hall of Fame Lunker
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Cecil,
When MWHF put in my dam they buried some chain link fence on the pond facing slope. Seems to have worked thus far.
Bryan What does MWHF stand for? It's been driving me crazy!
If pigs could fly bacon would be harder to come by and there would be a lot of damaged trees.
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Joined: Nov 2004
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Lunker
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Lunker
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Moderator Lunker
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Moderator Lunker
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"Live like you'll die tomorrow, but manage your grass like you'll live forever." -S. M. Stirling
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Joined: Nov 2008
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Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Sorry, I was out for a couple days. Michigan Wildlife habitat Foundation.
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Joined: Aug 2002
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Hall of Fame Lunker
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Sorry, I was out for a couple days. Michigan Wildlife habitat Foundation. Thanks Bry. Would never have guessed!
If pigs could fly bacon would be harder to come by and there would be a lot of damaged trees.
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Joined: Feb 2020
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Joined: Feb 2020
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i have a hole (have pics dont know how to download them) in my dam from beavers. Thinking about putting used chainlink down without post. How do i keep them flat and in place
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,534 Likes: 841
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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i have a hole (have pics dont know how to download them) in my dam from beavers. Thinking about putting used chainlink down without post. How do i keep them flat and in place Take #3 or #4 rebar. Heat or otherwise bend the end so it looks like an upside down J. Leave the long part 12"-18" or so long, the short part 3"-4". Use those as "staples" to hold the chain link in place like tent stakes except pound them all the way into the ground. If it was mine, I'd start at the top and bottom corners, and put a staple every 6'-8' along the edge.
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Joined: Feb 2020
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Joined: Feb 2020
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One or more persons on a front porch or other viewing location close by (although the range of engagement can be increased... IMHO a person should be within 100yds) One Rifle w/some type of solid rest for steadying the Semi-Automatic or Bolt Action weapon chambered in .17HMR(IMHO) & your choice of magnification in a rifle scope mounted with a quick release cam action fastener onto a picatinny type rail for daytime engagements if any are currently un-threatened, and have any diurnal habits or boldly unabashed tendencies you may have noticed about their habits previously, before they're observed, then engaged by an operator posted at a site which you've pre-determined as being your projectile's barrel disembarking point and they wise up because of a miss, multiple critters out at the same time and only one get's engaged, or they just are aware and cautious from that point on cause that's how they roll in your body of water... now only coming out at night. So then, at that point... I'll change the tactics I've attempted to use previously on them and immediately go about about swapping out my quick release mounted normal daytime glass lensed scope for my ATN THOR LT 3-6x Thermal Imaging Scope and get closer if I want, walk around the edge, change my shooting nest location, or do nothing at all other than sit and wait on darkness or another muskrat to come out before darkness arrives, because the thermal scopes work just fine in the daylight as well as at night. I have "#zero" 'skrats in my ponds and more enjoyed time with friends or relatives sitting and conversing or even fishing quietly than I would've ever had if I were intstead... completely go around the edge & w(rap) my riparian zone with an expensive 4-6"(baby surge) or 6-12"(surge stone) sized rip-rap rock, that I'd been forced to purchase then have to more than likely hand place it for the finished look moving those HEAVY 6-12" surge stone" type of rock by stacking them in their final resting area 1 at a time... muskrats are WAYYY lighter in weight and (IMHO) About 100% more fun & challenging to stack than "RIFF RAFF" ROCKS as I've heard it called by more that a few. Maybe now at least you know where the name rip rap came from. I hope I haven't offended anyone and lowering the total number of the heard decibel's from the rifle's report(pew-pew) upon engagement is an optional piece equipment which normally increases your overall success rate pretty substantially... but I've only heard such talk of..and have not ever witnessed it's positive or negative results firsthand for myself...
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Joined: Sep 2018
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Joined: Sep 2018
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Yep, I either give mine an extra dose of vitamin BB, or they seem to die from lead poisoning.
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