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I'm new to trapping. In the past month, I've been working to eradicate a group of muskrats that have been causing damage to my property. My tally after about a month stands at 9. At first, I thought I could simply shoot them. No dice. They remain underwater and active mostly at night. I switched to 110 pound conibear traps. They are humane and effective. When they activate, they kill the animal instantly (or as close to that as possible). Most of the time, the trap catches them in the neck. Instant death.
Here's what I've learned:
1. There's a learning curve with setting and positioning traps. You have to find the exact spot the animal with travel and make sure the trap is perfectly aligned. Frequently moving and re-positioning them is essential.
2. My greatest concern was killing the WRONG animal in one of my traps: a turtle, a mink, an otter, etc... That hasn't happened.
3. Even at age 62, my pencil thin arms still have the strength to easily set a 110 pound conibear trap without a tool.
4. I simply toss the dead muskrats out into the woods, about 300 meters from the house, for the coyotes. They're the perfect cleaning crew.
5. All in all, trapping for me is a chore, not a sport. Even so, I'm glad I've learned how to do it.
Here's what I've learned:
1. There's a learning curve with setting and positioning traps. You have to find the exact spot the animal with travel and make sure the trap is perfectly aligned. Frequently moving and re-positioning them is essential.
2. My greatest concern was killing the WRONG animal in one of my traps: a turtle, a mink, an otter, etc... That hasn't happened.
3. Even at age 62, my pencil thin arms still have the strength to easily set a 110 pound conibear trap without a tool.
4. I simply toss the dead muskrats out into the woods, about 300 meters from the house, for the coyotes. They're the perfect cleaning crew.
5. All in all, trapping for me is a chore, not a sport. Even so, I'm glad I've learned how to do it.