Drawing the pond down at least 2 feet below normal water levels during the winter can also encourage them to leave. It is legal in North and South Carolina to trap muskrat during open season. Of course, muskrats do come out of the pond to eat though I've never seen them more than a few yards from a pond. A lethal trap can then be placed inside the main burrow. Once the water is drawn down, trap or otherwise remove all muskrats. Bank dwelling muskrats are more common than lodge builders in Illinois. If you have a decorative pond, these pests can be a pain. These small animals are also known to destroy gardens, yards and leave extremely offensive odors behind during mating season. Trails hollowed out by muskrats swimming in and out of their den entrances are sometimes visible from above, especially along well-used travel routes. This is the single most effective way of trapping muskrats in ponds. If you have muskrats in your pond that are not causing serious problems, consider them a cash crop. Muskrats build their lodges from mainly cattails and a little mud. Food and Feeding. Exclusion Excluding muskrats from areas is difficult given the varied habitats they use. You can also use a few smaller sticks as a wedge to help tighten up the trap. Sometimes the tops of the cattails will float over to the spillway pipe and plug it. This is the sure way to get rid of the animals they will seek a more neutral pond elsewhere. Their tunneling efforts can cause embankments and water barriers to weaken, and flooding to occur. Rip-rapping with coarse stone or gravel may prevent muskrats from burrowing into pond banks or dams. Muskrats are brownish gray and can grow to be up to 25-inches in length. Den openings are 4-6 inches in diameter and are usually near the surface, though in ponds with frequent water level fluctuations they may be in deeper water. This is a creature that likes to live near ponds, lakes, and other natural bodies of water. Raccoons and otters who also eat clams usually break more of the shell. When you find piles of relatively neatly opened clam shells next to the river or a pond, muskrats probably ate them. For shelter muskrats use bank burrows, "houses" built of aquatic plants and feeding huts. Muskrats that live in deeper water often dig out burrows in the bank of ponds or drainage ditches. These are semi-aquatic animals, and they set up their homes in rivers, streams, and ponds. Instead, they burrow into the bank, beginning underwater and angling upward until the tunnel clears the water level. Muskrats may burrow into the banks of streams or ponds. This rigid live trap comes assembled with two gravity operated trap … Muskrats are in your pond because of a food source. If you think your pond is home to a growing family of muskrats, look for lodges and burrows made from foliage and mud along the pond bank. The #110 conibear trap or body gripping trap works great for muskrats. And they have several underwater trails to the lodge or den, which are called muskrat runs. Refer to 3 CSR 10-4.130 Owner May Protect Property; Public Safety of the Code for details and restrictions. I caught two rats. It takes seconds to put in. Damage from muskrats includes chewing on trees, damage to agricultural crops, or washouts of levees and dams. It has the capacity to make multiple catches, sometimes three to four at a time. The pipe was two traps wide, so I put in two traps to fill up the pipe. Muskrats are known to plug spillway pipes in ponds with cattails. How to Get Rid of Muskrats. Many people that reside near ponds, lakes, rivers or streams may have an issue with muskrats. Fencing must surround the entire perimeter of the pond or waterway in order to keep muskrats out. They prefer an area that already has an existing pool of water like beaver ponds, streams and farm ponds. Reduce Attractants: Muskrats typically feast on vegetation, so they live in areas that are rich in these types of foods. Muskrat Damage. This burrowing behavior can be devastating to an earthen dam by weakening its integrity. Stovepipe trap: It is very useful for farm ponds, marshes, and rice fields. Frightening Devices Exclusion. If there are muskrats in a marsh or pond and a trapper puts out a few sets, success is almost inevitable, and fast. Position the trap trigger to one side so the trap will not spring shut until the muskrat is well into the trap. We removed seeds from the bird feeder and filled the trap full of seeds and apples. Muskrats enter both lodges and burrows through openings under the water. You can not make muskrat trapping more simple than this. About Mustrats - Muskrats are medium-sized rodents that live both in water and on land which means that they can be found in almost any temperate climate that has easy access to a water source like a lake, pond, stream, river, reservoir, etc. Photo: Bob Bluett. They build homes out of mud and vegetation and raise a few litters of young muskrats every year. Muskrats … They take over your pond or lake; they eat your aquatic plants (the good and the bad), and they dig burrows (about 1-2 feet deep) at the edge of the water to make their homes. After removing a muskrat with a live trap, fill in the abandoned burrows with gravel or stone to prevent other animals from inhabiting them. Muskrat dens are found above the high-water line (this may still be 4–5 ft. below ground level). Muskrats are also known as river rats. Then fill dens, burrows, and runs and rip-rap the dam with stone. The runs are distinct trails in the ground perpendicular to the shoreline. Once it is drawn-down, you can trap or shoot (where legal) the muskrat, then fill the dens, burrows and runs and rip-rap the dam with stone to prevent muskrats from re-colonizing. Here they hollow out a living chamber. It should be set up near a den entrance. A muskrat run in shallow water. It can be made easily at home using stovepipes. Muskrats are not strict vegetarians. The most efficient traps used to catch muskrats are the #1 or 1 1/2 steel leg-hold or the size 110 Conibear trap. They’re valuable fur-bearers, but the problems begin when they dig tunnels in the bank of the pond. If farm ponds or levees are impacted by muskrats, draw down the pond’s water level at least 2 feet below normal, then fill dens, burrows and runs, and rip-rap the dam with stone. Contact your local wildlife commission before using a live muskrat trap or altering the wetland habitat in your area. However, the most effective and practical method of removing problem animals is trapping. You can try some chemicals or the old fashion way by hand. Muskrats that live in rivers, ditches and ponds usually don't build houses. Most muskrats in Kentucky live in burrows in the bank of a stream or pond. When they dig burrows, it weakens the structure of the ponds edge. Muskrats typically build dens of either underground burrows or vegetation domes in farm ponds, streams, ditches and lakes with stable water levels and abundant aquatic vegetation. Muskrats are among the easiest furbearers to trap. Expert Tips. Muskrats can be beneficial to pond managers in that they can help to keep invasive plant species such as cattails from overtaking ponds. Find a large stick that's large enough to fit snugly through the hole in the spring. Muskrats are seldom far from water and just might find your farm pond as the perfect place to hang out. Since muskrats are primarily nocturnal, check the trap each morning to ensure that they do not die in the trap due to dehydration or overheating. 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