Trapping

Muskrats may be trapped or shot when they damage property. Muskrats are easily trapped. They may be captured using a No. 1 or 1 ½ foot-hold stop-loss trap or a Conibear model No. 110 body-gripping trap. Another is called a colony trap. In some situations a cage-type live trap can be used to catch problem muskrats.

Selecting trap sites is important and should be done carefully. Muskrat trails are particularly productive. A trap may be anchored in the mud or sand and wired to a stake.

In underwater trails or at underwater den openings, colony traps are effective. Foot-hold traps set on floats, either natural objects or artificial rafts, can be successful. Foot-hold trap sets in runways, den openings, slides or near natural resting places are also productive. Good baits include carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes and apples.

Where possible, the stake to which the trap chain is attached should be placed in water at least 2 feet deep so the captured animal will drown. This is not necessary when using the Conibear No. 110 body-griping trap, because it humanely kills the animal outright.

If there are muskrats in your pond and they are not causing serious trouble, consider them a cash crop. They are easy to trap and skin. Trap them heavily each open furbearer season; in good habitat muskrats produce a lot of young and come back rapidly. A local trapper may be interested in taking the fur for profit if you do not want to trap.

Before starting any muskrat control effort check with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and request a copy of the dates and regulations governing muskrat removal. Traps must be tagged with the trapper's name and address and checked once a day.

It is a good idea to check traps more often than this, because more muskrats can be caught when traps are checked and reset. Muskrats are active throughout the day and at night. Some muskrat trappers check their traps three or four times in 24 hours.