Sweet reports and pics….Might have to take up bowhunting early in the morning too….
I have spent the past 20 minutes of work reading this post….and i have to admit…i agree with your wife and the guy on the ramp…but I also can see where you find your peace by trapping….Whether its fishing, hunting, or trapping it amazing on what mother nature can do to drown out all of lifes other distractions…. 
Thanks Amwatson for sharing your daily trapping routine!!!
Keep it up…
Today was the type of day I have been waiting for 
I started the day right at daylight checking the traps I had out. The ice was in great condition and I was able to fly across the slough without any problems. First trap I checked….bingo..a rat was waiting for me. The same at the next 3 sets At the end of this set of traps I ended up with 9 rats. Not bad considering I only had 18 sets out.
This morning was the first morning that we could set in the closed areas of the refuge. I was already set to move into the refuge and finish setting out traps at around 8:30. As I made my way into the area I wanted to go, there were already 3 seperate guys in different areas waiting for the 9 a.m. start time. I knew in order for me to get where I wanted to go, I was going to need to hussle. I jumped in the skiff, grabbed the ski poles, and began to haul 
across the pond. I was able to get to the point I wanted in about 3 minutes. My arms and shoulders were burning bad and I was about out of breath when I finally came to a sudden stop in the marsh grass. I couldn’t have landed on a nicer piece of real estate. Immediately I started to see run after run and I quickly started to make the sets. I think the other guys stayed away from here because there were really no rat houses in this area, there were 3 but they are far apart from each other. Anyway, I hammered in the remaining traps I had and then took a little break. While I was setting, I watched numerous rats out moving around under the ice. I took a little tip I got from Herb and started to run the line that I had just set. By doing that, I was able to pick up 3 rats. I then went home and decided that with the rats out and about the way they were, it would be a good idea to make a second check this afternoon. Well, it paid off because I picked up another 6 rats. Then, as I was walking back, I noticed one of the stakes was moving. I walked over and there was another rat 
So I actually ended up with 7.
Blue Fleck also gave me some tips on reducing snapped traps. He mentioned to keep the traps a little off the bottom and to also keep the trigger a little more to the top of the trap. I also need to give a huge thanks to John R for showing me the great spot to start once the refuge opened up. He called the area to a T. So, I ended up with 19 rats for the day and I can imagine tomorrow will be a good day as well.
Today was the type of day I have been waiting for I started the day right at daylight checking the traps I had out. The ice was in great condition and I was able to fly across the slough without any problems. First trap I checked….bingo..a rat was waiting for me. The same at the next 3 sets At the end of this set of traps I ended up with 9 rats. Not bad considering I only had 18 sets out.
This morning was the first morning that we could set in the closed areas of the refuge. I was already set to move into the refuge and finish setting out traps at around 8:30. As I made my way into the area I wanted to go, there were already 3 seperate guys in different areas waiting for the 9 a.m. start time. I knew in order for me to get where I wanted to go, I was going to need to hussle. I jumped in the skiff, grabbed the ski poles, and began to haul across the pond. I was able to get to the point I wanted in about 3 minutes. My arms and shoulders were burning bad and I was about out of breath when I finally came to a sudden stop in the marsh grass. I couldn’t have landed on a nicer piece of real estate. Immediately I started to see run after run and I quickly started to make the sets. I think the other guys stayed away from here because there were really no rat houses in this area, there were 3 but they are far apart from each other. Anyway, I hammered in the remaining traps I had and then took a little break. While I was setting, I watched numerous rats out moving around under the ice. I took a little tip I got from Herb and started to run the line that I had just set. By doing that, I was able to pick up 3 rats. I then went home and decided that with the rats out and about the way they were, it would be a good idea to make a second check this afternoon. Well, it paid off because I picked up another 6 rats. Then, as I was walking back, I noticed one of the stakes was moving. I walked over and there was another rat So I actually ended up with 7.
Blue Fleck also gave me some tips on reducing snapped traps. He mentioned to keep the traps a little off the bottom and to also keep the trigger a little more to the top of the trap. I also need to give a huge thanks to John R for showing me the great spot to start once the refuge opened up. He called the area to a T. So, I ended up with 19 rats for the day and I can imagine tomorrow will be a good day as well.
Here is a pic of the 3 that I caught on the first check.
Here is a pic of the 3 that I caught on the first check.
And here is a pic of the 7 from the afternoon check
And here is a pic of the 7 from the afternoon check
Great job Mike. Your persistence is paying off!!! 
Great job Mike. Your persistence is paying off!!!
Sweet….it looks like you have been having a great season. Question for you on trapping, I am clueless, do you think you will be “trapped out” soon or are there an abundance of them little rats. Is there a limit for the number of critters you can trap? Like I said I am clueless. Good luck the rest of the season.
Sweet….it looks like you have been having a great season. Question for you on trapping, I am clueless, do you think you will be “trapped out” soon or are there an abundance of them little rats. Is there a limit for the number of critters you can trap? Like I said I am clueless. Good luck the rest of the season.
Prieser-That is a very good question Yes, you can “trap out” an area. I like to trap the bigger ones out and then when I start to get kits or young ones, pull the sets and move to a different area. Rats are very prolific. Something I learned from John R is they have up to 4 litters per year. I assumed they only had 1 litter. The areas that I have been trapping are very large areas and until today, I haven’t put a dent in the population. Most responsible guys will trap an area for a short time and then move on. There is no limit to the number of animals you can catch, but on Fed waters there is a limit to how many traps you can legally set. In this case, it is 40 allowed traps. It is pretty tough to catch all the rats in a particular area.
Prieser-That is a very good question Yes, you can “trap out” an area. I like to trap the bigger ones out and then when I start to get kits or young ones, pull the sets and move to a different area. Rats are very prolific. Something I learned from John R is they have up to 4 litters per year. I assumed they only had 1 litter. The areas that I have been trapping are very large areas and until today, I haven’t put a dent in the population. Most responsible guys will trap an area for a short time and then move on. There is no limit to the number of animals you can catch, but on Fed waters there is a limit to how many traps you can legally set. In this case, it is 40 allowed traps. It is pretty tough to catch all the rats in a particular area.
Nice, I learned that term from watching “Jeremia Johnson” 
Nice, I learned that term from watching “Jeremia Johnson”
Mike, way to go. Hope tomorrow is as good for you. You are putting in the time and that is what it takes. You will probably be changing your name from amwatson to “RATS”. One thing, if the snow is covering the ice tomorrow, take a broom with you,makes finding runs a little easier.
Mike, way to go. Hope tomorrow is as good for you. You are putting in the time and that is what it takes. You will probably be changing your name from amwatson to “RATS”. One thing, if the snow is covering the ice tomorrow, take a broom with you,makes finding runs a little easier.
Quote:
….take a broom with you,makes finding runs a little easier.
That doesn’t work……….. 
AmRatson, keep your afternoon on Friday open…
Quote:
….take a broom with you,makes finding runs a little easier.
That doesn’t work………..
AmRatson, keep your afternoon on Friday open…
Anything today Wats? I hit this thread daily too !!!
big g
Anything today Wats? I hit this thread daily too !!!
big g
ME TOO!!! how did it go?
ME TOO!!! how did it go?
I can hear him skipping across the ice right now.
I can hear him skipping across the ice right now.
well i can see i am not the only one checking daily for the update lol today its going to hit a dozen i can fell it
well i can see i am not the only one checking daily for the update lol today its going to hit a dozen i can fell it
Vegas has him at an over/under of 17.
I’ll guess 18. That depends on how many times he checks his traps.
Vegas has him at an over/under of 17.
I’ll guess 18. That depends on how many times he checks his traps.
Holy snikes was it COLD this morning My hands are blistered, my shoulders are sore, and my knees are very tender. The ice got really thick in the holes overnight and chiseling it all out was no easy task toady. But, even with all that, I am still having a great time trying to outsmart a rat Not real good numbers today, ended the day with 12. In talking to a few others out there, they said there catch wasn’t great this morning either. But, this morning I found a whole bunch of new runs that I am sure have not been hit yet this year outside of the refuge. I pounded a bunch more sets in the refuge this morning and will more than likely pull a few of the dead runs tomorrow to take to another area and set in the morning. At the beginning of the week my goal of 100 rats was not looking to promising, but I am now over the halfway point. This under ice trapping is quite a bit of work once you get thicker ice like we have now, but when you catch rats you forget all about it.
Thanks for all the interest on this post. I am having as much fun reporting as I am catching. Also, if I am overdoing the reports, just tell me to shut up
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