Box Trapping Muskrats

I often get accused of eating anything. So you won’t be surprised if I tell you how to make a simple box trap for catching Muskrats. Yep, they are on the menu as well. More “Rat-ka-bobs”. The reason that I am showing this is that the Traps are very easy to make (as shown in my drawing), and Muskrats are easy to catch. Not the brightest Crayons in the box.

This trap is called a “Box Trap”. At least that is what we always called it. It is also called a “Colony Trap”. The best way to use the box trap is to place it in a Muskrat run. A run will be an area in the water that Muskrat swill scrap their feet while swimming. The mud is discolored on the bottom. Place the trap right on top of the run. I like to move some bigger rocks to the sides of the trap so that the Rat doesn’t see the trap and go around. Also,lay a branch from one bank to the other, directly above the trap entrances. They will dive below the branch and right in to the trap. It is not uncommon to catch more than one Muskrat in a trap. Check these traps at least 1 time per day.Stay out of the water as much as possible. Also, when a Mink is hunting in the ditch you are trapping, the rats will go in their hole and not leave until the mink has moved on. Mink eat Muskrats. If it is good enough for them, then it is good enough for us Preppers as well. Take care and SYOTOS. – Jiske-h (Ghost)