Muskrat Trapping

We first marked all the active runs (about 100) and then the next day but out 25 sets.  Checking them was alot of fun.  The first days catch was 17....then yesterday another 17.  We'd noticed no otter here this spring and summer and that must have allowed the population of muskrats to really climb here.  We only harvest 4 for each colony then pull the set.  They have two batches of young (4 - 8) each summer.  Once they become overpopulated they bite each other and disease can get in to the colony.  We are making up more skinning boards this morning and then will go out in the boat to check the sets again this afternoon.  Because of the full moon and no cloud cover for the last 5 days we didn't moose hunt.  We'll probably go out early tomorrow morning and see what shows up.  We built two tree stands up in the moose meadows last week.  They are about 16' off the ground and allow scent to leave easier and make a person sit in one spot for 3 hours.  Cleaning the chicken house yesterday and that rooster flew up at my face with his spurs.  He spent the night outside after he'd run out of the shop door. Luckily my arm was up.  We are still deciding whether we need him or like him at all. Maybe we will clip his wings.  He is an aggressive one.