Smart Muskrats

Smart muskrats …

Well, I had nailed their entrances with the new trap sets yesterday – BUT – sometime during the night, they saw their entrances blocked, and rather than trip the traps, they dug an escape hole out the bank. Further, they had turned the newly set trap sideways, so they could continue using the old entrance apparently – and I’m guessing they did this from outside the hole, by pushing on the handle.  They had also dug a new underwater entrance 2m from the ones I’d successfully blocked with the traps.  Smart muskrats.

Muskrat Update

Lowered the 110 trap near the old sink – as I noticed that the brown mud trail was refreshed, and it seems to spew from under where the trap had been – so now it’s blocking the bottom of that hole – I’m betting I get something.

Also, regarding the reed hutch at the back NW corner of the pond – it had freshly gnawed roots laying on top of it – right next to a new opening into the top of the hutch – it’s big inside.

And … I noticed mud extruding from the outside of the bank within a few feet of the hutch – explored that – and it led into a tunnel in the bank.

So, someplace new to set some traps – and an improvement made to my last trap set.  And, I’m getting better at reading muskrat signs – they’re days are numbered, perhaps.

Shots in pots, a curious cockatiel and a Cat House

 

I winterized the deck, for our 6 feral cats – they looked so cold yesterday – had to do something – so I whipped up the stryo hut in the pic, and screwed some boards to the deck benches, creating a wind screen – happy cats today.

Author tgreen Category Nature

First Snowfall

It’s been snowing today – and – it’s sticking.  Have an inch or more of the fluffy stuff, and it’s still coming down.

Author tgreen Category Nature

Full Measure

No muskrats yet – enough half measures … today … full measures!  So, this morning, I put on the boots (see pic), stepped into the muck … and found two muskrat holes, there may be more … and placed a 110 trap front of both holes.