Spring is so brassy …
Spring is Big
And sometimes, it brings muskrats …
Muskrat signs on the pond bottom – first of the season. The fresh tan dirt on the normally dark bottom, indicates a muskrat has been holing out my bank nearby.
Tan dirt on pond bottom
Tan dirt from ratty holing out my pond bank
I found the hole – after 10 minutes or so of searching – had to bend up a pole to find it. It was narrower than others I’ve found.
Muskrat Hole Finding Tool
So I grabbed a rusting #110 trap, set it, and placed it over the hole. A stick helps keep it upright. And a stake through the ring chained to the trap keeps everything from being carted away by other animals, or an animal wounded in the trap. I think it’s usually fatal though.
A #110 Muskrat Trap set
Taking a step back …
Some older nearby holes …
I hope it hasn’t already eaten the water lily bulbs I put in earlier this spring.