Shallow muck and Lots of vegetation.

footholds set on the climb out spots is the easiest way.

110 in the runs, colony traps if legal

Can't see em because the vegetation. Can't feel em because the muck.

Look for the dirty water or poke around with a stick to find the runs

I wait until it freezes over and then trap the small push-ups where they stop for air. I'm too old to dig into the big huts plus it oftentimes ruins the hut and they freeze out

I respectfully disagree, the easiest way I have found is just make a depression in the hut and pop a 110 in front 4 to a hut and move to the next, works with leg holds As well

Foothold with a chunk of apple, carrot or parsnip for bait. Mint toothpaste works in a pinch.

If you are not finding many feed beds in the cattails then the rats may be feeding at the base of their lodges. Find slight depressions that have small cuttings or chewings in a spot. The rats are chewing and feeding at those spots. In WI you can create a flat spot or slight depression etc. on the lodge but you can not open up or do holes in lodges or pushups. Also if you find lodges and few feed beds you may also be dealing with fewer rats per lodges or house too. Find a way to get them now if you can if it is that shallow they will freeze out in early winter.

Bryce

Tear up the hut a bit. Do this In at least 4 spots well depending on how big the hut Is.The first thing a rat will do will start to repair that tear up. A little lure won't hurt. If there are natural pull outs set them but the tear up Is a gimme.
Set a foot hold at these spots Traps should have no more then about a inch of water covering them.And try and set the trap so the rat Is stepping between the jaws.

How I do it.
Make sure the rat won't wrap up in the vegetation. Dont want the rat to wrap up and wring out.

That's how I did it when we had rats

Thanks

The other thing I do Is I always have the chain or cable from the trap attached to the stake so It's above the water line. No feeling around for traps that are under water. Just grab the exposed end of the chain or cable and your good to go.

This Beav guy sure knows it all!!!!

Thsts where the hagz brackets are really nice on fiberglass rods

We can't touch the huts here.

I have hagz brackets and I wrapped electrical tape a few wraps so it's thick enough the bracket can't get past and the trap can't slide down the rod and fall off.

HOLY OCD on the boat organization! After the first 30 minutes mine looks like a bomb went off and it only gets worse from there.

Physically damage or destroy any mink den, muskrat house, muskrat feeding house or
beaver dam (see page 6 for landowner exception for beaver dams)

A small tear up dosen't cause damage to the point where It's being destroyed or damaged.

You can access a push up as long as you enter that push up below the water surface and leave that push up Intact.
If your not using this system of trapping huts your missing the boat.