Typical day of a nuisance wildlife operator

Running and setting traps for muskrats at a high profile golf club.One trap is off its support and the rat is at the bottom of the pole out of site. We use primarily all drowning sets in deep enough water to hide the catches from curious eyes.The waters are a bit silty and duck weed is growing on the surface which helps obscure any catches in normally clear water.







My primary tech setting double set poles around feed beds and toilet areas.Caught a nice bullfrog last nite that was released unharmed. Would like to catch another dozen or so for dinner.Water level dropped due to the fountains being turned off at nite. That frog must of thought it was a good solid lilly pad to rest upon that pinch pan trap pan. Our traps are set 4"-6" under water to avoid ducklings and frogs."





100 miles away to a ski resort to exclude raccoon and flying squirrels at the same time.

We get dual occupancy like this a few times a year.This is one of those money is no object jobs. I really like this work for summer months, then off to the primary canine and cat traplines in the winter. Packing and shipping orders at nite and formulation and bottling on the weekends. Talk about the dream professions.We had some long over due rain today wouldnt you know just when we had to do some roof work on a steep roof.
A raccoon did some damage tearing into the dormer corner for access into this resort home.

Thats for sure a good way to spend the day! On the coon set, did you use the safeguard as a one way door?

Yes that is a safeguard 7x8x24" with a slide release door removed and the door lock spring hog ringed back against the door to move freely.Just about the right size for coon exclusion in a tight spot.

Bob,

Thanks for this post!

I would have never thought about a pole set like that. But it looks pretty neat! You just added one more weapon to my trapping arsenal!

Can you buy them poles like that or is this your own creation?

I think that is the set up made by the coon dagger guy. I should have bought some.

You can buy them at TSC stores, Lowes and Home Depot Stores.They are fiberglass rods.

Yes the platform wires are available from Carlis Stevens @ Sudden Valley Supplies in Warrenton, Missouri.

You got RAIN?! Lucky!

Not alot but a little shower.

do you have much trouble with raccoons tearing into the building at another location when doing this? Ive never tried it for fear of the coon destroying the house.

No problems as of yet with tear ins doing exclusions at this time of year. Exclusions are effective doing non litter times of the year and dependent upon the integrity of the building as well.

Wounder if you moved the muskrat trap up close to that rock so the muskrat would cross between the pole and the rock and climb over the trap . It would be a baited set and a blind set all in one . Might catch a mink that way . I know some golf corses like to keep the mink around . Just wonder if you have tryed it that way . I know it would all most imposable to find there den location in them rocks

With the ducks, ducklings, geese, mink and great blue herons hugging the bank edges it isnt a good idea in my experience to set the edges tight as you suggest.In fur trapping that is a good idea. I dont want to catch anything but the targeted animals if at all possible. I catch the occasional bull frog even with the methods that I employ.

Keeping the set up just off the edge near undercut rocks that lead to hidden feed beds and potential den areas are the best locations to set up in this type of water course setting.Dens are near impossible to find with the retaining rocks and rip/rap now incorporated at the up scale clubs water courses.So trapping knowledge,reading sign and knowing the animal habits are a must to be successful in a short period of time.

We are catching rats every day and not incidentals as of yet so things are going as planned so far.The set up keeps all animals hidden until removed so any nosey golfers or employees wont be alarmed or complain to management.

I trap rats on a National Flowage and trappers pre-stake the huts a day or two before the season starts which I totally am against. Nothing illeagle about that on State property but National property its ok I guess. These fiberglass pole sets will work nice in the open water just off the huts. Thanks Sudden Valley for coming up with the RAT CLIPS.

Very nice.

I have used a similar design along steep banks to catch mink and muskrats on creeks in the late 70's and 80's.

Not the pole, just the rectangle shaped bent wire that supports the trap shoved right into the bank.

I wish that was a typical day for me I love those kind of days. It's those kind of days that get you into this but to many of my days turn into hot attics , ladders, crawl spaces full of spider webs, 95 degrees high humidity.
I bought some of those trap and bait holders at furtakers and they are great and effective.
Thanks Bob for the set up and pictures.