Muskrats

[bambi]

Ugh... I have Muskrats in my pond. I know that I need to remove cattails to discourage them but I also have wood ducks and wild birds that use the cattails as well as keeping the pond healthy.
I have tried placing traps at the holes no luck getting them. They are digging in the dam I fill in the holes, they just make new holes and I think they have build tunnels in the dam. Where in the world did that song muskrat love come from??? I know I have no love for them they are just a big rat. Any suggestions?

 

[bambi]

LOL, I think I would rather deal with Muskrats.

 

[bambi]

Thank you for the advice, I do not know any trappers and not really sure how to find one. I will try using an apple, I will need to check to see if wood ducks would be tempted to eat them first. I really appreciate your response. They seem to be active at night or I would try to shoot it/them not sure how many there really are.

 

[bambi]

Thank you flowerbug and Bee, I have watched a few videos on youtube and this how I learned the appropriate traps to use. I like the idea of using gravel to line the dam to prevent further destruction. This may explain why I can't seem to find the hole they created, would never have thought they would start 10'-12' away from the dam, now I am wondering how much damage they have done to the pond itself. Interesting they use the drainage ditch as a highway and we do have a drainage ditch about 75+ ft from the Highway. Good grief nothing I can do about that lol

 

[Lazy Gardener]

My pond pest would be mosquitoes. If I had a pond.

 

[bambi]

Surprisingly, we don't have a problem with mosquitos not sure if the bats in the evening hours or maybe frogs eat them not sure why but you won't hear me complain. We don't feed the fish in the pond so maybe they eat them as well.

 

[flowerbug]

mud chik'n!

 

[PatriciaPNW]

Have you asked neighbors for ideas? I have sometimes had good luck doing this over the years since they know the usual problems and solutions in the local area. There’s an app online called “next door” that is local. That might help too. Good luck!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I'm sorry - no muskrats around here. Hopefully someone with experience will chime in.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Contact some local trappers?