Hunting for a muskrat is fun. Plus its in the fact that fishing can be anyone, even not allowed to purchase guns. After extraction of this animal is carried out mainly without the use of weapons.
Musquash, or musk-rat is a semi-aquatic rodent, small animal with a body length up to 30 cm and approximately the same tail, and has fur dark grey or brown. Lives in reservoirs of all types, feeds on water plants and small animals. Its homeland North America, but introduced in Russia nearly a century ago, a great acclimatized and settled on the whole territory except the Northern.
Muskrat prized for its fur, very warm and waterproof. That is why with a gun this small beast don’t hunt – damaged skin. Preferred hunting muskrats using traps or mordashek. However, use also the pneumatic weapon, because Pneumatics is less traumatic.
To hunt was successful, you must know the habits of the animal. This can help watching this video.
Most fishing musky rat comes out at night but sometimes quietly floats on the surface of the pond and day. It’s not very sharp-sighted creature, but has good hearing. Live muskrat in coastal holes, and if not they can dig, for example, in the marshland, build huts like babinich. The entrance to the hut under water in one of the sections may be stored a supply of food.
In the spring the muskrats bring the first offspring, then one or two more times before winter. All the cubs until next year living with parents. Such numerous families usually have their own territory to search for food, it is protected from other individuals.
In captivity this animal can live up to 10 years in the wild, the time is reduced threefold. The main reason is many natural enemies are carnivorous mammals, and even carnivorous fish. About half of cubs do not survive for these reasons.
Besides the fur, muskrat interesting person, and as a source of meat. It is edible and properly cooked, is very delicious dish.
Hunting for muskrat traps
The most common method of production of the muskrat – hunting with traps. A great advantage while fishing of this animal is that the traps do not need to mask.
On the contrary, should play on the natural curiosity of muskrats: the sight of an unknown object, they are likely to turn up to examine him.
However, you need to choose locations for setting traps. This beaten path muskrats, designated at the entrance to the hole, on the waterfront. It is undesirable to put a trap in the hut or the burrow, even if this is technically possible. Palmaseca animal in fear will begin to rush can destroy the home, and because it is inhabited by other members of the family of muskrats. Such ill-considered actions can ensure that they all leave this place. Or even worse if it happens in the winter, the family will perish. In any case, the production here can not see. And if you act cautiously and intelligently, for the whole night in the same place you can catch a few animals.
Important: muskrats are hunted with traps number 1 and 0.
In addition to the choice of location is important, and proper setting of the trap. It’s nice to see a special video on this topic.
Rules of setting and checking traps:
- You must attach a trap to bind to the trunks, stems of plants – using a metal chain or wire to a captive animal could not chew through the tether;
- It is desirable that trapped beast was in the water as on land, he would chew off its own limb to escape;
- To check the traps necessary every two or three hours at night, in the afternoon of the probability of production is much less;
- In the morning you need to remove all the traps.
Experienced hunters in the presence of 3-4 traps in one night produce up to a dozen individuals.
Hunting muskrats with Pneumatics
Hunting with weapons on such a small animal requires good accuracy. Because to get, preferably in the head, so as not to spoil the pelt. Air guns are more appropriate than a conventional rifle. The pros of hunting with Pneumatics is also the fact that shooting is aiming, that is, selected animals with good fur. In contrast, for example, from Caponago fishing, where they can die and young individuals with the skin are of low quality – they have grey fur, not very pretty.
You need to pre-study the terrain and routes of supply of the island’s animals. If animals are on site a lot, then fishing will be uncomplicated. You can hunt from the Bank, and with water on the boat. The best time to choose dawn. You need to consider that musk rats can’t see very well, but loud and clear. When driving, it is desirable to publish as little as possible sounds. Feeding muskrats can be determined by diverging from it waves across the water, is clearly visible in the video.
Sudden movements should be avoided. Seeing the goal, we must reduce the distance to about five meters. If production came to a standstill, also it is better to stay. The same should be done if she went. It’s clear by the loud burst. In floating muskrat is not easy to get without damaging the skin. Therefore it is better to shoot in feeding the beast. For this you need to stop to aim well in the head and make a shot.
In the evening you can repeat the bypass hunting grounds. It is believed that the evening hunting with Pneumatics more efficient. As for the weather, then the perfect will be October or November – cool, with a drizzling rain. Then it is possible to fish even a whole day. But do not forget about the preservation of natural resources, not to kill a lot of adult animals. Otherwise, the population of the area will die.
Hunting for muskrats in winter
Winter hunting is more difficult due to weather conditions, but the fur at this time in the muskrat is much better. So hunters gained a lot of skills in this regard.
Assistant in the hunt, winter can be the dog most often used for this purpose huskies. They can smell under the snow muskrats, barking and notify the owners. However, a possible hunting without the dog.
During winter, the muskrat often hunt:
- traps
- Mordecai.
Important! Traps and mordochki can only be installed in the feed shed, avoiding to fish in the family hut. Latest features more compared to the other size. This will keep the population of other animals from death.
Mordochki made from galvanized mesh with a thickness of 2 cm with a cell size of about 5 cm Set such traps at the entrance to the Lodge so that it was under water a couple of inches. This method is very profitable – you can catch more than a dozen animals. However, it is also necessary to know the measure.
Opening the hut for the installation mordochki or trap, then you need to return the roof back in place and carefully close up, so the animals died from the cold. And sprinkle on top of the snow. If you use traps, their chains or wire go out and fix. And trap supply is also derived loop. In her position can be seen, caught prey and whether it makes sense to open a shelter.
In addition, traps to catch muskrats in the hole. Count on the trailer a few traps at a time and lowered it into the water. Will attract animals in such traps carrots or apples, attached to a stake. The traps also use the number 1 and 0. How to install mordashku or trap will show you the video.
Skin muskrat: harvesting regulations
To get high quality muskrat skin, you need to take care of proper removal. Of course, assuming that’s still on the living animal the skin was in good condition.
It’s important to have the correct tool for removal. Best suited as a thin, sharp knife. You need to consider that these animals are quite pugnacious and often at showdown strike each other wounds. Therefore, almost all skins have overgrown the damage. Them and need to try not to damage when removing.
It is best to watch the video of how to do it right. There are two types of removal of the skins – “stocking” or slit on the front. In any case, you first need to remove the brush the rear and front paws, trim around the tail and separate the skin on the head. Then the animal is hung by one hock or both paws and pulls off the skin like a rabbit. There are ways of removing, when the tail is not cropped. The skin of the tail is divided into two parts, and then using these bands attach the skin to dry. When removing you need to remove fat and subcutaneous muscle.
Before starting the process, it is necessary to examine the carcass. If they got wet, wring out water and dry on the shore or in the boat. Winter to wipe with snow, which absorbs moisture quickly.
Next, the degreased skins, Mezdra and excrete. Left without skinning the carcass of a muskrat can be used for hunting, feeding foxes. You can cook the meat delicious. For example, zamarinovat, fry in oil or on fire.
Price on skinning muskrat
Due to the price and quality of the muskrat is quite popular with the fur. Durable, warm, it also has a relatively high price. And the natural variations of color skins from light brown to almost black allow you to create interesting products. From muskrat fur coats, stoles, hats and other products. They all have reasonable price, nice appearance, durability and warmth.
Currently crafted, finished, sewing the skin of the muskrat is about 300-500 rubles.
Accepted initially processed skins from hunters for about 150 rubles.
Beautiful, practical fur muskrat if such prices are traditionally in high demand.