PHOTO BY BRIAN LASENBY
JORDAN DUROCHER
THE SPRINGTIME ( MUSK ) RAT RACE MEANS TRAPPING IN THE VALLEY
Furry mammals , flex your glands
A rat race indeed for both the trapper and the muskrat . Spring brings dreams , planning and reflection for many trappers as they recall good and bad moments on both the trap line and at the auction houses .
For the muskrat , winter is hard . It kills off 80 per cent of the population mainly by the freeze-out that happens when waters levels are less than one to two feet . That ’ s why fall muskrat trapping is a good idea , to harvest Mother Nature ’ s surplus .
But when spring comes along again , this mammal at the bottom of the food chain , has a population explosion , sustaining their presence in the wild . So muskrats are usually one of the first fur bearers trappers begin to harvest . They are not trap-shy , are easy to skin , flesh and board , and respond to a variety of trapping methods . Spring muskrats are in better shape than in the fall , making them a good bet for a trapper to get a decent return at the fur auction houses .
But that window of pelt opportunity is relatively small , for several reasons . A longer winter and frozen waterways prevent muskrats from moving . When they do move , the trapper has to know about it and react fast . Fresh roadkill next to highly populated ponds , rivers and streams are a good indication they have started to move .
The second reason for that small window of opportunity is the pelt . Spring muskrat have a pelt more prime than in fall , yes , but they quickly begin to shed their guard hairs – the ones that that extend beyond their dense undercoat – leaving a less valuable pelt .
Finally , trappers have to be aware of the territorial competition in spring between these small fur bearers . Muskrats are aggressive this time of year , often fighting to protect their territory , with the result being devastating holes and rips in pelts . Such pelts bring less money , or none at all .
In breeding season when male muskrats begin travelling waterways in search of a female , they will notably climb onto almost anything – and that includes something set with traps – to mark territory by excreting scent . Only in spring do muskrat glands
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