Author Topic: Rat question for Bog (Read 400 times)

traditionalhunter · « **on:** December 30, 2003, 06:24:13 AM »

I have found a descent hole of rats where I have been trapping over the past few days. In two days I have caught two nice rats. One is 18.25" and the other is 19" on the stretcher from nose to the longest part of the pelt. The one before it was skinned out would measure 30" from end of tail to end of nose. I saw in another post that you say your bread and butter are beaver and rats so I thought I would ask you about the size of these rats. In my opinion they are big. Is it normal to see rats get as big as these couple that I have caught. They probably weighed between 6-7 pounds. I was shocked to see a rat so big. What are other trappers experience with rats? Does anyone know how big one will get before it dies naturally? Is there anyway to determine the age of a rat by looking at teeth etc.? I have been pondering these questions and thought I would throw them out to the forum.

thanks
TH

Bogmaster · « **Reply #1 on:** December 30, 2003, 06:48:32 AM »

TH,any rat 5 or 6pounds is a huge rat in anyones book.I have never weighed a muskrat,but would doubt that a large rat here would be much more than 3 pounds.
When measuring a rat for grading,I measure dried ones only.They are measured from the nose to the shortest point on the side skirts.A rat of 13 1/2 inches ,is a large.The largest we have on the stretchers now is probably just over 17 inches.I believe anything of 16 1/2 inches is a xxlarge.Now I would have to check with the nafa charts to be exact on these sizes.
As far as aging goes,you are on your own.The lifespan of a rat is similar to a rabiits---short.Some of the rats born in the spring,will already have their first litter by fall.A rat lives a short and fast life,But I guess that is to be expected of anything that is everyones #1 meal.
Tom

Mallard · « **Reply #2 on:** December 30, 2003, 07:30:46 AM »

I've actualy weighed a few of the larger rats this year, and only had one that went just over 3 lbs. (3 1/4 +/-) On the stretcher this rat was a hair under 17", and I have yet to put one on the board over 17" this season. I had quite a few 17 to 17 1/2" rats two years ago, but it seemed to be a freak event, as I have yet to see any that large from that area since. Must have been a good year for growth. I can't even imagine a 6-7 lb muskrat, and never really beleived they would grow beyond 3.5 to 4 lbs, especialy in my area. Learn something every day.... :-)

OldCoon · « **Reply #3 on:** December 30, 2003, 07:50:52 AM »

I think a 3 year old muskrat is a very very old muskrat. I seriously doubt whether many make it through their first year. Muskrats are prolific breeders so what that lack in longevity they make up in numbers.

foxtail · « **Reply #4 on:** December 30, 2003, 12:23:37 PM »

I have noticed that some creeks will always produce huge rats and some will always produce small ones. Funny thing is that I think the small ones are actually reg size and the big ones have a wonderfull gene pool.

traditionalhunter · « **Reply #5 on:** December 30, 2003, 03:18:44 PM »

The second large rat that I caught was on Monday. I run my traps after I Get off of work. It had been a long hard day, I was tired and thought I was coimng down with the flu. To add to this it was raining quite hard. So hear I am checking my traps feeling miserable. When I come to the trap with the large rat in it, like I said I was pretty much mentally and physically drained at that moment, I saw the rat. The first thing that popped into my mind.....Why is there a ground hog in my trap? It was down in a cutout in the bank and all I could see was its side, but I could make out that it was large. I was a little slow on the uptake and finally said to myself "You big dummy that is no ground hog, that is one big rat. :eek: " Remarkably I started to feel better. This just gives you an idea of how big the two largest rats were. They look like small ground hogs if not paying much attention. I don't think there is a market for grounhogs?! :lol: