NFR Rats.... @#$%ing rats.

Non-fishing related
Yardus said:
I like the bucket traps because they just keep fishing. That said I need to check them regularly (once a month) to keep from hauling ratatouille soup (mice in my case) out of the crawl space :sick:
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You can add a few cups of that pink RV water system anti-freeze to the water. It has a bit of an embalming effect on the carcasses.

You still gotta check and empty it regularly though. But I think it helps with the stink.
 
Chinook Angler said:
Has anyone tried cottonseed oil bait for rat control? It's supposed to act as a natural contraceptive. The commercially available Evolve product uses the cottonseed oil as the main ingredient. I was just thinking of mixing DIY bait chunks.
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I found it to be really expensive squirrel food. Squirrels love it.

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Aufwuchs said:
I have had a mole population explosion in my yard this year. I have not found the traps to be very effective. I'm thinking about trying the smoke bombs.
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Try the Gopherhawk. It works really well for everyone but me. I bought one and now moles won't even enter my yard cuz they must know that I have it.
 
Stonedfish said:
I never had a problem again once I got rid of my bird feeders. I liked watching the birds, but I liked not having rats more.
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I love seeing the birds at my feeders, but I am beginning to feel the same way. I don't have rats, "only" squirrels and chipmunks/ground squirrels, and they cause me all sorts of damage digging, eating my tomatoes, etc. I've counted ten squirrels beneath my feeder, which they fortunately haven't learned to climb. I am unable to use a firearm, or else my little .410 would have been put to good use and I'd be selling tails to Mepps!
 
Aufwuchs said:
I have had a mole population explosion in my yard this year. I have not found the traps to be very effective. I'm thinking about trying the smoke bombs.
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A whole 'nother topic here but I finally learned how to use the scissor traps and they are very effective. Also got one with my Gopherhawk. Key is identifying a run that they are coming back to by stepping on a section of raised tunnel to see if they dig back through and push it up. Once you find that, get the trap set at the correct depth and make sure there is firm ground under the trap trigger. If no joy in two days, find another spot.
 
Aufwuchs said:
I have had a mole population explosion in my yard this year. I have not found the traps to be very effective. I'm thinking about trying the smoke bombs.
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Yard Butler…! Use a thin diameter rod to find the tunnels around the mound and bait the hell out of them.
 
Kilchis said:
At one point our house was completely surrounded by dog owners, all of whom kept a
bowl of kibble outside in case Fido got hungry. The neighborhood was a cafeteria for rats, skunks, possums and raccoons. When the fall rains came all the rodents began house hunting. It was nasty. I discovered that if a poisoned rat dies in your crawl space things get ugly inside the house quickly. Crawling around under the house trying to locate and remove said dead rodent while gagging on the stench of putresine is a lifetime memorable event.

As a result, I think traps are better. I really like the Guarden traps. Setting is simple, just push down on the back end, no messing with those damned wire hold-downs while the bail is waiting to break your knuckles. With the Guarden traps your hands aren't near the killing end. And they work!
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Just "Amazon'ed" that 6-pack. Thanks!!
 
Clean Willy said:
Ouch, did not need that reminder. I managed the Wallingford QFC during the great rat incursion of 2014 and it was not fun. Google 'Wallingford rats'. We spent tens of thousands of dollars controlling them, up to and including night vision CCTV in the suspended ceiling. Do. Not. Like. Rats.
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I was out of there by 2008. I don't envy you. That QFC and the FOOD GIANT before it, was where I did all my grocery shopping. The only 'rat like' creature I came across in that store was on a very late evening, when I encountered a really sketchy dude hanging out in the candy section. He was high as a kite. When I finally got into the check out lane, I noticed with some revulsion that the sketchy dude was in front of me. I kept my distance, but the kid running the till was practically fawning over this guy.

I guess he was a nice enough, and his name was Dave.

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Here's a little twist on the rat stories. While in forest service our hotshot team of 14 guys had beds on the 2nd floor of a bunkhouse and we started having what we though were mouse issues. We set out traps nightly that would be tripped and the bait eaten but caught nothing. Used cheese, pnut butter etc. Went to bigger rat trap which went several nights without being tripped. Started trying different things for bait and one night out of pure desperation one guy baited the trap with Sunmaid raisins. Middle of the night a big snap and then rattle, bang and crash. When a light was turned on there were 14 guys standing on top of their beds wondering what the hell was the commotion. Caught not only a rat but a huge pack rat which went on display the following morning. Raisins ! Who would have thunk? As for moles I used the castor oil and water mixture which worked just fine. My stepson said that just makes them go elsewhere. OK, that was fine by me and they've never come back. The last mole hole in a series was at the cement curbing on the edge of my yard. One day I discovered that hole had been used a nest for yellowjackets.
Found out the painful way when mowing the yard. Easier problem to solve. But it reminded me a cartoon I once saw where two carpenters standing in a partially framed new house spotted a small penis chasing a small vagina across the floor. Caption.."Just one fucking thing after another.
 
My kid used to be addicted to this show. This was my favorite scene. Content related.

 
Peyton00 said:
I also like the neck breakers. I keep a few in the crawl space. I check them Randomly and find 1 every 18 months?
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Set one of these out recently and a fledgling Jay wandered into it SNAP!! It was unbaited too.
 
My 18lb lamb backer of an alley cat killed the 9lb rats and below. He had a record of head slamming 3’ feet Gardner snakes. Killed a couple crows (that’s was not fun). Several bats. That was unique and somewhat musical with the sounds … Many smaller birds. Hate to see that. But rats and mice he conquered. With his brother. Those two ran a patrol around the yard. And so patient. They are willing to wait hours for the rodent to leave from a hiding wood stack. So impressive. The ability of killing them is not so kind. They tease them. They want to damage them and watch them to run just so they can grab them again and remind them they are under dominant control. The best rodent control is the mighty cat left untamed. Let them be wild a bit except when in the house. Then they must use silverware and a napkin. 🤣
 
My 18lb lamb backer of an alley cat killed the 9lb rats and below. He had a record of head slamming 3’ feet Gardner snakes. Killed a couple crows (that’s was not fun). Several bats. That was unique and somewhat musical with the sounds … Many smaller birds. Hate to see that. But rats and mice he conquered. With his brother. Those two ran a patrol around the yard. And so patient. They are willing to wait hours for the rodent to leave from a hiding wood stack. So impressive. The ability of killing them is not so kind. They tease them. They want to damage them to run just so they can grab them again and remind them they are under dominant control. The best rodent control is the mighty cat left untamed. Let them be wild a bit except when in the house. Then they must use silverware and a napkin. 🤣
 
I killed many by drowning them.
I sawed a 50 gal drum in half so there was a 25 gal half drum. I filled it 6 inches from the top.. It was my pig water container that summer. I layed the end of a 2x4 on the rim and with the other end on the ground adjacent to the pig pen. Rats walked up the 2x4 and thought it looked like a nice swimming pool. WRONG! 😈 It was a death trap.
Rats aren't so smart after all. Once they were in the drum they couldn't get out.
I found as many as 4 or 5 drowned rats a few times that summer. Ya gotta get up pretty early in the morning to put one over on old Wanative.😅
 
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