[Cooney]

We are trapping a couple spots on a small (15 feet wide) creek, a small run and a pond.

Is there a rule of thumb for how long you keep traps in a given area. In the small run we caught some 'rats the first night and first morning but nothing since.

Those were set on opening day. I just don't want to waste time and gas and I don't want to thin the population either.

Should we pull out of an area then come back in a week or two to that same area?

 

[bux&dux]

i usually leave rat traps out for 3 or 4 days, than move to a another area. I do however come back and trap the same stream again in a few weeks. I hit a stream 2 or 3 times a season. I set a stream for a 10 days before and got 5 rats came back a few weeks later and got 7 and 2 mink in 3 days with the same sets.

 

[Cooney]

Thank You for your advice on this. We'll start a plan of trap rotation.

 

[smith101]

3-4 days is a good time frame on streams or creeks. Or if your catch falls way off. If you get a period of high water after you pull out of an area, especially if it was a really good stretch, go back after the water level drops because usually there are new rats washed in.

 

[Cooney]

Interesting. Kind of like how fish might get moved around after a stretch of high-water.