Anybody hunt Muskrats?

[Marvin M.]

There are a couple of ponds near my house that have Muskrats in them.  I've seen them at night and early/late in the day.

Anybody ever tried to take one of them with a bow?

I'm thinking about giving it a try.  I know that they do a lot of damage to dams on ponds and the developer has taled to me about taking some of them out.

Any experience taking them?  Ideas on tactics?

[The Vanilla Gorilla]

I've stalked and shot nutria, which would be about the same technique.  Set up near a den or a hole in the bank and let em have it.  I used a 125 magnus when I did it.  I went with the cheaper, bulk broadheads because occassionally I'd stick one and never see my arrow again.

[longbowben]

I shot a muskrat while bowfishing boy thier nasty tryed to chew my arrow in half.

[John Scifres]

Shooting them with a bow would definitely be a challenge.  Trapping would be much more effective.  Rats are running $3 - $5 so the profit isn't there but it is a shame to waste their beautiful furs.  They are pretty easy to tan and make nice silencers and other archery related items.

[WTT03]

Not legal here. We can only trap 'em.

[Mr.Chuck]

Muskrats are in season here.  Take them with standard longbow and broadheaded arrows.  They are a blast,  and the pelts are come out great!

[Charlie Cole]

kind of greasy, but if cooked right (ask a Maryland Eastern Shore old-timer how), they eat pretty good.

[Patience]

Look for the dens (holes in the sides of the ditch or river/creek). I find them out all day. Once you know where they are you can wait or stalk, it's up to you. Their furs make great silencers and easily tanned.

[mike g]

I hunt them with Mr Chuck....
I prefer to use Ace Hex heads on them to give them a thump....
    If ya use just broadhead, you get a pass thru and they just swim off and die somewhere else....

[outbackbob48]

Marvin, The hides aren,t going to be worth much, an if you run a great big ole broadhead thru the back they will be pretty much worthless as far as selling them. Still plenty of hide for silencers an such, they skin really easy an they eat pretty good if you know how to fix,em. I,ve never shot any but I have trapped hundreds over the yrs. They don,t seem to be as many as yrs. past at least in nw penna. They can be pretty destructive on dams an impoundments, maybe use a fish arrow on them?  Goodluck with your adventure.   Bob

[6X5]

Don't see why not. They are really good eating.When I trapped them I would sell my carcuses whole to the fur trader as he sold the meat. In high dollar restaurants its called michigan marsh hare and the get top dollar for it.

[Marvin M.]

Thanks for the input guys.  I may give them a try.  We definitely need to get them out of the pond if we can and the developer says take them out.