Konnie Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 As it has been so mild seem to have lots of rats(more than normal) in cover plots and in pens was looking at buying some fenn mk4, know this is a bit of a battle I cannot win but in my understanding poisons are less effective due to vitamin K obtained from the maize, and poison runs out traps last, loose feed my covers about 3 times a week so thought I might tidy several up. How do the rest of you tackle them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich1985 Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 Yes traps will work, however the rats will take a few weeks to get used to them, your trapping rate will be far less successful than say shooting them with an air gun or other rifle, is gassing an option? Poison is less affective with the vit k in take yes but I would say spoon every hole with couple spoons full of poison and fill them in. Rats are a big problem this year. I don't have any maize on my shoot for the simple reason I don't want the dilemma you got now, my covers are a mix with a good amount of kale sorgum millet etc. if you got a local rat pack they may be able to help but that would be best after the season if you shoot often or get them in the day after you shoot in you have time between days to get your birds back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stubby Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 find the rat runs, then bury the fenn traps along them a few mil deep with a sprinkling of dirt over the top, no need to bait and as long as you place an artificial tunnel over the trap to stop non target species hitting the trap,your then covered yourself with the law Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Konnie Posted December 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 dykes/drains alongside both cover strips in question, once cover is flailed do shoot some under feeders with hmr that's fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich1985 Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 Sounds like a gas or spoon holes or rat pack job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heathysam Posted December 10, 2014 Report Share Posted December 10, 2014 Where are you? If you mention that you have rats on here or hunting life, and you want people to sort them out with terriers they will be so keen to get them they will probably plough your crop with spades for you lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Konnie Posted December 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 10, 2014 not sure a lot of digging can be done as they are in the dyke/drain sides just trying to knock a few off before the end of the season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG 5 Posted December 10, 2014 Report Share Posted December 10, 2014 Its a never ending battle with rats around feeders etc. I generally use plastic money bags filled with poison corn. Poke them down the hole and put a stone on top to protect non target species. With traps the drawback is you have to check each day. All you can do is try to keep on top of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Proudly Posted December 11, 2014 Report Share Posted December 11, 2014 We've just noticed rats in the small wood we feed, gonna leave them until the seasons finished then hit them hard with the dogs & smoker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich1985 Posted December 11, 2014 Report Share Posted December 11, 2014 Rat pack don't normally do to much digging, use an old chainsaw engine and smoke em out mainly! Or I have seen a leaf blower work well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alycidon Posted December 21, 2014 Report Share Posted December 21, 2014 Personally I get some small plastic cash bags from the bank, fill then with rat bait and poke one down each hole with a stick. This stops non target species or dogs picking the bait up. A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hindhunter Posted December 22, 2014 Report Share Posted December 22, 2014 Not sure if I saw it on here, but someone mentioned that you can get a Alphchlorilose based poison called Black Pearl it should kill them after one feed Traps only have minimal success with rats they can smell your hands if you don't do something to mask all human scent and they can sense when another rat has been caught in the trap and wont go near it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
39TDS Posted December 22, 2014 Report Share Posted December 22, 2014 I caught a rat in a trap the other night. When I checked the trap in the morning all that was in it was about half of the rats skin. I couldn't believe the rat would have survived this and thought a fox must have found the trapped rat and dragged it out of the trap minus half its skin. No evidence of fox prints though so couldn't be that. Next night caught a weasel in that same trep. I guess that answers that one. Shame really as a weasel won't do me any harm, especially if he was eating rats. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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