How to Put a Conibear in Front of a Muskrat Den

Setting Conibear traps in front of muskrat dens is an effective way to hunt the rodents. Muskrats are small nocturnal creatures that live near water and feed on vegetation. The rodents build small dens for protection during the winter months. A Conibear trap consists of two rectangular metal frames that snap shut, a powerful spring and a locking mechanism. The trap will snap shut and trap the muskrat when it passes through it at the entrance of the den.

Instructions

    • 1

      Locate the entrance to a muskrat den. The dens are usually on the shore or in the middle of a pond, in a marshy wetlands. The den will rise a few feet above the water level and be made of sticks, grasses and reeds. Look for channels carved out, known as runs, which indicate spots muskrats repeatedly swim through.

    • 2

      Take the Conibear trap and squeeze both ends of the spring together with your left hand to keep it compressed. Point the spring away from the trap and snap the j-hook, if applicable, onto the other side of the spring.

    • 3

      Bring the two trap frames together with your right hand.

    • 4

      Slide the trigger and dog along the trap's frame to your preferred position. Push the dog down into one of the trigger's three notches, locking it in place. The notch closest to the base of the dog is the "heavy" setting, the middle notch is "medium" and the farthest notch at the tip of the dog is "light."

    • 5

      Squeeze the spring and slowly release your hold on the frames. Release the j-hooks, if applicable. The Conibear trap is now ready to use.

    • 6

      Place the Conibear trap in the waterway in front of a muskrat den. Elevate the top of the trap 1 to 2 inches above the water surface. Keep the trap in place by driving a wooden stake through the spring and then squeezing a piece of wood between the stake and the spring's inner circle.