Muskrat Love, NOT

[yowoodchuck]

So, it seems muskrats have taken up in the area behind or to the side of the fuel tank, after having eaten a bunch of wiring including the fuel tank level sender.

The boat is a G3 sundancer 20 foot fishing pontoon boat...we have no boat lift at the dock.  The vermin I believe are "nesting" (sock it to me two times) in there.

I have sprayed noxious stuff, opened the small covers that open to the tank sender and pulled off everything that is easy...stomped and cussed, driven backwards as fast as possible, attempting to flush them out...no luck so far.  My intent is to pull the boat off the lake, bring it home and park it on the hilltop while blasting Lawrence welk, the Ramones and Doris Day, then shooting water in at moderate pressure there and if that doesn't work, maybe the noxious sulfur smoke bomb set off inside a 4 foot caped at one end pipe, while aiming the open end into the area... any better ideas?

[tjm]

Put a mink in the boat it will kill and eat the muskrats. 

 

[fishinwrench]

Moth balls. 

[Quillback]

Never trapped one, but supposedly are easy to trap.  I have a large Havaheart type trap and that would work.  Bait with carrots.  

[ness]

I've got nothing for you on getting rid of muskrats. 

But .... I would like to say that's the best thread title I've seen in a very long time!

[yowoodchuck]

Day Two Report

Sprays of electrical contact cleaner (has nice nozzle tube and power) sprayed into nest area.  Nothing

Long wire with hook on end pushed back into hole until softness was encountered, could not hook up.

More spray--this time with hot pepper in oil... nothing.

Day Three Report

This morning, they had left small leafy branches near the entry point. More work with the long wire, more hot spray, stomping and cussing, to no avail. Swear words do not affect the furry critters at all. (Just re-watched Deadwood, so I have a bunch)

Stayed tuned:  On Saturday, the boat will be drug out of the water and brought up to the house.  If still present, they will be confronted by pressure washer, followed by F150 exhaust.  I need a hungry mink for 1/2 hour!  I will then set a trap on the boat with apples when I put it back on the water to try for the adults.

 

[snagged in outlet 3]

They’re in your head now! 😂

[BilletHead]

                   Speaking of getting into your head how about a little ear worm,

 

[fishinwrench]

Dude, throw a tarp over the boat, and put a couple pie tins full of moth balls under there.   They'll evacuate. 

It's how boat storage places keep the mice/birds/ect. from taking over. 

[txdave]

Leave the boat in the water. Place and secure a 110 conibear trap in front of the opening when the rat  leaves or enters it will kill the rat. If there is more than one reset trap. When I was younger I got paid to catch nuisance critters.