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Old 04-15-2017, 07:32 PM
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Default Can you hunt muskrat?

Can you hunt muskrat (with a resident trapping license) on land where you have written permission to trap them?
This might be a dumb question but still please help settle a bet.
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Old 04-15-2017, 07:39 PM
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Yes, as long as you have a license to trap you can shoot them.
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Old 04-16-2017, 05:37 AM
338 Rules 338 Rules is offline
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Do you really need a license to shoot muskrats? What's the world coming too? Next thing you know we will need a license to shoot gophers with pellet guns.
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Old 04-16-2017, 06:29 AM
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Yes you can with a trappers license, they are fur bearers. That means they are taken under the authority of a trappers license and the fur cannot go to waste.

LC
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Old 04-16-2017, 06:39 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 338 Rules View Post
Do you really need a license to shoot muskrats? What's the world coming too? Next thing you know we will need a license to shoot gophers with pellet guns.
Fur bearers .. why wouldnt you need a licence for skrats ? Weve got more whitetail does in our zone than skrats but you need a licence for them .
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Old 04-16-2017, 06:44 AM
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I am not a trapper, just surprised is all. Gophers have fur too, right?
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Old 04-16-2017, 07:53 AM
AlbertaAl AlbertaAl is offline
 
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Default muskrat hunting .177 calibre

I'm an Alberta Licensed trapper.
I hunt muskrat with a Weihrauch HW97 under-lever pump .177 calibre
It has a Leupold 3-9 EFR scope.
This rifle hits thumb tacks @ 25 yards
Most of the rats are shot at 10-15 yards, all head shots.
Zero fur damage.
Over the years I tried .22 rimfire and 17HMR's ...they don't compare unless you just want to kill them and don't care about the fur quality.
I use chest waders and carry a pole to be used as a "steady shooting stick", "walking stick" to avoid tripping and "animal retrieval pole".


Last edited by AlbertaAl; 04-16-2017 at 07:57 AM. Reason: add info
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Old 04-16-2017, 08:03 AM
AlbertaAl AlbertaAl is offline
 
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Default Muskrats....plus crows and magpies

The .177 is great on the acreage to take care of other pests

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Old 04-16-2017, 08:14 AM
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Very nice rifle AlbertaAl, I have a .177 Crosman Nitro Venom with a 3-9x32. The hardest hitting and most accurate pellets I have found for it are the Air Arms Diabolo Field Heavy Pellet in 10.3 Grains, sure makes short work out of the pests.

What pellet do you use?
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Old 04-17-2017, 02:24 PM
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Just curious, I had no idea that you could not kill muskrats without a trappers license, can you shoot magpies without a license or are they protected too?
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Old 04-17-2017, 02:31 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 338 Rules View Post
Just curious, I had no idea that you could not kill muskrats without a trappers license, can you shoot magpies without a license or are they protected too?
Might want to grab the regs . Both hunting and trapping.

It's actually all in there.

LC
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Old 04-17-2017, 02:36 PM
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You guys are in the know, I thought someone here would have the answer? You did when it came to muskrats. The only thing I hate more than muskrats, and cats is magpies. I know that house cats are protected, pitty!
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Old 04-17-2017, 04:10 PM
AlbertaAl AlbertaAl is offline
 
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Default Magpie hunting .177 style

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Old 04-17-2017, 04:37 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AlbertaAl View Post
VERY NICE, I kill them with my .177 over bait, don't you love it when they squawk when they are hit, especially when they are gathering to inspect the first one you smoked? hehehe
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Old 04-17-2017, 04:59 PM
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Yes, you most certainly need a trappers licence to harvest magpies. You weren't born yesterday were you? There is no way that you would be able to sell the skins if you didn't, nobody would buy them unless you had a licence.
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Old 04-17-2017, 05:17 PM
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All I know now is that I need a license to kill a water rat in Alberta, still scratching my head!
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Old 04-17-2017, 06:41 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 338 Rules View Post
All I know now is that I need a license to kill a water rat in Alberta, still scratching my head!
A license or a permit.

There is such a thing as a damage permit.

Quote:
A person employed by a municipality under a contract of
service or for services and whose duties include the control of
animals that cause problems may hunt beaver, coyote, red fox,
badger, red squirrel and muskrat within the boundaries of a city,
town, village or summer village if the hunting is performed in the
course and falls within the scope of that employment.
Land owners may also obtain a damage control permit that allows them to destroy creatures that they would not normally be able to kill.

Whether or not Muskrats could be killed under the authority of a damage permit I don't know for sure.
But it is my understanding that the issuing officer may allow it if he feels it is appropriate.
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Old 04-17-2017, 11:03 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Marty S View Post
Yes, you most certainly need a trappers licence to harvest magpies. You weren't born yesterday were you? There is no way that you would be able to sell the skins if you didn't, nobody would buy them unless you had a licence.
I think that you are allowed to cull the male magpies without a Trappers licence but not the females. That's why you need to use a tranquilizer gun in order to determine the sex after you shoot them.
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Old 04-17-2017, 11:52 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Marty S View Post
Yes, you most certainly need a trappers licence to harvest magpies. You weren't born yesterday were you? There is no way that you would be able to sell the skins if you didn't, nobody would buy them unless you had a licence.
No better feeling than walking into the fur buyers place with a big bundle of magpie pelts over your shoulder.
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Old 04-17-2017, 11:58 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 338 Rules View Post
Do you really need a license to shoot muskrats? What's the world coming too? Next thing you know we will need a license to shoot gophers with pellet guns.
Muskrats are furbearers and have always been sold as furbearers , unlike gophers or Richerdsen ground squirrels which are pests
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  #21  
Old 04-18-2017, 06:33 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 338 Rules View Post
VERY NICE, I kill them with my .177 over bait, don't you love it when they squawk when they are hit, especially when they are gathering to inspect the first one you smoked? hehehe
I might be a bit strange but magpies and I have an unwritten contract . They've helped me recover a few lost big game animals so they get a pass from me . Cats on the other hand , specifically the ones that folks drop off out here in the country don't enjoy the same priviledges .
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  #22  
Old 04-18-2017, 06:44 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HunterDave View Post
I think that you are allowed to cull the male magpies without a Trappers licence but not the females. That's why you need to use a tranquilizer gun in order to determine the sex after you shoot them.
I believe that you need to be a licensed veterinarian in order to anesthetize birds in Alberta so you don’t kill them by overdosing on the antidote to get them to The wrong dosage can cause fatal strokes and or heart attacks in birds. lol

hahaha H380
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