Muskrats Are Ruining My Land, What Can I Do?

Not many people even know what a muskrat is. However, if you're from the Michigan area, or anywhere there is water, you probably have had your fair share of muskrat sightings. For those that live near shorelines, creeks, and rivers, these pests are all too familiar.

Although not typically aggressive towards humans, muskrats can become territorial and be aggressive in certain circumstances. The biggest cause for concern is the damage they do to your land. Anyone who has had these large water dwelling rodents on their land can attest to how problematic they are.

Muskrats live near water sources such as lakes, rivers, creeks, and marshes. They dig massive underground burrows that compromise shorelines and even create massive holes in your yard. If you live near a shoreline, or anywhere a muskrat has made a den, even your house's foundation is at risk. The shorelines can recede very rapidly when there are muskrat near because they multiple very quickly and dig multiple dens to move back and forth to.

A few signs that you have a muskrat problem (1) seeing them floating through your waterways in the early morning and at dusk, (2) noticing feeding patches, which are usually large piles of sticks and mud and grass they use to sit on top of to eat vegetation, (3) you notice big holes in your your lawn, and (4) your shoreline has been deteriorating very quickly recently.

Muskrats are very tough to catch, leaving many homeowners unsure what to do. Most of the time, prevention is going to be your best bet. Ways to prevent muskrat from burrowing on your land are (1) installing fencing around gardens and crops at least 3 feet tall and buried 12 inches underground, (2) installing fencing under your decks, break walls, and porches, and (3) place loads of rocks on your shoreline.

If you're beyond the point of prevention and currently have muskrats that have moved in, contacting your local wildlife removal company should be first priority. They should tell you exactly what laws apply and the best way to remove the pests. They should also have the proper equipment necessary to assist in minimizing the problem.

For those that want to take care of it on their own, in some areas muskrats are on the nuisance animal list. Check with your local wildlife authority before taking any action to ensure you're doing everything legally to avoid getting yourself into trouble.

Call us at 248-729-6437 to assist you in your critter capture needs!