Beaver

[WFGinNM]

Used to trap a bunch of muskrat, 'coon and mink back east. I'm going to try and trap some beaver that are flooding a friend's property. I guess they are just big flat tailed muskrats?

--Bill

 

[Big Fin]

Kind of. What kind of traps do you have? Conibears, legholds, snares?

This time of year, I go kick a hole in the dam, then place a conibear out in front of the breach. Guide them in with sticks. Can guide then really hard and they don't seem to mind.

They will come out within a a few minutes of sundown, if you drop their water level five or six inches. Usually a good way to get them in a hurry. Some states have rules against kicking a breach in the dam.

Was just thinking about that today, as I did an inventory of the plews I have up here in the Randy room. Would be a good time to get a few more. Been giving away too many of them.

Dunc, when you want to come and get that beaver skull I have in my freezer? Would give me reason to thaw, stretch, and flesh the pelt that came with that skull.

 

[WFGinNM]

I have 3 #330s some 4 coil offset #3s and about a dozen snares. I can see a good channel under the ice from the lodge (lots of bubbles), a decent spillway that looks like it's being used, and the main dam has open water about a foot into the upstream side. l can't find any tracks in the snow (yes we have snow in NM), so I won't mess with stinky bank sets I guess since they aren't coming too far out. I'm always open to suggestions. I've usually just waited at sunrise or sunset and popped them in the head with a .22. Really looking forward to checking water sets. I haven't trapped water since '88. Hope to have a bunch of pictures. I will be setting Friday morning.

--Bill

 

[WFGinNM]

I would love to catch one like yours in the picture.

Back east trapping 'rats we were very selective on the amount we took out a specific swamp. My friend wants them dead so I want to catch what I can. No future seed. I went yesterday to see the area and definitely need to use conis and perhaps snares.

--Bill

 

[174in]

I would go with the 330's. Yes it is alot like trapping big muskrats.Beaver castor lure works great also but I am guessing by the way it sounds you wont need any.

 

[Lawnboy]

Fin's a regular ol Jeremiah Johnson. I thought he had Sacajawea living in the shop with all the stretched hides but soon found that he was the trapper. When I had the Coon and skunk problem he had lots of trap solutions for me. Good luck

 

[Big Fin]

If the pond has an ice lid, scent is a waste of time. They aren't going to come out much.

Go to the dam face. Kick a big hole, right where it is open. Let the water drop and the debris flow through. Keep kicking it down until you know the level has dropped to a point where they will be worried.

Put the conibear in front of the damn about two feet, unless it is too deep. Put one upright through each eye of the springs, with the springs being horizontal. If the springs are horizontal, you can drive a pole right down through the eye, into the mud.

When you set the trap, make sure the trigger is toward the damn, so they have to swim in further to spring it. And, if they are carrying some sticks in their mouth, they will still probably be far enough into the trap if the sticks spring the trap.

Also, put the trigger toward the bottom of the trap, so they set it off with their belly. If you have to, bend the triggers even further into the damn. You can arc them and split them to the sides, rather than the straight upright position that they come with. The wider the trigger, the further into the trap they will be when you hammer them.

Put the top jaw just below the water surface. It keeps the jaws from freezing or accumulating ice.

Build a gate that funnels the beaver right into the trap. This time of year, especially if they are worried about water loss, they are not shy about being funneled into the trap. When I am done, I almost make it look like a picket fence, with the gate being the opening that leads them into the trap.

Make sure to block off the sides, so they cannot come from the sides.

Last, float a 1" diameter stick right above the jaws. That forces them to dive underneath the stick just as they get to the trap. putting them right into the trap. If you don't put that stick across, they might try to crawl over the trap, triggering it without getting caught.

Probably the most deadly set you can find for beaver. They are so easy to catch once a small sheet of ice is on the pond. Once you get a thick sheet of ice and the pond is completely froze, it gets real tough.

If your ice melts, kick a hole in each corner of the damn and do the same thing. Then, put one right along the face of the dam, so if they swim parallel to the face of the dam, they will swim right into the trap.

Good luck.

 

[WFGinNM]

The dam is about 30' across and about 5' high. I will place a couple #330s tomorrow following your advice, I'll try and remember to take some pictures.

Thanks,
--Bill

 

[shoots-straight]

I think Ole Fins trapping juices are flowing.

 

[Big Fin]

I think Ole Fins trapping juices are flowing.

That obvious, huh?

Hopefully wolf hunting will fuel the fire for a week or two.

 

[cornfed]

On the dam face look for the cross over.Its usually were some water is flowing over the damn.This is probably where you will kick it in to let more water out.if its deep enough you can also put a 330 below the dam.In my state they need to be completly summerged so if its to shallow I use a snare and put it on a slide wire to preserve the set location.Beaver are easy to catch until you educate them.

 

[shoots-straight]

That obvious, huh?

Hopefully wolf hunting will fuel the fire for a week or two.

I'm in the same boat now. Still have some Martin traps out, and will run that line for a bit. I plan to work hard for a wolf now. Would love to show a picture of myself, my hat collection, and wolf together.

 

[174in]

Just dont get your hand in the 330's it hurts everytime.

 

[buck23]

Dont forget to set any narrow channels they may be using.May get lucky and pic up an otter or two.

 

[mixedbag]

Set the place VERY HEAVY if you want to get them all.They will wise up quick when they see their friends in traps and avoid those areas.If I wanted to clean out an area I would set a couple dozen traps covering everywhere they go;snares are cheap
Lure react strong to lures.Get yourself some good beaver lure.Set all channels,damns,lodges,and then make some castor mound sets.hit them hard or it will be next to impossible to get them all.When you skin, make sure to save the castors as they are worth almost as much as the pelt
Good luck,its alot of fun

 

[174in]

I agree with mixbad gang set the hell out of it if you need to clean them out.Just dont get sloppy and put sets everywhere though,make good sets like the ones mentioned here from Fin and the others.

 

[WFGinNM]

Well, yesterday I set 3 #330 conis, and a snare. Had 2 beaver waiting today in 2 of the #330's.

Snare in a channel coming off a dam going to a tree they've been cutting.

Lodge and a #330 set in a channel, about 2' deep.

Another #330 set in a channel from the lodge.

Here I am with my first two trapped beaver (used to just shoot them). One is 21lbs, and the other is 44 lbs.

Thanks for the help. This is sure fun and I wish I had more #330s, they seem to be the perfect tool for what I'm doing. I showed the landowner and his Sons what to do and they will be setting more snares I left them and a few #3 4 coils at some mounds I saw upstream. This is sure fun.

Thanks again,
--Bill

 

[BiggWimm]

Nice work!!

 

[Big Fin]

Very cool. Congrats. Looks like you had it figured out and needed no input from anyone.

 

[WFGinNM]

Very cool. Congrats. Looks like you had it figured out and needed no input from anyone.

Not at all, you guys were a great help. I had some ideas from trapping muskrat huts in Massachusetts years ago. Just lucked out and the weather melted some ice so the channels were more obvious. I did set the damn and ripped out a spot but these two didn't have a chance to get to it to try and fix it. I don't know if there are more here in this pond, nothing tried to repair the dam last night.

Thanks,
--Bill