Who’s Trapping Beaver/Muskrat this Spring?
 

Well, I’m finally done putting up coyotes and all my L+ sized beaver pelts. I have about a dozen smaller than L beaver pelts to put-up/tan and then it’s time to start thinking about trapping some beaver under ice and at the thaw. I normally only trap as many beaver as I need Carcasses for bear hunters......maybe 3 dozen?

After not trapping them for a couple of years, I really want to put up a few hundred muskrats. Not only do I really like trapping and putting up muskrats, but I think that with all these mink ranches going under, there may be a bigger demand for them next year.

My way of social distancing. :)

What you said about the rats makes sense.
I trap and shoot a dozen or so beaver after the ice is out.
Mostly for bait as well but I'll tan a few as well.

If work slows down, I will be for sure.

I plan on getting out this spring. I am looking for opportunities to trap beaver in the Lac Ste.Anne/Gunn/Parkland county areas.

Muskrats...that sure brings back memories. I had a Coleman canoe when I was a kid and it was so much fun shooting rats. I had to actually carry the canoe if I wanted to get into a different slough than the one behind our place. A 14 year old carrying a Coleman canoe across the fields much have been a funny sight.
All I remember is it was sure heavy.

Thinking of it but not sure who I would sell too. Do not think this is going to be a short fix and do not want to hold a bunch of fur till September or later.


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I’ll
Be going after beaver this spring help out the landowners I trap yotes on had a outfitter that needed bear bait but guessin now with this. Virus won’t be needing em but my girls still have fun coming out so will chase them flat tails

Just had my bear outfitter cancel his order for carcasses. I’m still planning on getting 200 beaver. Probably have a pile of carcasses in freezers for next spring.

That’s always the problem with Spring trapping isn’t it. I’ll skin and freeze all my pelts and put them up in September when it’s cool enough that they’ll keep. That’s the plan right now but everything is subject to change these days.

I am looking to buy for bear bait now for this spring? Edmonton area??


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Under ice isn’t a good idea around here anymore. Beaver are sun tanning by lodges where they’ve opened the ice up........muskrats everywhere along the banks where it’s starting to open up. Lots of fun today. Party time. :)

Dave - I said flood by Wed or Thursday.....lower field was flooding yesterday & I expect the lane way to flood today.
Small creek came up way too fast !
Huge ice shelves came down yesterday as well.

Use care around flowing water now guys. Watched levels rise a foot at a time due to ice / log blockages piling up then releasing !

I lied......it broke over the banks last night....lane way is flooding, for the third year in a row.

Beaverzilla.......I'm thinking blanket. :)

https://i.imgur.com/fm2t4Mk.jpg

What’s the weight on him?

Hope the castor matches


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My scale is busted and I’m not going into town to buy one.......non-essential. :)

Ones that I caught that size before were in the 60# range.

Thanks. Decent castors but not totally full. About a week too late I think.

I plan on doing some spring beaver trapping starting this weekend. I was curious how many sets on average you guys run in total? Per colony? I have about 8 locations and I plan to leap frog doing about 4-6 locations at a time and I have a total of 30traps. Probably be a 2week gig.

If the ice is just coming off I’d put 3 or 4 traps near each active lodge. The reason being is that there’s a short window before they start biting each other and their castor starts to empty. If you only trap 4 locations this week and 4 the next, the fur and castor may be less valuable a week from now.

Our ice opened up around the lodges late last week and is disappearing fast. Beaver have been on the banks at all times of day so take a rifle and a means of recovering a beaver from the water. This week it’s been easy to see their trails in and out of the water to feed......still wet by the bank. I have 12 traps out and it’s open enough now to put my last 24 out. I don’t want to deal with more beavers than those will catch in the next week or two.

Good luck, have fun and stay safe. Don’t trust that rotten ice. A beaver isn’t worth dying for.

Dave you can hold beaver and sneak your wifes bathroom scale to your skinning shed. However with corona and heavy eating you are probably at scale max without the beaver.

I don’t think that I’m packing too much extra weigh with this water trapping.....lol. I’d much rather drag a 35 lb coyote out of the bush than some of these bigger beavers. I caught a 58 lber the next day that I think was heavier than the one in the picture. Why do they feel heavier this Spring? :)

Muskrats......I found a spot suitable to put a few floats sets out and put up 3 rats yesterday. Not a hint of black markings on any hides, totally pale, and no bite marks. Just need the rotten ice to open up a bit more in the next few days to deploy all my float sets.

Well got first beaver set along river in sask here main river I trap still had to much ice along the shore to put traps in but found a good spot further down river got one in

I got a couple for sale. Spruce Grove area, a large female and male. Asking $25.00 for the pair.

Thanks dave. I am just there strictly for damage control so I am not really stressed about pelt or castor size, there is so many beavers in my area that I dont think I'll ever really make a large impact. Every creek is dam after dam, colony after colony. I'll clean one area out and sure as heck I'll have more from the next colony downstream or a creek over. Last year I was only running 12 traps and I'd have 6beavers plus every day. This year I'd like to hit about 100 ish beaver in maybe 10days and call it good.

Take care and happy trapping

Redcoat remember that if the hide is still on them you can only sell to a licensed fur buyer. If selling for bait you must take the hide off first.

I am well aware of that. Hide on the board.

Thought you did. Just hate to see a fellow trapper get in trouble. I always worry about who’s reading.

No problem. Hides where in good shape and full castors.

I pulled all my beaver traps today and ended on a nice note. Four big beavers including this 65 lb monster. Muskrat float sets are coming out tomorrow. Just a little fur to put up and then it's time to call it a season. :)

https://i.imgur.com/hHPe5Nu.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/gWDEXIh.jpg

Last load to the depot tomorrow and done for another season. :)

https://i.imgur.com/lm2XbFO.jpg

Nice load, hope you do well.


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