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  #1  
Old 04-10-2002, 07:21 PM
Beaver Question
 
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Default Beaver Question

How many beaver live in a large beaver house? I'm trapping out a small pond on a creek that has two houses on it. Does anybody know how many beavers are in one house and would that mean two different families in this one pond? Just curious because I'm trying to trap them out. I've got two adults and two kits so far.
Thanks
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  #2  
Old 04-10-2002, 07:59 PM
Rob
 
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unclebuck,

There is no rhyme nor reason as to how many beaver are in a house. Personally I've caught as many as five from one house and as few as two. Another trapper I know told me the most he'd ever got out of a single house was nine.

I trapped a pond last year that sounds similar to what you've got except it wasn't fed by a creek - two houses on the same pond. All I managed was two adult beaver from the entire pond, no kits.

My suggestion is to keep your traps up until they stay empty for a few days. Not sure if you're making castor mounds or not, but if you aren't (and have open water where you can) do so. Use some of the castor from the beavers you've caught - they can't resist it. After using the real thing, if your traps are still empty, I'd suggest you've done the job.

Being on a creek, however, you may find your work to be short-lived.

Take care and keep on trappin'

Rob
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  #3  
Old 04-10-2002, 09:47 PM
Re: Beaver Question
 
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Thanks Rob,
I'm not using any baits, all I did was chip around the houses to look ( or feel) for runs and tried to place where i thought were the runs are. The one trap is really producing with 3 beavers so far and 1 on the other side of the house on a smaller run. But no beavers yet on the house by the dam I know its in use because there was only 2-3 inchs of ice around the house.
I'm interested in the castor bait, I've kept the castors from the beavers i caught already, what do I do next?
Thanks for your help
I'm open to all suggestions
Unclebuck
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  #4  
Old 04-10-2002, 11:20 PM
Rob
 
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Wait for the ice to come off and then watch for the beaver runs leading up onto shore or up onto the lodge. The runs will be easy to tell as the beavers will be using them regular to gnaw the trees or make repairs to the lodge.
When you've established a run(s), pull some of the mud up from the bottom of the pond with a hoe and make a little mound in the center of the run just a few inches back from the shore.

Take 1/4 or 1/2 of a castor and position it in the mudpile you've created allowing for the cut-open end to give off scent - don't bury the castor in the mud.

Set your trap in front of the mound and castor (about 6-inches away). Push sticks through the springs and force them into the pond bottom. This will hold your coni upright. Make sure the bottom of the coni is off the pond bottom enough to let the dog fall. Use some small sticks underneath the coni to keep it just off the bottom. The coni should also only be under water about 3-inches or so with the rest of the trap above water. Then wire the coni to a solid tree or a solid branch attached to the lodge using rebar wire or something similar. Make sure you leave enough wire so that when the trap goes off the beaver will be able to fall back into the water. This will keep the hide in good condition and keep the beaver away from any predators that might chance upon your catch.

If you find active runs after the ice is off this should solve your problem. Seldom will a beaver fail to enter a coni when fresh castor is used. If you don't find any fresh shore or lodge runs, then you've already accomplished what you set out to do.

Hope this helps.

Rob
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  #5  
Old 04-11-2002, 11:33 AM
Re: Beaver Question
 
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Thanks rob,
I'll try that once my trapping around the house has slowed down.
unclebuck
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  #6  
Old 04-11-2003, 04:24 PM
beaver prices
 
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Default beaver prices

i was just wondering when beaver furs were good till.
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  #7  
Old 04-14-2003, 01:19 PM
beaver
 
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Default beaver

i trapped one place this year that had 2 beaver houses and 1 dam(the houses where on seperate ponds) the farmer said he had 25-30 beavers in the summer. however a trapper before me had cleaned them out>: but it is on a lengthy creek so maybe next year.:\ how late are beaver pelts still prime?????

:rollin
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  #8  
Old 04-15-2003, 01:17 PM
Rob
 
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Default Re: beaver

Hey Mad Trapper,

Except for zones 7 & 8 (April 30), the beaver trapping season runs until May 15. However, the later the season goes the less prime the pelt will be. I've only actually caught beaver during the last week of the season once and they were pretty rubbed but I still managed to get a fair price for them. Currently, though, beaver are paying so poor they probably aren't worth the work - especially if caught later than the end of April.

Rob
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  #9  
Old 04-19-2003, 03:28 PM
Beavers (4 legged kind)
 
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Default Beavers (4 legged kind)

I took 10 this week and they don t look too bad.Haven t stretched them yet but they still got hair.I find the best time to be early febuary for primness.These were problem bvr I took this week . Still nice to get out in the spring and play in the water....Zepf:hat Ps.gota remind Rob we need a fella with a coon skin cap.
.
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  #10  
Old 04-19-2003, 11:45 PM
Rob
 
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Default Re: Beavers (4 legged kind)

Hey Zepf,

Took five this morning near Wetaskiwin, including one big female that had to push the 60-pound mark. All but one smaller one looked to be in good shape. The younger one I could pull the underfur out of. In this area - at least - I think they are starting to turn fast. Will be checking my traps again tomorrow and then I think I'll be pullin' them.

The emoticons are EZ-Board supplied . . . gotta' agree though, it would be cool to have one with a coon skin cap!

Rob
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