My first beaver

[Torkdiesel]

I didn't notice your support log when I looked at your set up last night. Like Brag said use a good 6 foot long 4-5 diameter log just in case you get a marginal catch. The beaver will still drown fairly quickly but you want to have a stout log incase he does fight a bit and the hole hasn't frozen over yet.

[waterninja]

Really enjoying this thread. Lots of good tips and advice. Can't wait to see first beaver.
TFNG, you might consider continuing this thread right through the entire process like skinning, flesing and stretching your first beaver which I know you will catch.
This is fun.

[Tfng]

Originally Posted by braggadoe

hope you get one. everybody remembers there first beaver experience!


just throwing this out there. if your anchor log isn't twice as big(or bigger) as your hole. risk having it pulled under, if the hole happens to not freeze solid.

its easier to check. if you shovel a bunch of snow onto the hole to prevent it from freezing.

looking forward to the update.you'll get one.

I didn't like the logs so short either. I piled slush on the ends to freeze them down. I should have brought logs with me because there isn't much around this house. Thanks for the tip! Feel free to make comments guys, this is why I'm posting all this. It should be a good resource for other new beaver trappers.

[braggadoe]

as the winter drags on. the feed pile sours/depletes. your log needs to be a dead log. as they'll come up out of your hole. and chew up a green anchor log.happens pretty often,some times even chewing a dead log.


theres lots of other things a person could say. if i knew how to put a mark on your pic. i could should you where at least one of the entrances is. a trap in the run, at the entrance is a very high percentage set.

but its time for me to go check traps. love it!!

[Tfng]

I'm busy in the fur shed guys! I got one good sized beaver. I'll post pics and a detailed update tomorrow.

[deanmc]

Ahhh That brings back memories of my first beaver. Soo long ago.

[waterninja]

Congrats on your first beaver. I imagine you'll be spending a liitle time preparing the first one.
May I suggest that you euro the skull? It's fairly easy to do and you'll have a momento of your first.

[bill9044]

Dam good work. Pun intended. Can't wait to see the pics.

[crazyfish]

Congrats TFNG , can't wait to see the pics ! Word has gotten around where I live an i ve got a few requests coming in for beavers to be removed , lots of good info from here !

[Tfng]

My first beaver!



It's not a good idea to throw a wet beaver on the ice like that but I wasn't thinking clearly in my excitement. The trap felt so light pulling it up I was sure it was empty.

While I was there I switched my anchor logs out for fence posts. They are sturdy and hopefully not too appetizing to a beaver.

[HunterDave]

Right on! Congrats TFNG! Nice to see things unfold online.

[Torkdiesel]

Originally Posted by TFNG

My first beaver!



It's not a good idea to throw a wet beaver on the ice like that but I wasn't thinking clearly in my excitement. The trap felt so light pulling it up I was sure it was empty.

While I was there I switched my anchor logs out for fence posts. They are sturdy and hopefully not too appetizing to a beaver.

Looks like you got him just behind the head as predicted sir, good for you. Nice looking animal

[Tfng]

I returned the next day and had my second beaver.



Note to self. Find a better work surface.



What started out as, "I'm going to clean skin this beaver" turned out as "I'm going to get the hide off this thing any way possible". I roughly nailed it out in preparation for frost scraping. I left it out overnight, about 5 hours in this case lol. The overnight temp was -27.



I got started scraping at dawn and this was the result.



Beaver number two. Slightly better skinning job.



Frost scraped.

[braggadoe]

right on!

i wish it was cold enough to frost scrape down here. i've never tried it. but it sure looks like a great(fast) option.

[nube]

Congrats on your first. I find that the more meat I leave on them the easier to flesh. I rough skin them real fast then flesh them. What kind fo tool did you use for the frost scraping?

[Tfng]

Originally Posted by braggadoe

right on!

i wish it was cold enough to frost scrape down here. i've never tried it. but it sure looks like a great(fast) option.

It worked surprisingly well considering how roughly skinned the first one was. That big patch of meat didn't come off easily. The second one went faster. I was at it two hours and drank an xl timmies in that time. I should have skinned a little cleaner and stretched a little tighter. Any small ripples make it difficult to scrape clean.

[waterninja]

Great pics. That 2nd one looked completly dry on the snow. Thats quite the little work table you rigged up. How long did the first one take to skin?

[Tfng]

Originally Posted by nube

Congrats on your first. I find that the more meat I leave on them the easier to flesh. I rough skin them real fast then flesh them. What kind fo tool did you use for the frost scraping?

I used a replaceable blade paint scraper with the sharp corners filed off. I'm not very good on a beam yet, if I had put that on a beam I would have cut it to ribbons. It was a good opportunity to try frost scraping since it was cold today.

[Tfng]

Originally Posted by waterninja

Great pics. That 2nd one looked completly dry on the snow. Thats quite the little work table you rigged up. How long did the first one take to skin?

I spent over two hours on the first one. The second was less than two hours. For the second one I built a makeshift trough for my wheel barrow table. It was helpful.



I think it was you who was talking about making boards to sell? Here's an idea that you won't have to compete with Halfords for.



I wonder if it might work well if you had a trough you could put in there?

[The Spruce]

TFNG,

Congrats on the first hard water flat tail. I have used the FHA set up since day one. I have boarded close to 500 beaver on that, and it works especially good because your boards can be double sided. I am still a fleshing beam guy for now, but may try some frost scraping this winter before the end if I get some smaller beavers. I will also give the Wurz technique a go in the spring with some smaller not so prime beaver.

As for any frost scraping critics, look up Paul Mallette. Any thing that worked for him was clearly the best method. 800 beaver trapped, skinned, fleshed and boarded in one winter...wow. RESPECT.

Spruce

[Tfng]

Braggadoe had mentioned he could mark a run on the previous house if he could mark my pic. This is the next house I'm going to next week. I put pieces of flagging tape up for reference points. Two pics, same house different angles.

[Tfng]

Thanks Spruce! I know you get after a decent amount of beaver. Do you use that table to skin on or only board?

[Tfng]

If you look at the first pic you can see my axe handle sticking up on the left side of pic. I suspect there will be a run there but I won't know until I cut a hole. I've seen a couple drained beaver ponds when I was younger. I remember there being a run encircling the feed bed, as well as a trench along the dam where they dug the mud. Also a trench between the house and dam(dams if there is more than one).

[braggadoe]

in your first group of pics, the one lodge wasn't as snow covered. it was easier to see in the pic.

theses pics, your probably right about the axe handle. but it might be tuff because of sticks under the ice. worth trying, fore sure.

the flagging on the far right is also very good bet. should be air bubbles/thin ice. but its alot harder to say with it covered with snow.

if you can find the runs, aswell as with the baited sets you've got going. you should mop up.

you've already seen Boco's threads on frost scraping. he's got some steller threads on multiple sets in each run.

[The Spruce]

I skin everything on that table. It is centered where I do my fur handling. When handling large amounts of beaver I staple a pc of polly to the top. I have also made a drying rack/table that fits 8 boards double sided standing vertical. The top is filled in with a "super" board I made that has 2 more rings than a traditional set up for the really big ones. I also use this drying system for anything else that fits on a solid board. Wouldn't mind picking up a pc of hard plastic (cutting board like) for the top of the skinning/boarding table, but I have never been able to find one. A piece of advice on the table: make sure it is the right height for you, I think I added 6-8" of leg length so I would not be bending over. I have attached 2 pictures, first is how I set table when skinning. Second is of drying table (in background with rats on it).

Spruce

[The Spruce]

I will be setting full bore this weekend. Maybe I will take a couple pics to help you out. Are you planning on trapping this house out? If so, DONOT set the house entrances until the end. You will just be making trap shy beavers. Start of the perimeter of the food pile, set 330's like you have, though I prefer a different trigger placement on that set. Secondly set snare poles x2 or 3 on the house side of the food pile. Lastly plug the holes to the house with 330's. If you are just taking a few, hit the houses hard with 4-6 sets, will likely only take one check that way to get 2-4 beaver, then move on.

[Tfng]

Originally Posted by The Spruce

I will be setting full bore this weekend. Maybe I will take a couple pics to help you out. Are you planning on trapping this house out? If so, DONOT set the house entrances until the end. You will just be making trap shy beavers. Start of the perimeter of the food pile, set 330's like you have, though I prefer a different trigger placement on that set. Secondly set snare poles x2 or 3 on the house side of the food pile. Lastly plug the holes to the house with 330's. If you are just taking a few, hit the houses hard with 4-6 sets, will likely only take one check that way to get 2-4 beaver, then move on.

There's a lot of great info in those two posts. Pics and advice are always welcome and appreciated. I don't intend to trap this house out but I will keep that in mind when I plan to trap a house out.

[wallydog]

Originally Posted by TFNG

I didn't like the logs so short either. I piled slush on the ends to freeze them down. I should have brought logs with me because there isn't much around this house. Thanks for the tip! Feel free to make comments guys, this is why I'm posting all this. It should be a good resource for other new beaver trappers.

you have a great attitude to learn and help others to learn great to see

[Tfng]

Thanks for the kind words Wallydog.

Well I went out today and set a couple traps. I had intended to set two houses but spent so much time at the first house that's all I managed.

I cut seven holes to get two traps set. I did finally get them in spots I feel reasonably confident in. With all the snow now it's hard to even see the feed bed. Most of the holes had good water depth but too many sticks in the way.

I was so tired I did not get any pictures. I'll see if I can get some tomorrow when I check.

A little safety reminder as well. I had so many holes cut around the house it was like walking in a mine field and with a small lapse in concentration I walked right into one and went for a little swim. I quickly hauled myself out of the water and rolled around in the snow. I managed to get out fast enough I was still quite dry.

[shakeyleg02]

Originally Posted by TFNG

Thanks for the kind words Wallydog.

Well I went out today and set a couple traps. I had intended to set two houses but spent so much time at the first house that's all I managed.

I cut seven holes to get two traps set. I did finally get them in spots I feel reasonably confident in. With all the snow now it's hard to even see the feed bed. Most of the holes had good water depth but too many sticks in the way.

I was so tired I did not get any pictures. I'll see if I can get some tomorrow when I check.

A little safety reminder as well. I had so many holes cut around the house it was like walking in a mine field and with a small lapse in concentration I walked right into one and went for a little swim. I quickly hauled myself out of the water and rolled around in the snow. I managed to get out fast enough I was still quite dry.

Nothin like a good polar bear dip eh. Lol. Glad you made it out safe. Goodluck on your check