How NOT to Catch Beaver

HunterDave · #1 03-24-2017, 02:31 PM

First, very important, make sure that you leave your cellphone at home. Pick a nice mild day when the snow is heavy and wet. Head out to a spot where you have permission to trap a dugout. Once you leave the road come on to the gas so you have lots of speed and forward momentum to get through the snow and canola stubble. This will ensure that when you hit a low spot covered with snow you'll bury your truck good and deep......this is essential.

Once you hit the low spot good and fast, and your truck almost comes to a complete stop, stay focused and carry on with your original mission of setting traps by the lodge. Grab your shovel and chainsaw and walk out to it......deal with the truck later. When you get to the lodge on the bank of the dugout shovel a semi circle around it so you can stick the chainsaw bar in to find the run and discover that the ice is thicker than the chainsaw bar is long......FAIL!

Now to get the truck out. Dig, shovel, dig......bottle jack won't work because of the spot that your stuck in......jam branches under tires.....sacrifice (maybe) four 330's, one under each tire......dig and shovel more for at least 2 hours. As a last ditch effort, let half the air out of your tires to increase traction. When everything that you can think of fails admit to yourself that you aren't getting out on your own and walk across 2 quarters in your hip waders to the landowner's farmhouse and hope that someone is home. Not one vehicle drove that darned RR in the 3 hours that I was there.

Fortunately, the young fella at the farmhouse has a nice lifted truck with aggressive, oversized Toyo tires to pull you out......one little tug and out. Now to fill those tires back up with air and get home for supper.

Total time, approximately 4 hours.....Traps set = 0......Beaver caught = 0. So, how was your day?

Redfrog · #2 03-24-2017, 03:08 PM

And that is why trappers make the big money!!!

None of that happened to me today.

Hawkhills · #3 03-24-2017, 03:36 PM

been there got the tshirt

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KegRiver · #4 03-24-2017, 04:12 PM

Dang Dave !!!!

That's what I call a sh***y day !

That power saw technique sounds pretty awkward for finding runs.

Up here, this time of year you should be able to locate runs with an ice pick, with one or two jabs. There should be very little ice over the run, if there is any amount of snow on the ice.

Things must be a lot different for you in that wind swept country down south.

I feel for you man, beaver trapping is just plain hard work at the best of times.

My biggest fear when trapping beaver this time of year, is falling in where the ice has been thinned out by the Beaver.

I trapped with skidoos, no issues with getting stuck.

HunterDave · #5 03-24-2017, 05:27 PM

Keg, I hear you on finding the runs with a chipping bar and that's what I always do listening for the sound. Unfortunately, it went down a hole last week and I haven't recovered it with my magnet yet.

That's tomorrow's adventure.

For now I'm using a heavy dead branch to tap the ice in front of me.

Some runs are fairly thin but for some reason two spots that I want to trap are still too thick to get through with a 16" bar and I suspect that a third spot will be the same. All are dugouts with steep banks so maybe the beaver come out deep and don't make that channel like in shallower spots. That's a theory anyway.

I have traps out at a couple of other spots where it's shallower and the runs were very easy to find. Three or four inches down and the chain starts throwing water when you hit them. No water = no run. At one location on a lake I have to be really careful to not break through. It's only about 4' deep but I wouldn't expect to fall straight down onto my feet....lol.

I'm about 20 miles north of Edmonton.

KegRiver · #6 03-24-2017, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HunterDave

Keg, I hear you on finding the runs with a chipping bar and that's what I always do listening for the sound. Unfortunately, it went down a hole last week and I haven't recovered it with my magnet yet.

That's tomorrow's adventure.

For now I'm using a heavy dead branch to tap the ice in front of me.

Some runs are fairly thin but for some reason two spots that I want to trap are still too thick to get through with a 16" bar and I suspect that a third spot will be the same. All are dugouts with steep banks so maybe the beaver come out deep and don't make that channel like in shallower spots. That's a theory anyway.

I have traps out at a couple of other spots where it's shallower and the runs were very easy to find. Three or four inches down and the chain starts throwing water when you hit them. No water = no run. At one location on a lake I have to be really careful to not break through. It's only about 4' deep but I wouldn't expect to fall straight down onto my feet....lol.

I'm about 20 miles north of Edmonton.

Gee, you are having a rough week.

20 miles north of Edmonton, I thought you were a long way south of Edmonton for some reason.

Tell you what, if you are interested, you can have my ice bar. It's home made and I can't get it to you before the season is over, but it's yours if you want it, I'll never use it again.

I'll be heading that way the middle of June at the earliest. It's too big and too heavy to ship.

There's a thread here somewhere with pictures of it.

Homesteader · #7 03-24-2017, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawkhills

been there got the tshirt

Sent from my SM-N915W8 using Tapatalk

Those dually's are just awesome in loon ****. HAHAHAHA

Everyone has been there a time of two, or they aren't in the game.

HunterDave · #8 03-25-2017, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KegRiver

Gee, you are having a rough week.

20 miles north of Edmonton, I thought you were a long way south of Edmonton for some reason.

Tell you what, if you are interested, you can have my ice bar. It's home made and I can't get it to you before the season is over, but it's yours if you want it, I'll never use it again.

I'll be heading that way the middle of June at the earliest. It's too big and too heavy to ship.

There's a thread here somewhere with pictures of it.

That's a really nice offer and gesture, Keg. I would be happy to put your bar to use and pass it on to someone else who'll use it. That's what it's all about. I have some home tanned beaver pelts that you can look through and take one home to make a beaver hoop out of.

KegRiver · #9 03-26-2017, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HunterDave

That's a really nice offer and gesture, Keg. I would be happy to put your bar to use and pass it on to someone else who'll use it. That's what it's all about. I have some home tanned beaver pelts that you can look through and take one home to make a beaver hoop out of.

I'm just glad to have it go to someone who'll use it.
It's a shame to have it laying around collecting dust and rust.

I'll get in touch befor I head down that way next time.

For now I'm book up, four gun shows to do in April and a trip to Hay River.
I bought three, three phase electric motors, to get one I need. Now I gotta go pick up all three.
Then I fly to Calgary to talk to the mercans, they want to give me some money. Can't pass that up.

June I'll be down that way, if not sooner.

Whitetail200 · #10 03-27-2017, 12:24 PM

Dave , & you forgot to mention your still in your mid 20 's plus with lots of steam . Ha! Ha ! Ha !

HunterDave · #11 03-27-2017, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Whitetail200

Dave , & you forgot to mention your still in your mid 20 's plus with lots of steam . Ha! Ha ! Ha !

I turn 59 this week but I'm not calling it my birthday this year, I'm calling it CPP application day to start receiving it at a reduced rate the day that I turn 60. I'm hoping that the CPP will cover my costs for trapping beaver.