My first beaver

[Tfng]

I've decided to try for some under ice beaver this winter and I thought I would document it here. I've never caught beaver before so it's going to be a learn as you go attempt.

I ordered a few supplies today. Some snare cable and an ice chisel. I already own a half dozen 11 inch Sauvageaus. I quizzed the store owner on under ice beaver when I called. His first suggestion was to wait for the ice to melt lol. I don't plan on waiting so there's a lot of chopping ice in my future.

I did a little scouting around for beaver while checking my coyote snares today and found a few good locations. These ones are easy access and I think that's where I'll start. I've got a few others that aren't so easy I will save for when we have more snow.



This one is huge but I haven't confirmed it's active.



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My supplies should be here this week so I'm hoping to start setting next week.

[Torkdiesel]

Do you have a chainsaw ???

[Tfng]

Yes I have a saw. It's got a 20 inch bar, I'm not sure what the ice depth is. There has been ice here since the second week of November.

My plan was to cut what I can with the saw and finish up with a chisel. It's still possible I will go buy a longer bar and chain. It's a 357xp and it pulls that twenty inch chain pretty good in wood and I think it could pull a much longer chain in ice.

[pointer]

I know where them beavers are that 3rd pic got another house straight north of it

[braggadoe]

those are some sweet lodges. wish we had them like that around here.

[Tfng]

Originally Posted by pointer

I know where them beavers are that 3rd pic got another house straight north of it

Yes absolutely. I would say the one to the north is way bigger but not within spitting distance of the road. I haven't talked to the landowner yet but I don't think it will be a problem.

If you look at the hill in the background of the first pic that's in Saskatchewan.

[Tfng]

Originally Posted by braggadoe

those are some sweet lodges. wish we had them like that around here.

Bank dens in your area?

[pointer]

Originally Posted by TFNG

Yes absolutely. I would say the one to the north is way bigger but not within spitting distance of the road. I haven't talked to the landowner yet but I don't think it will be a problem.

If you look at the hill in the background of the first pic that's in Saskatchewan.

Yeah not sure who owns that land on the 1st pic but I know to the west of it theirs a farmer who won't let anyone on for anything and he's got a lot of beavers on his land

[braggadoe]

Originally Posted by TFNG

Bank dens in your area?

very few beavers. not much water. bummer!

[Tfng]

Originally Posted by pointer

Yeah not sure who owns that land on the 1st pic but I know to the west of it theirs a farmer who won't let anyone on for anything and he's got a lot of beavers on his land

If it's who I think you're talking about I can get permission in there. (Never deer though)

[bill9044]

I'd start with the chain saw. When you cut. Cut the ice at an angle. So when you cut all 4 sides the water will push your block up out of the hole. You don't need much of an angle.
\___/ like this. I got the tip at the trapping rendezvous.

[Tfng]

Thanks, I really need to go check the depth of the ice. I've been calling around for a longer bar but 32 is the longest I've found so far and it's a month away. My saw is on the small side for such a long bar. I'm not worried about the power in ice but they just don't make them for that saw.

The ice in the runs will be thinner obviously but out around the feed bed I'm expecting lots of ice.

[bill9044]

Also I take a snow shovel and a broom and sweep the ice clean. So you can see the runs and to help judge ice depth. I don't clear the whole area just where I am working and looking for runs.

[Tfng]

Originally Posted by bill9044

Also I take a snow shovel and a broom and sweep the ice clean. So you can see the runs and to help judge ice depth. I don't clear the whole area just where I am working and looking for runs.

Thanks Bill. Most of our snow had melted but we got a few inches yesterday so now I will need a shovel for sure.

My supplies showed up on the bus today and I thought I would give a little update.

I'm most excited about this needle bar, it comes out of Manitoba and is used on Lake Winnipeg by the commercial fisherman. These guys should know a thing or two about cutting holes in ice. Hopefully it works well, it sure looks impressive.




Next is some 5/64 7x7 with micro locks as well as Adams locks. This cable comes reccomended by some pretty accomplished beaver snaremen. Minimized snare marks and supple enough to make good extremity catches.



Last but not least a beaver knife and one handed flesher.



I've lined up a few permissions so far. I haven't lined up all of the houses I took pics of yet but I've got enough to keep me very busy. I should have lined up more spots before all the farmers left for Arizona lol.

I'll be busy building a few snares and prepping tomorrow.

[Torkdiesel]

Looks good TFNG !!! Keep us posted.

[Hydro1]

Keep us updated, i really like that needle ice pick.

[Tfng]

My wife forgot to inform me I also got a package in the mail.



An awesome pair of sheared beaver mitts with coyote trim!! I drooled all over these when I dropped my coyotes off at the ATA in Westlock. I couldn't bring myself to pay the ridiculous price they wanted for them and bought my wife an article of fur clothing instead. These mitts haunted me for days when I got home, finally with the coaxing of my wife I had them sent to me. They will be great for warming up those cold hands. They won't be practical as work mitts since they don't have leather palms but I love them. I've been making an effort to promote fur to people in my area and these mitts sell themselves. They are about ten times softer than they look and seem very warm so far.

[HunterDave]

I plan on doing some under ice beaver trapping for the first time as well so this is a great thread for me.......Mark's thread about sets as well.

If I can offer you one tip from my limited experience......Use a sharp fleshing knife for all but 6" around the outside of the beaver and leave the belly to do with a dull fleshing knife to finish. A sharp fleshing knife will put holes in the belly. The one handed flesher will work well for tough up after the pelt is boarded.

Bill, great tip on cutting the ice in a V shape. I wouldn't have thought about that.

[Tfng]

Originally Posted by HunterDave

I plan on doing some under ice beaver trapping for the first time as well so this is a great thread for me.......Mark's thread about sets as well.

If I can offer you one tip from my limited experience......Use a sharp fleshing knife for all but 6" around the outside of the beaver and leave the belly to do with a dull fleshing knife to finish. A sharp fleshing knife will put holes in the belly. The one handed flesher will work well for tough up after the pelt is boarded.

Bill, great tip on cutting the ice in a V shape. I wouldn't have thought about that.

Haha I took a file to my sharp fleshing knife!! It will need a sharpening. I'd like to try frost scraping if we have cold enough weather. The pelts look fantastic frost scraped.

[Torkdiesel]

Originally Posted by TFNG

Haha I took a file to my sharp fleshing knife!! It will need a sharpening. I'd like to try frost scraping if we have cold enough weather. The pelts look fantastic frost scraped.

Never heard of this. How does one go about frost scraping ???

[Tfng]

Originally Posted by Torkdiesel

Never heard of this. How does one go about frost scraping ???

It seems like a simple way to do beaver. Board them with a few nails and put them outside to freeze. -30 is supposed to be an ideal temp, scrape with a modified paint scraper and the fat peels off in long curls. I'll hunt down a link.

http://www.trapperman.com/forum/ubbt...ng#Post4141243

Supposedly works with many animals. I have no real world experience.

[Torkdiesel]

Originally Posted by TFNG

It seems like a simple way to do beaver. Board them with a few nails and put them outside to freeze. -30 is supposed to be an ideal temp, scrape with a modified paint scraper and the fat peels off in long curls. I'll hunt down a link.

http://www.trapperman.com/forum/ubbt...ng#Post4141243

Supposedly works with many animals. I have no real world experience.

Interesting, looks like it works very well

[Tfng]

Yeah I thought so too. Might be worth a try.

[Tfng]

Well I went out this afternoon and managed to set three traps on one house. I found about 19 inches of ice in the runs. I walked around with my saw and checked the ice depth. It's really quick to just use the nose of the bar and see how much ice there is.

I ended up cutting five holes to get three traps set. Two holes were duds which did not have enough water under the ice to set a trap.

I had hoped to set a baited conibear near the dam but could not find a spot with thin enough ice to cut through with my saw and gave up on it.




My traps did not come with anchor cable so I set them up like this.




My baited conibear set. I've seen this referred to as the "swinging Suzy"




I will probably go have a look tomorrow and hopefully have a beaver!

[Torkdiesel]

Good luck to you sir !

[Tfng]

Originally Posted by Torkdiesel

Good luck to you sir !

Thanks Tork, would you care to comment on my trigger position? It is centred within the trap. I have them fairly wide because I wanted to be sure a beaver was well in the trap before firing. I'm second guessing myself though and am wondering if I might catch them too far back.

Edit- that's an eleven inch trap

[Torkdiesel]

Originally Posted by TFNG

Thanks Tork, would you care to comment on my trigger position? It is centred within the trap. I have them fairly wide because I wanted to be sure a beaver was well in the trap before firing. I'm second guessing myself though and am wondering if I might catch them too far back.

I think you will be just fine like that. I usually bend all my beaver 330 in a _||_ shape whether I'm setting on a swim through or bait. You won't catch them too far back with a baited set bacause the beaver isn't going to swim through your 330. He's going to swim up and grab that bait with his front feet and try to bite it off. When he pulls it in to get a hold of it he'll push against the triggers. When that big Sauvageau hits him behing the head he'll barely kick.

[Tfng]

I hope so! I'm looking forward to checking those traps.

[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.

[nube]

Good Luck. This is getting exciting!