Beaver retrieval

[Jeremy403]

My question is when you guys are shooting beaver whats the best way to get them out of the water? I could get quite a few more faster if I didnt have to wait for them to come to shore and then shoot.River is quite deep here so chest waders arent a option I have swum out for a few and while its quite exhilarating Im sure its not good for the health.

[dmcbride]

Fishing rod with big hook.

[HunterDave]

There was a thread a week ago with pictures of a wooden plug with hooks on it that you could throw out and snag the beaver. I have a few minutes so I'll have a look for you.

[H380]

Originally Posted by dmcbride

Fishing rod with big hook.

Works for me . I use 2 big trebles about 6 inches back of a large bobber

[Jeremy403]

Have tried with a fishing hook but maybe it wasnt big enough. Was thinking maybe some kind of a grapple on a nylon rope.

[nof60]

My old lab retrieved tonnes of em when he was in his prime.

[philintheblank]

I watched a video on youtube a while back where a guy was shooting spring beavers and one sank on him, most of them floated but this one went straight down. he said just wait 20-30 minutes and they usually float back to the surface. sure enough about 20 minutes later up she came.

[pointer]

I had one sink on my last spring didn't find him till a week later by that time it was rather on the large side

[flyguyd]

I always place a yummy looking willow or poplar stick on the shore where i want them to come and drip a mix of oil gland and castor juice at water level on the stick. Preferabally up stream from the lodge. They usually come in like homing pigeons .

[Secret coulee]

I use a telescopic painters pole with a big single treble screwed to the end of it,works great out to 30 feet,shootem and getem hooked up long before they ever sink

[KegRiver]

I have retrieved hundreds of beaver with a fishing pole and home made wooden plug rigged with a large treble hook.
I believe I used a size 10/0 hook.

Here is the thread hunterdave mentioned.

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=210147

[Jeremy403]

Thanks guys, Lots of good ideas.

[catnthehat]

I've used labs and long poles with a hook, but a buddy of mine uses a pole with a double bent piece of tubing on it, much like the poles used to recover people from water.
He doesn't put any extra holes in them that way.
Cat

[McLeod Valley]

I use a golf ball retriever with a big 5 of diamonds spoon , works pretty darn good in the creeks ,,,,,,
IMG_0563.jpg

IMG_0565.jpg

[bigmeadow]

I have used a bow and tie fishing line around the arrow and after shoot the arrow the pull him in.

Pain carrying the bow with the rifle though.

[DUKE-1]

i find most spring beaver sink, after 12 hours they come back up , and pray they are near shore.. i like the pole and hook .. i will get one set up forsure txs.

[arwho]

Never hunt for beaver, would you like to tell me what caliber is good for beaver hunting?
.22lr?

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by DUKE-1

i find most spring beaver sink, after 12 hours they come back up , and pray they are near shore.. i like the pole and hook .. i will get one set up forsure txs.

If they are sinking you are hitting them too far forward. Aim for the ear.

Originally Posted by arwho

Never hunt for beaver, would you like to tell me what caliber is good for beaver hunting?
.22lr?

.22 LR solid, aim for the ear. I like the Remington Vipers for beaver.

Never use hollow points. They expand too quickly which results in non lethal injures and knocked out beaver that come to and escape when you least expect it.

[Jeremy403]

Originally Posted by arwho

Never hunt for beaver, would you like to tell me what caliber is good for beaver hunting?
.22lr?

22 mag or 204 for the long shots when they are sitting on shore. Both have very minor fur damage with correct shot placement.

[DUKE-1]

Originally Posted by arwho

Never hunt for beaver, would you like to tell me what caliber is good for beaver hunting?
.22lr?

.20 gr .17hmr

[DUKE-1]

Originally Posted by KegRiver

If they are sinking you are hitting them too far forward. Aim for the ear.




.22 LR solid, aim for the ear. I like the Remington Vipers for beaver.

Never use hollow points. They expand too quickly which results in non lethal injures and knocked out beaver that come to and escape when you least expect it.

Hey txs i will try for that shot placement.

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by DUKE-1

Hey txs i will try for that shot placement.

I hadn't considered that you might be using a .17.
I have heard that they do tend to sink a lot of animals. Seems they hit too hard, kind knock the wind out of them.

But it is always a good idea to aim for the ear, or just under it. With a .22 almost all beaver will float if you hit them there.

[DUKE-1]

Originally Posted by KegRiver

I hadn't considered that you might be using a .17.
I have heard that they do tend to sink a lot of animals. Seems they hit too hard, kind knock the wind out of them.

But it is always a good idea to aim for the ear, or just under it. With a .22 almost all beaver will float if you hit them there.

are you shooting solids with the .22 ??

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by DUKE-1

are you shooting solids with the .22 ??

Absolutely.

I have at one time or another tried every sort of ammunition, including hollow points.

I found that hollow points result in injured and very gun shy beaver more often then not.

We used to use only LR solids but I have had better success with the hyper velocity solids like the Vipers which is all I use these days.

I still shoot up to a hundred beaver a year as part of my job.

For control, where the pelt isn't considered, I prefer a .22mag or even my 218. However, if I want the pelts, I return to using the .22lr exclusively.

I find that all the more powerful rounds, even the .22mag have more power then I like. They tend to sink more beaver and do more damage then necessary.

But the .22lr does have it's limitations. pin point accuracy is crucial and I found that the practical range for me, with a .22lr is around twenty yards.
Beyond that I am not capable of achieving the pin point accuracy necessary for a clean kill and a floating carcass.

This is seldom a problem however. The only place I have trouble getting that close is when hunting the travelers on the bigger rivers in the spring.

On the colony ponds if I can't ambush them at close range I can call them to where I can.

[5911ryan]

I have shot hundreds of beavers and have learned a few things about doing it. First of all, you will not retrieve every single beaver. The only way to retrieve every beaver is to use traps. You must shoot them in the brain. When they're shot in the brain, their nose closes just as if they were about to dive. Then, the air in the lungs keeps them afloat. Smaller beaver are like ducks, they can't sink but as they get bigger they become rocks. The big ones will almost always sink, and as long as you hit them in the brain, the gasses will build up in their bellies and they will float up (dead beaver can't fart). It might take 20 minutes, it might take till the next day, but they'll come up.
Also, most of the face is cut off a finished beaver pelt so bullet damage isn't too big of an issue. Most guys are just shooting them for bounty rather than fur anyways.
Retrieving beavers is easy. Always watch the wind when you're shooting. Never shoot a beaver if the wind will carry it across big water. Try to shoot them close to shore. Also, as soon as you make the shot, get your butt over to it as fast as possible. I have retrieved many beaver with nothing more than rubber boots hanging on to the tail as it did its death rolls (be careful though, they can still bite). Then a fishing rod will bring them right to you.
I use Stingers in 22LR for all my beaver. They always die from one shot. Cheaper ammo will not kill all the big ones. Trust me, I know. I've skinned out beavers with bullets under their hide and above the skull. Ryan

[u_cant_rope_the_wind]

nothing beats a good Chesapeake Bay retriever for retrieving beavers,
I used one for beavers, geese , ducks, pheasants
never lost a beaver
and the companionship of a good dog is irreplaceable

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by arwho

Never hunt for beaver, would you like to tell me what caliber is good for beaver hunting?
.22lr?

You need to have a trapping licence or damage permit to shoot them, BTW!
I've used everything from 22LR to loaded down .222 Remington, all work well if not going too fast and hit in the ear.
Cat

[Sheepcrazyguy]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

You need to have a trapping licence or damage permit to shoot them, BTW!
I've used everything from 22LR to loaded down .222 Remington, all work well if not going too fast and hit in the ear.
Cat

Even on private land?

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by Sheepcrazyguy

Even on private land?

Not sure about private land but it may be as well
I know on our range lease we need a damage permit .
Cat

[coy coyote]

You need a licence to shoot rats but not beaver. I shot my share of beaver with a single shot cooey. I waited till they where swimming away for a behind the ear shot. Any head on shot would deflect out. We shoot hundreds of beaver off of the battle river with 22 mags using federal 45 gr solids . As for retrieving I use a 45 foot extendable hollow aluminum pole. You can buy a calf catcher at the Ufa that's 6 feet and extends to 20 by sliding it apart. I tryed using a 50 foot poly rope with a grapple but as soon as the grapple landed on the beaver it would turn around facing up. It was a pain to use. I use my border collie now but the cold water gets to her after a few beaver.
Beaver

May be hunted and trapped, without a licence and during all seasons, on privately owned land by the owner or occupant of the land, or by a resident with written permission from the owner or occupant of the land.