Beavers

[nube]

I set 8 330's today. I had a question about setting 330's in a bever run that has been dug out . I had a trap set last week that was in a long skinny run that was as big as the trap and 60 feet long. It was just deeper than the trap and so I hung the trap both below and well above the water levels on 4 different times. The beaver had come along and triggered the trap each time and never did get caught. I found it frustrating. On the 5th time I ended up with a rat caught by the tail. Do you think it was muskrats setting it off all the time or is it possible the beaver pushed it over somehow? I had fresh poplar branches that were gone and so I am thinking it was the beaver. Have any of you had issues trying to catch a smart beaver?

On a side note I got some castor all ground up in a jar and started to try that as a lure just past the trap with some green sticks. Let's hope I got a few tomorrow!!!

[357xp]

Iam not much of a beaver trapper, but iam guessing it was the rats. I was sittin by a beaver house yesterday waitin to knock the lights out on one but all I seen was rats, rats and more rats. Almost looked like they had over taken the beaver house.

[grizz325]

I would guess rats were tripping the trap

[Red Bullets]

Originally Posted by nube

I set 8 330's today. I had a question about setting 330's in a bever run that has been dug out . I had a trap set last week that was in a long skinny run that was as big as the trap and 60 feet long. It was just deeper than the trap and so I hung the trap both below and well above the water levels on 4 different times. The beaver had come along and triggered the trap each time and never did get caught. I found it frustrating. On the 5th time I ended up with a rat caught by the tail. Do you think it was muskrats setting it off all the time or is it possible the beaver pushed it over somehow? I had fresh poplar branches that were gone and so I am thinking it was the beaver. Have any of you had issues trying to catch a smart beaver?

On a side note I got some castor all ground up in a jar and started to try that as a lure just past the trap with some green sticks. Let's hope I got a few tomorrow!!!

Trap shy beaver are still quite catcheable. You would have the best luck right at the beaver house entrances for smart beaver.



It may be rats triggering yor traps. So I would change the trigger wire positions. Bend the trigger wires more to one side, set trigger to the bottom. Then a rat may not trip the trap as easy. You could also submerge the top of the trap flush with the water surface, and put a stout pole right on the surface, right over your trap. This will make a beaver dive under the pole into the trap.

I think trigger position will help alot.

As far as the ground up castor, add some glycerene which will keep it from drying up as quick as castor alone. Another gland you can use for lure is the oil glands from a beaver. This also has a good musk for lure.

[nube]

Thanks for the tips. I set my trickers on the bottom and I have tried the stick thing over the trap and I also have tried it with the trap half in and out and still didn't catch him.

As for the lure I bought it from Halfords. It says ground up dry castor but the jar is liquid and I just add a bit beyond the trap.

I do have a a couple questions for you beaver trappers though.
What is an average success rate when checking traps for success?
Do most guys use lure or green branches or does it matter much?
How do you locate a run from the hut? I have tried so many times. Either the feedbed is too close and hard to get through or it is too deep and the run seems like it is 5 feet across. I know it is the best spot but it is sure a pain in the butt and way too much work for me to find the run. What am I doing wrong?

[Red Bullets]

Originally Posted by nube

Thanks for the tips. I set my trickers on the bottom and I have tried the stick thing over the trap and I also have tried it with the trap half in and out and still didn't catch him.

As for the lure I bought it from Halfords. It says ground up dry castor but the jar is liquid and I just add a bit beyond the trap.

I do have a a couple questions for you beaver trappers though.
What is an average success rate when checking traps for success?
Do most guys use lure or green branches or does it matter much?
How do you locate a run from the hut? I have tried so many times. Either the feedbed is too close and hard to get through or it is too deep and the run seems like it is 5 feet across. I know it is the best spot but it is sure a pain in the butt and way too much work for me to find the run. What am I doing wrong?

Questions answered.

The success rate can vary quite a bit. I find if I am setting right at the house, the success rate can be close to 100%.

The runs at a house can be found if you watch which way the beaver approaches the house. The run should be in the same area. A long curved stick can help find the run. hopefully. Go stand on top of the house and watch where the bubbles are from a beaver coming or going. This might help find the house entrances.

Otherwise, you can set a trap near the feedpile, or between the house and feedpile and bait it with green branches or I have even used carrot or apple on the trigger of a 330 conibear suspended under the water surface.

[Labguy]

best way to find run's is look for bubbles in ice , the runs almost never change decade to decade , memorize them , also if there is no ice , which there is not yet , simply why make it harder than u have to , take strange castor(from another loc ) set traps on dry land near or on house , dead beaver, the ones you don't catch who cares they are not going anywhere just , attract more to loc, and will breed and make more for you to trap, good luck.use natural castor , vanilla extract also works , try to stay away from store bought scents , cant beat the real thing..

[nube]

Got 4 today on 9 sets. I also had 2 traps sprung again

I had them in a little indent where the beavers are coming out on top of the lodge I place the trap in the water so the trigger is just covered in water and block off all the sides of the trap with sticks to guide him up on land. Then I put a green stick shaven on the lodge a couple feet from the trap and a little castor as well beyond the trap. I am not sure what they are doing but they are setting off the trap and not getting caught. Smart little guys

[C-GMIC]

Dude! Like you say you are new to this, 4 out of 9 with two sprung is a good day, dont sweat the small stuff. If you tagged out everytime it would be called shopping. Look at it this way. Its called bush ATM you never know how much the bush is going to let you withdraw, might be a $80.00 marten or a 2 buck squirrel. Time patience experience and above all be bloody careful around a beaver hut. The first and easiest place to break a foot and or go through the ice. Be oh so careful. I trap alone and go pretty far into the tulips so saftey is a first fur is a second.. Ive spent two winters trying to live off of trapping and its not an easy go, theres an old saying Id skin a turd to make a farthing. If its a job better put out more traps if its pleasure than youve done alright.

[nube]

Thanks C-GMIC
I just wondered if I am doing something wrong with these sprung conis is all. Seems to happen to me a lot. I wonder if they are backing up into it or pushing sticks and much into the trap or what. I think one night when I have some time I will go and watch what is going on to see if I can fix the problem

[KegRiver]

Could be rats triggering your sets, or it could be beaver with a stick in it's mouth. It is that time of year.

I'd move my sets to the main pond, set the pull out points with a scent mound.
That should greatly reduce the rat problems.



You can set the runs, but if you have rats in the pond you have to force the beaver to dive into your set. That'll cut down on the rat problems too.

It's not hard to do. just run a large stick through the spring loops. The stick has to be at least a foot wider then the run.

This way you can hang the trap just under the surface. Beaver will dive under the stick and rats will usually climb over it.

Here is one such set, in this case, in a culvert, but the principle is the same.



This set didn't have rat problems so I set the trap jaw just above the water, If there had have been rats present I'd have set the stick holding the trap, right on the surface. And I'd placed the trigger at the bottom, pointing up in a wide V. The beaver will hit the trigger with it's chest while any rats that dive through the trap will swim right over the trigger, most of the time.

Keep in mind, nothing works 100% of the time. Making my sets this way help me to avoid catching rats of having rats trigger my traps, 90% of the time.

Typically I'd have less then one in ten empty traps. Then again, I didn't have very many rats in the places I trapped or trap now.

Although I gave up my line, I still deal with problem beaver every year.
It's part of the highway maintenance job.

[McLeod Valley]

Ha ,,, dollar for dollar , if their is a lot of rats , I'd be pulling my 330's and putting in colony traps ,,, less work and more cash = happy trapper !!!

[nube]

I think part of the problem is maybe I don't anchor the trap as well as I should as well. Maybe they are bumping it and pushing it over. I am going to try and spend a little more time anchoring them and see if that helps.

[Torkdiesel]

There are smart beaver as well. My father had been dealing with a particularly smart one a couple weeks ago. The beaver kept pushing sticks into the trap and setting it off. The first 2 times it was at a dam break set so he figured it was just the beaver getting lucky the stick went into the trap first. Both times the beaver buried the trap into the repairs on the dam. The next 2 were at castor mounds and then 2 more at the house entrance, all with sticks pushed into them. He shot the beaver at 10 yards the next day with his .223 it was a scared up 60 pound male that had played the trap game before I guess.

[nube]

1 triped trap today and no catches. Caught 2 musrats though on a couple sets so it paid for the gas and a pop lol

[PCP_ECOM]

Originally Posted by nube

1 triped trap today and no catches. Caught 2 musrats though on a couple sets so it paid for the gas and a pop lol

had my first o catch day,but had to move my gear farther on marsh system and golf course maintenance shot a bunch of rats in the spring, but i stiil have big slough on south end of golf course to target and i will be putting in more gear on far end of marsh system first of week,gotta make few sets in creek for the beaver's to,come next friday mink boxes will be going out at every bridge in my trapping area,was told there was a mink farm in my area at one time and thta there are some good size mink running arround,then head to Clear lake,where i expect to catch most of the bulk of my rats,may also look into Frank Lake in High River,but later on when freeze up comes,then pushups,got bunch of 1 1/2 to use for then,then coyote's,so got alot to look forward to Rat count 60,caught a bunch of what looks like late kits,really dark hides,i'll take a slow day of trapping over good day of work anytime,Peter

[6.5swedeforelk]

Just to be contrary, I don't believe that muskrats were tripping all those sets.
Just how does a rat become so lucky?
I think that you're educating the beaver.
If beaver spook at the square shape of a conibear sitting "half out of the water" they dive & summersault to quickly reverse.
Don't know if it's the tail or the tidal wave that trips the trap.
Submerge the trap with a dry pole (not a stick) firmly on top. Anything smaller & theres another sprung trap as the beaver clears his channel.

Curious as to your use of a poplar stick for bait- heck you can't walk without stepping on green sticks this time of year!

A final thought... your 330's are in good shape?

[winmag]

6.5 swedeforelk exactly x 2

[nube]

Good points. Had one more tripped today and it had a branch in it. Caught 2 more beaver. 4 rats and 2 yokes.
As for the green poplar stick I shave the stick near the trap and put it byond the trap. It seems to attract them.

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by nube

Good points. Had one more tripped today and it had a branch in it. Caught 2 more beaver. 4 rats and 2 yokes.
As for the green poplar stick I shave the stick near the trap and put it byond the trap. It seems to attract them.

It's a common problem this time of year. Even though they have finished their food cache they will continue to move sticks around till the ice shuts them down.

Bank sets in the main pond will avoid a lot of the stick problems.


Bait sticks are effective. Like you say, a green poplar branch with some bark shaved off. It works. Add a dab of beaver castor as well.
Just a pea sized lump on a nearby stump or fallen log, whatever, to get the scent off the ground so it will spread.

If all you can reach is the runs, then set the bank of the run.
Make an artificial pull out if there are none around.

Think about what the beaver are doing and how they do it.
They cut sticks off and carry them to the dam or house, usually.

It's not often they would drag a stick out of the water at a pull out point, especially if they are coming to investigate the scent of an interloper, or to snack on a bait stick.

Runs on the other hand are their streets and avenues. That is exactly where they would be traveling with a stick.

[EmilyL]

in my opinion, espeically with traps that aren't completely submerged, stabilizing the trap is the most important thing. If that traps moves or shifts when they start to go through it, they will back right out, go around it, jam sticks through it, I have even had beavers slap them with their tails or push mud and debris into them until they go off. Also, on dam sets etc. if you block them with too much stuff, often times the beaver will crawl over it while fixing the dam, or use your blocking to walk around it. Don't underestimate them, if something has too much blocking they will get suspicious of it as well, whenever I am blocking traps such as the baited ones on the dam you mentioned, I try to use stuff from the house or the dam, stuff that already smells like the beaver and that they have already seen.Same as any other type of trapping, your footing is key. When your setting runs, look for when the ground around the house gets hard and dips, then use a curved stick to get in there and find the direction of the run. with a lot of older houses, you will find the beavers have undercut all the way around from travelling so much and that makes it hard to get at the actual run, in this case, try to get them going around the feed pile, either set your 330 hanging from the ice (later) or right now you cant do it at a right angle off a pole stuck in the bottom. This is a tough time of year, with the feed piles and the beavers carrying so much junk around, but i think 4 beavers out of 9 traps is great. When I am doing damage control jobs, and all the beavers have to go, sometimes you'll end up setting 6 or 7 traps over a few days just to catch the one smart beaver thats left, and your lucky if you do! Also, when your doing bait sets, sometimes making fake scent piles to go along with your poplar sticks and scent makes a big difference, the beaver swims by, see's a new scent pile with a bunch of "eaten" sticks, smells another beaver, and it just makes him see red and abandon all reason haha.

[EmilyL]

to get a better footing on runs into lodges, find the run, then suck the trap as far back against the house as you can get it, and pull up on it till it jams up against the top or walls of the run, then you wont get as much wiggle when something goes through. By the sounds of it you are pretty damn good so far though!

[nube]

I got so much to learn. I looked at 3 lodges yesterday and got so ticked that I could not figure where to put traps. I need to have someone show me how to find the run. I had 3 lodges I was standing on and the feed piles were tight against the lodge. I figured out kinda where the run was as it was 6 feet deep and 4 feet wide but where to put a trap in that kind of space is beyond me lol
I think I may wait till the ice is thick and hang some 330's baited and hope for the best because finding runs coming out of a lodge is just too much for me to figure out right now. I got a buddy who is going to come with me next time to help out so hopefully I can figure it out.
Got one more yote and 6 muskrats today though

[6.5swedeforelk]

Originally Posted by nube

I got so much to learn. I looked at 3 lodges yesterday and got so ticked that I could not figure where to put traps. I need to have someone show me how to find the run. I had 3 lodges I was standing on and the feed piles were tight against the lodge. I figured out kinda where the run was as it was 6 feet deep and 4 feet wide but where to put a trap in that kind of space is beyond me ...:

So don't waste all your time at the houses.

Every established colony has "escape holes", be it in a high bank or just a burrow into an old part of the dam.
A trained eye will spot these, they're often some distance from the lodge.
The larger beaver are often taken here, and this is where you trap the wisened-up beaver, not by adding even more sets around the lodge!

[TRAPPER92]

Find a long stick that has a good bend in it (almost like a hockey stick) Then poke around beside the house and find a spot that gets deep real fast (the run is usually two feet wide) Use the bent stick to poke to see if it will go up the run into the house. If it does - you found the run; If it doesn't and all you feel is a solid wall - then keep looking.

There are always two runs into the house - one is like the front door which is their main run and then there is an escape route. If you start trapping one, the beaver get wise to that fairly quickly so you're best off trapping both.

The feed bed is a problem because I find that nine out of ten times the feed bed is right on top of the entrances! When trapping the house I usually wait till winter then set snare poles around the feed bed. Works great!!

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by TRAPPER92

Find a long stick that has a good bend in it (almost like a hockey stick) Then poke around beside the house and find a spot that gets deep real fast (the run is usually two feet wide) Use the bent stick to poke to see if it will go up the run into the house. If it does - you found the run; If it doesn't and all you feel is a solid wall - then keep looking.

There are always two runs into the house - one is like the front door which is their main run and then there is an escape route. If you start trapping one, the beaver get wise to that fairly quickly so you're best off trapping both.

The feed bed is a problem because I find that nine out of ten times the feed bed is right on top of the entrances! When trapping the house I usually wait till winter then set snare poles around the feed bed. Works great!!

Good post.


Early in the year one can also find that the ice directly over the run will be riddled with bubbles, later on the ice will often be much thinner then the surrounding ice.

Be aware that this is common in active houses and that the ice can become paper thin, or even no ice, just crusted snow over the run.
Be very careful late in the year, especially around the feed bed.

And remember to make your sets far enough out from the feed bed so that a caught beaver can't get a hold on a stick anchored in the feed bed.
They can pull loose or break a snare, occasionally.
Worse still is when they get tangled in the feed sticks.

[nube]

Great info guys. I am learning lots. Thanks