Today I looked at a beaver job.They have a nice bank den set on the waters edge with fresh mud and sticks on it.There are two nice trails were they are coming out of the water to pack insulating material on top.
My question is:
Would the beavers become spooked if you caught one next to the bank den.What would the best set to use.These beavers I believe are spooked easily.
Nice place for snares,but a live beaver on top of the den might not be a wise choice.Thanks

i believe if you leave the beaver there to long after it is caught they will become spooked but if you are trapping the enterence, it doest really matter, they will keep going in and out and you'll keep catching them. stabilize a 330 right over the hole until you get them all, if your regs alow it.

If I know it's only a pair I don't worry too much about setting on the house. But if it's more than that I try to stay away from the house as much as possible. At least until I catch the majority of the beaver in the colony and my other sets go dead.

I caught two last week at a bank den entrance with 330s. The only thing that I saw that might be a problem is if the entrance is blocked you might get your beaver "clipped" or bit up by other beavers. Not sure if it's really a problem but something to think about.

When using stabilizers the problem is the beaver is stuck right in the run or entrance of the den when caught. Sometimes this spooks the others...sometimes not. I like to anchor and stabilize the 330 so that the beaver can move away from the original set when caught. Don't get me wrong I still use Leflers at those real deep runs that I canot reach otherwise. They're very useful.

Thanks for the info.I'll use snares where they are crawling out on the sides of the den to pack more mud on the den. Thanks

Why not go up or down from the den 15-20 yards or so and make a few mud pies. Set a #4, #14, or mb 750 and run them down a drowner. This way you won't be right on top of them and can still resort to trapping the den entrance with a 330 if need be.

Smitty

I could do that I guess along with the snares,plus deep water runs.The den entrance would bee tricky to find.Their in a pond with very steep banks and deep water.

Dale,

One of the best things I learned, from the guy who taught me to trap beavers, is this;

"We don't have to go to the beavers, we can get the beavers to come to us."

Use a good lure, and protect it with the proper set for the location, and you don't need to risk trapping on top of a den (which is one of the other things I was taught, "never trap on a den or lodge").

I'm with Smitty, there's way too many other options.

Krusty

Is this an ADC job or do you want too leave a seed population?
ADC: set dam,all deep runs w/330.Set 1-3 mud pies NO LURE!
Trap den last if needed?
Fur trapping: set runs set dam or slide.Set footholds/castor lure.
leave after catching largest beaver. leave smalls as seed.
bob

Bob,all beavers must go.The owner wants them all gone.Tired of his trees being chewed down.Then after beavers are gone,then I get to clean out the muskrats(lots of them).
I'm curious as to the no lure thing.Would a fresh peeled stick on top of the mud pie work. Dale

You might have a problem with the snares where they are coming out to pack mud on the den. If you have ever watched them doing this they come out of the water walking on their hind legs carrying an "armload" of mud. They would most likely knock anything over at that point. It would be best to find another crawl out where mud- packing isn't going on. And, yes, the added visual appeal of the peeled bait stick would be beneficial unless they have been pinched by someone else using them.

are there any trees up against the bank but still part ways in the water. some of Lenons Beaver all call has the vaseline base or similar stuff and it holds up well in rain. this is where i put the whammy on the trap shy ones using a snare and a leaning pole up against one of those trees if there are any.

You catch one in a snare at the lodge/den guess what he's going to do? Go back in that den hole, lol. Have fun trying to drag a live beaver back out! I learned that the hard way ,lol.

I hope it didnt sound like i meant to set up the den. that is the absolute last place i set and usually dont have to. i get as far from the den as i can. i had one dig into a creek bank on a long snare extension and that was about as fun as the otter getting his head up my pant leg that one time. darn beaver are stout suckers.

Bob,

I too am curious about the no lure thing.

Can you please elaborate?

Thanks,

Krusty

Hal Sullivan makes a nice 330 holder that will allow the beaver to float out of the way. They are easy to use if the set is not to deep. A new mud pie with no stink will pull a beaver in. Usually. LM.

That sounds like a new thread there... due tell.

"A new mud pie with no stink will pull a beaver in. Usually."

And a new mud pie, with a good lure, will pull beaver in... faithfully!

So why leave it out, especially on an ADC job, when efficiency and effectiveness are crucial?

I'm not saying you're wrong, I'd just like to understand the reasoning, and learn everything I can.

I agree with Bob though, to a degree;

Set dam, at both ends (I don't do breaches), with a peeled stick and a dab of lure (castor-sac oil-anise or poplar oil)...
Set runs, pinch points, and the appropriate crossovers, with #330's, no lure.
And set mud pies, same 1-3 of them, with a glob of lure (castor-sac oil-anise).
When and where I could, I'd add, beaver floats, with peeled/split sticks and either of the above listed lures (in moving water).

This follows exactly how I was taught to catch problem beavers, by one of the best.
And I'm not disappointed in the results.

Krusty