Kre,

Awesome idea!! Sometimes it is too deep for my waders to feel the bottom of the run.

here are the pics as promised. i had my baited snare poles out and 1 baited 330 like mole had with the aspen wired to the jaw i ended up with 18 beaver 17 on snare pole and the 330 i set had a small one. first time i tried the 330 set, i like it but chipping around the wires is kind of a pain.
snare poles around the feed pile

same lodge with beaver from snare pole

different lodge with 2 snare poles and a baited (wired to jaw) 330

small beaver in the baited set

viedo of me loosing my ice chisel

Nice video. You are a crazy SOB!!!

What is everyones recommendation for chopping holes?

Nice pics!!! I like how you show your sets in relation to the feedbed!

What a crazy thing to do!! You are awesome!!

That is the best vid in awhile!!

new update I set 4 lodges, each with 2 snare poles and 2 330's baited with it hanging from the spring with wire like moles, 2 days check resulted in 1 beaver from every lodge, 3 beaver in snare pole, 5 snare poles-snares knocked down, and 1 beaver in a baited 330. not sure why this was but i will say reguardless of the outcome i like the 330, easy to set, check, and the loose ice in the hole doesnt effet it, they dont knock down like snares. i will continue to use 2 of each at each lodge

Fisher-usmc... just give the White PVC on the trigger a try... you will be pleasantly supprised...look at the pics above..

ttt

has anyone noticed a lack of action when over setting around a lodge.Is it posible to put the colony on high elert by poping in too many sets.seems like every time we set up too heavy the sets stay empty has any one had this happen to them too?these are under ice sets.

ttt

not sure reggie, like i mentioned i set 4 sets per lodge, always find 1 beaver on one of the sets on a 2 day check. good to see your from maine also, good luck.

Reggie,
Beavers seem to come out with or without much distrubance in experience. No matter what, the time seems to how fast they find your baited set.

Jordan Anderson,

I have caught quite a few beaver with potato slices for bait. I also have had a large percentage of misses when the trigger is on the bottom. I think the beaver are in a vertical position when working the bait and the snapping lower jaw pushes them out of the trap.

with the triggers on top and bent mostly out of the way, the only way they can spring the trap is if they pull it over their head while working the bait. I have never had a miss or empty trap with the bait tied on bottom and the trigger on top. I also set the trap so the triggers are on the far side away from the expected approach to get the beaver in the trap 2 more inches.

I wire a bunch of nice poplar sticks between the jaws and even wire them solid to one jaw. you could pierce your potato quarter and run wire through it and wire between the bottom jaws.

This is the only set that i have the triggers on top, usually I have the triggers on bottom for an open water or channel set to keep the trigger from cutting back hair.

I have good luck with Belisle 280's on the baited "trapeze" set, catch right behind the skull. 330's will catch on or behind the shoulders.

Like I said before, I also use mostly unbaited snares under ice and 2 or 3 baited conibears per colony.

I have not had luck with any kind of foothold set, but would like to try the under ice sets with TS 85's or something of that size. maybe setting on bottom in shallower water.

Just a few pics to keep this thread going. Had 8 beaver out of 10 sets. Caught 7 in 330s in runs and one on a snare pole. Had one snare pole empty and one 330 snapped that was in the same run with another one that connected. Very happy with the day for just a few sets.

Here's a few pics of some under-ice beaver trapping.

Here's an active bank den. Viewing from across the stream. Notice the feed pile and bubble trail between the feed pile and shoreline.



Another view from standing on top the den:



Here's a feeder den located about 100 yards upstream. Notice peeled sticks near the entrance. These are often much easier to set as they are typically shallower than main dens or lodge entrances:



Pic of a 45-pounder in a 330. Check out that cute face looking through the ice:



Beaver shown in previous pic. Always use dead sticks to stabilize the traps. Beavers will stop and chew the stakes if green:

Fisher-usmc, I don't know why you bother using snares and traps when you could probably just go under the ice and grab 'em.
Very informative post guys...good ideas and pictorials.
I'm pretty sure I would be seeking alternative methods for chisel retrieval, however!

I have a spot that looks similar to yours Ron. I heading there the next chance I get.

Well...the den and feedbed looks the same except I have 6" of ice on the river and 18" of snow....lol..

BeavBGone,

not to get to far off track but how do you like that tundra is it the 550 long track? do you do much trail breaking and what type of snow conditions do you get over in MN? Considering a new / used sled next year and thats on my short list but I keep going back and forth between it and a larger wide track.

Brandon, its the 300 tundra and has been a great sled. We have quite a bit of powder snow this year and it has been doing great breaking trails.

Dale,

You make a good point. How do beavers work the bait on an underice set?

Maybe some snarer's have a better idea about this.

When no snow is present and the ice is clear, I have noticed from the air bubbles, that when snaring outside the feed bed, the beaver will swim by the baited pole 2-3 feet away and work it from the opposite direction of their initial "takeoff". It's almost as if they want to look at the hut while feeding.??? Ya got me why, I'm no beaver.