Last year around this time i caught a beaver with massive sized hard as a rock castor's, first time id ever seen this. Some on here said they were barkstone castors. Today i caught two adult females in the same mudhole, BOTH had these in them though one was much bigger than the other. When removing those the outer 'skin' for lack of a better word over the castor's tore off as it was paper thin. The middle castor set is that one, same thing happened on one castor on the other one, top castor's are normal sized, also from a female at the same location, though she wasn't in a family way like the other two were.

What cause's this besides diet? As im not convinced diet alone does it. Number 2 Bridger trap for size comparison.

Cool J. How do they smell??

I thought barkstone was regular castor that had been dried forever and a day?

They STINK Daniel, lol. Strong musky castory type odor, kind of a mix between beaver pee hair off a coyote rump and castor mixed into it, lol.

I posted a set of these last year i think it was and someone on here called them barkstone castor's, whether that's what a barkstone is or not i have no idea. I just know ive seen my share of castor's and those last year were the only set id seen before, now ive got two beaver side by side with them and don't know what cause's it.

Both of these were in poor shape, they are going a long ways over land to get food, basically skinny female beaver's in the family way which is odd, they should be puffed up big as basketball's!

LOL!!! Awesome description!

I knew you had to smell them!

Jackie,I have found small pieces inside of castors before,but never the entire thing.
Bet their heart was also hard as a rock.
Tom

Come to think of it....I did find some "odd" castors once...

Mine weren't hard as a rock, but like hard taffy, and smelled different. I figured they were no good and tossed them.

Silly me...probably the greatest beaver lure that ever existed....LOL

I remember your post last year about these as well.

You saying they had 'hardening of the arterys' as my grand paw use to call it Tom? lol.

"Barkstone" is just an archaic term for castors. If you could read, you would find the "barkstone" reference in the old mountainman transcriptions and the like. It doesn't really have anything to do with the consistency. I too have caught beaver with "hard spots" in the castor sack, but never the whole thing like that.

-- Hal

I can't remember right off but im thinking those last year weighed over 16 oz. each!

Why do i need to read when i can have you do it for me? lmao.

I caught several this year that looked like they were full of gravel. Not like j's but just full of little rock hard "pebbles" for a lack of a better term.

Were these beaver feeding on pine trees . I have caught several in piney woods hard like that,just not as big.

Yes they are in pines but don't see any sign of them chewing on them, mostly walking through the pine thicket to get to some privet hedge.

Will see what takes place in the coming days, got a feeling may be too many beaver in this place, over populated in other words. The one i got last year though wasnt anywhere near any pines and had good habitat so not sure if pines are linked into this or not.

Just curious what cause's this.

i dont know what causes it but i do believe you have found the cure. LOL

i trap in heavy pine thickets and i have seen some hard castors but not like those boys.

gall stones or kidney stones.??..lol

What he said I picked up the nickname reading some trapping books published in the late 1800's

Well i don't believe him about it being archaic or whatever that means!

Ive got it from a good source these are what were called barkstones and worth alot in their hey day.

Wasn't the question i asked anyway but Hal can't read either, i asked what caused this in beaver. lol.

PINE SAP

Well whatever causes it or the terminology Thorpe thinks it makes his beaver lure worth 10$ an ounce,LOL

10 dollar an ounce lure to catch 4.00 a hide beaver, what a deal lol.

Barkstone castor was the prefered castor of the day during the day when they used castor in the perfume trade. it was considered the cadilac of castor. very large, very hard, and very aromatic. yellowish in color if i remember right. That particular castor is formed thru genetics, some say dating back to prehistoric days. thats why you only see it once in awhile. j you can bet that those females you caught in the same water system are related to the beaver of last year. You will prolly see it again in that same watershed. Thorpe "does" use it when he can find it or buy it but it doesnt come along very often.

Thanks Kenn, but these beaver are a long long ways from where the one i caught last spring was, doubt are related.

Oh and yes alot of publications refer to castor as barkstone but thats not what it is. castor is castor and barkstone is the next step up.a higher grade if you will.i have seen alot of castor over the yrs but have only seen what i consider true barkstone a few times over the yrs. and i have never personally caught a beaver with these. it really is an oddity.

thought you caught them in the same mudhole j ? youll catch more anyway lol good luck buds