You cant see the lock all that well foxer, but you should get the idea....i made it 2'' long and just cut an angle on it with a hack saw, welded on a couple nuts on the bottom for stoppers, and at the top i welded a rebar stake swivel to the rod i had from coyote trapping....since i dont use rebar anymore they work out great for rod ends

you can throw 1/2 doz of those buggers over your shoulder and walk right into wherever you want to be....i just wish it was that easy to cary the beavers out

Like so?

Curt--a shorter side works better on larger rebar..when I make those, I make it 1/2" instead of like your 1" sidewall, so the opposite side is 1.5", or even 1", to get more outta the material. Beavers don't care if it is a 45* angle, just so you attach trap to the longer side.
I use 3/32" (.093) wall thick tubing, not 1/8".

yup thats exactly how I made mine, traprjohn may be correct about the shorter ones, I really would have no idea, i just made mine as shown and tried it out to see if it worked...havent had anyproblems yet ...but that doesnt mean there arent better ideas out there

Excellent, thanks John and Yote addict. I figure it wouldn't be a bad idea to knock up a dozen or so in preparation for the summertime beav. calls and next year. Assuming of course that my ADC cert. comes through by then...

As alreaudy said, in my opinion if you have to use weights at the bottom you're defeating the purpose of the rod.

WHen I say soft sand I'm talking about the real soft stuff, where the water looks a foot deep but you sink to your waist in the sand on the bottom. That won't hold a rod, I use 10 footers. Yes a weight at the bottom will work in both these situations but I see no need to carry a rod and a weight. I use cable or chain in spots where I need a weight.

I use rods in soft bottoms all the time, even silt. Beaver can't get any leverage in soft bottoms, so it doesn't take as much to hold them. I just double or even triple stake them on the bank. I first stake the top end farther up on the bank, then the second (and third) stake is staked at the trap. That way the beaver can't come up or go side to side. Works good. I actually make special stakes for that purpose. I've still never a rod pulled out.

Goldy,what do you use,a stake with a hooked over end to go over and stake the rod.I am asking about the second and third stake at the trap comment you made.I was putting some together and was thinking of welding a 6" rod across the top end of the rod for double staking instead of a single washer right on the end.What are your thoughts on doing it that way and just double staking the top end to begin with?A lot of my beaver trapping is in very soft silty bottom and I worry about them getting the rod loose and pivoting on a single stake and bringing it back to the bank.

Basicly I use a 30" rebar stake with a hook welded on the end. If the bank is really soft on top I'll put two, each at a different angle, like cross staking for coyotes. I've also used two T stakes, one on each side of the rod driven in at different angles. I think your way could work, especially if the top end is good hard soil. I wonder though if your 6" rod is welded at the very end if the beaver would have enough resistance to not bring the end of the rod up. It's the law of leverage. Seems also the areas I trap when the bottom is soft the top is too, so I need the second and third stakes farther down the rod to reduce the leverage. Am I clear? It doesn't take a lot to hold them down in really soft bottoms though, I've taken some huge beaver on rods that had very little or no resistance when I pushed them in.

Thanks goldy,that all makes sense...
6" may be to short,I had considered that.Maybe double it to a foot?

Great thread and information fellas. Thanks to all of you!

What prevents the trap from hanging up on the extra stakes instead of sliding down the rod?

If they are driven in above the drowning lock the likely hood of that is very low.Their initial reaction to the trap firing is to retreat to the water and leave the bank...

I believe the multiple stakes are above the trap,,trap can still slide down rod

I see. Must have a fair amount of rod above the trap for that to work.

Maybe 18" is all. It doesn't take as much as you might think. And yes the stakes go above the trap.