I tried to find it in the archives. I am looking at building a couple beaver floats to trap the river with this coming year. I saw it on time last year but can't locate it now. If any one can help with plans for the 330's -- appreciate it.

Hey Viper, send a PM to lyonch. He built a whole bunch and used them with pretty good results this spring.

lol if you sweet talk chris he MIGHT GIVE YOU THE FORMULA FOR THE BEAVER LURE HE CAUGHT THOSE BEAVER WITH ..LMAO....

You guys are too funny LOL! Here are some pics i took, and after running with them for a year and testing them, i would make the sides 12" tall at minimum. I was able to watch a couple beaver work the floats, it was them coming up from behind and flipping the float that i decided taller sides are needed.

Here is a pic of one being deployed by a fellow trapping buddy!

nice floats chris . keep it up brother and yes i was a smart butt ...lmao

Thanks alot guys. these will help alot. About the only place I can get into without walking anothers step is the big streams and river. So I plan on making a couple to start with this year. I'll probaly have to experiment with currents but this will get me started.

Very nice.

Thanks for posting Lyonch I might have to try. I was curious if you have used them in ponds where their is no current? Thanks

JM - I have not tried them in a pond before. My thoughts are that the beaver will just try to climb the float, or push it around. The current forces them to work this float upstream. If i were to use this float system in a pond of lake, i would tuck it into the shoreline, and stablilize it a little. Good luck if you try it, and if you do, post some results!!

I am thinking of using in current mostly due to fluctuating water levels but, I was thinking it might be a change up on ponds. I am hopping to make a few this summer and get them bank side so when season comes I don't have to carry them in next spring. I am thinking they might be deployed this fall but if rat prices hold I'll be chasing them instead. I will keep you updated on results.

I built 4 of them 2 years ago out of split cedar power pole pieces, 3 - 3 1/2 feet long and about 8 inches thick, hinged in the front so you could fold them. I wired a chunk of poplar bait inside the apex of the float and dabbed a little castor on the inside in front of the traps. Notched the ends of the split poles with a chainsaw for the trap springs. Tied the traps off with a 6 foot cable to a large staple in the end of one half log. Caught 6 beaver in a row in one that was set in flooded brush with the opening facing the river.

The other three I caught only one beaver in. Set on open creeks anchored to a cement block from the apex so the opening faced downstream. Didn't know till later 3 damage control trappers cleaned the area completely out the previous summer. No fault of the floats.

My floats are kind of bulky and heavy, so a beaver can't flip them easily. And I lean them up against a tree when done and re-set next season. I would have gave up on them if not for the one that produced so well. The hinge in front is made from the log itself with a hole drilled through and an old powerline eyebolt. Farmers, trappers and linemen can do anything with some wire, tape, scrap metal, and scrap wood. The old cedar pole chunks floated well all season, didn't get waterlogged.

Lyonch. figgered you'de use pink LOL.

I have used my floats which are similay to Lyonch"s and didn't have any success, seems like the beaver tried to climb on the float from the backside. When there is current they approach the float from down stream and were caught with some success

You got me!! Nothing gets by those old wise eyes of yours LOL!

I've been wandering to my self now I'm gonna throw it out to the rest of you. If you bait with muskrat carcasses would it work for otter? Just wandering if anyone has tried. I think they would just help themselves over the back,but I hope I am wrong.

i know that beaver lure formula i gave lynoch is deadly on otter as well give chris time and he will have that answer. real quick

I did not catch any otter in the floats. I did run them in a fairly high populated area for otter too. When it comes to catching otter in MN, i have found you make a good beaver set, and you will catch beaver and otter. Fall, or spring it doesn't matter. Otter in my area seem to be attracted to two things, something fishy, or a castor based lure (but not all castor based lures). I have a lure that is homemade and ran the exact same line last season and didn't even catch an otter, this season i switched to southernlures beaver lure and poof them pesky things showed LOL!

Southernlures - the DNR were not too happy with me from all the otter i had to turn in and i didn't catch any of them in a blind set, so yes that lure is attractive to otter!

also check to see if your state permits 330 to be set with part out of water. Indiana top of the trap has to be underwater the way I understand it.