I pulled my last sets the other day. Had one beaver set out right below the house that had taken probably a doz beaver this year. I left it there season long because I could check it just by driving by. A castor mound. It had set still and untouched for 12 days. 12 days of snow, hard rain and freezing, thawing conditions. Even water over it a couple times in those 12 days. Even after all that on the last day a beav could still smell that lure. I was supprised myself honestly.

I agree 100%. Not only can they smell good, but they can also associate certain smells with danger. I learned that lesson the hard way. Quite a few years ago, I went into a large track of swampland owned by International Paper. My cousin had the beaver contract on the land, but wasn't having much luck. He called me up for some advice. I told him I'd come spend the day with him and help him out. When we got to the land, there was fresh beaver sign everywhere. I promply opened my mouth and inserted my foot when I told him this was not going to be a problem. We spent the day making a pile of sets with footholds, conibears, and snares. Back then the majority of my sets were lured with a castor based lure. I told him we would load up on some flattails the next day. Well....long story made short, out of all the sets we had made the previous day, only one connected with a very young beaver. Come to find out, this area had been trapped real hard by another ADC guy that smeared a dab of castor based lure at all his sets. Because it was outside of trapping season. He was not checking his sets but every few days. The remaining beaver in the area had come to associate "Castor based lure" with their dead, bloated breathern laying around.
That job turned into a real learning experience for me. That is when I realized not all beaver are easy to catch. Totally changed my way of thinkin' when it comes to trappin' them flattails!

Yeah buddy they do catch on quick . Follow others ya best have a deep bag of tricks .

Drifter

Many times I've heard beaver slap their tails from a distance of maybe 100 yds. or further downwind when I was "slippin" along a creek and knew they couldn't see or hear me, I think they can smell as well as a deer or canine anyhow....

Yepper, they got some good sniffers.

The ignorant ones are easy to catch, but they don't stay ignorant very long.

All animals can smell many times better than humans. The legenday Walter Arnold always maintained that beaver could even smell under water. Ace

Responding to Eric (above). That's why I generally use lures that have a very unique smell, something different. Especially in the high competition areas I trap, you don't know what experiences, with lure, the beaver have had. That's why I most always use a stick of popple at my castor mounds as well. It is something different, most don't use it here, has odor, and beaver love it. Many times other trappers have set traps on both sides of me and I catch the beaver. It had to be the bait or the lure that made the difference.
As far as beaver smelling, like Blindhog said, beaver can smell you for a long ways when the wind is right. I also wear rubber gloves always, because you never know what experience a beaver has had with humans.

The first thing I used to asi doin ADC beaver was has anyone else had a wack at them.

I actually used to use their noses deliberately against them to control water by setting up a situation and teaching them that if I was around it wasn't safe to be there.

Then I could pop a dam, take a dump and P next to the whole, and forget it. They wouldn't touch the thing, even the next year sometimes. Used to freak farmers out -- "how did you do that?"

Caint give up ALL the secrets............

[quot

Then I could pop a dam, take a dump and P next to the whole, and forget it. They wouldn't touch the thing, even the next year sometimes. Used to freak farmers out -- "how did you do that?


There went my breakfast all over my keyboard.

Your lucky I didn't have breakfast yet,just got the dry heaves.

when i was trapping beaver in Texas(yeah, there is a few there), one farmer had a beaver in a stock tank. nearest DRY creek bed was a mile away. still haven't figured out where that beaver came from, except from that dry creek bed.

i had the same deal with some beavers at a golf course they were
wise to 330s and castior mounds i didnt know that some one else was there before me until the greens keeper said his buddy caught 2 i used apples and poplar oil foot holds and snares they seen a 330 and turned a 360 lol

This is why when I get called out ALL beaver must go. I've learned the hard way that leaving just one is begging for trouble. My castor based stuff stays at the bottom of the bag until the blind sets and food based lures have had time to work.

Some will argue....but a nervous educated beaver is much more difficult to catch than a coyote IMO. When you get a wary Einstein beaver...they'll notice one stick out of place, or when smells are wrong and stay well clear.

Dumb ones...you can't hardly miss...smart ones....whole different story....LOL. Been there, done that.

I agree with Taste like Chicken!

I've used just a drop or two of sac oil to catch many of beaver. Around here everyone uses a castor mound. I'll put a dab on a stick beyond the trap.Just because sac oil isn't as strong as castor don't think it won't work.I never hear people use it and I can't figure out why.

In ADC when quite a few are around and they are smart I usually set, run, & leave the traps sprung and hidden. Leave them alone a few days and suprize them again.

I've also caught a many a degreed beaver by setting conibers in a real sturdy brace and wiring it together so it can't fire. Usually under water and logs and stuff, set it in the trail and let them pass through it for a week. Then slip in with minimal impact and snip the wires.

But Benny, You would have had them the first time they went through!

nope that aint true at all. them smart ones will poke sticks up in it to try and fire it, mud, whatever is around. then some dumb youngun come zoomin right through it, they see it didnt hurt them, and they start using it too.

I see.