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Trap smart beaver
#6238386
05/12/18 09:59 AM
05/12/18 09:59 AM
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Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 992
Ohio, USA
Ave
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 992
Ohio, USA
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Hey guys, due to some smart adc beaver, I have to start using footholds. Ive got no experience with footholds for beaver, but I know the basics. Offsets aren’t preferred but it’s what I have. I’ll be using either a number 3 double long spring with 5/16 offset or a Bridger 2 closed jaw. Should I go with the bigger trap with offset or the smaller with closed jaws? I’ll be setting them on a drowner. Don’t worry lol, I’ll be investing in actual beaver footholds next year. Thanks
Ave don't go where the beaver don't flow
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Re: Trap smart beaver
[Re: Ave]
#6238414
05/12/18 11:01 AM
05/12/18 11:01 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,857
Wisconsin
The Beav
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,857
Wisconsin
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Tough question.
Neither trap would be my choice for targeting a hind foot. And since your telling us you have No experience with foot holds that makes it even more difficult.
Targeting a front foot would be easier In your situation. A 5/16ths offset Is a bit much. But If you get a high hold on a front foot you may just get away with It. Do you have a welder? If so maybe you could close up that offset.
I've caught a few beaver In #2s when targeting a front foot. But you better get that critter drowned as soon as possible.
If It were me I'd wait on this job till I had some real beaver traps. NO sense In making It any harder then It should be.
The forum Know It All according to Muskrat
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Re: Trap smart beaver
[Re: Ave]
#6238422
05/12/18 11:11 AM
05/12/18 11:11 AM
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 45,530
james bay frontierOnt.
Boco
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 45,530
james bay frontierOnt.
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You are going to educate them further and make them even harder to catch.
A number 4 or bigger, with strong springs would be my choice for a beaver foothold.
If legal in your area I would choose to snare nuisance beaver than use small footholds.
Forget that fear of gravity-get a little savagery in your life.
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Re: Trap smart beaver
[Re: Ave]
#6238465
05/12/18 12:31 PM
05/12/18 12:31 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,857
Wisconsin
The Beav
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,857
Wisconsin
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Then he has to use It for targeting a front foot.
BUY beaver traps.
The forum Know It All according to Muskrat
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Re: Trap smart beaver
[Re: Ave]
#6238487
05/12/18 01:42 PM
05/12/18 01:42 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,487
Eastern Shore of Maryland
bad karma
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,487
Eastern Shore of Maryland
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Set for front foot with coilspring on an 1/8" cable drowner. Set with some pan tension and use poke sticks in front of the trap. Make the sticks sharp and the points right at waterlevel. Remember to offset the trap pan couple inches from center line of travel. Get him under and drowned ASAP.
Can also set the trap behind a low ridge of dirt as well so he is climbing and using his front feet. I prefer poke sticks though.
Never argue with a fool - they will drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience.
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Re: Trap smart beaver
[Re: Ave]
#6238490
05/12/18 01:44 PM
05/12/18 01:44 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,487
Eastern Shore of Maryland
bad karma
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,487
Eastern Shore of Maryland
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Pencil sized sticks too pointed in the direction you expect the beaver to come. If he is really and truly spooked castor probably won't work.
Never argue with a fool - they will drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience.
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Re: Trap smart beaver
[Re: Ave]
#6238505
05/12/18 02:13 PM
05/12/18 02:13 PM
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Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 992
Ohio, USA
Ave
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 992
Ohio, USA
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Thanks for all the answers! Bad karma, he responds to castor, as he has made challenging mounds next to mine, he just won’t commit to the trap. For whatever reason he removes all of my stabilizing sticks and dive poles, even though all the limbs are dead. Maybe I should just really block everything off ?
Ave don't go where the beaver don't flow
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Re: Trap smart beaver
[Re: Ave]
#6238516
05/12/18 02:31 PM
05/12/18 02:31 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,857
Wisconsin
The Beav
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,857
Wisconsin
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Get that beaver walking If your going to set for a front foot. And off set the trap about 4" right or left of center.
I like to lay a large stick across the approach so the beaver has to step over It. Or build up a mud berm and have a pocket of water on the back side so you can submerge the trap.
Keep all this as natural as you can.
Forget about castor and use a dab of sac oil at your set. Sac oil Isn't territorial so the beaver won't be so aggressive when approaching your set.
If you can back off for awhile I'd do so. Let things settle down and the go back In with a plan. Get In and out with a minimum of disturbance.
Good luck
The forum Know It All according to Muskrat
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Re: Trap smart beaver
[Re: Ave]
#6238897
05/12/18 11:48 PM
05/12/18 11:48 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,857
Wisconsin
The Beav
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,857
Wisconsin
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Lot of good information. But there Is only one person who knows what kind of habitat he has to deal with.
No large log to deal with? Do you haul one in? You need to keep the killing ground as natural as can be. You move one log or change something that beaver will know It. Especially those that have been hassled.
The forum Know It All according to Muskrat
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Re: Trap smart beaver
[Re: Ave]
#6238934
05/13/18 06:08 AM
05/13/18 06:08 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 29,899
williamsburg ks
danny clifton
"Grumpy Old Man"
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"Grumpy Old Man"
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 29,899
williamsburg ks
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sit quiet with the wind in your face and shoot them
Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety. Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)
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Re: Trap smart beaver
[Re: Ave]
#6238939
05/13/18 06:20 AM
05/13/18 06:20 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,719
Williamsport, Pa.
jk
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,719
Williamsport, Pa.
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Blind set downstream in his pull out spot. Look careful and you will see that he comes out of water in a different spot then than the castor mound is at. And I like the mound of dirt rather than the the sticks or better yet a deeper depression with the trap in that in land a bit(this really is the same as a mound).....jk
Free people are not equal. Equal people are not free. What's supposed to be ain't always is. Hopper Hunter
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Re: Trap smart beaver
[Re: bad karma]
#6238985
05/13/18 08:10 AM
05/13/18 08:10 AM
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Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 17,483
Wheaton Ks
lee steinmeyer
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 17,483
Wheaton Ks
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Set for front foot with coilspring on an 1/8" cable drowner. Set with some pan tension and use poke sticks in front of the trap. Make the sticks sharp and the points right at waterlevel. Remember to offset the trap pan couple inches from center line of travel. Get him under and drowned ASAP.
Can also set the trap behind a low ridge of dirt as well so he is climbing and using his front feet. I prefer poke sticks though. If setting for a front foot, don't use castor based lures or your gonna have blowed traps. Bait will keep him there, I like cottonwood or popple, stuck in the mud in a semi circle around the back of the trap. Simple set with the poke sticks, and a front foot just about 98% of the time. Use an essential oil based lure, or even a muskrat food lure. Good luck!
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Re: Trap smart beaver
[Re: Ave]
#8084642
02/23/24 07:55 PM
02/23/24 07:55 PM
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Joined: Feb 2024
Posts: 4
Rhode Island
Birddogs64
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Feb 2024
Posts: 4
Rhode Island
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Ok , I need some serious suggestions please . We have tried "everything " . Blind sets , Food / Curiosity Sets , Castor sets worked for a " short " period . Now ? NOT A THING ! There are " at least " 4 lodges ... several main channels in water not wadable and to clogged by shrubbery for a boat . 3 dams , but my son doesn't want to use break dam sets to further EDUCATE THEM . Camera's show nothing but us checking traps . And yet we keep finding fresh feed sticks everyday . There are places to deep in muck that you can sink out of sight also . So .... what would you suggest to put a dent in this population ? 3 will not cut it and our season ends here March 14th. And we are on our 2nd year of beaver trapping, which we enjoy.
It's been freezing or above during the day ... and cold enough to freeze or for skim ice at night . Rhode Island
" DOES NOT ALLOW FOOT HOLDS OR SNARES ," SO THOSE ARE OUT . So " my guess?" They are sticking to the lodge till it warms again?
There " were a couple" of neighbors who got together last year to snare a few beavers , not knowing what they were truely doing . So I think this also helped to smarted the beaver up . Thanks for any suggestions you have or can offer
An older indian who traps with one
of her son's . And believe's in passing this
knowledge on to the young .
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Re: Trap smart beaver
[Re: Ave]
#8084664
02/23/24 08:16 PM
02/23/24 08:16 PM
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Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 4,949
Aliceville, Kansas 43
Yukon John
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 4,949
Aliceville, Kansas 43
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Crack an anhydrous hose at every vent hole, or maybe dynomite!
Act like a blank, get treated like a blank. Insert your own blank!
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Re: Trap smart beaver
[Re: Ave]
#8084715
02/23/24 08:55 PM
02/23/24 08:55 PM
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Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 4,203
Eau Claire Wi
Trap Setter
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 4,203
Eau Claire Wi
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RBGs or snares. Don't disturb the area just sneek em in where you can. Not sure of the check times in your state but leave the sets for maximum time or, better yet, like loosanarrow said, find uneducated ones somewhere else.
Life sure is tough when you don't learn from the mistakes of others.
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Re: Trap smart beaver
[Re: Ave]
#8085230
02/24/24 02:42 PM
02/24/24 02:42 PM
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 12,416
South Ga - Almost Florida
Swamp Wolf
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 12,416
South Ga - Almost Florida
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Use a tray for the footholds. Use a tray that will hold 2 traps. Tray should be at least 6" under water...8" is better. Place directly in front off dam breach that is only as wide as the tray. Beaver swims up...bump tray edge...climbs up on tray...steps down onto traps...fully committed. Each trap should be on it's own drowner. Doubles very common.
Thank God For Your Blessings!
Never Half-Arse Anything!
Resource Protection Service
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Re: Trap smart beaver
[Re: Ave]
#8085244
02/24/24 03:15 PM
02/24/24 03:15 PM
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 23,660
New Hampshire
Nessmuck
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 23,660
New Hampshire
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Like Lee said....they can not pass up a fresh piece of poplar.
Stick that piece of poplar at the waters edge....and slide a foothold ..off to the right of center of the stick...about 4 inches .
Have that trap only 3-4 inches undah the water
It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees.
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Re: Trap smart beaver
[Re: Birddogs64]
#8085259
02/24/24 04:04 PM
02/24/24 04:04 PM
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J Staton
Unregistered
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J Staton
Unregistered
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Ok , I need some serious suggestions please . We have tried "everything " . Blind sets , Food / Curiosity Sets , Castor sets worked for a " short " period . Now ? NOT A THING ! There are " at least " 4 lodges ... several main channels in water not wadable and to clogged by shrubbery for a boat . 3 dams , but my son doesn't want to use break dam sets to further EDUCATE THEM . Camera's show nothing but us checking traps . And yet we keep finding fresh feed sticks everyday . There are places to deep in muck that you can sink out of sight also . So .... what would you suggest to put a dent in this population ? 3 will not cut it and our season ends here March 14th. And we are on our 2nd year of beaver trapping, which we enjoy.
It's been freezing or above during the day ... and cold enough to freeze or for skim ice at night . Rhode Island
" DOES NOT ALLOW FOOT HOLDS OR SNARES ," SO THOSE ARE OUT . So " my guess?" They are sticking to the lodge till it warms again?
There " were a couple" of neighbors who got together last year to snare a few beavers , not knowing what they were truely doing . So I think this also helped to smarted the beaver up . Thanks for any suggestions you have or can offer If it's only kill traps, I would search out a log they have been diving under since they've been there. Least amount of disturbance on your part when setting, no blocking necessary.
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Re: Trap smart beaver
[Re: Trap Setter]
#8085319
02/24/24 06:19 PM
02/24/24 06:19 PM
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Joined: Feb 2024
Posts: 4
Rhode Island
Birddogs64
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Feb 2024
Posts: 4
Rhode Island
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Have to check traps every 24 hours in Rhode Island and snares are also not
allowed in Rhode Island , along with foot holds . A conibear type trap is " only "
Trap allowed .
Already commited to finishing this out . Flooding of basements by beavers is a huge problem.
They tried the " beaver baffle tubes ," but the devil's are so smart ? They pushed mud all up under
the tubes to lift one end out of the water ! Baffles disabled ... beavers 1.
So looking for ideas besides vertical pole sets next to the feed pile ? But channel maybe to deep to access.
Last edited by Birddogs64; 02/24/24 06:21 PM.
An older indian who traps with one
of her son's . And believe's in passing this
knowledge on to the young .
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Re: Trap smart beaver
[Re: Ave]
#8085325
02/24/24 06:28 PM
02/24/24 06:28 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 15,744
MN, Land of 10,000 Lakes
Trapper7
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 15,744
MN, Land of 10,000 Lakes
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If there are channels where they are coming ashore set a submerged bodygrip in them with a small log over the trap so they have to dive under it. If the water is clear, set a little light brush in front of the trap to hide the outline of the trap. If the water is murky, you don't need the brush.
The difference between animals and humans is that animals would never let the dumbest ones lead the pack.
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Re: Trap smart beaver
[Re: Swamp Wolf]
#8085380
02/24/24 07:39 PM
02/24/24 07:39 PM
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Joined: Feb 2024
Posts: 4
Rhode Island
Birddogs64
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Feb 2024
Posts: 4
Rhode Island
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What kind of tray ? It's a great Idea that I never thought of . I can turn the conibear into a foothold " and " use as a drowner with a cable and a bag of rocks . Can a tray be made with sticks and cross bars of sticks ? My son is already thinking things up . Lolol
An older indian who traps with one
of her son's . And believe's in passing this
knowledge on to the young .
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Re: Trap smart beaver
[Re: Trapper7]
#8085388
02/24/24 07:49 PM
02/24/24 07:49 PM
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Joined: Feb 2024
Posts: 4
Rhode Island
Birddogs64
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Feb 2024
Posts: 4
Rhode Island
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Trapper7, water is pretty clear once the muck settles . There are areas where its like a thick dead layer of grass just beneath the surface "off of " the main channel they are using. I thought I had pics of the channels .
But I'll get more pics tomorrow .
My son even bought a " double wide " 1022 rbg ? To set under a log they were using . And I'll get pics of that also.
An older indian who traps with one
of her son's . And believe's in passing this
knowledge on to the young .
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Re: Trap smart beaver
[Re: Ave]
#8085400
02/24/24 07:56 PM
02/24/24 07:56 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,719
Williamsport, Pa.
jk
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,719
Williamsport, Pa.
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Whoa, we have two different beaver here. The first beaver-conibears only-I would take a batch of hemlock branches and stick them stongly in the trail, no trap yet. After you see signs of him going through, maybe only once in a while but going through put you 33 behind one of those branches. The second beaver, the "tried everything beaver" you are going to have to wait them out. Set a trap at the newest, biggest pile of stick. Add nothing but the trap, long chain off to the deep water away from the area so he can't not see the anchor and W A I T. Check with binos Good luck......jk
Free people are not equal. Equal people are not free. What's supposed to be ain't always is. Hopper Hunter
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Re: Trap smart beaver
[Re: Ave]
#8085717
02/25/24 08:10 AM
02/25/24 08:10 AM
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Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 4,203
Eau Claire Wi
Trap Setter
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 4,203
Eau Claire Wi
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Yeah ok I see what's going on here we've got Ave as the original poster and birddog67 hopping in asking questions about RI. Ave can use and will use footholds albeit smaller than ideal. Birddog can't use anything but bodygrips and can't access the whole place he is trapping.
Life sure is tough when you don't learn from the mistakes of others.
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Re: Trap smart beaver
[Re: Ave]
#8085751
02/25/24 09:14 AM
02/25/24 09:14 AM
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Joined: Nov 2023
Posts: 337
Lake Mille Lacs , MN
2poor
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Nov 2023
Posts: 337
Lake Mille Lacs , MN
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A Beaver has no defense against a well placed MB750 and a drowning rod , none !
It’s a lazy man who can’t find his wife a second job !
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