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

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.

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.

Then he has to use It for targeting a front foot.

BUY beaver traps.

Drowning rig and they should hold long enough

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.

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.

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 ?

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

Try a Charles Dobbins dive log. Use about a three foot wide blockage of big logs and brush. Make the critter dive and set two 330's. If you have turtles where you are at you had better go to snares for now.

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.

Not many educated beaver will go near a #330 no matter what you do to them. I catch plenty of beaver right next to guys empty #330s...and most are BIG...been swimming around #330s their entire lives.

Trap smart beaver like you trap smart coyotes. A true wised up beaver is harder to catch than the coyote.

Does he have 330s

sit quiet with the wind in your face and shoot them

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

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!

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

Does Rhode Island allow a SHOTGUN? If not I suggest you move. If so I recommend 4 buck. Full moon right now…

Crack an anhydrous hose at every vent hole, or maybe dynomite!

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.