Good morning Trappers.

I have a few questions for the seasoned beaver trappers. My brother and I normally trap for Coons and Coyotes. A lady in town gave us a call about a beaver problem and wanted to see if we can trap them. They've built a (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman) across a main drainage ditch that backs up to a flooded swamp and water is backing up in the yard and across their road. We drive out to her property on Saturday morning to do some scouting to find the dam, a ton of freshly chewed up trees, fallen trees, castor mounds, and a few cross overs. We broke the dam about a foot wide and a foot deep and put a trail cam on video mode over the dam. They've not showed up to fix the dam as of this morning. I'm just wondering, why are they not there to fix it, and where could they be? The water level in the ditch / swamp has dropped about 6 inches since the break. With this much sign in the area, is it normal for them to not notice the water drop, or did the water just not drop enough yet? Not really sure what to do at this point. Thanks in advance for your help.

Sometimes they don't always respond immediately to dam breaks for whatever reason. Though usually this is caused by beaver being exposed to this trick by a previous trapper doing the same thing.

That's what has us baffled. This place has never been trapped before, ever. This lady has owned the land for a very long time. They used to go back on forth with the beavers, breaking the dam then the beavers would fix it, and so on. According to her, a trap has never been on the property, due to her not knowing anyone who traps until now. They just spend a bunch of money fixing her road and now wants them gone.

This dam might be a secondary dam downstream from the dam where their lodge/bank hole is located. If there are beaver there, they will fix it eventually. Have you checked upstream for another dam?

We have checked. This appears to be the main dam. The entire swamp is flooded, and it all comes to a culvert that runs to a main bayou, the rest is land locked. the dam is bulit about 30 feet from the culvert. Hopefully the will show up and repair what we've done to the dam, it just seems like they would have found it by now.

Move the camera and set traps at all of the crossovers.

We set the main sign and the dam break yesterday, but didn't remove the camera. We were hoping to get video of how they will work the set to better understand how to set. But they have not showed up, at all.

Set the crossovers and trails with footholds where they are cutting trees and wait. It might take awhile cause theyre leery but wait them out

Good luck

Don't depend on IR triggered trail cameras for waterborne animals. They don't pick up well.

They arent fixing it because they dont need that much water...if they needed it that deep to keep their lodge or bank holes under, they would be there overnight. Id set up 330's and snares in the necked down choke points .... and like somebody else said check around Upstream Downstream and find where they're living find their Bank holes or their Lodge

I see your in LA.\I heard that beaver in the south don't put up feedbeds,just eat what they cut where it falls.
Here in open water,beaver often wont repair a dam until during or just before a rain.
I would drop the water to natural flow,then look for the house or den and then set the channels between the house and the dam with submerged 330's.Have patience when you do that as they may not move right away.

All the reasons listed are typical things you may see. There are several more.
If you’ve searched the area completely, upstream and down then I suggest you leave the sets a few days.

Then if there is still no sign of them do what Boco says ^
Mix in some snares too , they are likely trap shy .

If they begin to rebuild the dam and avoid your sets .
Time for a stakeout and 12 ga with #4 buckshot
Good luck

I heard Boco was on Burbon Street with Beads around his neck and a bunch of 330’s .....I’ll bet dollars to donuts...someone said he couldn’t catch a beaver to save his soul......and now your wondering..where are all the Beavah ?

Y'all reckon the den may be in the main bayou? Would a beaver dam an area to flood for access to food, not shelter?

Yes , this is common

Sounds like there isn’t much left. From what you’ve said, it sounds like there was a colony, someone came and caught most of them, and what’s left is what they gave up on. Could be 1, could be more, but in my opinion they’ve been hit.


She may say there has never been a trapper, but since I started trapping I learned just how many people will lie to me. Almost every beaver colony I’ve trapped has been hit previously, even the never been trapped ones....especially the “never been trapped” ones.


Become a beaver trapper, and you’ll find out that many people will lie to you.

In my opinion, finding the best blind sets are usually the best way to close the deal on those spooky ones. I don’t mean fencing a waterway down to set a 330. I mean walking until you find the perfect locations for a blind trap. It could be quite a ways from the core area, but when you see it, you’ll know it.


Those places they’re used to duckin’ and hookin’ a left around a log that’s been there for years are great places to put away the ones that have seen all the tricks.


The reason why I said it sounds like this is because you said there is a bunch of downed trees, and she’s been dealing with damage for years. —-so where are the beavers doing this? —-they were there. I wouldn’t be surprised if she had someone trap them, couldn’t catch all of them, and now there’s the tough one(s) left. That’s ok——these are the teachers.


Keep us posted. It might be nothing like I described, but it’s Interesting to hear how these things turn out.


Good luck

We'll do some more scouting today. It's kind of hard with the time frames, beings its almost dark when we get off of our day job. I'll keep y'all posted. Thanks to everyone for the advice.