How many t-man people know that a beaver that has been educated can be as hard as anything out there to catch? What would you say?

Scott

Scott they rank right up there alright

When a beaver is swimming with a stick in their mouth, and the other end of the stick sets off a 330, it does make a lasting impression. For some reason.

They ain’t easy but they can be had.

I've butted heads with a few,I've won and lost.

I've found that on small water it is best to take all the beaver in an area in the first night or two they get harder to catch after they have seen another caught, sometimes they leave the area.

If you take into consideration that you know pretty much exactly where that trap shy beaver lives and swims everyday and you can't seem to catch it, that gives it the edge over most animals as being the toughest to catch in my book.

LOL, I surely know it. I've had to deal with a number of them over the years. Some were even educated by me.

Much more difficult to catch a shy beaver than any coyote out there.

Difficult terrain has a lot to do with it....not as easy to get to the shy beaver sometimes....wading, boat, thick swampy flooded areas, snakes, gators, etc.

Then there are those shy ones that dont want to come out and play after a bad encounter....stays in lodge or bank den for a week or longer.....that I caused most times.

And all the shy ones are on pay jobs where your reputation is hung out there. If fur trapping best to just pull traps and give that one the middle finger.

Oh......They can be fun when someone (or in some cases myself) gives them a crash course on traps!!
By the way have I said I LOVE using snares?????

They can be tough to catch.
I once watched a beaver swim Into It's house I figured I had him. I found the only entrance to that lodge and set a 330 In the hole. I checked that trap for 7 days I still hadn't caught It. On the 8 check I see where the beaver actually chewed a hole In the hut above the water line and escaped. Talk about square shy.

I've run across some that were not only square shy, but shy of anything introduced into their environment that wasn't there before, including snares. Fortunately, I've encountered only a handful that paranoid in the past 30 years.

Definatly, when the rancher tells you "there have been three different trappers trying to catch him over the last four years" you know your job won't be easy. As tough as anything out there then!!

Scott

You have to admit though, there's nothing more satisfying in nuisance work then finally outsmarting your nemesis after a long challenging battle. It gets personal and you really get to know each other, lol., And we can't use snares unless they're locked under the ice.

I have always found pond beaver to be the hardest to catch. They know you have been there and get shy real quick.

Yes sir, I agree 100%. I've been using gloves for beaver'n to control my scent. They have a better nose than a lot of folks think they do.

YEP!! And any little disturbance to THEIR environment--they notice.

When a beaver starts playing with your 330's you better get out the foot traps. Been there, done that.
Morris

Or It's shot gun time.