Hi!

I was talking to a buddy when the topic of laminated jaws came up. He thinks that regular jaws hold beaver better than laminated. I think it's the other way around (just like land trapping). We'd like to hear the opinions of the rest of the beaver trappers here that have experience with both.

What would you choice be on MB-750s, #5s, etc.?

regular jaws

3/16" laminated

1/4" laminated

Thanks for the input!

John

Hey John! Here's my take and maybe I'm just reading into this more than I need to BUT....When Tim Caven was testing his MB750 trap he told me that he played around with different offsets some 1/8 all the way to 5/16 I believe...Tim told me he caught beaver in the all and really didn't have many problems.
Personally, I like a laminated jaw for two reasons...extra jaw surface to the beavers(or otter) paw and extra strength(weight) to the trap. I like an offset jaw on Tim's MB750 trap and Bridgers #5 coil...I prefer a regular jaw on the CDR and #5 Duke and Bridger dbls traps.

I prefer a regular jaw and do not feel the lamination is necessary when strictly Beaver trapping. In most instances the Beaver returns to deep water and quickly drowns. They do not fight the trap for very long !

When K-9 trapping we often hold the animal for a more extended period of time. When dry land trapping the target animal may be held in the trap for several hours instead of a couple of minutes.

John, are you thinking of making the ultimate beaver trap ? I know how that mind of yours gets to working!

I agree with 2poor. My preference is regular jaws on beavers.

A laminated jaw will increase the surface area of the jaw, which spreads out the pressure from the springs. The hind foot of the beaver below the ankle is tapered and there are no pads to keep a trap from sliding down the foot. The narrower the jaws, the better the bite on that part of the foot. Many times a toenail from the hind foot of a beaver left in a trap is caused by the beaver pulling out of the trap.

My job requires that I catch every beaver in every colony I work, so I had the opportunity to look at the beavers that left toenails. When I'd catch the beavers that were missing the toenails, I'd examine the hind feet and many times there would be evidence in the way of abrasions showing that the beaver pulled out of the trap.

Over the years, I've tested laminated footholds for beavers and found an increase in pull-outs when I used them. It wasn't significant for a fur trapper, but for a person who has to catch a beaver that is now educated, it was significant.

It doesn't take much force for a beaver caught below the ankle on the hind foot to pull out. Next time you catch a beaver, put a hind foot positioned so that the jaws contact it below the ankle. Grasp the front feet of the beaver while standing on the trap chain.... now pull up. I'm surprised there aren't more pull-outs because they come out of that trap so easily.

All I want that trap to do is hang on to the beaver for about 15 minutes.... after that there's no pulling on the trap because the lifeless beaver is laying on the bottom next to my sand bag.

Thanks for the input, guys! I have a few that are laminated and a bunch that are not. I'll leave it that way and see how it goes.

2Poor,

"John, are you thinking of making the ultimate beaver trap ?"

I think that's been done already- they are called "CDRs" and "MB750s"! :-)

John

Hey Paul, now I know why your Dad sold us those 2 #5 dls bridgers years ago....lol....they were laminated and center swiveled...

While we're on the topic of beaver footholds, I did try a few of the extra-wide (9" to 10" jawspread) double longsprings this spring. A friend told me about Clint Locklear using them in his video and I remembered reading something about Louisiana doing some testing. I haven't seen Clint's video yet so I just dreamed up a way to do it on my own. I'm planning to get Clint's video to see how he did it.

Anyway, I modified 3 Bridger and 3 Duke #5s. I only used them for a couple weeks so I don't have enough experience with them to have decided to modify all my DLs. I did make three catches with no pull-outs. One was across the pad and two were above the ankle. (BTW These are laminated with 1/4" round. LOL I was expecting above the ankle catches and didn't want to cause cuts. Obviously the hide's thinner above the foot.)

Earl, All of my beaver footholds are center-swivelled. Only the Bridger 5DLs didn't come that way and I modified them right away.


Thanks again for the input, Guys!

John

Earl, he was probably experimenting also.

Thats what he said,....that and lack of strength to set the big ones.. They have served us well

Paul makes a very good point when drowning the beaver on a slide wire but how about you guys (and gals) who use other methods such as long chains that allow the beaver to "mill around" on the bank or in the water until the trapper comes back. Anyone? (Plenty of people do use this method, namely Craig O'Gorman and Clint Locklear.) I too used it when I was fur trapping and can not recall ever losing a beaver, some of which were toe caught in #4 laminated, 4 coiled montgomerys, on a heavily swiveled 15 ft. chain staked on the bank with a 24" T-bar. Best sason was 81 beaver,some were also conibeared and a few were snared. Anyone else have simalar results?

I am aware that Clint has become very fond of the new carbon drowning rods. Myself I never saw the sense in letting a Beaver sit on the bank, I would lose the beaver as well as the trap in some situations.

I've never tried long chains. Here in Southern Michigan we have to check any trap used to hold an animal alive every 24hrs. Those anchored with slide wires can go longer. Plus, I'd rather kill my target animals as quickly as possible. Slide wires aren't absolutely perfect but most seasons I don't find a live beaver in a set. Lastly- don't the chains get heavy? An empty sandbag and a cable are a lot lighter to carry in than 15' of chain!

John

Vixen ive been using similar methods also and still like a non laminated cdr for that.

Zero loss's to date with those set up's, can't say that on drowner's, lol.

Id already heard Pauls thoughts on laminated beaver traps and agree with what he said, saved me alot of typing also, lol.

Mine don't have long chains John, i just use a snare extension and stake off with a 2 ft. rebar. Alot of place's i trap water isn't deep enough to drown, you know us lazy culvert trappers don't stray too far from the road!

LOL @ J!

John

Mine are unlam...Padded CDR's

As far as "Live trapping" and drownder cable/chain....I use #12 plaastic coated stranded copper wire...It will wrap around the beavers foot and helps eliminate any put outs..........Also.......I tie a stop up from the block/bag about 8".......I stake to the Bank above the trap .........then leave me a little "Fish on" Indicator in the Wire before the trap..for that.....Real L.C.T. fellin....Dave

Reg jaws for me.

Where I trap beaver, it's pretty much impossible to get in a drowner. I can in some areas and then I do. Then I'm using 1/8" cable.

But....the majority of my beavers are taken on land, held live on a 2 day check. Size wise they are running at 50 lbs as small and up to near 90. I run the MB 750s laminated...some have round bar, some flat. 1.5" or 2" pogos on 1/8" cable where I can get them in. If I'm pounding into "solid" rock...I use 28" 3/4" rebar.

I have used long heavy logging chains, it also works. But hauling them around is way too much effort. The short staking on the bank with the 750 laminated is much easier.

I catch plenty that are held by the webbing in what I'd consider about the worst possible conditions. Since they are potentially spending some time in the trap, I minimize leg issues IMO with laminations and the best trap IMO for the job. If I was sending them down a drowner...I could get by with much "less" trap. I would not hesitate to set for a front foot with a stock Duke #3 on a drowner. I have run both laminated and unlaminated 750s for many years and did NOT find any difference in pull outs, but I did see a difference in leg issues.

Either way, the 750s are awesome traps. It's a personal choice matter IMO if you are checking them on a 24 hour schedule, or running them on drowners. But for my conditions, I think you gain some advantage with the laminations.

Good post TLC...makes good sense.

I like laminations except when set to drown. I have just switched over to all cdr's. I lost my first beaver with the off set jaws this spring. The drowner cable bent and the beave did not make it down to deep water.The beave headed for high ground and got smacked by a car so I did not have an educated beav. He left a large finger nail behind in the crotch of the off set. That's how I ID'ed the critter. Some one left a nice spoiler to the front of the car at the scene of the accident. I believe the beaver was about 60lbs. Just a horse.