Thanks NC for showing those pics if I had pics I would have put them here, but I haven't snared beaver since I got a digital camera.

Rob I set it up exactly like NC showed and it is very effective.

Good luck

OT

I wouldn't use a baited pole with a snare in open water they could easily swim away with the snare and probably won't drown, you could bait a 330 but I've found in open water there's usually better options

NC the only problem I see with that style of snare set up is beaver chewing off your post. I used to use green posts but had problems with that issue.

Just my $.02 worth.

The thing I do like about that set up is it is fast easy and it does work.

Here's a tip for you,if you overlap your upper and lower snares you're catch rate will go up,and you won't see your snares pulled down and closed as much.

I'm not sure I agree that its a problem, since the vertical pole is just the bait and snare support. The snares are anchored to the "cross bar" which sits on top of the ice. I spudded the hole smaller than the length of the crossbar, so its extremely unlikely that a beaver would ever get it through. I also kicked in a bunch of slush and ice chips into the hole, to close it up quicker.

-NC

NC...my error. When I did them I secured them to the upright post...but that was some of my first attempts.

Had time to put in one pole tonight
seemed a little shallow though maybe move it tomorrow

Thanks for all the info guys.. We checked them today and notta zip zero.. Most of the snares were knocked down dont know if it happen when i was pulling them out or if something knocked em down.. I think part of the big problem is the fact that the bottom is Rock hard well at least every where i have cut a hole at i have hit rock.. So i cant get the bait pole to sturdy not sure if that makes a difference or not.


I did move one of the poles over in front of the lodge and between the feed bed so maybe that will be the spot.. I think it is in a run because the ice was alot thinner in that spot,Plus when i broke through we ended up pulling a couple peeled sticks out of the water right there..


I have a couple pics i will post up as soon as i eat some dinner and show how i have the snares set up..

I like that snare poll set up.

Hey Rob just a thought are you pulling up the poles to check them every time? All you need to do is spud out a small hole to look through then block it off from light so you can see down there, that will tell you if you are knocking your snares down or not. If your poles are not getting eaten you may need to move them. The area where you had thinner ice and chewed sticks float up sounds like you are where you need to be now. Good luck you will get em figured out, took me awhile, but there was no Tman to help out back then either.

OT

Will snares work in a shallow run that you would normaly use a 330 in?

Yes but be sure to check your regs and everything is legal the way you set it up.

Here is a couple pics of the snares are they were today when we left.. This is the only pole that i am able to use 4 snares on the rest of them are two snares..





Here is a short video it shows where the snare poles are located.. I moved one of them today like i said in between the lodge and the feed bed..








Ot yes i have been pulling them up to check.. I will have to give your way a try the next time we check.. Lol i did find out today tho never ever trust the ice no matter how many times you walked over a spot..

On that picture may I suggest that you move the bottom two snares up so they are just under the top two and have the top two overlap the bottom two by about an inch then add another pair of snares right at the bottom of your pole,so the bottom two snares are just two inches off the bottom.

Rob, IMO your snares appear ready to fall before you put them in the water. Take a look at the pic of my snares and see how the lock has to go up (against gravity) before it will fall. It is not really sensitive, but it is reliable.

Your snares may be falling closed before you even leave the ice, if youre shaking them around to get them stable.

-NC

Several thoughts:

1. If you are using green aspen for the upright to support the snares there is no reason to use those peeled sticks for bait. Besides, they eat the bark, not the wood.

2. I always try and set the poles between the feed pile and the lodge. Sometimes that isn't possible and I just set them around the feed pile. In your video it looks like there is lots of room between the feed pile and the lodge. I would move several poles into that spot if possible.

3. I've always found four snares/pole to be more work than it is worth.

Clark

NC The snares are pretty stable really even tho they dont look like it.. I know after the first check most of them were still in the set position.. These are some of Rally's beaver spikes and i do believe i have them on the pole the correct way. I also checked all of the snares once i had them in the water and they were still set that was before i covered them with pine branches..




Boco thanks for the info i may have to give that a try after the next check.




Clark thanks for the advice.. The reason i used the peeled sticks also is because i wanted to try and get more white so it would stand out more in the dark water.. In my thinking it was the white will bring them in to the bait pole and hopefully they will try to cut the fresh aspen pole it self. Lol i maybe way over thinking this to tell ya the truth...

I did move one of them in between the feed bed and lodge and my bro was gonna move a baited 330 but every hole he cut it was way to much of a tangled mess of sticks and we were running outta time so we are gonna do that next time..

That pole with 4 snares is the only one outta the three bait poles. I did it because the water was deep enough for it so i figured why not..

With snares on the bottom as well as the top you stand a good chance at a double.(As long as the water is deep enough)

Rob,
From your video I believe there are three runs coming out of that house.From where you are filming the lodge, there appears to be one just to the right of that tree, closest to the lodge, one over by the baited coni set farthest away from you, and it appears there is one going through the middle of that feed pile. Like Clark mentioned, you will have better luck moving the poles closer to the lodge, especially this time of year. If you can get the poles between the house and feedpile, so much the better. Where you have your poles is a little far from the lodge for this time of year. Their feedpile is just about as fresh as the poles you are putting down. You want them to be the first thing they see when they come out of the house, and if you can get them in the runs, they'll work them just to get them out of the runs.
If you look up next to the lodge the ice is dark, which is where it froze last, indicating an active area or real dark bottom. I have also found this time of year to be the least active. At first ice beaver are still in what I call the "gathering mode" and will work poles, especially those in or close to runs, quite actively. About this time of year they seem to go into a "doldrum" period, where they are resting up from an active fall period,collecting their feedpile and repairing the dam and lodge. As their feedpiles get staler, they will more actively work the poles. This time of year I get them as close as I can to the runs and lodges. I want them to see the poles as soon as they leave the lodge or attempt to work them to get them out of the runs. It is more important this time of year to locate the runs than it is when the feedpile gets stale/slimy later in the year. The way you have those poles located now, the beaver have to swim by their entire fresh feedpile to get to your poles. You may have some work them as they return from checking the dam or coming from bank dens upstream, but not a high percentage set this time of year. Later in the season(mid Jan to end of March) I just put poles down adjacent to the feedpiles, and as close to the lodge as I can get. There is most always a run on each side of the feedpile, and on long established colonies, there is usually one going under the feedpile to the outside edge somewhere. Usually the outside edge of the feedpile is the deepest part of the pond, as that is where the beaver get the material to build the lodge. The runs going out under the feedpile is an escape route when the ice gets real thick. I've seen lodges that were frozen to the bottom and I couldn't find enough water to set a pole. That is when the poles work the best on the outside edge of the feedpile.
You have the snares pretty close to correct, but get rid of the peeled sticks. The beaver already got rid of it because they ate the bark off it already. The "scores" should also be directly under each snare not 90 Degrees from the snare around the pole. The snare should swing clear of the pole and be at a slight uphill angle so the snare is about an inch from the pole as it hangs and the lock at about the eleven or one oclock position. A snare has to move to work. If it is resting on the pole, it goes dead, and a beaver will swim completely through it without getting caught, often knocking them down with their tail as they propell themselves around the pole.
The pole you have pictured, with the four snares and all the peeled sticks. The snare on the top left looks to be out of shape, like it has been pulled shut and stretched some. Is that the one that had the stick in it? It may have been bent while you drove it onto the pole too. Just bend the cable up at the head of the nail and it should correct it so it hangs correctly, like the one on the top right.When the pole is set, the snares and scores, should point to and away from the lodge, so that a beaver leaving the lodge will see the scores and work the snare where the scores are located, putting them in the loop.They most often activate the loaded snare with their backs as they attempt to cut the pole. If your scores are around the pole 90 degrees they have a chance to knock the snares down with their front feet as they steady themselves with their feet to cut the pole. I find I catch most of my beaver in the top snare farthest from the lodge. I beklieve a beaver working a pole is like a dog laying down, and circles the pole once before starting to cut it. I catch most of my beaver on the top two snares, usually under 55", because that is what the majority of a colony consists of, but I catch the biggest beaver on the bottom. I honestly believe the larger beaver are smart enough to know they can't take the whole pole into the lodge, so chew it about 18-20" from the bottom(imagine a big beaver sitting on the bottom and chewing the pole), because that is what they do on a hard bottom pond. The bite marks will tell you the position of the beavers body if you look close. On soft bottom ponds(loon poop/bog)I stack two snares on the top and two directly below them, but don't overlap them, they have to move to work, and a beaver working a pole is nearly stationary. They "feel and guide" with their front feet and propel theirselves with their back feet and tail. You may be surprised at how many extremity catches(feet/nose tail)you get with a loaded snare too. Pretty neat catching a blanket beaver by the nose in February.They don't get any prettier!!

Rally,

Thanks for all the info i will for sure take and move some of them closer and fix that one snare on the next check.. I do have to ask how can you tell Where the runs maybe? I am asking so i have an idea of what to look for at the next pond that i set up..