Any tricks you guys have for trying to successfully trap beaver in the spring when the water is constantly rising and dropping? Every 2 days it seems the water has changed up or down 2 feet in depth in the creeks / streams I am trying to trap.
Might just have to wait to see if it levels out since most all of the snow is gone now finally. As long as it doesn't rain too heavily it should just level off I think.

Depending on the area you are working in... In streams and ditches you can find any well used travel runs going under logs or brush tops ( may have to place one where you want it ) This usually works even when the water levels rise since it is easier for the beaver to dive to the bottom to travel than fight the logs to limbs.

Snow is gone here and I thought it would level... then we got that rain. It is a pain, but I just kept setting and resetting and trying to predict what would happen with water level. When I was right... I scored beaver... when I was wrong... nothing. I finally got tired of it and pulled last night.

Snares if you can use them work great. You can make a trail up the bank to a castor mound or bait, hang a snare in it. If the beaver goes down the drowner under water, fine, but if not it still there. Dont have to worry about jaw spread sizes on land.

It was pretty bad here for a week or so on the river, What I have learned is when the water is dropping set for all hind foot sets which means deeper water setting and make those sets about 6 inches deeper then you noramlly would. What I have found doing it that way is even if the water drops 8 or 10 inches over night your trap will still be good enough for a front foot catch or even a hind, usally if it still gets a hind I catch them up in the webbing more. On the river I call the lock and dam daily to see what they are going to be doing. If the water is going up I basicly do the opposite. The Lock and Dam are pretty good about telling me that the water is going to be on the rise or fall and for how many days. It keeps me trapping and keeps me catching beaver when alot of guys have a tough time.

Lock and Dam... you on the Mississippi? I am on a creek feeding into the Trempealeau and more dealing with natural fluctuation. With the steepness of banks and rise and drop of normally a foot or more (as much as 2 ft. overnight one day), I have either been too deep or high and dry. All part of the fun, eh?

welcome to spring beaver season in WI!! Just keep an eye on the weather forecast, pay attention to how much snow is still on the ground to melt and runoff. Some year I'lll do more than just think about making some coni floats for 330's so I'll know my traps will stay at the right depth.

Try this ithas worked out good for me if I know Im getting some rain in a day or two
http://www.minntrapprod.com/beaver_tips.php

Set traps submerged on the upside of old beaver dams(spillway) and curve your trigger wires to prevent debris from collecting on them and firing the trap. Also set multiple traps with some perpendicular(on the sides).This will provide multiple catches and will cut down on fencing.Use dive sticks over traps.Set traps on the downstream sides of dams also with a dive stick over the trap.Have it so your dive sticks will raise and lower with the water level.Use same trigger configuration for debris in current.

CHANNEL SETS

Some good stuff there... thanks




Only problem I have with some of this is in WI we have to remain 15 ft or more away from dams... on small creeks that makes these types of sets MUCH less effective.

Does that law apply to old dams or just active ones?

It is any beaver dam. Im sure the great DNR would pich ya if you set on a old one regardless. They would just say its a grey area in the rule book. Have you tried making 2 sets right by each other one set for low water one for high water I've done that on the river and done ok that way. I have added mud to one set and dug it out in the one next to it that way I had my options covered. But as of lately it seems the water will rise for a day or 2 the somtimes a foot or more a night and then drop like that too. If I keep up on checking it I usally know how to set for that night. IT gets to be alot of work remaking each set almost everyday. Oh and yes I do trap on the Mississippi river from Fountain City to Alma usally

There is no otter season in the spring in MN. and some of the sets described are good otter sets.

Try a beaver float, it works well for me. there are some descriptions in the archives.

otherwise daily remakes and trying to anticipate. I anchor my drowners way up the bank so I can move the trap. Have had good spots where I caught 9 or more beaver in a row adjusting every day for rising water. then back down for falling water. A line of cut off bait sticks in the mud from previous levels, going up the bank, looks funny when the water drops.

Our trappers federation got the seasons aligned for beaver and otter -they both close may 15 here.We were also successful in having other similar species seasons aligned.But yes stay away from the dams if you dont want to or cannot harvest otter.Lured floats work good in spring for beaver but unless you are trapping out of a truck they are cumbersome to transport.In spring trapping the best set for beaver to exclude otter would be a lured set.

you would think a lured set would be better than a blind set for avoiding otter, and it is. but not by much!

I second Dale T's advise on floats. They shine on fluctuating water. Several feet of depth change and still take beaver.