Beaver under ice
#4369941
03/11/14 10:23 AM
03/11/14 10:23 AM
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 46,510 james bay frontierOnt.
Boco
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I posted this on the main forum,but thought some of the guys on this forum may be interested in our under ice beaver methods.We spend about 20 minutes or less setting up a beaver house.These houses were located by aerial survey in Nov,and the trails were made in advance to setting and houses checked to make sure they still had beaver. We set 6 houses in just over 2 hours on Mar 03 and checked on Mar 09. On the march 09 check we made it an educational field trip for trappers,conservation officers and the general public and kids.
Forget that fear of gravity-get a little savagery in your life.
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Re: Beaver under ice
[Re: Boco]
#4369973
03/11/14 10:36 AM
03/11/14 10:36 AM
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 46,510 james bay frontierOnt.
Boco
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The ice was thicker than normal this year-about 14 inches in the runs.We wound up with 14 beaver out of 18 traps set. A couple houses were re-set for a second check then pull.
Last edited by Boco; 03/11/14 10:38 AM.
Forget that fear of gravity-get a little savagery in your life.
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Re: Beaver under ice
[Re: Boco]
#4369979
03/11/14 10:41 AM
03/11/14 10:41 AM
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Posts: 46,510 james bay frontierOnt.
Boco
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We had lots of cold weather this year White,from early December until about a week ago it was mostly minus 40c all winter.The thickness of the ice really doesn't matter unless it freezes to the bottom,you just need a longer bar and chain.
Forget that fear of gravity-get a little savagery in your life.
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Re: Beaver under ice
[Re: Boco]
#4369986
03/11/14 10:44 AM
03/11/14 10:44 AM
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 46,510 james bay frontierOnt.
Boco
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Do you cover the holes and bank them up with snow White? Chiseling thru more than 6 inches of ice is a pain allright.
Last edited by Boco; 03/11/14 10:45 AM.
Forget that fear of gravity-get a little savagery in your life.
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Re: Beaver under ice
[Re: Boco]
#4369989
03/11/14 10:47 AM
03/11/14 10:47 AM
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 46,510 james bay frontierOnt.
Boco
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From now until april is usually the best time for under ice trapping as we will soon get a crust on the snow and the ice should not be forming as much at night now. Maybe you would have to wait a couple weeks later there. One problem we encounter is the ice hung up near the house and no water near the house.We usually just leave those for seed but if you find water near the feed bed you can snare them there.
Last edited by Boco; 03/11/14 10:52 AM.
Forget that fear of gravity-get a little savagery in your life.
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Re: Beaver under ice
[Re: Boco]
#4370002
03/11/14 10:52 AM
03/11/14 10:52 AM
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Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 5 alaska
weld'n'fella
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How many beaver did ya pull out of the house with the four in front? Did you have all the traps on the same level with them in front of each other? or staggered with some high and some low? Good job! Nick
"eagle river nick"
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Re: Beaver under ice
[Re: Boco]
#4370006
03/11/14 10:54 AM
03/11/14 10:54 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,750 SW Alaska
otterman
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the problem in my neck of the woods would not be the thickness of the ice though I do see some 40 inch thick on a cold year it is the depth of water in front of the houses tends to be as much as 6-15 feet deep where the runs come out. It would be real nice if I could use coni stabilizers like that for sure. I have two stabilizers I seldom am able to use and when I have the proper depth I tend to have them laying at home. Nice looking catch there though Boco it is hard to tell but the set with four conis 2 in back of 2 others how far apart are they to avoid a set off of all 4 traps by 1 big beaver
Last edited by otterman; 03/11/14 10:56 AM.
We get out of life only as much as we really want and work hard enough to achieve
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Re: Beaver under ice
[Re: Boco]
#4370009
03/11/14 10:57 AM
03/11/14 10:57 AM
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 46,510 james bay frontierOnt.
Boco
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3 beaver out of the 4 and 3 out of the 3 side by side.All traps are set on the bottom in the entrance run. You only need to set one hole as all the beaver use all their holes to both exit and enter the house. In winter beaver move slow when entering and exiting the house but follow the entrance run.When they encounter an obstruction in the run they detour around and go back in the run.Beaver are caught both entering and leaving.
Forget that fear of gravity-get a little savagery in your life.
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Re: Beaver under ice
[Re: Boco]
#4370014
03/11/14 11:01 AM
03/11/14 11:01 AM
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Posts: 46,510 james bay frontierOnt.
Boco
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If you look at the pics close you may be able to see the block sticks between the traps that are set side by side-this prevents one beaver from setting off the trap beside it.The ones in front are just far enough apart to prevent one caught beaver from firing the trap in front. You can see one house the water comes almost to the top of the trapstands.In deeper water we just use dry tamarack poles as a trapstand,about 10% of the houses will be too deep for the metal trapstands. Most guys use the tamarack poles,but for efficiency in setting we made some stands a foot longer than the commercial ones that could be used in about 90%of the colonys here.
Last edited by Boco; 03/11/14 11:05 AM.
Forget that fear of gravity-get a little savagery in your life.
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Re: Beaver under ice
[Re: Boco]
#4370020
03/11/14 11:05 AM
03/11/14 11:05 AM
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otterman
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yup poles is what I tend to use when using conis through the ice but it is spruce trapping the flats we have to haul them with us as there is no lumber out there and the beaver are living on lily roots. I see the blocking sticks just not visualizing it properly I guess
We get out of life only as much as we really want and work hard enough to achieve
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Re: Beaver under ice
[Re: otterman]
#4370096
03/11/14 11:42 AM
03/11/14 11:42 AM
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yukon254
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yup poles is what I tend to use when using conis through the ice but it is spruce trapping the flats we have to haul them with us as there is no lumber out there and the beaver are living on lily roots. I see the blocking sticks just not visualizing it properly I guess otterman, have you ever hung your traps with wire? Thats how I do it.....seldom ever use poles or stabilizers of any kind.....just hang 330s in the runs just off the bottom.
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Re: Beaver under ice
[Re: Boco]
#4370117
03/11/14 11:52 AM
03/11/14 11:52 AM
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otterman
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yukon yes I have done this as well and it does work just not as well as when things are stabilized. I have also done so when the conis were baited which works pretty good too
We get out of life only as much as we really want and work hard enough to achieve
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Re: Beaver under ice
[Re: Boco]
#4370139
03/11/14 11:58 AM
03/11/14 11:58 AM
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 46,510 james bay frontierOnt.
Boco
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To understand where to put the block sticks-take two 330's side by side close together,now where would you put a stick to prevent a neck caught beaver from twisting itself around(traps are solid)and firing the other trap with its back leg or tail.Since you don't know which direction the beaver will be going you need two. I always set beaver traps this way(multiples)whether at the den entrance,a dam break,or a wide channel under ice as well as open water.Why only catch one when you can catch 3 or 4 at the same set at the same check.
Last edited by Boco; 03/11/14 12:26 PM.
Forget that fear of gravity-get a little savagery in your life.
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Re: Beaver under ice
[Re: Boco]
#4370204
03/11/14 12:36 PM
03/11/14 12:36 PM
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Boco
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When you have the plan,equipment and preparation,it is really quite efficient.The best thing is you don't have to carry anything-ride right up to the worksite and drive away with a load of beaver. I realize everywhere is different,but some of these methods may be useful there with some modifications.
Forget that fear of gravity-get a little savagery in your life.
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Re: Beaver under ice
[Re: Boco]
#4370268
03/11/14 01:08 PM
03/11/14 01:08 PM
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otterman
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MAkes sense Boco I really tend to dislike resets and now I get how your using the blockers. I am sure there would be a little trial and error for someone doing when they haven't before but I can see where it will be helpful with otter as well
Last edited by otterman; 03/11/14 01:08 PM.
We get out of life only as much as we really want and work hard enough to achieve
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Re: Beaver under ice
[Re: Boco]
#4370406
03/11/14 02:19 PM
03/11/14 02:19 PM
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Boco
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Yes Yukon,I use that set when the ice is coming on in Nov.No open water but not enough ice to walk on yet.I have set as many as 5 traps side by side in a set like that and take otter and beaver and the odd rat in one check.They are caught coming as well as going.
Last edited by Boco; 03/11/14 02:29 PM.
Forget that fear of gravity-get a little savagery in your life.
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Re: Beaver under ice
[Re: Boco]
#4370486
03/11/14 02:54 PM
03/11/14 02:54 PM
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Boco
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One thing to remember,these type of sets are only worth making when you trap an area that has extended trap check laws. In the lower 48 where you have to check traps every day these sets are hardly worth making.
Forget that fear of gravity-get a little savagery in your life.
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Re: Beaver under ice
[Re: Boco]
#4370679
03/11/14 04:30 PM
03/11/14 04:30 PM
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None in the North for either kill or restraint. In the south I believe it is none for killing traps and daily for restraining traps. Personally I would not leave a live animal in a trap more than a day. It is kind of silly to have a trap check time on killing sets. There is a statute that says it is an offense to let an animal spoil in a trap.
Last edited by Boco; 03/11/14 04:34 PM.
Forget that fear of gravity-get a little savagery in your life.
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Re: Beaver under ice
[Re: Boco]
#4371605
03/11/14 10:10 PM
03/11/14 10:10 PM
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Posts: 46,510 james bay frontierOnt.
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I will take a pic of the trapstand and traps and the location of the blocking sticks. I will be away for a week so I will post pic when I return home. You can get away with weak traps under ice as the stands are stuck in the bottom and frozen at the top so the traps are solid.Same if you use tamarack poles. SK trapper one of our council members with a welder made them up.They are the same as the commercial ones except they are a foot longer. FT,once we cut the ice we determine the width of the run by feeling the side banks,as you can see,some are wide enough for 3 traps side by side,some are wide at the house and narrow down - those take two side by side and one out front where the entrance narrows,if the run is wide all the way out we set two or three close to the house and two out in front.The size and shape of the entrance run determines the configuration of the traps. If you are targeting a small house(a pair) obviously you don't need 4 or 5 traps,two will do.
Last edited by Boco; 03/11/14 10:20 PM.
Forget that fear of gravity-get a little savagery in your life.
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Re: Beaver under ice
[Re: Boco]
#4371627
03/11/14 10:17 PM
03/11/14 10:17 PM
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ducky
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if the sets are under ice we have no check limit and open water is 3 days here. i like your set up with the H stands
2018/19 season
rats 0 Beav 0 Otter 0 Mink 0 coon 0 fisher 0 weasel 0 fox 0 yote 0 cats 0
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Re: Beaver under ice
[Re: Boco]
#4375578
03/13/14 08:01 PM
03/13/14 08:01 PM
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Family Trapper
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You can get away with weak traps under ice as the stands are stuck in the bottom and frozen at the top so the traps are solid.Same if you use tamarack poles. I had not thought of that. I use a single pole and when the trap fires the trap becomes loose on the pole and able to swing around. By securing both sides of the trap it would eliminate the problems I had with my one pole, (which I love to use.) method.
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Re: Beaver under ice
[Re: Boco]
#4396179
03/24/14 07:27 PM
03/24/14 07:27 PM
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Posts: 46,510 james bay frontierOnt.
Boco
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Thanks for the reminder deerstand,I forgot about this thread. I showed this with two traps only,but in real life I would set one or two more out in front of those two. The block sticks should be positioned as shown to prevent one caught beaver from snapping two traps.When setting two more in front set far enough in front so caught beaver cannot fire trap in front or behind,leaving them working for the next beaver using the entrance run.You need block sticks when setting bodygrips close together,side by side.One trap is a belisle and one is an LDL.
Last edited by Boco; 03/24/14 07:30 PM.
Forget that fear of gravity-get a little savagery in your life.
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Re: Beaver under ice
[Re: Boco]
#4396247
03/24/14 07:49 PM
03/24/14 07:49 PM
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Boco
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Since beaver are moving slow they sometimes will try to clear the run before entering the trap.It makes the trap fire when the beaver is into the trap a bit,preventing a miss or a foot caught beaver in a belisle.Also sometimes a beaver will be entering the house with a stick.Always catch a few with a stick beside him in the trap.The reason the trigger is positioned on the bottom is so you can feel the trap jaws with your spud,to determine which traps need chopping out if you are doing a two check run.
Forget that fear of gravity-get a little savagery in your life.
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