Catching the last Beaver
#6444343
01/29/19 04:28 PM
01/29/19 04:28 PM
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Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 4,103 Bonner County, Idaho
Wild_Idaho
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 4,103
Bonner County, Idaho
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Okay guys, so I've got a marina owner who has me trapping a colony of beaver out of there. It is a super challenging spot to trap. There is a floating restaurant that sits on floats surrounded by a labyrinth of docks and boat slips. The beaver lodge and feed pile is under the restaurant in very deep water. I have trapped 4 beaver and an otter out of there so far. Got 2 beaver in castor mound drowners on the sandy beach. I have also snared 2 beaver in shallower runs going under the docks. I did not have luck with 330s under the dock so switched to snares. I also found the toenail from the hind foot of a beaver in my foothold drowner about a week ago and none of the ones I've caught since then have had missing toenails, so there is at least one more beaver in there, possibly 2 based on the sign I've been seeing in the snow. I haven't had any luck recently on catching any beaver. I got rid of the castor mound where I had caught 2 and pinched one since I think they are shy of it now. I moved it to a different area that had beaver sign in the snow. I used a change up castor based curiosity lure ( Beaver Plus) and added crushed up apples on the mound for scent and sight attraction. I know that they are going under the docks and swimming around in the marina. I have a snare as well as a 330 under the shallower spots under the docks so if they go through there they are done. But there is about 60 feet of open dock that is deeper water where I think this last beaver or two is going under. I also think they are snare and trap shy and shy of castor mounds. I don't want to hang snares on the deeper dock because one of the beaver that I caught behind the front legs instead of the heck chewed the heck out of the 2x4 on his dock where it was snared. I was thinking of securing pallets to the dock hanging down in the water and putting 330s in between the pallets to make their only way out to open water through the 330s. However the water is deep enough that they could probably dive down under the pallets, assuming they truly are trap shy. Anyone got any ideas to try? I've been racking my brain. The marina is on a big open water lake and does not freeze over, so baited sets with snares is probably not an option, especially since their feed pile looks like it is doing just fine in terms of how much they have left.
Real name Eric The sharpest hammer in the box of crayons.
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Re: Catching the last Beaver
[Re: Wild_Idaho]
#6444514
01/29/19 07:07 PM
01/29/19 07:07 PM
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 6,593 NC, Orange Co.
QuietButDeadly
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 6,593
NC, Orange Co.
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Attach your snares to a slide lock on a cable anchored in the deep water. That will eliminate the chewing on the dock boards and keep them out of sight as well.
And have you ever tried using sections of cattle panels to funnel them through 330s? Sounds like the area is easy access so that might be an option as well.
Life Member: NCTA, VTA, NTA, TTFHA, MFTI Member: FTA NRA NWTF
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Re: Catching the last Beaver
[Re: Wild_Idaho]
#6444655
01/29/19 08:42 PM
01/29/19 08:42 PM
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Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 4,103 Bonner County, Idaho
Wild_Idaho
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 4,103
Bonner County, Idaho
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Great idea on the slide lock drowner set. I will give that a shot. I haven't tried cattle panels just because I don't have any... but that is something to think about. Thanks!
Real name Eric The sharpest hammer in the box of crayons.
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Re: Catching the last Beaver
[Re: Jim Comstock]
#6453551
02/07/19 10:24 AM
02/07/19 10:24 AM
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Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 129 Dudley NC
Muddawg
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 129
Dudley NC
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I've never used them but beaver floats may be an option for you. They could be placed most anywhere on the outside or even up under the restaurant near the lodge.
Muddawg
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Re: Catching the last Beaver
[Re: QuietButDeadly]
#6455921
02/09/19 01:30 PM
02/09/19 01:30 PM
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Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 8,299 Louisiana
Aix sponsa
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 8,299
Louisiana
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Attach your snares to a slide lock on a cable anchored in the deep water. That will eliminate the chewing on the dock boards and keep them out of sight as well.
And have you ever tried using sections of cattle panels to funnel them through 330s? Sounds like the area is easy access so that might be an option as well. This is good advice. I would much rather use panels than pallets.
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Re: Catching the last Beaver
[Re: Aix sponsa]
#6470466
02/22/19 10:46 PM
02/22/19 10:46 PM
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Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 10,099 WI - Wisconsin
AJE
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 10,099
WI - Wisconsin
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Torpedos and/or floating log snares would be another trick to use... It'd be interesting to hear more about how to make such sets, Aix.
Last edited by AJE; 02/22/19 10:46 PM.
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Re: Catching the last Beaver
[Re: Aix sponsa]
#6470876
02/23/19 11:50 AM
02/23/19 11:50 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 11,165 Central NC
traprjohn
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 11,165
Central NC
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Torpedos and/or floating log snares would be another trick to use... if the log is long enough, you can hang 2 snares on each end for a total of 4 and I've caught up to 3 at a time with this...…..gota secure it good.
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Re: Catching the last Beaver
[Re: Wild_Idaho]
#6506493
03/31/19 10:57 AM
03/31/19 10:57 AM
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Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 4,103 Bonner County, Idaho
Wild_Idaho
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 4,103
Bonner County, Idaho
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Well guys, I gave that place a rest for 6 weeks. Did not set a single trap there. Then I went back yesterday and placed two very subtle drowner sets with a completely new lure (Keg Creek's Silver Creek Beaver) that they had not smelled before. Very minimal guide sticks, just a small stick or two barely poking up above the surface with some lure smeared on a couple sticks on the beach, 10 feet behind the footholds. Got a call from the Marina owner this morning that I had good luck and got a double on beaver in those drowners.
Real name Eric The sharpest hammer in the box of crayons.
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