I have a place with beat down trail going over a pond dam, from the pond on one side to the overflow pool on the other side. I know raccoon use it heavily because I catch them in the trail every year. But this year I found evidence of a beaver using it too (cuttings left in the trail). If I stick a 160 in this trail hoping to catch a coon and a beaver wanders into it first, will it catch the beaver? Obviously it's not ideal, I realize. Would I perhaps be better off with a foothold of some sort, or perhaps a snare in the trail? I'm thinking a snare would be the other choice, perhaps one at each end of the trail where it goes into the water?

I have killed quite a few Beaver with 220's in trails like that when I have been out of 280s or didnt have one handy. Have also caught a lot of Coons in 280s on Beaver trails, but never with 160s. I really think it would take a lucky strike to cleanly kill a Beaver with a 160 and anything but that would result in a pull out. On a side note, 160 is my favorite Coon cubby or bucket trap. Never had a pull out or sign of struggle from a Coon with a correctly set up 160.

If you don't have a 280 Id recommend a snare but chance of fur damage goes up. Also, If you use a 280, you need to measure inside jaw spread to make sure it is 8" or under for Nebraska. Some brands claim 8" but spread can actually be wider.

Just looking at the size of a beaver skull compared to the size of a 160, I'd second what Trapset said about needing a lucky strike to catch/kill/hold a beaver in a 160. Can it be done? Sure. But just because you can kill a moose with a .22 doesn't mean you should. A foothold on a drowner down into the overflow would be a better tool for the job.

What kind of cuttings did you see? Was it peeled sticks or green vegetation? Could be that it's muskrat sign, not beaver. Should be quite a bit of beaver cutting around this time of year if there are beaver around.

YES

Depends on the size of the beaver. I have killed them accidentally in 160's, but would not set one for beaver on purpose. I would go with a snare.

Yes

99% of the time the beaver Is going to knock that trap over and your going to have sprung trap and a wised up beaver.

The cuttings were beaver-chewed cedar branches, common here. I know the lake has a beaver, I've seen him swimming around. I'm thinking I'll just try to catch him separately and use and use dog proofs for the coins until I do. I was just hoping I could come up with a good multi-critter set.

No......very poor choice.

I have caught a few beavers in 160s set for muskrats. I also held a couple in 1 1/2 Montgomerys. I would not purposely try to catch beaver in either.

I would definitely not set a 160 for beaver intentionally. You’re more likely to bop it on the nose and make it trap shy than catch it.

A Belisle 160 will hold a bear if you put a big enough drag on it. I can't get my hand out of one and I know how to do it! ")

i caught a 7lb beaver in a 6x6 colony trap. I consider that a pure fluke! I get nervous using 220s for otters in beaver areas. 160s would stay in my truck in known beaver waters