I have had a number of misses trapping for beaver with legholds. The problem is the changing water level of the river each day. I am wondering about using a 330 and placing a temporary pan attached to trigger wires with a drowning set up. Has anyone ever tried this. In other words, the 330 would lay flat and likely catch the front paws. Has anybody tried this before with success? Thanks B

Not a good idea! Set the conibear in a run or channel and changing water levels should not matter.

Chris

you will throw the beaver free of the jaws. Try float sets.

agree 100 percent.too much chance of a bad incident.

thanks

What were you using for beaver traps?

Many of the better beaver traps can be set to take either a front or rear foot with no issue. With smaller traps, catching a back foot can be a problem.

Most misses with footholds seem to be because of trap positioning. Make sure you position the trap so that the beaver crosses over the levers on a coil spring or over the springs on a long spring. If you position it so the beaver crosses the jaws at the dog or 180 degrees from the dog, you stand a very good chance of the jaws throwing the beaver's foot out of the trap. It's large rear foot can be on the jaw and the pan at the same time. Whereas if it steps across the levers, the foot can be on the pan and the jaw and still have a good chance of making a catch.

If your setting for a front foot make sure you get that beaver walking. And set It up so that beaver has to step over something. And Offset about 5" from center so the beaver Isn't dragging It's chest over the trap.

I wouldn't use laying down
....you might want to Get larger Pan traps for Beaver and study how to make some Good beaver sets, if the water is fluctuating....make a deeper bed and target the hind foot. Use the 330s vertically.

When I set a foothold for beaver I dig a bed for the trap and make a berm in front of the trap with the stuff from the bed.You don't have to be too elaborate,just as long as the trap doesn't rock.

Me too.

I was using #3 bridgers as well as a couple #5 (not sure of brand). I dug out a flat setting spot. The only one that connected was more than a foot deep when set though the water bounces 4-5 inches. It was a 50 pounder.

When I am wading in shallow water that is muddy, I always hope that someone did not set a lay down #330 for me to step in!

In Idaho, if you lay a 330 flat it now becomes a foothold which is illegal even in underwater sets since it will exceed the max jaw spread of a foothold that is allowed.

I only know of one person that advocates this type of use for BGs.

Hes an idiot

^^this!...floats are the way to go with wildly fluctuating water levels, AND, you don't have footholds or snares. Stuff/cable the float into some brush.

Floating log snare sets are perfect for up and down waters too!