Just out of curiosity what are you guys running for pan tension on your beaver traps? I'm using Bridger #5's and for the first time I've gotten a couple rear toes, just the last joint. One must have been a big bugger because he moved a 24" or so piece of RR rail splice plate (40 plus pounds) about ten or twelve feet to one side in a little over 3 feet of water. It was on 10 feet of no. 2 chain.

It has been a pretty good year of just a hobby line. Eleven so far, one 15 pounder and the rest 51 to 72 pounds. Best thing is I'm doing it with my 35 year old son. His very first year and has got the bug real bad. He figures it's a win win, good fur for hats and mittens and really good meat.

The main thing for me is to get them to step over something onto the pan. Many times if their feet are in swimming mode you don't get the solid catch. 2-3 lbs is what I try for. Probably could be a little more.

I have been running with zero pan tension and just realized that it's probably what caused my one and only pullout (I have trapped less than 100 beaver so take it for what it's worth).
Now I think I should probably run a couple pounds at least as its my understanding that this encourages a deeper catch.

I'll be interested to see where this thread goes.

Years ago, I grabbed a couple of traps and gear to put in a couple of beaver sets. I set up the drowner wires, weights, etc. and went to set the trap and found that the pan was stuck. I didn't have a screwdriver with me, and since my truck was a considerable distance away, I just worked the pan back and forth till it had at least some give. The other trap was fine. First check the stuck pan trap had a beaver, and the other was sprung and empty. I caught three more in the stuck pan trap and none in the other. A light bulb went on.

I run the footholds stiff...never took the time to measure

Rarely a pull out

Never measured... but always run them stiff.

bout 5 lbs per the Boss's recommendation bout 15 yrs ago
If my Bridger #5 or CDR trips, a beaver awaits, ankle deep!

4 to 6 lbs

Thanks for the info guys. My pans don't free fall but adding a couple 400 grain 45/70 slugs will fire most of them, some take 4 or 5. I think I'll tighten them up to about 3 to 4 pounds. I have an issue with the night latch on one of them so I'll address that at the same time.

I'm also always thinking otter might visit these sets and my tension for them would not be 6 lbs.

I started cranking them up a little bit in the last few years. Its helps eliminate toe catches.

I caught hundreds of beaver with just #4 double long Victors though, and a tight pocket. But on the bigger traps, I have come to believe that I need more tension, especially as the traps get older and weaker.

For simplicity sake I run two numbers 2 and 4. 2lbs for fox/coon and smaller and 4 for coyote and beaver. Though beaver could go to 5 or 6 as all the adults are heavier than our coyotes.