got a spot for beaver where it is too smooth for a drowning bag.was thinking of trying a long chain(15-18feet) staked to shore.will it work?

4-5’ is what I run. It is plenty. I know some guys run up to 8’. With 15’ you’ll probably have a heck of a time attempting to dispatch. Also a good chance the beaver will find obstructions under water making it hard to retrieve if it tangles.

With 4-5’ it gives me enough length to stake above the waterline in case water levels fluctuate and also allows the beaver to access the water to avoid any predators

thanks. makes sense.will cut them down. will see how it turns out.

Why not just tie them off short until you see how long you like them? Just asking a question.

I have drowning locks on all of my long chained beaver foot holds. If I want to drown I add a weight.

If the proper weight (50#) is used smooth is not an issue. They deplete there oxygen long before they drag it out.

First day of setting a colony I will often have a BIG trap set for a back foot on a castor pile/stick/smear. 10 ft of #5 chain on it. Then a number of footholds (on drowners), snares (drowner) and even some bodygrips in the right spot. I can take 2-5 beaver on the first night as the beaver gets in the long chain foothold first. If he can act fairly normal and get in and out of the water it attracts others that get in the blind sets. Clint Locklear's beaver night video taught me this and it works great.

Occasionally I will use the long chain traps in shallow water on a castor mound if I am running low on coni's or have a square-shy beaver. Got to check everyday though. To that end you must have multiple swivels on the trap end. Best when grass is not high to clog up swivels, so spring time here. From Dale Billingsley's video I learned to anchor it out in the water but so it can get well up on shore too. Doing that they often are pretty calm and have not ripped up the area to much.

If you go longer than 10 ft in my experience they wind up on logs. It is a sumbagun to get them off.

interesting,here as a youngster we were only allowed 3 beaver.last thing you wanted was to have a dead yearling in a trap so the family limb lined them so to speak.gonna give it a go again the next little line i put out.about the same principle as the chain i believe.

so far so good! 15' chain.

Well done. You knew what to do. Don't second guess yourself.