Setting up a lake this morning for beaver stepped on the beaver hut to get to the run and fell through.
Had one of those ole - thoughts as I was going through and forward knew I was going to break a leg at least.
Got lucky and there was a lot of room under the dome and my leg could move and keep it from breaking.
Got lucky this morning.

Thinking back over the years there have been other times like when I was standing up on my ATV.
I was looking for a ditch that I knew was there somewhere in the grown up field.
I found it as I went over the handle bar with the ATV coming after me I rolled out of the way,
Yeah going to fast for the conditions.

Stepped through an abandoned house one time and felt something wiggling under my foot. My foot came out faster than it went in and an otter shot out of the run and swam upstream in a big hurry.

Fallen thru thin ice alot around the beaver flowages.

I'd never go on thin ice. Every time I've gone through it was weak ice. Had one year I went through twice. Since then I only go on strong ice. lol

Flooded the waders Three times over the years...2 times I was lucky to have a friend pull me out.

After falling through feed pile ice last year and filling my waders in January I now keep a set of dry clothes and socks in the rig

It’s always a hoot....when walking in the water along the bank....and a Beaver shoots out of the hole and bumps your leg......

Well, I have had a few. A good month ago I just about went in a deep hard running creek. Lost my walking pole and one glove and I spared me. LOL I'm nor sure what the outcome would of been. It I would of went under ice maybe not so good. God was taking care of me I know.

I have fallen on two occasions and broken my ribs each time. The first time there was no cell phone I broke the ribs into .I think I only broke one rib into the second time. I was able to drive to the doctor. My boots have been bitten by snakes On many occasions. just struck my boot. I ha’ve had alligators come at me and what I can remember three occasions maybe four. I have hit two deer while trapping on two different occasions. The first year I trapped my hand got caught in a 330 about a mile and a half from my house it was only about 7°. I didn’t have a pair of pliers to disconnect the trap I had forgotten I left them at home. I managed to release the trap and walk home scared me to death.I was in north Alabama.My father happen to be at home and we were able to release the trap off my hand and arm.

The falling through ice would scare me the most if I was up north. Especially in the middle of nowhere

You just keep moving and have dry clothes in the truck to change into.

Upon pulling the last of a few mink sets along a ditch. I got out of the truck walked to the edge of the ditch, with rubber knee boots.

Started down and felt my feet moving out away. I threw myself forward. Only to be headed down on an angle.

Some snow in the bottom along with a discarded wood fence post. Which I promptly did a one point landing on my left side.

Knocked the wind out of me let alone it hurt. Now I'm looking down the ditch at the conibear setup, nothing!

I crawled over to the trap, after 5 minutes of accessing my situation. tripped it and proceeded to crawl up the side of the ditch to my truck.

On my retun trip home, I told the wife what happened. I peeled off the sweat shirt and t-shirt. My wife looked me over, and then said

" I don't see anything but lots of padding"! NICE! My son pulled the beaver sets I had the next day as I accompanied him.

Its not easy being an "older" trapper.

Quite a few years ago I was beaver trapping on the Black River. Had a set at the bottom of a cut bank in a very deep area but was able to step on the ice. Came in to check one morning and found a big coon had somehow gotten into the beaver set and was dead in the 330. Crawled down the bank and when I stepped on the "safe ice" it gave way and down I went about neck deep. The only thing I could grab was the coon and I was sure glad he was dead. Got myself out of the water somehow, pulled the coon and the set and hot-footed it back to the truck about 3/4 mile away.

Moosetrot

For years I trapped a small bridge on a road that had minor traffic at 5 TO 6 AM Most of the time that was when I was checking sets there . The bridge itself was just a cement box like structure .The cement stuck up about 2 inches above the road surface . Well one morning I was checking later in the morning but it was still dark .I checked my sets and was headed back to the truck The traffic was heavier than I was accustomed to and I did not know they had moved qualifying for the Indy 500 to that road There was a car coming but I thought if I hurried I could get across the bridge and off the road before it got close .Well I stubbed my boot on the cement sticking up above the road surface .I stumbled, nearly fell into the creek regained my balance and just got off the bridge before the uncoming car got there . I am not sure if that is a close call but it got my heart racing for sure

I’m sure glad I caught my first under ice beaver before reading this thread! You guys all convinced me to go and stop worrying about it.

Now I read all your horror stories lol.

Found a boot track ( not mine ) 2 inches from the outside jaw edge of a buried dirt hole set .

Just like driving don't drink and go set beaver traps. I once went down to a pond on my farm after a few drinks to set up a set on a drowning system. When I threw the sack of rocks with the drowning cable I went with it up to my eyes and I'm 6' 1".

Trapping the 1/2 mile wide Wisconsin River as a young teenager before class one cold fall morning I came close to cashing in my chips. I was all alone and wearing hand me down waders that were 3 sizes too big while walking along a mid river island holding onto the side of my row boat. Came around a point and the next thing I knew I was over my head with waders full to the top. I remember reaching up through the dark water and re-grasping the transom of the boat on my first attempt.Once I had my second hand on the boat I was able to kick my feet enough to propel the boat back to shallow water. Can't recall the air temp but I believe it was in the mid 30's. Rowed back across to my boat parking area and then headed home to dry off and catch the bus to school! Never did tell that story to my parents as they were non-trappers and that would have probably ended my fun!

Chris

Adventure cannot exist without risk.

That said, been through the ice dozens of times. The majority of which were on purpose. Go through purposely and get yourself out a dozen or so times and you will be keenly aware of how much it sucks, but you will lose the fear of it. Fear makes for poor decision making. Knowing it sucks is key too...lol

I never ever wear waders trapping. I can get in enough trouble wearing hip boots.