Have maybe gotten several hundred beaver ever. Set out 5 foothold in last week, 3 beaver an some sprung traps, 2 this morning, no. 3 Bridger coil on drown set up, set maybe 3-4 inches deep water. Not far from bank. Use breast sticks. To try get beaver drop feet wslk in trap, in sandy bottom, really sucks. At times.mix grass. In with sand. Absolutely impossible sometimes to get trap stabel an spent lots time bedding, have pan at half notch. An 4 lbs pound tension maybe. If beaver don't step on pan with a lil rock of jaws or spring levers, what happens ? How many times well beaver come back if trap spring him? I don't like dbl long at set as to much room but easy bed. An maybe next season try get 6- no. 5 dbl

You dont have any 330's?

use your shovel and cut a slab of sod up the bank a ways and plant it upside down underwater to bed the trap on, sometimes takes 2 or 3 sod clumps.

He has to use sets that are made submerged and designed to drown so he can use an extended check. 330's are no good bridge hopping, because they have to be 100% under water and you can not find many desirable places they fit within the ROW. We can use snares but they are not legal on extended checks either, even if they are on drowners, unless they are set completely under water per the law.

I do not understand?
Your post sounds like you have caught hundreds of beaver?
Yet you not know how to bed a trap?

Zim

?

Gotcha.
The sod option is a good one for footholds.

Either Zim is drinking...or has Carona Virus

You've caught several hundred beavers and you cant figure out how to bed a beaver foothold?

Sod not to good if all sand. I try grass , small sticks under spring lever an beside jaw. Very hard to get good time consuming, I don't do lured 330s nomore.to hard to submerge. With digging sticks, if beaver steps on spring lever or jaw an trap rocks but don't fire ? Beaver just keep stomping around ? Unless trap at 3 or even 4 inches deep is not work out front foot catch, even with breast sticks an trap pretty close bank ? Fire trap with chest, ? Well beaver return if trap fires ? I would think 3-4 inches from pan to surface ok ? Or maybe a lil more sometimes

I apologize to the OP.
Sometimes I am slow and can not understand.
Good luck to you Coonman

Zim

Sod is good if you cut a big enough chunk with the shovel and place it so beaver uses it as a landing and puts his foot down,Most beavers are on the move in spring,if one doesnt come back another one will come along.

The 3 letter word ..THE....needs to be in your stories. That little word would help it flow better.

IMO you should lower your pan tension to what you'd use if setting for raccoons. At 4lbs of pressure in soft sand it'll push your trap down into the sand enough to impede the pans movement. I'd also get rid of the breasting sticks and all the other BS just set the trap in shallow water up close to the edge (1-2" of water over the trap) and make a small mound with a little castor on it on the bank. You may catch a coon in it but if you're stuck with #3 traps and extended trap check type sets that's a minor thing. You should easily be able to make two sets like that in 15-20 min. even with your bad knees. I'd never go under a bridge and all the work for less than two sets per location.

Sand can be a big problem. Is It plugging up the trap or are you just having problems stabilizing the trap?
The other thing I would do Is lose those breasting sticks. Just pile up some dirt or place a decent sized stick In front of your trap just like you would use a stepping stick. A inch or so of water over the trap Is plenty.
If the critter Is making one step and Is in the trap bedding shouldn't be a problem. And make sure your off setting at least 4" either right or left of center. A trap placed dead center Is going to get sprung when the beaver hits It with It's breast and that's going miss that beaver.

Some guys swear by heavy pan tension for beaver,but I have more sucess when i use light pan tension.

You can put the traps in trays and eliminate all bedding problems. More gear to tote in but worth it. Footholds not fired unless a beaver foot in it.

Get the video....Annilahation of Trap Shy Beaver by D. Lafforthun.

Mostly have trouble stabilizing traps , seem impossible. A big chunk of sand sod? I have my doubts go work ? If mix grass in with sand, csn keep sand under pan out, sometimes stabel, yes traps offset. To side,mound sand in front trap, I don't know, silt in, breast sticks. I try have so not enough to keep trap chain from go down slider an pull stick out or go over it. A stick in front , might get tangle chain, water levels fluctuate. Some are, 2-3 inches submerged, others are 4 inches, 1 might be close 5 inches by back, is that to deep for front foot catch ?

Id get your bigger Traps soon as possible... I prefer MB750 size traps.. if you want that front foot set 1 to2" deep and the poke sticks I'd keep using. But I also like stiffer pan pressure not lighter .

So in 4 inches deep water is problem with try front foot catch beaver ?