how often you pros see that.... there all winter....then GONE!... and no, nobody got there before me

Giardiasis or tularemia got there before you.

^^^ or they just found another place to go.....seen it several times.

Possibly pushed out because of high water?

single off lookin for love

spooked layin low

died natural causes

food gone or water drop.

beaver are way smarter than given credit.i would put them number 2 behind coyotes.

I disagree about beaver being smart. They have good instinct but as far as smart no.

at this point I'm guessing spooked...I was on that ice a month ago, and had problems with snare knockdowns, I know there were several there then...no fresh cutting in the popple stand there after ice out, so they either packed up and left or are laying really low 1 fresh chewed alder all I found

the last week of march was pretty much son of a bugger beaver so thats still fresh in my mind.

Similar issue. 2 well used lodges on each side of the lake. 1 dead 2 yr old floating nearby. Ended up getting 2 from the entire lake. Expected a dozen since its seen no trapping for 7 years.

With beaver I too always think there is more than what I actually catch. They simply leave too much sign. When I used to live in remote area of UP I could go back and catch areas with snares in late winter. Every time in central Michigan someone eliminates before I get back to it or they move as you guys state some good reasons.

I have seen whole colonys move in the spring.Usually the place they wintered was not ideal,with poor feed or eaten out.
It does not seem to be that common.

This is an example of how stupid beaver are. The trees were cut last fall and not touched this spring. They were cutting new trees. At that rate they would have all the trees gone in another year and then they would move. I took 11 off this spot last year and 13 so far this year. I will take another dozen or more next year and every year after until trees are gone. The county breaks the dam every fall and they just build it back up.

That is just a small shot of the escalation from these dumb critters.