catching beaver after dam removal
#6866743
05/08/20 02:21 PM
05/08/20 02:21 PM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,324 Hancock Co., Indiana
Kart29
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,324
Hancock Co., Indiana
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I have been hired by the county to catch some nuisance beaver out of a farmland ditch. But they usually don't call me until the day the dam is taken out by a trackhoe. So, I have to try to catch the beaver after the dam is removed. That means nervous beaver and no deep water for drowning. It also means there is not many places I can set a 330 and have it completely under water.
I am also not accustomed to spring time trapping.
Do any of you have any advice for the peculiarities of trapping beaver in the late spring or good ways to catch them after the dam has been removed?
How often do beaver just vacate the area after a dam has been removed?
Thanks for any help or suggestions.
What from Christ that soul can sever, Bound by everlasting bands? None shall take thee From the Strength of Israel's hands.
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Re: catching beaver after dam removal
[Re: Kart29]
#6866774
05/08/20 03:20 PM
05/08/20 03:20 PM
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Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 7,211 W NY
Turtledale
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 7,211
W NY
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I've had good luck in this same situation using float sets baited with fresh poplar. I've also seen the beaver vacate quite a ways up and down stream usually to the next set of dams or deep water
NYSTA, NTA, FTA, life member Erie county trappers assn.,life member Catt.county trappers
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Re: catching beaver after dam removal
[Re: Kart29]
#6866857
05/08/20 05:22 PM
05/08/20 05:22 PM
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 45,261 james bay frontierOnt.
Boco
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 45,261
james bay frontierOnt.
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Wait a few days after the dam has been removed.They may leave the area for a while,or they may start rebuilding right away.If they leave they often come back after a while. When they start rebuilding,take notice of where they are gathering their dam material,and if possible their den entrances when the water is low. Beaver often remain in their dens when the water is gone,you can determine if they are still using the dry dens by looking for tracks in the mud. All this information you gather should help you plan the removal strategy.
Forget that fear of gravity-get a little savagery in your life.
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Re: catching beaver after dam removal
[Re: Jim Comstock]
#6868509
05/10/20 11:12 AM
05/10/20 11:12 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 11,165 Central NC
traprjohn
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 11,165
Central NC
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If established with a good food supply remaining beaver don't often vacate when dams are removed, just about never. ^^yep!, that's my experience too I'd make feed bed sets with footholds and floating log/snare sets and leaning pole snare sets and MAKE YOUR OWN SLIDES, and set footholds there and maybe BTO lured set or 2 I'd insist the county notify me when the beaver problem starts, NOT after blowing the dam, or there is increased expenses, since they made the job more difficult. I DID THIS VERY THING and it worked well. I explained NOW it'd take more time, more "trap checks"=time & money, they understood that. They DID pay the "penalty" fee but finally started telling me before blowing the dam.
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Re: catching beaver after dam removal
[Re: loosanarrow]
#6869181
05/11/20 08:11 AM
05/11/20 08:11 AM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,324 Hancock Co., Indiana
Kart29
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,324
Hancock Co., Indiana
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Do you have an Indiana NWCO license? If so you can use an 8” (280 size) conibear on dry land. Yes, I do have an Indiana NWAC permit. But, I thought I was still limited to 7" max unless completely under water. How much luck do you guys have with footholds when there is not deep enough water to drown? Once the dams are broken, the ditches around here never have deep enough water to drown a beaver. Even with the dam, more than 3' of water can sometimes be hard to find. I've held a lot of beaver that didn't drown in footholds - but that was mostly mistakes, errors, or drowning setups that didn't work. I've never set one up that way on purpose.
What from Christ that soul can sever, Bound by everlasting bands? None shall take thee From the Strength of Israel's hands.
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Re: catching beaver after dam removal
[Re: Kart29]
#6869186
05/11/20 08:18 AM
05/11/20 08:18 AM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,324 Hancock Co., Indiana
Kart29
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,324
Hancock Co., Indiana
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The last job I worked on, I snared one beaver and had an empty foothold at the end of a drowner wire the day before they tore out the dam. Right after that, everything went stone cold dead. Not a track, peeled stick, or nothing for three weeks
The job I'm currently working on, they pulled the dam and the beaver were rebuilding it the next night. I snagged one beaver in a submerged 330 set right in front of a barely underwater bank den opening. I had another foothold at a castor mound set off and half-way down the drowner wire. The beaver are still hanging around this location for sure. But with catching one right at the den opening and another getting pinched in a 330, I'm afraid the one or two remaining beaver may vamoose before I catch any more.
What from Christ that soul can sever, Bound by everlasting bands? None shall take thee From the Strength of Israel's hands.
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Re: catching beaver after dam removal
[Re: loosanarrow]
#6869198
05/11/20 08:26 AM
05/11/20 08:26 AM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,324 Hancock Co., Indiana
Kart29
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,324
Hancock Co., Indiana
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Do you have an Indiana NWCO license? If so you can use an 8” (280 size) conibear on dry land. I looked up the regulations and, by golly, you are right! Thanks for the help. I think Indiana is looking at changing the general regulations so that 330's can be used if they are only 50% under water instead of fully underwater. I think that would still be safe and make the use of these traps much more versatile and effective.
What from Christ that soul can sever, Bound by everlasting bands? None shall take thee From the Strength of Israel's hands.
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Re: catching beaver after dam removal
[Re: Kart29]
#6869692
05/11/20 09:26 PM
05/11/20 09:26 PM
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Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 2,672 Ohio
Willy Firewood
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 2,672
Ohio
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You need to trap the guy hiring you.
Give them a two part proposal. Option one is all work before dam removal. Price is $XX. Option two is for work after dam removal. Price is 3 time the original $XX because much more difficult.
The result is they hire you at either price or do not hire you. Be happy with any of the 3 results.
FRAC LIVES MATTER
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