How much weight should a beaver drowner be never tried for beaver but I might have some private land creeks this winter want to broaden my horizons lol.i can get I beams of all lengths and widths from work and would #9 brace wire be sturdy enough for drowner wire

If i was going to use a weight for the terminal end of a positive drowning system for beaver I wouldn't go less than 40lb.
I much prefer a pole stake on the deepwater end.
I am not going to haul around a bunch of heavy scrap metal all over the bush.
It be OK if your trapping nuisance road beaver and all your sets are near the truck(as if that is going to happen,lol).
# 9 wire is overkill,# 11 is fine,just inspect it and change it out after a few catches if it shows any kinks.The changed out wire can be recycled for many many other uses on the trapline.
You can stand your dry poles near the trapping site for future use.

I drive over the creeks I hope to get permission on so it wouldn't be to much walking I'm young and simple enough to haul weight a little bit of a distance lol. if I was hitting walk in spots I'd probably use feed sacks and rock/gravel I was thinking on making drowning rigs that can be used for multiple seasons no changing any parts out

As far as weight goes,it depends on the bottom.A hard bottom requires a lot more weight than a soft bottom. On a soft bottom,the 40 pound weight recommended by Boco,would work fine.But on a hard bottom,where the weight does not sink into the mud and sits on top of the bottom,40 lbs can be easily slid back on shore by a large beaver.
I prefer 1/8 inch cable and an adequate stake on both ends.
Tom

Two great sources of beaver knowledge there. I would chip in 50 lbs on hard bottom works for me.

My order of preference has gone away from wire to: #2 or 3 machine chain 10-12 ft, 1/8 cable (kinks less than smaller), rods, and lastly 11 wire.

Rods would be #1 if I was a road trapper. I am not. carrying 10 ft of road is a pain in the tail through the woods.

Death Diamond (WCS only now), Hags, or homemade from 1" tubing for slides on the chain.

#9 is ok but I like 1/8'' cable for that. Fill a plastic seed sack about 1/3 full of dirt. Or use a large truck rotor, big railroad plate, 4 or 5 window weights, old tractor weight, ect. Like the other guys say. On rocky creeks use a really big rock. If you have a favorite rock drill a hole in it and put an eye bolt in it ad use it from year to year. If you want permanent or from season to season you have to watch out because sometime water eats cable or wire. I would not depend on it a second season. You can put a steel or wood fence post out in deep water and if a flood doesn't take it out you can use it for several seasons. Probably need a rod for multiple seasons due to corrosion. Some creeks eat your equipment up. The best luck I ever had with re-using things like that is with the fence post driven into the creek bottom.

Thanks for the advice every one I have till Christmas to gather up stuff for beaver and otter never tried for either so about as green as can be on them two

Where are you at in Ohio?

In between marion and delaware