...Baited pole sets through the ice with 330's...or snares... for Beaver? Have not used either but will have a chance very soon.

Thanks!

Moosetrot

LOCATION

I have better luck with snares. Its usually pretty deep where I trap and no defined runs cause the bottoms just muck.

Newt-Tell me more about location. There is one huge, major feedbed in the mouth of a channel that leaves a pond, and I think the bank dens are near there. Looks like they are also starting a feedbed in the middle of the pond, about 30 yards away from the main feedbed. There is no current.

I am not sure yet of the depth of the pond. Will be a sand bottom. Plenty cold here now so good ice pretty soon. Would appreciate any input on where to set the poles. Should I put the snares or traps just below the ice?

I have caught plenty of beaver in runs, slides, and with castor mounds but this pole thing is new to me.

Thanks!

Moosetrot

I run snares on both sides of the pole, slightly overlapping, from the bottom of the pole upto the top just underthe ice enough that they won't freeze in. Make sure to run a wire right from the bottom of the pole through all the snare eyes and up to the top of the ice. Then wrap it around an anchor pole thats laying across the hole you made in the ice so the beaver doesn't pull the whole thing under. I think there is pictures of similar setups in the archives. I don't have one or else I'd post it.

Multiple snares around a baited pole give you a better chance. Baited 330s are more of a pita.

I’m a newbie so I don’t really know what I’m talking about. Found the baited 330s not effective unless set right in a run. The snare pole seems to be a big draw, worked like a charm for me last year at the two lodges I snared at and seemed to get good sized beaver on it too.

I set right off the edge of the feedpile, far enough to avoid tangles.

https://trapperman.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/2582731/Re:_Under_ice_beaver/conibear

This thread was a big help to me last winter. Lots of good snaring info.

LOCATION directly between lodge entrance in line/run to feed pile. I also prefer snare pole as pictured by "coos"; less cost and easier to set up than BG's. Just don't set to close to the feed pile.

Coos-Thanks so much for that archived thread! It's going to help me a lot!

Moosetrot

I used snares for the first time last year and connected on trap shy beaver. I still prefer 750s.

Coos pic is spot on.

I use the green pole set like coos pic,and also the dead pole snare set.Both have advantages and disadvantages.
A safety wire is necessary on the green pole set especially at an older active colony.I dont see it in coos pic,maybe it is running up the back of the pole.



I think if you look close you can see the safety wire running up this green pole set.
A safety wire is there to keep you from losing everything including a catch if another beaver comes along and cuts off the green pole and hauls it away.
Lots of times when using the green pole set all that was left was stubs on top(in the ice0 and bottom(in the mud) with snares and beaver on the wire.

Another question...With either the green pole or dead pole set I fully understand the need for a safety wire running from the bottom to the top and crossbar. Are all the snares attached to one wire or is there a safety wire for each snare?

Thanks for all the help, folks!

Moosetrot

You run the safety wire up the pole from bottom to top before wireing the snares to the pole.if the pole is cut up and removed by other beavers after a catch the snares and catch will all be retrievable on the wire.
You dont really need a safety wire on the dead pole set since beavers wont cut a dead pole unless you set it directly in a run and they want to clear the run.They have no interest in a dead pole under the ice for food.

That's what I figured. Thanks, Boco!

Moosetrot

Thanks for pointing that out Boco- I took that pic halfway through setting that pole up, I found it easier to run the 11 gauge up through the snare end loops as a last step. I came down one side, stapled and wrapped around bottom of pole, the back up through snare loops on other side, both tag ends were wrapped around a dead cross pole above the ice.

I’m sure there’s a simpler way, but I couldn’t figure out how else to get the snares on the wire.

No need to run it thru the snare loops if you put it on the pole before wiring the snares on.
Also as far as the safety pole on top of the ice,you can just slide that between the snare/bait pole and the safety wire.
If the bottom is hard,I take about a 1 ft piece of wire and go around the snare pole and safety pole and give it a twist.This stabilizes the pole until it freezes in.
Another tip-in late winter when a lot of under ice beaver snaring is done sometimes you wont get much freezing the first night.Sometimes none on mild nights.I have had beaver on top of the ice with the whole contraption and the beaver and poles wrapped up in a big ball of wire in the brush.

An old timer showed me to put a big block of ice that was cut out with the chainsaw on each end of the safety pole on top of the ice.In the slush on top they wont be moved by a beaver caught before the hole freezes.

Anyone else notice the resemblance of a face in the hole in the ice?

Thats the boogie man.