Under Ice Beaver Travel?
#7107735
12/27/20 03:11 PM
12/27/20 03:11 PM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 7,142 Wisconsin
Moosetrot
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 7,142
Wisconsin
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Starting to get things ready to go into a landlocked (no current) pond I took 2 out of earlier this Fall. I don't know how deep the pond is but an sure it is well-iced by now. I know for a fact there are more beaver in there, at least a couple big ones as when I was there during open water there was a day I saw 5 swimming around at the same time.
At one end of the pond there is a deep ditch leading out into the marsh. At the mouth of the ditch there is a huge feedbed and I believe the bank dens are very nearby. Out toward the middle of the pond it looked like they were building another feedbed but not sure. They had knocked down a big tree along the edge of the pond and it looks like they were stashing the branches between the tree and the original feedbed.
I am going to be using baited snare poles. I know I can set up near the original feedbed but am wondering if it may be worth my while to set a couple in the pond between the original feedbed and what looks like a second feedbed about 30 yards away.
Do you think they will be travelling from the original feedbed/bank dens? Worth my while or should I concentrate on the original area? I don;t want to clean them out but would really like to take a couple more out of there.
Thanks!
Moosetrot
Last edited by Moosetrot; 12/27/20 03:12 PM.
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Re: Under Ice Beaver Travel?
[Re: Moosetrot]
#7107754
12/27/20 03:20 PM
12/27/20 03:20 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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The greatest amount of beaver activity under ice is around the house and feedbed.
Forget that fear of gravity-get a little savagery in your life.
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Re: Under Ice Beaver Travel?
[Re: Moosetrot]
#7108135
12/27/20 08:59 PM
12/27/20 08:59 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 41,592 Northern Maine
Bruce T
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 41,592
Northern Maine
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The adult beaver still travel to the dam and any inlets as well ,under the ice.
Nevada bound
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Re: Under Ice Beaver Travel?
[Re: Moosetrot]
#7108523
12/28/20 12:05 AM
12/28/20 12:05 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 41,592 Northern Maine
Bruce T
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 41,592
Northern Maine
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No dam and really no inlet, that's why I was wondering about what looks like a secondary feedpile.
Moosetrot Dang,never see a beaver pond with no inlet or dam.Interesting.Have seen it on big bodies of water such as lakes and rivers.
Nevada bound
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Re: Under Ice Beaver Travel?
[Re: Moosetrot]
#7108583
12/28/20 12:40 AM
12/28/20 12:40 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,263 Lakeland,Minnesota
Bogmaster
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,263
Lakeland,Minnesota
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No inlet and no dam is pretty common ,in a lot of the pond beaver I have trapped Finding otherwise in the areas I trap,would be the oddity. Tom
If my feet aren't wet,I must not be trapping. Tom Olson MTA life member#100,also WTA life member
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Re: Under Ice Beaver Travel?
[Re: Moosetrot]
#7108584
12/28/20 12:40 AM
12/28/20 12:40 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,797 Wisconsin
The Beav
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,797
Wisconsin
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I've trapped 100s of beaver ponds with no Inlet or outlet. Lots of times beaver will have feed holes in between the den and the feed pile. I'm assuming there Is snow on the ice so you can't see any bubble runs.
The forum Know It All according to Muskrat
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Re: Under Ice Beaver Travel?
[Re: Moosetrot]
#7108845
12/28/20 10:03 AM
12/28/20 10:03 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,797 Wisconsin
The Beav
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,797
Wisconsin
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Some times a beaver will have It's bank den cave In and It will build a roof over that cave In. Look for any frost around that pile of sticks and mud up on the bank. If you find It that will indicate an active bank den.
The forum Know It All according to Muskrat
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Re: Under Ice Beaver Travel?
[Re: Posco]
#7109466
12/28/20 06:02 PM
12/28/20 06:02 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 41,592 Northern Maine
Bruce T
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 41,592
Northern Maine
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This is the inlet to the pond I'm setting. I figured I'd be more apt to pick up an otter than a beaver if I set this. It's sixty or seventy yards upstream of the lodge. What are you thinking, a baited 330? I'm thinking that big Male beaver will be swimming up there.I would have it blocked off with a 330 with the trigger way to the side if you don't want to catch a otter.
Nevada bound
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Re: Under Ice Beaver Travel?
[Re: Bogmaster]
#7109471
12/28/20 06:05 PM
12/28/20 06:05 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 41,592 Northern Maine
Bruce T
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 41,592
Northern Maine
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No inlet and no dam is pretty common ,in a lot of the pond beaver I have trapped Finding otherwise in the areas I trap,would be the oddity. Tom Around here without the dam there would not be enough water to survive the winter.Interesting how different areas are so different.
Nevada bound
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Re: Under Ice Beaver Travel?
[Re: Moosetrot]
#7109523
12/28/20 07:04 PM
12/28/20 07:04 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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There are some ponds here that lose their water in february.These ponds have dams but the inlet is what we call bush run-off,as opposed to a stream or creek. Some guys think otters drill a hole in the dam but this is not the case-the water slowly percolates thru the dam and all the ground water feeding the pond gets locked up by late winter.These beaver survive just fine,as the ice is hung up around the house on the feed and the beavers can still acess it.As long as wolves cant get in they will be fine.
These ponds are nearly impossible to trap at this time because if you open the ice,you will see a bit of water at the plunge holes but these will freeze up if you remove the snow and open a hole in the hung up ice to place a trap there.
When we find these ponds in late march when trapping beaver we just leave them for seed,or make note of the location and trap in fall before freeze up the following year.
Last edited by Boco; 12/28/20 07:06 PM.
Forget that fear of gravity-get a little savagery in your life.
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Re: Under Ice Beaver Travel?
[Re: Moosetrot]
#7114874
01/01/21 02:19 AM
01/01/21 02:19 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 41,592 Northern Maine
Bruce T
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 41,592
Northern Maine
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Nice.Seeing that #14 set that way sure brings back memories.I remember well when you could not see the trap when looking down the chopped out looking hole putting the pick down in the hole going off to the side then slowly bringing it inward to see if I could feel the rounded jaw of a set trap.
Nevada bound
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