Hey guys, I’ve got a spot where the beaver are only traveling from the house to the feed pile. The water is very deep, and I have very limited options. I’ve considered baiting my conibears and putting them in where I see bubbles. Does anyone use this set consistently? From the very few I’ve talked to, it’s a good way to get a snapped trap. I’ve got some 12x16 traps if larger would work better? Any advice? Thanks!

Many times I have placed baited 330s under the ice,with success.
Tom

I use a baited 330 on occasion,Set in the right spot it will take beaver.Not the best under ice set for production beaver trapping but good to take the odd incidental while trapping other fur.
Dont tie the bait stick to the trigger.

When the bait stick is on the trigger, water movement by swimming beaver will often fire the trap. Always fasten the bait stick to a trap jaw.

Baited foothold pole set or baited snare poles would be my go to for that situation

Halfway between the den and the feedpile right where you see the bubbles. Have only trapped a few under ice but baited 330 worked for me this way.

Yes baited BG traps in the route to and around feed piles are productive beaver sets.

Baited 330's do work....but you're also going to get some fired traps and teach a few what a 330 is all about.

If it's legal for you, I would recommend snares hanging on a green poplar pole. Set the pole between the feed pile and hut...preferably on the bubble trail if you can see it. Otherwise, the ice should be thinner over the run. Make sure you run a safety cable that is tied off on top of the ice just in case they chew your pole off. You still may get misses with snares, but they never wise up to them. By the time they figure out what a snare is about, it's way too late!

Myself I prefer wiring bait to a dry pole. No extra work required re setting up safety wire.

or

I found using a chunk of white PVC wired to the bottom jaw of the #330 worked just as good as Aspen....and easier to deal with. Keep a handful in your trap shed. lasts, and stays white, forever.

A hanging #330 under the ice works just fine....for the first couple... but as we know beaver figure out the #330 after you catch a couple. Then go to plan B if you need the entire house removed. Or a nice time to pull if you don't.

bctomcat, I'm still learning this type of trapping . I set some last week a little below ice , thinking that's were they'd be swimming. When I checked them they had chewed on the bottom of the green popular pole missing the snares. I see the drawing shows 14-18 in. Do beaver not swim right beneath the ice?

Watching.

Moosetrot

Caught my first beaver in my youth in a set like this under ice the first night. For some reason that I’ve forgotten, I never used it again.

Sorry about the sideways photo.

Yes beaver travel at all depths below the ice. But I reommend to not attach snares on the dry pole any closer than 20" to the ice because If the snare is too close to the pond surface ice you risk having the beaver freeze into the ice when it is caught after it extends the snare and floats up beneath the ice. A frozen in beaver involves a lot of extra work to retrieve.

If you use a green pole, the spot for the snares is near the bottom and near the top about 4 inches below the ice. They instinctively cut near the top and the bottom because they know those are the spots that are securing it in the ice. I'd say most times they cut the top first. I always gash up the green bark to show them where you want them to start cutting.

I set the top of the bait pole. 2 snares. Our water isn't very deep here.
Now baited bodygrips are you talking "swinging Susies"?

[quote=BvrRetriever]If you use a green pole, the spot for the snares is near the bottom and near the top about 4 inches below the ice. They instinctively cut near the top and the bottom because they know those are the spots that are securing it in the ice. I'd say most times they cut the top first. I always gash up the green bark to show them where you want them to start cutting.[/quote

If they keep chewing the bottom I'll put snares down there. I'm in about 4 ft of water

In my experience, you can pretty well clean out a colony with baited hanging conibears. If you do it right, sprung traps should be extremely rare. Trigger off the the side and bait between the bottom jaws and just hang it.

[quote=cattails][quote=BvrRetriever]If you use a green pole, the spot for the snares is near the bottom and near the top about 4 inches below the ice. They instinctively cut near the top and the bottom because they know those are the spots that are securing it in the ice. I'd say most times they cut the top first. I always gash up the green bark to show them where you want them to start cutting.[/quote

If they keep chewing the bottom I'll put snares down there. I'm in about 4 ft of water

If they start on the bottom, the will go to the top because it will still be froze in the ice. They want to take the pole back to the hut and won’t quit till it’s loose. If you want additional chances, set the bottom and top. If you are limited, set the top before the bottom.