How often do you see solitary beavers? I caught a male beaver the first night after setting. It has now been 6 nights set and no activity that I can see. I have 7 sets scattered along 1/4 mile of river with the only dams on it for over 2 miles either direction. Castor mounds and trail sets. I am beginning to think he was a loner. Possible?

I see it around here when you either have the survivor of a trapped out colony or a beaver that didn't find a mate. I've came across "lodges" that ive walked on and small creeks that I thought was flood debris and a beaver shoots out. Lot of the ones I find the lodge looks abandoned and you only maybe find a few pencil sized saplings clipped off that indicates there is fact a beaver in the area.

In Maine this winter weve been catching a lot of singles and pairs. We had a record drought this summer and all the beavers were in the big lakes rivers and ponds then when the fall rain came they had to work double time to find/build their winter homes so lots of small houses and old houses being re used by singles this year.

I've been trying for a week to catch a loner. He avoids everything, even wont fix a dam break now. I've seen him twice and if I dont get him by monday a load of buckshot will be in order.

X2 what sniper said. I seem to run into it quite a bit, especially where people have previously trapped. Usually a big old beaver, that leaves very little sign in my experience.

Blind set footholds on every pull out you can find. Sometimes if you get there early enough in the morning you can find the wet spots where they climbed out if they're avoiding the normal slides.

Bachelor beaver. In the divorce he lost the house and custody of the kids. Also has to pay child support and payments for his former home. Depressed and doesn’t care about life. Therefore will not wrk the busted dam.

This morning I did find a spot that another beaver had come across a sandbar to some willows! I set up both slide spots with a semi peeled bait stick. Keeping my fingers crossed!!

Have ya made your own slides?

See lone beavers leave beaver areas and move into ponds in the middle of nowhere one landowner had this happen twice in the last few years.

I made one slide just above the main dam. No visits that I am aware of.

This place is unique, a 2 acre farm pond. A small lodge in one corner of the pond dam. Very little fresh cutting but a big feed pile in front of the lodge. I found two places close together that he is taking cuttings to strip, water is 18" deep and I have both entrances blocked with 330's. He has a small dam blocking the pond dam overflow that I have blocked with footholds. The pond is so over full that all trees around the pond are now in the water and the pond is surrounded by soybean fields. There are no pull outs and only maintenance is on the small dam he built. I broke that dam two days ago and he hasn't fixed it yet, and I saw the beaver today, so I know he is there.

I usually make 5-6 slides at a time. 3 on each side of water way if possible.
Lure the ones on western banks and set eastern banks blind.
2-3 Dam break sets per dam. Sometimes no trap at 1 of the 3. Don’t forget breasting sticks or they will use your trap to plug the hole.

It’s interesting to me that all species have individuals that are anti-social to varying degrees! No real rhyme or reason necessarily, they just are!!

No longer able to compete in many cases.

If there’s any water inlet or outlet, set that. Make them blind sets.

Well, I gave up and moved my traps. After 6 nights and nothing else caught, I broke a hole in the dam and waited 2 more days with no change to the dam. No activity that I could tell. So pulled and moved to new area. Lots more sign here and today I had 2 young beavers caught! 17 and 19#. Way easier to skin and flesh for sure! Will see how this goes.

Go back in a week or so. Make your own slides. Bait with a peeled stick or two. DON’T use a castor based lure. Set blind with snares or submerged 330s with a dive pole over the top. Use gloves when setting to avoid your scent on the metal.

Ol' bachelor beaver are fairly common 'round here.
I don't live in an area with high beaver numbers , (worst luck) so often times a nuisance beaver is just a 'single' one.

Sometimes an old sow beaver that's been chased around can be about as sharp as a coyote.