Having an awesome spring season. 41 so far. First line of 22 traps produced 20 beaver and 4 muskrats in two checks. Second line of 20 traps produced 10 beaver on first check. Pulling that line tomorrow. Third line of 26 traps produced 11 beaver and and three otter. Partner and I pulling that line on Saturday. The last couple of nights have been really cold, so I do not know what the final result will be. Hoping for 50 total.

6 so for for us. A couple misses and a couple coons on the drowner castor mounds. Been pretty good for only a couple sets out.

I’m planning on sending the jar, and lid, back for a re-fill.

I’m going out of town tomorrow so my plan was to just skin the five from yesterday and put them in freezer, then board the 5 I skinned yesterday. Ended up skinning 5 and boarding all a
10. Good feeling to have them all boarded.

I made a staple puller out of a gasket scraper from Menards. Just ground a “v” in center and slide pliers along for fulcrum. Works great.

wtg guys ,I'm looking forward to todays , running the long line today for the first check of it , should a good long day and the wife is coming with :), hopefully everything is not frozen up , been some cold nights again , 15 out right now

I just saw this thread, lol, no time to read it at the moment though.

well it was a long day , lots of ice on ponds an slow moving creeks , low low water on river's , only got three beaver and 3 rats , something ate the biggest beaver ,a female with 6 baby's inside her, something pulled it out of the water with stand and ate the rib cage off but not stomach, it could not get it all the way out of the water , had a trap stolen on private land , I was cutting out glands of beaver that was eaten , slipped and put knife thru my chest waders and into my leg , my leg is fine , had 7 traps trip [330] on one site , don't no if it ice or people ?

Thats a rough day on the line.
Did you re-set or pull.
If your traps are all sprung again next check likely someone playing around with sets.

Rough day indeed. Looking at your pics I just thought back in March I DID NOT catch 1 muskrat in a 330. And this spring season I set more 330s than I usually ever use. Tomorrow will be better TD.

A couple of mine from earlier in the week. I got 9 at this spot. They obliterated the shoreline. There's a bank lodge in that debris behind me. I never was able to find the main den entrance, but I think I managed to get 'em all. I wouldn't doubt more move in this fall. The biggest was 55# and 3 were only 16 pounds.

Dahlgren, I like how you set them on a milk crate to dry them out

WTG trapper dahlgren, you have even managed to get ole trapper Les to post, haven't seen you post much lately Les.

A good stiff fur comb will rake those staples out 8 at a time. Very fast

Stolen traps in the middle of no where.....I hate when that happens

well todays another day , got to go to a trapper's meeting to , so wont get many traps check maybe a few on my way home ,

TD I hope things are way better today!

I used a comb for years and it was fast. Last few times i tried it it just kept bending. I switched staplers a few years ago, maybe it’s too strong.

That sucks about the stolen trap TD. Are you sure a Beaver didn’t pull your stake?

All traps pulled. Final pull was interesting to say the least. The water went down so fast from no rain and the cold days, had several 330's totally out of water. All were several inches under water when set. Had a couple of beaver and an otter that were out of the water. I believe they were caught before the water dropped so much. Thankful that a coyote or bear did not get to them and drag off. Partner and I ended up with 51 beaver, 6 otter, and six muskrats. Spring trapping is all about timing and it was perfect this year. I know season is open until April 23, but tagged out on otter and there are way to many in the area we trap. Left plenty of beaver for next year. Retiring in a couple of months, so already excited about next year.

Brother I would say almost assuredly that it was a cat that ate through that beavers ribcage! I have had that happen to beaver I have caught in all regions of the country and every time it has been a cat! Most of the beaver were caught at a dam spillway and easily plucked up on the dam and a hole through the ribcage and generally just the liver gone!