Setup: MB750's on short chain attached to 10' drowning rods (1/2" rebar + Hagz locks) in from of castor mounds.

Situation: Spring beaver trapping, mostly targeting travelers on river systems. Dealing with moderate water fluctuations. Every set and shoreline spot has different depth and bottom composition challenges.

Trap placement: I prefer to target back foot catches with deeper trap placement and further back away from shore. When the conditions allow this I have good solid deep catches. My issues arise when all I have is shallow, say less than 3" or 4", for trap placement with the shoreline setup.

My issue: When under water conditions dictate my trap placement is very close to waters edge, like say a short shallow shelf then instant deep drop off, I'm forced to target front foot catches and this is when I run into issue. Sometimes it works out but other times I end up with toe catches that I barely get or I lose.

Summary: I target back foot catches, I get good back foot catches. When I'm forced to target front foot catches, I sometime get front foot catches or I get back toe(s). Anything I can try to do different beside seek out better/different shoreline?

Any guidance on this would be great. Thanks in advance.

Are you using a breasting stick when going for a front foot catch?

When dealing with shallow water conditions I will target a front foot. You need to get that beaver walking. I will sometimes built up a earthen berm or have placed a good sized stick so the beaver has to step over It to get to the trap. It's not 100% but It does reduce toe catches and most of your sprung traps.

Build up a shelf of mud before the trap. If you miss front foot, they usually step over the mound and plant back foot more into the center of trap.

Make sure your trap is offset left or right

make sure it is offset, and you want their feet down, if it is on a shelf that drops off right at your trap jaw either try and build the shelf out or use a breasting stick.
Also if you are fighting too much water fluctuation you may be getting the water rising enough that they are going over the trap before putting front feet down and just catching the pan with the toenail of a hind foot. Try setting your traps on land (if this is legal there) or in just a half inch or so of water and covering them with leaves or mud. I don't normally cover beaver traps, but if they are out of the water I always do, and if I am trapping rivers where the water fluctuates a lot I tend to set up at the high water line, so it will either be out of the water and the beaver is walking or if the water is high it will be just under water but not too deep.

Are they backing up to mark the spot maybe.

Probably part of their foot is on a jaw when the trap fires.
Check trap placement/guiding.

I have the same problem. I have always used 330's and I can count on 1 had the beaver I have caught in foothold. This morning again had a trap snapped and half way down the drowner cable empty. I use bresting sticks and offset the traps. This happens more often then is doesn't. Am I setting to shallow. I don't want hi jack this thread but sounds like my problems also.

I never messed with those sticks. Set the trap so you have about 2" of water over the trap and get them to naturally walk Into your trap. If you can target a front foot you wont have any part of the foot on the jaw and pan at the same time.

Thank you guys. I have definitely been setting offset but have not done any breasting sticks or stepping sticks or much guiding. Gonna have to experiment but I have a place to start and I thank you again

Also my self imposed penance will be re-reading the Dobbins open water Beaver and Otter book because now that I think of it I believe he covers "breasting" a bit.

This

And make sure the trap dog is parallel to the bank.

Freds theory. With castor the beaver instinctively gathers mud. What happens on the approach with mud? Their hands are full and they hop up thus the shallow water hind foot catch. Imo one should target that front foot. I think he’s on to something.

I've caught 1000s of beaver and I don't think a beaver when It's approaching a castor set made by a trapper Is carrying a load of mud. The initial response Is one of curiosity. The mud hauling If It does happen would probbaly come after first contact. And I've watched a few beaver get caught and I didn't see them carrying any mud on first contact with the set.

And for the most part my castor sets are just a smear on the bank and not actually a pile of mud with some castor added to It. And I believe that's how a beaver starts out placing It's sign. And over a period of time builds on It.
Paul could probably shed some light on this.

If your having snapped traps bump sticks will be a game changer for you, just use dead stick to avoid other issues.

The first response by a lot of beavers, where the mound has been lured with a castor base lure, is to charge the mound and tear it up. The beaver is enraged. Then it will go get the mud and place it on the mound. A lot of the time they take the most direct approach to the mound, which isn't always on the normal entry point where the beaver usually comes to refresh the mound. When they take that direct approach, they will usually exit the mound via the normal approach, which is why you'll see that some beavers will be caught by the wrong foot. By this I mean when they approach the mound as you expect them to with the trap offset to the right, and end up catching they by left foot, it's because you caught the beaver leaving the mound.

When the beaver approaches a mound that hasn't been lured, the beaver will bring mud and leaves on it's first approach. I like setting these mounds when I have a wise beaver that is still freshening up a mound. I will set this trap for a back foot catch and use no lure. Right after the next rain, the beaver will refresh the mound.

These have been my observations. Y'all may have seen something different? There is no absolutes with beavers, just what happens normally. I can never say always and never say never when it comes to beavers.

X2

Still having problems had another trap all the way to the anchor down the drowner cable. I know I am doing something that is just off a bit. 3 breasting sticks on the front side of the trap and it is set offset. Today it was on a crossover. Enlighten me trappers. I dont want to rely on my 330's only..