after having been humiliated by a beaver awhile ago, I'm looking for advice.

mostly, how one APPROACHES a beaver dam to set it up. (I think I spooked the beaver when I set up).

what did I do wrong, and how to avoid those problems?

advice requested/appreciated!

Thanks!

If you were to set it up in mid day when the beaver are not active you might avoid spooking them.

Set corners, set crossovers,...set further up and down,...set more

I break the dam , then go look around set a couple castor mounds or pocket set's with lure.
Than when the flow has let up a little at dam I put 660 in the break.
Them them traps are awesome.

If conditions allow approach from downstream in the water, I'm a big fan of crossover and this is where I start(my bvr work this is the norm) I try not to walk on the dam or disturb it. After taking several in crossover I will then work up above the dam. This may not be your conditions.

I first break the dam a little just to make sure they are still there. They plug it now you got them working...

appreciate the replies.

for the record, these were bank beavers, on a small mountain stream.

Do you know where the dens are? If you can get at them drop a 330 in front of the entrances. That would be a lot less work then hauling in footholds and drowner equipment.

Problem is you might be the second guy to disturb those beavers that’s never good because you don’t know what the first guy did wrong.

I set crossovers with 330s,then put in 330s at castor mound sets off to each side of the dam.At times I also make castor mound sets right on the dam,
I try not to set den entrances unless my other dam sets aren't producing.
Tom

I set footholds at dam breaks and castor mounds fairly close to the dams. Stuff 330’s in outlying channels. Lately I have grown more fond of trapping with footholds for beaver.

Dang

Marlin, there’s some good and bad advice in this thread already.

Couple questions.

1 - how many dams are there?
2 - how long has this colony been there of which you’re aware?
3 - has anyone trapped them before?
4 - why do you sound set on setting the dam? Is it the only accessible part or just the most mouth watering?

Standing by.

Set the crossover with 330s or snares on the down side, then break the dam far away from the crossover. Take out enough of the dam to make them uncomfortable about the water level at their den entrance.
Beavers will often use the crossover after a dam break. I don't know why, but they do.

Not every state allows a person to break open a dam. It is illegal in Minnesota to damage the dam in any way,so causing a break in the dam is not allowed.
Tom

I learned the long hard stubborn way to ditch 330’s if the beave is giving you refusals. Fresh pile of mud on the bank with no other scent, guarded by a pair of footholds off set either way a bit with little to no guarding.

Find where they're feeding and forget about the dam. If you spooked them at the dam they may be on high alert there and not so much where they're feeding

Ya sure of those turn downright paranoid after some beginners been messing with them

If you think you spooked them find where their already coming out to cut trees and set there pullouts without any lure or bait, if you think you have a colony that’s already been messed with avoid 330s and use a good foothold and blind set as many spots as you have traps for

If you have tried 330s and haven’t caught any there probably been messed with and are trap shy, in such a case I would pull out and give them some time to settle down again then slip in midday and quietly set up with blind sets using only footholds, I would also avoid chucking in the drowning weights and making that splash with them as I have seen it alert them all over again, also avoid making as much noise as possible and try to get in and out as quickly and quiet as you can, ya some are really that spooky

USMC, I'm not "set" on setting the dam. they were only there for less than a year. I don't believe anyone trapped THERE, but could've been messed with elsewhere.

there was plenty of sign, a bank den and a small dam when I got there.

after I set it up, all activity (new chewings, etc.) stopped.

I think I spooked them with all of my activity. (I wasn't especially stealthy).

If you can see the entrances to the den I would put some snares in front of it.