How long of chain? 10 feet?
Size and type of chain? #3 welded link?

Any problems? Other than a live beaver and entanglement?

Any tips?

I have a location, that must be set, that is too shallow for any type drowning rig. Heavy bark chewing on large blackgum trees in shallow headwaters of a small lake. Knee-deep water. Some shallow channels exist, but bodygrips are out...too many turtle, otters, gators.

Have had several beavers over the years that pulled my end weight and were not drowned with no problems, but Ive never intentionally set shallow with long chains.....

...but Im about to.

A little sac oil smeared on side of 3 or 4 of the freshest bark-stripped trees with a foothold guarding it under about 15 inches of water. Anchor to that tree...long chain.

Snares?

8 ft of chain or 10 will do try make sure they can go in the whole circle without wrapping up on something swivels in chain.

I ran 10-18 ft of #3 chain and 2 double swivels in the first 3 feet of chain. Most of my traps are Bridger #5 coils that are double laminated offset and teeth welded on top off jaws. My rivers are shallow and mostly sand and rocky bottom so there is not much to wrap up on.

I use 6-8 foot of #3 anchored with 24 inch rerod in the water , most a sitting on the bank waiting. Or swimming in a half circle.

I would anchor it as far as possible from the tree so they can't go round and round the tree and wrap up tight there. I have had good luck long chaining in situations like yours by staking so they can't possibly reach anything to wrap around. Ten feet of chain has worked for me. I use MB 750's or No BS Beaver Extremes and #2 kinkless chain with 2 swivels close to trap. I have not had any issues and have not lost any with this setup yet.

I have tried long chained beaver traps. I usually add a weight close to the trap. Works good until a beaver gets tangled around an underwater branch you didn't realize was there and the water is deeper than your hip boots!

I run 4-8’ #3 chain. Everywhere I’ve trapped, any chain longer than that would cause issues. With long chaining, it’s tough to find areas where the beaver can’t wrap around trees or underwater brush. I like to give them just enough chain to access to both water and land. Swivel well on the staked end and the trap end and you won’t have any issues.

Weight is another concern. If you have to walk at all, you won’t be carrying more than a couple traps with extra long chains. I used to run cable. It’s lighter but not as durable. You can still get a few catches per cable though before it kinks

Snares at this location now. Beaver(s) has not approached them in a week, but have chewed trees close by.

That is what I like to hear.

No water here deeper than my hip boots. If there were, I'd drown em.

Gonna be tough to keep em from wrapping up.

Got a JetSled to carry gear in when wading thru the shallows....no toting gear.

Can see some of the bark/cambium feeding...

Made 2 sets. One of em is at the base of the tree that I skint up. Left my sac oil at home...used Locklear's Flat Tail Call.

2 snares are here...

Believe there is at least one older beaver. There was another paid trapper here 2 years ago. No interest in swimming thru the snares....past week.

One time I had a beaver that I'd swear was finding my drowner chains and pulling on them. He was missing two toes, he'd been pinched before and was smart. Even though the water was deep enough to drown him, I ended up catching him by just burying the chain in the sand so he could t find it. Caught him that night, after two weeks of trying. 10 feet of #2 chain. I had a drowner lock on the chain, I just bunched up a bunch of links at the end on my quick link so it wouldn't come off. He ended up getting tangled in a branch underwater.

It seems there is always some thing for them to tangle on when I have tried to long chain so I use eight foot chain drowners staked at both ends. Quite often even on a twenty four hour check they will still drown even in shallow water.

I use 10 ft of #5 chain and a heavy trap. Often a SC 4.5. The key, IMO is to anchor so it can just sit on shore a foot or two, where you want it, not able to wander up on land further. I run 3 swivels in the first 18 inches and set for rear foot. In time I learns to pull the grass out where the reach shore or it buns up the swivels and you loose a front foot catch. This evolved to slick up that shore for an attractor.

I use this set as part of a gang set. The only set I lure is this one typically. At times you will catch 5 or 6 beavers that night as the flock to the one that is alive on the long chain.

Patrick, #2 chain will work just fine. I use drag chain segments so they’re 8-10’ long. I try to set where a beaver won’t tangle up. Looks like you’re already there but I set where they can get in and out of the water, as needed. I also prefer to set where they can get out and relax on the bank. Not sure that will work there but you should be fine. In cases like that I prefer a food lure as well. The sketchier they are the more I’ll change my lure or oils.

I run cables for all my drowning rigs but when the bank is slick and there is nothing for them to tangle on I just leave the weight off. Works just fine for me might not last as long as chain but way lighter.