If I set on moving water in a choke point there is a good chance I will catch a snapping turtle. I have caught quite a few in bank holes through the ice too. I think they head to the bank holes for air while under the ice. If I set half a dozen traps during the summer, a turtle a day or every other day in places.

Paul, Trapping in NC. I have found that a peeled stick or two does make a set more effective. My observation is that it's just an eye catcher to bring a beaver out of the pond to the bank. And there is nothing better than Backbreaker on a pile of leaves and mud with a peeled stick or two laying where they can be seen.

I can not speak about the entire territory of Russia. but in the area where I catch a beaver. you can’t force him with any bait to put his head in 330. or just I don’t have such lures like yours?

I have never trapped beaver in the south. But chipping through a foot of ice at -20 below with the wind blowing isn't real fun. Or falling through the ice in front of the house with a 1\2 mile walk isn't a treat either but we do it.

KOSOI How many are trying to trap them can also make a big difference as well. Following behind another trapper is usually a game of chess as they become shy of working a lure or bait from a bad experience. They learn real quick and remember forever it seems.

A four or five day check would make the ability to catch the last beaver more successful. If it’s cold enough just the reduction of human activity will increase the success rate.

"beavers are as dumb as a bag of hammers, until they aren't." (The Boss).
Once a beaver smartens up from me being dumb as a bag of hammers, it becomes smarter than a trap shy coyote.
I know exactly where it sleeps every night, and where it goes to feed, yet I cannot catch it even by cheating every way that I can think of.
Now that trap shy coyote who sleeps where ever ends up, and feeds everywhere in between, I can catch him.

They always slip up. But very true^^^

Besides the obvious weather differences and the challenges that come with it (ice, turtles, availability of vegetation), the beaver is the same. If you find them in swamps, north or south, they seem to be the same. If you find them in ponds, north or south, they seem to be the same. The numbers in the south are exponentially higher than the north. I think that factor can lead to a tougher beaver toward the end of a colony. Likely because the rest of the gang is getting schwacked and the higher probability of being exposed to a trap.

one of our states fur bearer biologists told me of an experiment done with beaver. The sound of running water in a cassette player got them to covering it with mud sticks and rocks, clear up on the bank.

i wish someone would take some of those southern beaver to an enclosure in MN or someplace else "up north" and put them in a habitat pen. see if shorter days induces them to make a feed pile. If it does not, does that mean a food cache is a learned behavior?

How often do you folks in the south where freeze up is usually only a few days, if it happens at all, see a food pile? Untill I read this I didnt think they ever did in the south.

The only ones I've noticed making food caches here were the beavers NC imported from WI. I believe this was back in the 1960s. The other beavers, which are southern, do not make food caches. It's easy to tell the difference between those WI beavers here and the southern beavers here by the fur quality.

Great educational post for all....lots of experience. Nothing to add that hasn’t been already discussed.

in NC we can trap dams and lodges. We can break dams also. I no longer trap.

True , the weather changes often .
I know beaver will look for open water , they prefer to swim with their heads out of the water.
So as the weather gets warmer , the edges of ponds will open sooner , and and they tend to swim there .
That's why IMHO the drown rods were invented .
You can run them under the ice where a drown cable or wire on a weight isn't as easy to use ..
I know I personally only use drown rods in that situation , because carrying extra weight and supplies never was a favorite of mine .

I dont believe there are more beaver in the south than in the north.
Canada has 1/4 of all the worlds fresh water and its all home to beavers.

So how hard is summer trapping beaver outta ponds up north ? Or is that a thing for y'all ? Only ever hear about North guys doin it

beavers in the northern bush can be extremely wary in open water-they are always on alert because they are the main food for wolves during open water.

beavers in the northern bush can be extremely wary in open water-they are always on alert because they are the main food for wolves during open water.

On my limited southern beaver trapping, compared to not so limited northern beaver trapping, I found that some lures that work dynamite in the south do not work well in the north...and vise versa. Also, during spring/ice out trapping here in the north the beaver are HUNGRY. Contrary to popular belief a good Food lure attracts more beaver than castor during this timeframe between ice out and new growth.

Similarly, same goes for any critter in the south compared to the north....and why more guys blind set in the south compared to the north where baited sets are the norm north. Critters up here have to feed up for the long winters and become very hungry at points. Southern crittters not so much and aren't as food motivated at times.

Sweat, Mosquito's and blind set/ travel sets, are my best ADC sets in June,July,August here in the North.