So got a few ideas concerning beaver and 330's but this just popped into my head. Say a fella made a way to float a 330 under something a beaver would have to go under like a dive stick.. would this be a viable set ? Or just extra hastel. I got something in my head that seems pretty viable , and seems like it would be good for moving water since it would just move up and down as it rises and falls. And from the Lil bit of time I had watching a wild beaver in the creek by my house some time back ,seems like it could be a good passive type of set. Because most of the time I watched him he way just floating in the surface and when he came by something like a larger floating stick he'd never really stop or deep dive always just dip under real quick and pop back up. Seems like if there was a narrower channel you could just plop the deal in mabye add a few sticks to keep it in place and as he's coming down he'll just dip under and get clapped. And who would really care if it rained out not like if the trap was on the bottom. Because here I've seen the water level go from where he could only go though the trap to the next day he had like two feet over the trap and in my mind just avoid it. Or do they always just go straight to the bottom ?Anyhow still learning about beaver behavior.wanted to see what the pros thought. It's still on the drawing board though

wolfie, meet the ss beaverwhacker!

Here are my thoughts on it. Minklessinpa showed a proven, 330 beaver float. The difference is, it relies on a lure. If that’s what you want to use, great. However, by your original post, it sounds like you’re wanting to create some sort of blind set, which would mean catching them where they’re already passing without lure or bait.

The potential problem that I see happening with your floating dive stick in current is, unlike a streamlined floating set such as a floating log, post, or pipe, the floating dive stick will interrupt smooth current flow, and I believe it will destabilize your set, unless you were to anchor it on both sides, maybe with double eye bolts. With a sideways log in current, I would fully expect it to sway from side to side, potentially causing problems. I could be wrong, but I do believe that current would not work well with a floating log that’s held perpendicular to the current, at least any real current.

In calmer waters, it could work, you’d need to try it to know for sure. Honestly though, for BLIND sets, I would feel that time, effort, and resources would be better spent keeping the trap separated from the fencing and dive sticks, if I’m understanding your post, but if you do try something, great. Let us know how it works. If you want an easy to carry, floating platform, use snares in my opinion, and either keep it out of the current or let it go with the current.

In my opinion you don't want to try and force the beaver to dive and then come up through the trap. Make It a as easy as you can to get the beaver to commit to going into the trap.
I have never used a float but I know of guys that use them and they tell me they catch beaver In them.

I have used a dive stick a fair amount depending on the the situation. I have never used a float for beaver, and can not see me making one. Too me, they are to big and bulky and you can catch a beaver with out one. If you have a choke point where the beaver is diving to go under a stick or log, just set a trap and use a stand or sticks to support it. Setting where a beaver wants to go without a lot of change to the location, has taken a lot of beaver.

I like the idea. I just don't know where I would use it personally. Maybe in an area where it's too deep to just stake a #330 and toss some brush over top of it?

Floats (and maybe this idea) has a lot of uses for those of us who trap where lots of people are and you can't set a trap on, or real near, the bank.

Beaver Float : One small beaver..two scoops of ice cream,,cover with root beer or orange soda pop.Muskrat Floats can be made the same way.

Caught and held a beaver in 1.5 long spring on a muskrat float….I tied off to an overhead tree branch that acted as a fishing pole. Never would of been there waiting without it. The best part of the story is me thinking I caught the new Boone&Crockett muskrat record for about 30 seconds.

20” piece of wooden fence post, 18” piece of 3/8” rebar stapled to the underside to act as a ballast, eye screw under the front for snare attachment, eye screw at the lower rear for swiveled extension attachment, and you’ll have an effective floating snare platform that can be made for a couple dollars and 5 minutes of your time. Dab some castor on the end guarded by a snare, and you have something that water depth won’t matter to be effective. Nothing wrong with building it a little longer if you want, but a ballast weight is key. Without it, a snare on a support will make it top heavy. In a pinch, you can make that work by getting creative, but you’ll lose some wiggle room with large water fluctuations if you have to wire it to prevent rolling. The rebar solves that. It’s just a faster and cheaper torpedo.


Floating snare sets have a place in some open water beaver trapping. I may not use them often or every time, but in some places, they absolutely shine.

The nice thing about the float is how it's not affected by water fluctuations.
I caught some beaver in them, but missed just as many as they were able to come in from the sides for the bait.
Never thought to use just lure. Woodchipper would be my choice if I did.

I've used them under bridges for spring traveling beaver where the water is deep.

X2

I've borrowed a trick I've seen under ice trappers use. Threading a 330 onto a pole through the spring eyes then laying the pole across a channel for dive stick and 330 all in one. Problem is beaver go deep when they dive so it can't be a deep channel. Otters don't so by catch is possible.

I don't think understand what your saying. With this,at least in my mind as soon as he ducks under it he's caught.if it's not a super deep dive though which is something I'm trying to figure out

I interpret that to mean, and if so I concur, you really can't "make" a beaver go a certain route or really want him to stop/change direction/think but instead to take the most natural and direct route into the trap. Think of of beaver as straight line movers, you can steer them where you want but don't stop them at a set that doesn't have a foothold directly under them.

I will bet if you read a dozen open water beaver books, they will all talk about using a dive stick. I kind of take it beav thinks the trap is going to be laying flat in the float from him saying "come up through the trap" A beaver is said to go to the bottom when they dive. I know that is not 100% from watching beaver. It the choke point was not real deep, three to four foot I would set the bottom.

Exactly AIX ,This would be a more specalized thing for certain place just like your torpedoes. Wanted something that from almost any angle just looked like a small log or something just floating . Ideal it would be used in calm water like a ditch and the like. So here's the idea and I could possibly try and draw if someone was curious.
Basically if take a length of PVC just as long as the top jaw of a 330. Cap off both ends and fill with foam so it's super boyant. Not sure what size I'd need yet to float a 330 but with the foam I doubt it will have to be over 2". Ok so in the middle of this I'd have some kinda stabilizer , a killer clip is what one thinking would be best. So all it's is now is a float with a clip to attach the trap to. I'm guessing makes this might weigh.....what 2lbs ? 4 with the trap and chain ? And what like 8" long ?
So yeah I'd that this clip my 330 in so my trigger is on the bottom and this float is on the top. Ideally when I set this in the water I'm hoping the float will be sitting like half way in water with the trap directly underneath. And of course I'd spray paint it to look like a little chunk of wood or something. So really their nothing there that's super unnatural. At least in my mind it would be just another Lil bit of drift wood or whatever. No lure or bait and this whole be set in again a smaller area like a ditch or choke point. Those little channels 330 trapper shows in some of his pics are a prime example.

Now I know what your saying. How to keep it in place ? The simple and light way I'm thinking is 2 4' 3/8's fiberglass fence pole with a T bar top again spray paint to break them up. Keep the springs on the trap staring out and drive these in though the spring eyes. This would keep it in place but also let it move up and down with water fluctuation. I'm also thinking this would be an advantage because your trap will be off the bottom. Why would this be an advantage? Well various critters are one the bottom , fish ,snapping turtles , alligator in some cases. Some they would just pass under. Not sure about slider turtles though But when mr.beaver or otter comes floating down they see this little bit of juck in the way it donst look super squirrelly so they just go to do a quick dip under and their caught.

All this however is just how it seems in my mind from my suuuuuper limited experience watching these critters. And again it's pretty specalized and again it's pretty ,well if that beaver wants to go deep Idk what they do more of.
But yeah that's this thing. I have another deal involving a stand but I've been told to keep it under wraps for now anyhow what y'all reckon now ? Make more sense ?

No offense, but I’ve never got the point of this set up. I could do the same with two sticks and a support stand for the conibear and not worry about lugging that heavy thing in somewhere

To test your idea as you’re presenting it, you could skip the PVC and use a piece of wooden fence post. It would already look like wood, no paint needed. The clip and 330 would be the ballast, no further weight required. I would start larger than smaller though. 20-24” rather than 8” for better floatation and to better cover the point. An 8” dive obstacle may be small enough for them to choose to swim around it in my opinion

and when the water rises 2 feet you are checking a empty trap.