Thought I'd share some pics from my recent beaver trapping exploits.


The put-in and take-out point for my river trapping. I paddle downstream dispatching critters as needed, and then collect critters and remake sets on my way back upstream.


A beast pulled from the depths


A real river monster...58 lbs. That's my second biggest ever.


Big feet require big traps. This guy's foot is too big for this Bridger #5, his toes are sticking through the levers.


Lure for the next ones


Perfect neck catch


A couple put up. I'll tan these guys, so I just use enough nails to hold em on and get em dry.


A little drainage ditch dam with a perfect crossover.


Today's catch


They're going to town here, but not for much longer.

Nice catches and pictures.

Nice to see Water

Great post! Thanks!

Nice catches, is that the Big Blue river your on.

Yup the big blue along with everything that flows into it are full of beaver.

Looks like fun

Good work!

Thought that was a plate of beaver steaks for second…..

Man, I love the threads with pics!!!!!!!

I agree with Owen. Good job Loose!

Thanks for the row along

Here ya go, a pan of beaver backstraps frying up

Oh my, that looks great!

You ain't kidding!Water and dirt both

Is the Big Blue consider a public water way or private land.

Thanks for the photo.

This piece of river is on walk-in land, so private land that is open to the public.
Otherwise, for any river that's considered navigable, the landowner owns the land up to the river,and the land underneath the river, or if the river divides two properties, the boundary between properties is the center of the main channel. Nobody owns the water though. So I can go up and down a river that runs though private property all day, but as soon as I touch the shore, or the river bed, I'd be trespassing. Same for fishing....if I fish using a bobber and don't touch the bottom, I'm okay. If I use a sinker that rests on the bottom, it would be trespassing. Pretty dumb.
Also, portaging around an obstruction in a navigable river is considered an affirmative defense to trespassing, so I could trespass to go around a dam. I never have, though, it doesn't feel right to me.

Goose is on the ball but will clarify a little for people unfamiliar with this state's priorities. Nebraska is a landowner state and by that I mean the title holder (the one with the property deed) has all rights to the the land and what is beneath it per the Nebraska Constitution. The surface water is owned by the citizens of the state and even the landowner, when he/she reaches a threshold of use - amount and type - a permit must be acquired from the DNR.... On rivers (per the question, bowhunterks) there is very little navigable water here and if you stake a trap on land or in the stream (even use a drowning weight) you need the permission of the owner of that land. Like Goose said, the deed is for the land (Dry or Wet). and if it is rented to a person for cropland/ranch production,,,,, ONLY the landowner can sign the trespass complaint unless specifically addressed in the lease agreement. Case law was established on ownership rights in the 1980's when some folks were having a cookout on a sandbar in the Missouri River by Blair. Adjoining landowner told them to leave and they refused so he got the sheriff to come and arrest for trespassing. The party folks went to court and thought they had the Navigable River clause allowing them to have a cookout. Landowner showed his deed description to the farm which said (legal description meets and bounds) he owned to the Iowa state line. End of story, judge said guilty and to pay the fine or jail. That established the owner's right to keep everything allowed in the trespass laws and only need to allow travel on a river/stream since the people own that. So you need permission to set a trap (or have a Sunday cookout) on the same river/stream you can legally use a watercraft on. Other recreational type states are different but for here, that's my take ......... the mike

Great pics.