What bullet is everyone using? I used to use the hornady vmax can’t remember which grain and it worked good, but lately all the beavers I have shot sank on me.

Every beaver sinks regardless of caliber!!

If it were legal to shoot them here I would agree.

I shoot them in the head with 30 cal.they dont sink they stop drt.
Shoot some with buckshot,also drt most times.
Nuisance of course,not fur beavers.Just trap them.

I have shot quite a few with 22 solids and this 17 and loads without them sinking

They sink if they dont die fast.

I have shot lots of beaver over the years doing night patrol on Rivers and levees. I used a 22 mag all the time. Once you have a confirmed hit you need to get to them as fast as possible.

Head shots can trigger different responses from the beaver. Some thrust vigorously at times with their rear feet for a bit and others stop dead in the water after a lethal hit.

They can be prone to sink at times rather quickly once their forward movement stops. Knowing this behavior you need to have a good light or spotter to keep an eye on the animal and a good long pole net to help with the recovery.

I've had beaver get loose with a 330. Usually they're floating the next day as their innards start to decay.

Yup, give it a day or so and they come to the top. Unless the turtles get to them first.

If a beaver has been swimming for 15 minutes from the lodge most of the trapped air has been pushed out of the underfur and "down like a rock they go"

got that info from the book "101 way to poach "

and as Bob j say a long pole and a hook on the end, or a 4 foot diameter fish net for the scoop

Muskrats float and beavers sink.......jk

They don’t sink for long. Shot one before work on morning and he was floating after work. Luckily he was right near the bank and a decent sized limb brought him in. Got the castor, oil, and meat off him. Got muskrat from MTP and fresh frozen beaver from the few I got this past Spring/Summer to use next January when I start trapping again.