This is my first posting since the crash and using the new name I use on the other forums : Huntersridge formally known as DodgeCityTrapper.

Here comes the part where I have to humble myself and ask questions:


I have been trapping beaver for 25 years and consider myself one of the best. I have been doing ADC beaver work for 15 of those years. I like to think I specialize in problem beaver that no one else can trap. ince moving to Northern Michigan 4 years ago I have realized these beaver here are an entirely different ball game. I am currently working on an ADC beaver job now (during fur season sux) and am having some problems.
I am on 80 acres of flooded land with 2 different colonies (I beleive). The first small pond has the largest beaver lodge I have ever seen. The first night I had 4 beaver in the traps. I made 2 castor mound sets and the remainder were sets that would take the trap shy beaver. It was trapped last year and the number of beaver taken are uncertain. I set mainly in the runs away from the lodge underwater with dive poles. Not to go into great detail, I tried every set I could think of for taking trapwise beaver (sets that have always worked for me in the past). The traps went untouched for over a week and a half. I pulled them thinking they had been caught. Two small holes were kicked in the dam and three days later they were patched. Traps were reset and nothing. I let it rest by moving into the marsh next to the pond where I found a FRESH bank lodge that was being worked on. Fresh tracks and mud up and down the lodge. I founf 10 bank holes along the bank near the lodge. 2 runs coming out of the lodge were set and every bank hole enetrance was set. There was a run alongside the dam. That was set in several places with snares and underwater 330"s with dive poles. Sets went untouched. I tore a 4 foot wide hole in the dam to get some of the water down at the landowner's request. The [Please excuse my language... I'm an idiot] brea has not been touch in over 1 week.
I have dealt with problem beaver many times over in the past, but this place is driving me nuts. I have never seen a dam break go this long without being repaired. I am starting to wonder if someone did not come into the back of the property and trap these beaver.
How long will these (this) beaver let the dam break go un-repaired???
I am comsidering going back in later when we have ice and putting in some snare poles near the feedpiles but have never had this problem happen before.
I thought that within a day or two I would see activity near the [Please excuse my language... I'm an idiot] and prove to me that they were still there. But nothing. No recent activity anywhere!

The only activity in the first pond is the crude dam repair. I mad 5 small bearks about a foot wide last week and only 4 of them were packed with mud. Not sure why the 5 one is allowed to continue to leak.
Any input would be appreciated.

ttt

I would say they are holed up. You may have to try shooting them.

I have NEVER seen a beaver "hole up" for that long. The pond will be dry beofre he makes an appearance at this rate.

No two beaver site's are the same, what works at one is worthless at another and vice versa. Your opening remarks you stated you felt you were the BEST or whatever, lol. Never think like that or you'll meet up with these 'phantom' beaver's as ive came to call them since they just APPEAR then disappear seemingly without making any sign in the process.

Will they let the water all drain off? Yep! Seen them do it several time's! Pinch one at a dam break set and he don't forget it. Most will float stuff toward the hole though and release it so it floats into the hole to repair it, that way they don't have to actually get near the spot where the 'booger' bit them.

Are you aware of sac oil set's?

Do you own any Dobbins beaver books or video's?

If not, id suggest you purchase them as many odd set's are found in the book that come in mighty handy at such time's.

Currently, ive got one doing the same thing and we're starting week number 3 of this dance, lol. Foot traps going to be your best bet, im wondering why you've not already set some at those break's in the dam that were repaired?

That's where id start to catch your's first, that usually is the end of a cagey beaver most time's.

Good luck.

Where did you move from? I am in Iowa, and after the freeze. You can break the dams and they won't repair them. I deal with beavers like this all the time, most of the dams are made from corn. After the corn is picked,how do they repair a damn? They don't. They live in the banks, and they channel out the creek So when it freezes they can still move up and down the Creek. I work as far away from the houses or dens as I can. I start with 330s then I move to snares and lastly, I use leg holds. I only set the houses or dens at the very last resort. I have had them hold up inside the house or hut or bank den for weeks. I know they're in there because of the frost around the vent hole. Sooner or later, I get them. Remember the guy trapping in front of you or last year? Well, most likely, he did not go in there with the proper gear. He probably tried 220's and number three leg holds and had no idea what he was doing. What was he doing you ask? Making a couple of colonies of beavers, very smart. Good luck, and I certainly hope you didn't promise the guy you're trapping for the you could and would catch everyone of them.

Well I've had good/rotten luck (depending on how you look at it) by catching beaver in a pocket set for mink using Blackies Fatal Attraction. I've also caught them in coon sets under a tree root system using Blackie's Money Maker lure. I've seen beaver crawl out at the same place I've slid into the water and also exited the water. You can try footholds in those sets. Set it up for drowning. I don't target front leg catches but in the above sets they were incidentals and were caught by the front leg and went down the drowning wire. I would echo the Charles Dobbins book on Beaver and Otter Trapping. Lots of good information in that book.
Have you tried snaring them? There is one snare set that I got from Hal's video - A tree next to the water that is deep enough for a beaver to swim by - take a forked branch and attach the snare on the tree 10 inch loop 3 inches of the bottom loop under water and in between the forked limb and tree is where your loop should be. Kind of like this / = forked limb O = snare and I = tree near the water's edge /OI then put some of Paul Dobbin's Beaver Plus or Back breaker on the forked limb above the snare - the beaver will swim around trying to locate the lure. I've caught several beaver in that set every year. This is only for open water - wouldn't work in ice over.

Don, got one today with that set. Used Beaver Plus, I love that lure!

sounds like you and mr. stevenson have crossed territories! lol

When it gets like that I go to all blind set footholds. Trap em' like big rats. No lure, no man made sets. Do that and play the waiting game.

Yes I have all the dobbins books, videos and everything that goes along with it. And yes I have used all blind sets. I went in here expecting a shy beaver or two (and that's what I got). I caught the four in the south fooded timber area but nothing in the second colony in the marsh. I almost insist on the idea of someone trapping them from off the side of the expressway. The marsh sits right next to the highway. I am thinking that what is remaining in the marsh is the one or two someone did not catch. I will be going back next week to see if there is any new activity.

H.I.S.: who is Mr. Stevenson???? The name sounds familiar. I believe he is trapping a stretch of river on Old 27 just a mile or so north of where I am having problems.

Sounds like you have just one ol lone beaver afraid of his own shadow, good luck with that one, lol.

Randy Stevenson..Was roscommons county trapper til a guy from down there got the bid. He is our under sherrif. He is trapping just north of you yes. And so am I. He may be a little further south than normal also. That is why I suspect you 2 may have crossed lines a little. Geo

Are you saying this place was trapped last year and that they're still trap shy? Or you believe someone's been in there right before you started trapping it this season.

I've had to dams ripped apart for almost a week now knowing there is at least one more beaver in there. I think he paddle to North Alabama cause I've nailed quite a few since dealing with him. I ripped another dam this evening draining another pond believing this is where all the beaver have been coming from. Haven't found the lodge yet and don't know if I will. Kinda disappointing knowing it's almost cleaned out. But then again, it'll always be that way cause 3/8ths mile down stream where a CR passes over the creek you can see peeled sticks. Can't traps there. Oh well. It's been fun!