I am not on the X of where I’d like to trap these beavers, but beggars can not be choosers have permission upstream of there 200 yards or so. No fresh sign where I’m at but a lot of old sign. Wind is in my favor and season goes out Feb 28th. How much faith should I have castor mounds, drowning rod, mb750, Backbreaker.

During breeding season I see beaver traveling much greater distances to get a sniff of some nice castor. For us in western Oregon that is in January/early Feb. Backbreaker is a very effective castor lure.

Only one way to find out if you can draw them to your sets and catch them.

Two things are sure.
#1 You won't catch them if you leave your traps in the garage.

#2 Backbreaker is a great lure and attracts beaver.

Good luck!!!

The nice thing about beaver trapping is you can often catch them where you want to them to be with a good lure and Backbreaker is as good as it gets.

The downside of any lure and beaver is they can learn so don't be teaching them anything.

Like BP they travel so go for it.

Hate to say it, but I've tried a few different beaver castor lures, and Hawbreakers always worked , while the others were hit and miss.
Right now set on a sand bank or an slopped shore on a river and a mud pie set will work in Ohio .
Get permission on a river , the beaver are moving up and down them.
Mud pie sets work , castor mound whatever you want to call them.
Stanley Hawbreaker called them mud pies if I remember right.
I've always refered to them as mud pies.

Castor-based lures like Backbreaker, are very effective. But, sometimes after catching beaver on castor lures in an area, you might find beaver shying away from that set. Then, I've found a lure like Woodchipper to work for those hard to catch beaver.

Gonna see if they can learn tonight. Had a yearling waiting on the bank in a snare from a slide set and another grooming it when I got there. Took off when I moved in for dispatch. Remade the set just for the groomer. lol

Let us know how it goes.

My experience snares don't spook them near as bad as snapped 330s. Snapped footholds somewhere in between.

I guess we won’t get much in the way of snare vs 330, but perhaps I’ll learn if having one alive on the bank is an education. So far I’m gonna say no it isn’t.

Unmessed with beaver around here, id put a 75% chance of a catch by end of season. Way to make these odds a bit better is put a small dob of the lire on a stick and place it just above thr water so that any wave action will send the scent downstream.

Stayed away last night, didn’t even fool with dam repair. Maybe tomorrow.

Nothing today. I tossed some water up upon the mud pie and slicked it up. Pulling tomorrow p.m

I have watched beaver swim 150 yards across a pond with his nose high in the air right to a set that had very little visual attraction. Actually I had two sets: one with my favorite castor lure and one with a food lure about 6 feet apart. He swam right into the food lure set.

I love trapping next to guys who only use castor based lures

I do well with Backbreaker on castor mounds, after a week or so i make set with peeled sticks with what I deem curiosity beaver lure, Dobbins Beaver Plus and Green Beaver lure work well at these

About the second week of march here the beaver get to traveling and caster really puts the hurt on them

I have had beaver swim across a lake and dang near swamp my boat trying to climb over the sides to get at my home-made castor lure.

Castor is easily abused. It isn't a one sized fits all lure. I like Woodchipper as much as I do Backbreaker. But if I had my druthers all my jobs would be narrow creeks with lots of pinch points and channels.

You can catch anything without lure if you can set the spot it absolutely has to go through.

I am set up on small creeks here (unlike BP) and it is rare I can get on the X. I have used a different lure the last 3 years and Backbreaker has competed with my own (did not use BB this year and would rather not say what it is that is not working for me). I have two spots that have produced about 6 each and they are easy 200 yards from the first dam. Short story long: if it doesn't work mix it up.

Had to pull today our season is crazy short here in Ohio. Season comes in too late and goes out too early.